Graduate Programs

A partnership between Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design, the Master of Arts in Design Engineering (MADE) is an intensive joint degree program that fosters innovation at the intersection of design and engineering.

In this 11-month, residential program, MADE degree candidates exercise creativity, analytical reasoning, and research skills to produce work that responds to small­ and large-scale challenges. Students develop effective solutions through iterative making and testing to express ideas through the objects they create. Working in studios and workshops, including a well-equipped, 10,000 sq. ft. maker space for prototyping, students envision alternative frameworks that address global issues. By iterating with intention, MADE participants create and refine work according to real-world needs, towards an ultimate goal of improving lives.

Additional Resources

MADE students benefit from the complementary strengths of Brown & RISD, neighboring world-class institutions on Providence's East Side. Close academic ties make it easy for students to broaden their knowledge through access to each campus’ exemplary resources. The wide variety of elective courses offered by the two institutions in tandem with MADE’s highly collaborative and interdisciplinary structure allows for students to define their own pathways through the program.

Application Information

If you have any questions regarding the application process for this program, please email masters_admissions@brown.edu.

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 SpanTran) is required for degrees from non-U.S. institutions before enrollment.

Letters of Recommendations:

Three (3) recommendations required

Portfolio:

Required (guidelines found on MADE website)

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.

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. Only one elective credit can be an Independent Study credit.
 

Alumni Careers

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Leadership

Dean of Engineering
Tejal Desai
Program Director
Beth Altringer Eagle
Director of Graduate Studies (RISD)
Khipra Nichols
Director of the Brown Design Workshop
Louise Manfredi

Contact and Location

School of Engineering

Mailing Address

Brown University
Box D
Visit the MADE Website

Resources