Northwestern University Master of Science Product Design and Development Management is working to patent the lockbox system created by three students and partnered with Fortune Brands Innovations.

The Master of Product Design & Development Management (mpd²) program is designed for professionals who want to master the concepts and tools of product design and development. Students learn about creativity, innovation, lean design, design strategy, product innovation, end-user research, marketing, and project and product management, as well as business and financial issues. The highly-focused curriculum, taught by senior faculty from academic and business, is designed to assure our graduates a pathway to senior management. You'll quickly understand why Business Week has endorsed this program as one of the top programs of its kind in the world. The mpd² program has a unique and diverse student body. Our students typically enter the program with three to 30 years of experience in positions that range from engineer to designer to manager to CEO, in industries from food to medical devices to military equipment to consulting, and have come from companies including Microsoft, Baxter International, Harley-Davidson, Mars Wrigley Confectionery, and SC Johnson as well as a variety of smaller and/or private companies. Curriculum The curriculum consists of 24 required courses; each course is five weeks long. Courses are open only to mpd² students, and all students take the same classes in sequence. Students can complete the mpd² program in nine months on a full-time basis or in two years on a part-time basis.