Brown+RISD’s 11-month, on-campus master of arts in design engineering is a joint degree program between Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design, where students explore the intersection of design creativity and engineering innovation.
Carve your own pathway through the Brown+RISD master’s in design engineering (MADE) program. Whether your interests lie in user experience (UX) design, systems design, robotics, human-AI collaboration, game design, new media, health technology, sustainable design, data visualization or other fields, MADE offers the flexibility and interdisciplinary approach to help you achieve your unique career goals.
This program offers the following degree (full-time):
- Master of arts (A.M.)
You’ll engage in developing effective solutions through iterative making and testing, bringing ideas to life through tangible creations. Utilizing our studios and workshops, featuring a well-equipped, 10,000 sq. ft. maker space for prototyping, you’ll explore innovative frameworks to tackle global challenges. The rigorous curriculum integrates team-based projects, enhancing your interdisciplinary collaboration skills and fostering a dynamic learning environment.
As a MADE student, you’ll benefit from the complementary strengths of Brown & RISD, neighboring world-class institutions on Providence's East Side. Close academic ties make it easy for you to broaden your knowledge through access to each campus’ exemplary resources. You’ll learn from esteemed faculty, industry critics and fellow students with diverse backgrounds in design and engineering. Elective courses at both schools and extracurricular project opportunities empower you to chart your own path beyond the core studio series, tailoring your education to suit your specific interests and career goals.
Alumni Outcomes:
Graduates pursue careers as art directors, creative technologists, design engineers, researchers and professionals in UX and product design. MADE alumni are affiliated with organizations including Disney, Formlabs, Dassault Systems, Hasbro, Hyundai, Keurig, Walmart, PhD programs, and various design consultancies, finance, health, and consumer tech companies, city governments, and startups.
Application Information
If you have any questions regarding the application process for this program, please email masters_admissions@brown.edu.
Please note: Guidelines for the portfolio submission
Application Requirements
GRE Subject:
Not Required
GRE General:
Not Required
TOEFL/IELTS:
Required for any non-native English speaker who does not have a degree from an institution where English is the sole language of instruction or from a University in the following countries: Australia, Bahamas, Botswana, Cameroon, Canada (except Quebec), Ethiopia, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, New Zealand, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Tanzania, Gambia, Uganda, United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales), West Indies, Zambia).
The TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition and the IELTS Indicator exam are accepted. Students from mainland China may submit the TOEFL ITP Plus exam.
Official Transcripts:
Required. All applicants may upload unofficial transcripts for application submission. Official transcripts are ONLY required for enrolling students before class start. An international transcript evaluation (WES, ECE, or The Evaluation Company) is required for degrees from non-U.S. institutions before enrollment.
Letters of Recommendations:
Three (3) recommendations required
Portfolio:
Required (see guidelines above)
Resume/CV:
Required
Dates/Deadlines
Application Deadline
Tuition and Funding
Graduate Tuition & Fees: Please visit the Student Financial Services Office for up-to-date tuition rates.
The MADE program offers need-based assistance in the form of tuition scholarships. These scholarships are evaluated on financial need as a need basis and are determined through the submission of a FAFSA form for US students or a CSS profile for international students.
Brown University's Graduate Office of Financial Aid determines loan eligibility and offers counseling to help you determine if Brown can be an affordable financial investment for you. Although the Office of Financial Aid offers no funding of its own, they can help you pursue educational loans or discover known funding opportunities from other sources.
Completion Requirements
The program curriculum may be accomplished in 11 months as follows. Each school calculates credits somewhat differently. Three RISD credits ‘translates’ to one Brown credit, and the program requires 11 Brown-equivalent credits to graduate. The required MADE Studios account for seven of these credits as follows: three 2-credit studios in summer, fall, and spring (ENGN 2170, ENGN 2171, ENGN2172) and one 1-credit winter studio (ENGN2173). The remaining four credits are elective credits. Students may take two 1-credit electives or one 2-credit elective in Fall and Spring. Electives can be from either Brown or RISD. No electives can be taken in summer or winter terms. Instead, non-credit projects to boost your portfolios can be supported in the Brown Design Workshop and similar spaces during those terms. Students may not exceed the maximum of 5 credits in either a fall or spring semester. Because the MADE Winter Studio counts on the spring transcript, this effectively means that students have slightly more flexibility to take electives in the fall than in the spring.