The Design Thinking and Innovation Concentration prepares MBA students for careers in tech, impact, consulting, marketing, and beyond.
Experience modern business as a dynamic reflection of today's world — a convergence of disciplines, methodologies, and innovative thinking. The Full-Time MBA Design Thinking and Innovation Concentration is tailored for students passionate about design thinking, product management, or related career fields.
To express interest or ask questions about the concentration, contact an academic advisor at rossgradacadadvising@umich.edu.
Fulfill a total of 12 credits of approved elective credits to complete the concentration, subject to the following:
- Complete courses (minimum 1.5 credit hours) in each of the following areas: Desirability, Managing Business Innovation, and Designing Lasting Solutions.
- Courses listed in more than one area (marked with *) may only satisfy a requirement in one area.
- Courses can be completed within the 57 credits needed for the Full-Time MBA.
- Students are encouraged to add the concentration in their first year of enrollment and can complete the Full-Time MBA program in two years.
- Approval of BA 553 (MAP) is subject to review and approval by the Faculty Director for alignment with the concentration; no more than 3 credits of BA 553 may be counted toward the completion of the concentration. Email RossGradAcadAdvising@umich.edu to request approval.
Multidisciplinary Action Projects* - BA 553 (3.0 credits)
(Can be submitted for approval by the Faculty Director to count for 3.0 credits.)
+Impact Studio: Translating Research into Practice* - BA 670 (3.0 credits)
Consumer Behavior - MKT 613 (1.5 credits)
Marketing Research, Design and Analysis - MKT 618 (2.25 credits)
New Product & Innovation Management* - MKT 625/ES 605 (2.25 credits)
Marketing Engineering and Analytics - MKT 630 (2.25 credits)
Digitized Stakeholder Ecosystems - MKT 632 (1.5 credits)
Digital Marketing: Applications and Analytics - MKT 642 (2.25 credits)
Customer Experience Value Creation - MKT 650 (1.5 credits)
Platforms of Value Co-Creation - STRATEGY 625 (3.0 credits)
Integrated Product Development* - complete both TO 548 & IOE 548 (6 credits)
How People Learn - EDUC 591 (3.0 credits)
Principles of Software Design for Learning - EDUC 626 /SI 548 (3.0 credits)
Needs Assessment Methods for Public Health - HBEHED 624 (3.0 credits)
Qualitative Methods in Public Health - HBEHED 638 (3.0 credits)
Motivational Interviewing in Public Health - HBEHED 671 (3.0 credits)
Designing Consumer-Health Technologies - HBEHED 684 / SI 684 (3.0 credits)
Graphic Design and Visual Communications - SI 520 (3.0 credits)
Online Communities - SI 529 (3.0 credits)
Engaging with Communities - SI 547 (3.0 credits)
Fundamentals of Human Behavior - SI 588 (3.0 credits)
Needs Assessment and Usability Evaluation - SI 622 (4.0 credits)
Theories and Practices of Community Change: Concepts, History, and Approaches - SW 650 (3.0 credits)
Multidisciplinary Action Projects* - BA 553 (3.0 credits)
(Can be submitted for approval by the Faculty Director to count for 3.0 credits.)
+Impact Studio: Translating Research into Practice* - BA 670 (3.0 credits)
Legal Aspects of Entrepreneurship - BL/ES 504 (2.25 credits)
Intellectual Property Law - BL 509 (2.25 credits)
Managing the Growth of New Ventures - ES 569 (1.5 credits)
New Product & Innovation Management* - MKT 625/ES 605 (2.25 credits)
Navigating Change: Skills and Strategies for Consultants and Managers - MO 603 (2.25 credits)
Social Intrapreneurship - MO 637 (2.25 credits)
Business Model Innovation* - STRATEGY 675 (2.25 credits)
New Age of Innovation - STRATEGY 630/TO 630 (2.25 credits)
Mobile Innovation Development - TO 626 (3.0 credits)
Artificial Intelligence for Business - TO 633 (2.25 credits)
Integrated Product Development* - complete both TO 548 & IOE 548 (6.0 credits)
Intro to Innovation Careers - ENTR 500 (3.0 credits)
Innovation and Intellectual Property Strategy - ENTR 530 (3.0 credits)
Project Management & Consulting - ENTR 560 (3.0 credits)
Transformative Learning and Teaching with Technology - SI 549 (3.0 credits)
Natural Language Processing: Algorithms and People - SI 630 (3.0 credits)
Organizing for Social and Political Action - SW 652 (3.0 credits)
Sustainability & Social Change - URP 532 (3.0 credits)
Skills and Strategies for Community Change - URP 586 (3.0 credits)
Multidisciplinary Action Projects* - BA 553 (3.0 credits)
(Can be submitted for approval by the Faculty Director to count for 3.0 credits.)
Business Strategies for the Base of the Pyramid - BA 612 (2.25 credits)
Living Business Leadership Experience - BA 656 (3.0 credits)
+Impact Studio: Translating Research into Practice* - BA 670 (3.0 credits)
New Venture Creation - ES 615 (3.0 credits)
New Product & Innovation Management* - MKT 625/ES 605 (2.25 credits)
Innovation in Global Health Delivery - STRATEGY 562/TO 563 (1.5 credits)
Business Model Innovation* - STRATEGY 675 (2.25 credits)
Integrated Product Development* - complete both TO 548 & IOE 548 (6.0 credits)
Technology-Inspired Business Models - ENTR 520 (3.0 credits)
Problem Solving Initiative - LAW 741 (3.0 credits)
(Subject to approval of the Faculty Director for alignment with the concentration’s objectives.)
Citizen Interaction Design - SI 538 (4.0 credits)
Introduction to Interaction Design - SI 582 (3.0 credits)
Urban Design Studio - EAS 750 (2.0 credits)
