M. Eng. in Technical Entrepreneurship
The professional Master of Engineering in Technical Entrepreneurship is an 11-month, full-time, 30-credit mix of design, product development, and entrepreneurship courses. Students from a wide array of disciplines work individually and in teams to develop and commercialize new products while expanding their skills in creativity, prototyping, visualization, and intellectual property creation/management; technology application; team, data, and process management; and business and economic acumen.
Summer Session 2 (July/August)
TE 301. Creativity and Systematic Innovation Methods (3 Credits)
Creativity methods, anthropological research, painstorming, bisociation, the Kano model, the trimming technique, parameter analysis, decomposition, nonlinear design, DeBono's Six Hats technique, biomimicry, lateral benchmarking, Blue Ocean Strategy, the art of tinkering, and other innovation methods. Hands-on labs, individual and team projects.
TE 400. Technical Entrepreneurship Projects - 1 (1 Credit)
An introduction to technical entrepreneurship projects, customer discovery in selected industry segments, research of target technologies, industries and markets.
TE 407. Intellectual Property Creation and Management (2 Credits)
Intellectual property issues: confidentiality, nondisclosure, agreement not to compete, founders agreements, patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets both domestic and international.
Fall Semester (August-December)
TE 302. Methods in Visual Thinking (2 Credits)
Visualization techniques, visual thinking and envisioning information as taught by Edward Tufte and others, multimedia tools and methods. Appropriate use of technology as applied to new product development (no programming required).
TE 401. Integrated Product Development (IPD) Process - 1 (3 Credits)
An integrated and interdisciplinary approach to engineering design, concurrent engineering, design for manufacturing, industrial design and the business of new product development. Topics include design methods, philosophy and practice, the role of modeling and simulation, decision making, risk, cost, material and manufacturing process selection, platform and modular design, mass customization, quality, planning and scheduling, business issues, teamwork, group dynamics, creativity and innovation. Case studies and semester-long team projects.
TE 461. Integrated Product Development (IPD) Projects - 1 (1 Credit)
Technical and economic feasibility study of new products. Selection and content of the project is determined by the faculty project advisor in consultation with the student. Progress report, final report, oral and posters presentations.
Prerequisite: TE 400.
TE 405. Entrepreneurial Startup Projects - 1 (1 Credit)
Applying the concepts and processes developed in TE 403. Developing your business platform including business model, startup team, and financial plan to launch and grow your venture.
Prerequisite: TE 400.
TE 403. Entrepreneurial Startup Process - 1 (3 Credits)
Key issues surrounding company startups, including feasibility analysis, business model development and evaluation, formation of new venture teams, financial forecasts, sources of financing. Readings, financial templates, live case studies and guest entrepreneurs.
TE 303. Methods in Prototyping, Modeling and Testing (2 Credits)
Generation of mock-ups and looks-like prototypes, electro-mechanical-optical bread-boards design, fabricate, build and test multiple generations of prototypes, computer modeling methods, shop methods, testing, sensors and data collection.
Spring Semester (January-May)
TE 402. Integrated Product Development (IPD) Process - 2 (3 Credits)
Continuation of TE 401, the parallel development of the product, the development of the marketing and manufacturing system, manufacturing and marketing launch, sales, service and customer support. Case studies and semester-long team projects.
Prerequisite: TE 401.
TE 462. Integrated Product Development (IPD) Projects - 2 (3 Credits)
Detailed design specification, fabrication, building and testing prototype new products and plan for production, selection and content of the project is determined by the faculty project advisor in consultation with individual students or student teams. Progress reports and final report, oral and poster presentations.
Prerequisites: TE 400 and TE 461.
TE 406. Entrepreneurial Startup Projects - 2 (3 Credits)
Applying the concepts presented in TE 403 and TE 404, building upon the business model, entrepreneurial team and financing plan developed in TE 405. Developing a comprehensive business plan and investor's pitch, finalize the steps necessary to launch the company and start operations.
Prerequisites: TE 400 and TE 405.
TE 404. Entrepreneurial Startup Process - 2 (3 Credits)
Continuation of TE 403, integration of key business components to form and launch your venture: industry analysis, marketing plan and sales strategy; mobilization of the new venture team; operations, including space, legal and insurance consideration; and financial management. Selected topics related to respective venture types (i.e. social entrepreneurship, family business, franchising, immigrant entrepreneurs). Lectures, workshops and guest entrepreneurs.
Prerequisite: TE 403.