Getting To Know: Illinois Institute of Technology Institute of Design (ID at IIT)
Occasionally I learn about an interesting graduate program through a friend or school visit. One such place where interesting but timely graduate degrees are offered is the Institute of Design at the Illinois Institute of Technology (ID at IIT).
I previously reported about the undergraduate experience at lliinois Tech. While I felt that the school looked more like a corporate office park than most campus settings, I also liked the “hands on” approach to education. That approach extends to the graduate-focused Institute of Design.
The look and feel of the campus also lends itself better to the demands of more serious graduate study, as shown in these photos below. This school has a look and feel of a place where people are really showing up to get to work.
I had the privilege to do an interview with Kristin Gecan, Assistant Dean & Senior Director for Content at ID at IIT. You’re invited to listen and read on!
As Kristin will tell you in our conversation, the Institute of Design existied on its own before merging with IIT in 1937. While the Institute has a longer relationship with IIT than I first thought, the masters degree programs, which emphasize design thinking, are contemporary to today. The Institute of Design offers three full-time masters programs, including:
- Master of Design
- Master of Design + MBA
- Master of Design + Master of Public Administration (MPA)
The dual degree programs are designed to be completed within 2 1/2 years versus three or four. In that sense they might be the better value for someone who lacks a business, urban planning or public policy background. These curricula are all full-time programs. There’s also a masters program in Design Leadership that is exclusively online.
Virtually every student who enters the ID masters programs arrives with prior work experience.
A student’s background does not need to be in a design related field such as art or architecture to enter IIT ID. Prospective students may submit a portfolio, but it’s optional. However, prospective students should be capable of explaining how this education will help them to advance or change their career when they craft their personal statement. The Institute of Design does not appear to be a place where a student who enters without direction can “find themselves” through pursuing the degree.
The IIT ID programs will help students develop foundational skills, soft skills (especially group discussions) and “hard” design skills for a variety of professions.
For example, a marketing major who has worked in sales, wanting to shift into brand management, may wish to put their ID education to use in product design and development. A community organizer for a non-profit can lead public meetings to plan or repurpose vacant land for a public park. Health care professionals might want to find user-friendly ways to make a hospital patient’s stay more comfortable or to help the patient and health professions to better manage or understand their condition.
Before applying to an IIT ID masters program, check out the Concentration courses tailored around different industries. There are also labs where students and faculty work on teams to tackle industry projects. While everyone starts with the same Entry courses and can develop them further in the Core skillset, it will be important consider: “How will I design this degree for me to get the job that I want after I graduate?”
This experience has its costs.
The estimated total cost of attendance for a year of graduate study is approximately $60,000. That’s lower than non-resident charges at some high-profile public universities, but still there are new Federal borrowing limits in place for graduate students as of July 1st. Merit based fellowships are available. There’s no additional application, but it’s wise to apply early to receive the most consideration.
Conclusions
As someone who studied political science and urban planning and worked in an employment arena around these majors for almost a decade I would have liked the ID masters programs. These programs are a unique option for someone who wants to get into the “look and feel” of a product, service or cause as well as the performance on paper via spreadsheets or studies. As technology has evolved as a more important data collection and customer outreach and service tool, a human touch will always be necessary to help ensure that it works properly.
Listen to my interview with Kristin Gecan now!
Learn more about my college, graduate and professional school admissionsadvisory services.
Vote to help me win a publishing contract for my novel, America’s Town!
Buy my college advice book, The Good College!
Listen to my latest interview on ‘Tests and the Rest’ with Amy Seeley and Mike Bergin!
