MSTI Curriculum
Learn how to:
Program Options
Connected Devices Track: Develop smart IoT devices to solve real world problems
The Connected Devices track prepares you to analyze a market for potential business needs, identify the problem space, design and build a series of working prototypes, and propose a business model with go-to-market strategies. You will learn about data management, signal processing, sensors, to develop the hardware and software fueling the growth of the Internet of Things. This holistic approach to technology design and launch will prepare you to work effectively on interdisciplinary development teams across wide variety of organizations, from nimble startups to the world’s largest tech companies.
The program prepares students for roles in rapidly growing fields including:
- Software development with expertise in AI, machine learning, and cloud computing
- User experience and human/computer interaction
- Product design and product development
- Program management for technology products
Robotics Track: Develop robotic applications that improve how people work, play, and learn
The robotics degree track will help you bridge business principles, human-centered design, and robotics fundamentals like navigation, manipulation, and mobility.
Graduates of the MSTI Robotics Track will be well-equipped to pursue emerging opportunities in product management, design, validation, and testing roles in robotics related industries including:
- Autonomous vehicle and drone applications
- Assistive robotics applications in healthcare
- Collaborative robotics applications for manufacturing and warehouse settings
Coursework and Schedule
To earn your Master of Science in Technology Innovation from the University of Washington, you need to complete 60 graduate credits over 5 quarters of study.
All courses are required and must be taken sequentially, but in certain limited cases you may be able to exchange courses for electives.
The culmination of the MSTI is the Launch Project, where student teams work on projects proposed in partnership with industry and academic experts.
The Launch Projects provide students an excellent opportunity to apply the skills they have learned to a real-world problem and to build close connections with other professionals and innovators in the field.
- Q1 (Autumn)
Courses
MSTI Technology Foundations
Credits: 3
This course serves as a review of intermediate level objected oriented programming concepts in Python and will also focus on using Python to perform data analysis, visualization, and manipulation. Note: Students who have completely met the MSTI prerequisites may petition to replace this class with an elective.
Introduction to Sensors and Circuits
Credits: 3
Students develop the background and techniques needed to connect digital systems to the physical world.
Fabrication & Physical Prototyping
Credits: 3
Students learn the concepts and skills required to design, prototype and fabricate physical artifacts, including 2-D and 3-D CAD modeling, high-fidelity prototyping (laser cutting, CNC milling, 3-D printing) and low-fidelity prototyping (paper, foam, media). Industry standards for manufacturing are also covered.
Design Thinking Studio
Credits: 3
Working in teams, students learn and apply the entire user-centered design process to real-world problem, executing methods to design, prototype and evaluate ideas for innovative solutions in a team project.
- Q2 (Winter)
Courses
Robotics Lab 1 (Robotics Track)
Credits:4
This is the required winter quarter Lab 1 course for the Robotics track. Students learn and apply fundamental principles for robotics applications including basic manipulation and motion planning.
Hardware/Software Lab 1 (Connected Devices track)
Credits: 4
This is the required winter quarter Lab 1 course for the Connected Devices track. Students execute a series of projects to integrate software and hardware concepts learned in the Prepare phase of the program.
Managing Data and Signal Processing
Credits: 3
Students learn the basics of digital signal processing and machine learning, as well as simple methods for storing, managing and retrieving data in the cloud.
Programming for Digital and Physical User Interfaces
Credits: 4
Students build fundamental programming skills, with a focus on sensor-based signals (including audio and images) and useful tools for prototyping software and hardware user interfaces.
History & Future of Technology
Credits: 2
Students gain an understanding and appreciation of past trends in hardware and software technology, in order to think about future technology trends and develop prototypes for futuristic ideas.
- Q3 (Spring)
Courses
Hardware/Software Lab 2 (Connected Devices track)
Credits: 4
This the required spring quarter Lab course for the Connected Devices track. Students continue prototyping hardware/software systems, with the added complexity of signal processing, networking, cloud interfaces and web-based user interfaces.
Robotics Lab 2 (Robotics track)
Credits: 4
This is the required spring quarter Lab course for the Robotics track. Students build on foundational knowledge from Lab 1: Robotics to continue to learn increasingly complex principles for robotics application including mobility and navigation.
Introduction to Finance & Accounting for Entrepreneurs/Essentials of Entrepreneurship
Credits: 3
Students explore the key issues and strategies involved in evaluating new market opportunities and starting a new venture including identifying new venture opportunities, developing and testing market strategies, evaluating test market performance, and evaluating business plans.
Students learn the basics of finance and accounting for start-up businesses, including reading and understanding a profit-and-loss statement, managing cash flow and margins, and making investments in high-growth businesses.
Essentials of Business Strategy
Credits: 2
Students are introduced to the core concepts of business level strategy with a particular emphasis on establishing and maintaining a competitive advantage through strategy formulation and implementation.
User Research & Evaluation Studio
Credits: 3
This project-based course focuses on the user research components of the design process. Students learn methods to engage stakeholders and elicit their needs to provide insight for defining requirements for ethically grounded designs. It also covers aspects of evaluation of technology designs with potential users, including usability and user experience evaluation techniques.
- Q4 (Summer)
Courses
Launch Project Planning
Credits: 1
This course is for exploration and planning of Launch Project options, and meet industry sponsors who will present information on real-world industry problems and challenges. Students select which problems they would like to propose solutions for are placed in project teams.
Internship/CPT
Credits: 2
Students may choose to pursue a part or full time internship to broaden and apply their skills in a real-world industry internship. Additional tuition and fees may apply to earn internship credit.
- Q5 (Autumn)
Courses
Planning and Managing Hardware/Software Development
Credits: 2
Students gain experience in creating a software/hardware product roadmap and an engineering/development plan.
Integrated Launch Studio 1
Credits: 4
In this first course of a two-quarter course sequence, students work in teams with guidance from industry sponsors to plan and execute the front-end phases of a comprehensive MSTI Launch Project, including problem framing and scoping, exploration of needs and business constraints, and exploration of technology platforms with early prototyping.
Building Effective Teams
Credits: 2
Students learn concepts and principles that are fundamental to developing teams capable of extraordinary performance, helping lay the foundation for high performance in their teams during the launch project.
Visual, Interaction, and Industrial Design Studio
Credits: 3
This course immerses students in the theory and practice of basic design concepts for the design of interactive products that are functionally, emotionally and aesthetically appealing.
- Q6 (Winter)
Courses
Corporate & IP Law for Technology Innovators
Credits: 2
This course introduces key areas of business law, including common organizational structures such as corporations, LLCs, and nonprofit/low-profit entities. It also covers the roles of founders, directors and shareholders in each structure, as well as the basics of intellectual property and copyright law.
Integrated Launch Studio 2
Credits: 8
Working in teams, students finalize their launch projects with a focus on proof-of-concept prototyping, business case, and final solution in connected devices or robotics innovation.
Launch Seminar
Credits: 1
This seminar focuses on preparing students for transitioning from student to professional, covering design and software/hardware industry trends and career outlook. Guest lectures in topics relevant to technology innovation, including leadership skills, program management, entrepreneurship, and ethics are presented.