Master of Science in Product Development
Our MPD program provides real-world skills in multiple tracks: pharmaceutical, chemical, and food and beverage. The Pharmaceutical and Chemical track classes are centered on pharmacology, formulations and process development. The Food and Beverage track dives into the business of food and beverage development, from the development process in the marketplace, to package design, to marketing and management. You’ll partner with industry leaders on product development projects, and you’ll perform work in state-of-the-art labs that are cGMP, Cleanroom 100, ISO 5, and USP 797 compliant.
Of course, a program like this wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t teach you the entrepreneurial skills you’ll need to start your own company or innovate within a company. But you’ll also learn to build critical-thinking and teamwork skills through case-based teaching and labs, blending technical skills with business, legal, regulatory, and compliance knowledge. You’ll learn how to use analytics and demand projections to make management decisions, while using concepts—like Lean Six Sigma and sensitivity analysis—to solve operations and process-optimization challenges. And finally, you’ll learn about the Triple Bottom Line throughout the course of this program: people, profit, and planet, with a focus not only on sustainability, but on how to boost it.
What to Expect
You’ll learn a lot in this program—from conceptualization and design to development and marketing. Professionally, you’ll be prepared to fill an unmet need in the industry. That is, after all, what launching a new product is all about. Students typically take 24 credits per year for a total of 48 credits to graduate. This is a rigorous program where students also write, present and defend a Product Development Project based on research performed over the two year period. This research project is co-mentored by one CUW faculty member and an industry mentor who is actively involved in chemical, pharmaceutical or food and beverage product development. Projects can also be based on work that is relevant to where students are currently working, if they are currently employed in the industry. Note: most classes are taught in mornings or evenings, to accommodate working students, many of whom have jobs or internships in regional pharmaceutical and chemical companies.
Curriculum
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| MPD 534 | Principles of Drug Design and Development (Pharmaceutical and Chemical Track) | 3 |
| MPD 595 | Pharm Manufact & Process Chem (Pharmaceutical and Chemical Track) | 3 |
| MBA 686 | Sustainabil & Social Entrepren | 3 |
| MBA 688 | New Venture Form & Bus Develop | 3 |
| Track Specific Courses | ||
| MPD 598 | Introduction to cGMP and Methods of Quality Control in Manufacturing (Pharmaceutical Track) | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| MPD/PHAR 543 | Industry Leader Seminar Series | 1 |
| MPD 596 | Advanced Pharmaceutical and Process Chemistry (Pharmaceutical and Chemical Track) | 3 |
| MPD 597 | Product Development Project | 2 |
| MPD 599 | Formulation & Delivery Forms (Pharmaceutical and Chemical Track) | 3 |
| MIB 830 | Global Production Systems | 3 |
| Track-specific Courses | ||
| PHAR 330 | Pharmacology and Medicinal Chemistry I (Pharmaceutical Track) | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| MPD/PHAR 543 | Industry Leader Seminar Series | 1 |
| MPD 597 | Product Development Project | 2 |
| MBA 687 | Intellectual Prop and Reg Issu | 3 |
| Track Specific Courses | 6 | |
| MPD 424 | Pharmacokinetics (Pharmaceutical Track) | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| MPD/PHAR 543 | Industry Leader Seminar Series | 1 |
| MPD 597 | Product Development Project | 2 |
| MBA 569 | Mgmt Science & Analytics | 3 |
| Track-specific Courses | ||
| Electives for the Pharmaceutical and Chemical track can be business, chemistry or other areas approved by program director. | ||
| Hours | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 48 | |
Curriculum
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| MPD 534 | Principles of Drug Design and Development (Pharmaceutical and Chemical Track) | 3 |
| MPD 595 | Pharm Manufact & Process Chem (Pharmaceutical and Chemical Track) | 3 |
| Track Specific Courses | ||
| CHEM 555 | Instrumental Analysis | 4 |
| Hours | 10 | |
| Spring | ||
| MPD/PHAR 543 | Industry Leader Seminar Series | 1 |
| MPD 596 | Advanced Pharmaceutical and Process Chemistry (Pharmaceutical and Chemical Track) | 3 |
| MPD 597 | Product Development Project | 2 |
| MPD 599 | Formulation & Delivery Forms (Pharmaceutical and Chemical Track) | 3 |
| MIB 830 | Global Production Systems | 3 |
| Track-specific Courses | 3-4 | |
| Advanced Organic Chemistry (Chemical Track) | ||
Or Elective 3 cr |
||
| Hours | 15-16 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| MPD/PHAR 543 | Industry Leader Seminar Series | 1 |
| MPD 597 | Product Development Project | 2 |
| MBA 687 | Intellectual Prop and Reg Issu | 3 |
| MBA 688 | New Venture Form & Bus Develop | 3 |
| Track Specific Courses | 3 | |
| Elective | ||
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| MPD/PHAR 543 | Industry Leader Seminar Series | 1 |
| MPD 597 | Product Development Project | 2 |
| MBA 569 | Mgmt Science & Analytics | 3 |
| MBA 686 | Sustainabil & Social Entrepren | 3 |
| Track-specific Courses | ||
| MPD 593 | Analyt Char of Drugs Oth Chems (Chemical Track) | 3 |
| Electives for the Pharmaceutical and Chemical track can be business, chemistry or other areas approved by program director. | ||
| Hours | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 49-50 | |
Curriculum
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| MBA 686 | Sustainabil & Social Entrepren | 3 |
| MBA 688 | New Venture Form & Bus Develop | 3 |
| Track Specific Courses | ||
| MPD 510 | Food/Bev Prod Dev & Launch I | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| MPD/PHAR 543 | Industry Leader Seminar Series | 1 |
| MPD 597 | Product Development Project | 2 |
| MIB 830 | Global Production Systems | 3 |
| Track-specific Courses | ||
| MPD 515 | Food/Bev Prod Dev & Launch II | 3 |
| MBA 550 | Strategic Marketing | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| MPD/PHAR 543 | Industry Leader Seminar Series | 1 |
| MPD 597 | Product Development Project | 2 |
| MBA 687 | Intellectual Prop and Reg Issu | 3 |
| Track Specific Courses | ||
| MPD 516 | Strategic Package Design | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| MPD/PHAR 543 | Industry Leader Seminar Series | 1 |
| MPD 597 | Product Development Project | 2 |
| MBA 569 | Mgmt Science & Analytics | 3 |
| Track-specific Courses | ||
| MPD 517 | Sales and Category Management | 3 |
| MPD 518 | Consumer Insights | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 48 | |
Admissions and Graduation Requirements
Admission Requirements
Applicants for the Pharmaceutical or Chemical track should have a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, or biology (other baccalaureate degrees might be accepted, as long as the student has successfully completed two semesters of organic chemistry, one semester of analytical chemistry, and one semester of instrumental analysis)with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 for full acceptance. Additional program information for the Pharmaceutical and Chemical track can be found at: https://www.cuw.edu/academics/programs/product-development-chemical-masters/index.html and https://www.cuw.edu/academics/schools/pharmacy/prospective-students/admissions/mpd.html.
Applicants for the Food and Beverage track should have a Bachelor's degree in any area of science or business with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 for full acceptance. Additional program information for the Food and Beverage track can be found at: https://www.cuw.edu/academics/programs/product-development-business-masters/index.html.
Graduation Requirements
To be awarded the MPD degree, a student must complete all 48 credit hours with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Students must fill out an online Request to Graduate form while in their final class. Once the final grade has been posted in a student’s final class, the student must notify the MBA Office to begin file processing for creating a diploma. Please refer to the Graduation Information page on the Concordia website for important graduation deadlines.
Important Dates:
- August 1: Master of Product Development (MPD) program application opens for the following fall
- October–April: Interviews are scheduled with selected MPD program candidates
- November–July: MPD program acceptance offers are extended on a rolling basis
- Mid August: MPD program classes begin