Master of Science in Product Innovation

Gain the skills and experiences to turn great ideas into great products.

The part-time Master of Science in Product Innovation advances your professional skills through coursework and the hands-on practicum experience – without stepping out of the workforce to advance your education.

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The products that we interact with daily - both digital and physical - shape our experiences of the world.  Through the coursework and practicum experience, you will develop your skills to create impact through new product development and product management. Current issues in product development such as novel materials, changing customer demographics, sustainability, sourcing challenges, and inclusivity through product design are woven throughout the program to equip students for success in a rapidly changing world.

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Frequent Questions

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Courses and Schedule

What coursework is required for this degree?

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Just the Facts

How Much? How Long?
Who can enroll?

How Do I Enroll?

Admission to Walton College masters programs is selective. Enrollment in each program is limited. 

Just the Facts: Master of Science in Product Innovation

Program Length

1-2 Years

The full-time program can be completed in 1 year. The professional part-time program can be completed in less than 2 years.

Start Date

Fall

Admissions Info

Do I Qualify to Enroll?

Complete your undergraduate degree and meet additional requirements. View Requirements

Entrance Test

GMAT or GRE

Students may be eligible for a GMAT/GRE test waiver with a 3.2 undergraduate GPA or 3 years of professional work experience. Please review our master's admissions policies.

Application Deadline

International applicants: February 15
Priority (domestic applicants): April 15
Final (domestic applicants): July 1

Total Estimated Cost

$23,762.70*

*In-state tuition and fees. Additional tuition costs applied for out-of-state and international students.
View cost details

Financial Assistance

Paying for College

Scholarships, Graduate Assistantships, and Financial Aid

Class Profile

Current Students

View a listing of current Master of Science in Product Innovation Students.

Courses and Program Schedule

To obtain the Master of Science in Product Innovation degree, students must complete the following 30 hours of coursework.

Core Courses

SEVI 52103: Business Foundations for Entrepreneurs Introduction to the fundamental business concepts an entrepreneur needs to know to evaluate and launch a successful new venture. Topic areas include recruitment, selection, motivation and management of employees, market analysis and the marketing mix, financial strategies and accounting for funds, economic considerations, and the management of operations.
SEVI 54303: Legal, Social and Economic Context for Product Innovation In this class, we will cover a variety of issues important to product development, including intellectual property and liability issues, industry and competitor analysis, supply chains and sales channels, and social and environmental issues. The course will combine readings guest lectures, and project work that applies concepts to the students' specific projects.
SEVI 54403: Principles of Product Design and Prototyping Principles of Product Design and Prototyping develops foundational skills in product design, including hands-on experimentation with digital design and prototyping tools (e.g. Autodesk, Solidworks, Adobe). This course will pair readings, lectures, and hands-on mini-workshops to build confidence and capability in product design in the context of the student' own ideas.
SEVI 52403: Product Management This course presents an integrated overview of the field of product management. Through this interactive course, students will be able to take organizational innovation ideas formed in the pre-requisite Human Centered Design course to the next level by learning and implementing the fundamentals of product management which included improving technical acumen, strategy development, business modeling, product market fit, understanding OKR's, EPIC's, and Retrospectives.
SEVI 52303: Human-Centered Design This course will serve as a highly hands-on experience through the human-centered design process, organized around the following modules: design research, problem identification, concept generation and creativity, prototyping, testing, communication and visualization. Within this course, students have the structure and space to be collaborative, creative, and agile, enabling them to rapidly design viable solutions for their organizational partners. (Typically offered: Irregular)
SEVI 58603: Experimental Product Analtyics This course is designed to enhance students’ data fluency as related to product testing and development in both the pre-market validation and post-market optimization phases, thereby closing the loop on new product development. The course focuses on A/B design, testing, and data interpretation. It places a strong emphasis on the scientific method of hypothesis testing using artificial intelligence.
SEVI 58703: Storytelling & Stakeholder Management1 This course is a master class on influence and the art of the pitch, to executives and investors. Students will learn communication skills in storytelling, smart brevity, and meaningful metrics and analytics that support decision making. In addition, students will learn how to create slide decks with high impact visuals. Finally, students will learn interdisciplinary leadership skills and networking that generate buy-in across functions like engineering and design, and a range of other stakeholder groups.
ISYS 53203: Development with Digital Innovations This course exposes graduate business students with the ever evolving environment of modern software development. Using a hands-on approach to exploring modern software development tools and techniques students will learn how to conceptualize, design, and implement software product prototypes using a variety of emerging technologies. Students will gain understanding of how to evaluate digital innovations for inclusion into an ever-evolving software development environment to help accelerate development. Skills will focus on providing students the ability to quickly design and implement functional prototypes for business use-cases while exploring the introduction of innovations in the market.

Practicum Requirements

SEVI 58803: Venture Creation Lab2 A capstone project that equips students with the entrepreneurial skills to develop a new venture. Students have the unique opportunity to build on product ideas developed earlier in the program. Using lean startup methodologies, students will conduct market analyses, develop the product or service offering, and design the business model with cohesive go-to-market and human and financial strategies. The course emphasizes crafting impactful pitches, actionable business plans, and a range of financing methods including bootstrapping, government grants, and more formal investment strategies.
SEVI 58903: Enterprise Innovation Lab A hands-on, team-based course in which students partner with real companies to tackle complex problems at scale. Each team is assigned a challenge and must identify, size, and prioritize the underlying problem before designing solutions. Guided by faculty experts and industry mentors, students create customized deliverables and project timelines that directly advance sponsor goals. The course emphasizes innovation frameworks, user insights, product roadmaps and cross-functional collaboration to deliver tangible solutions with measurable business impact.
1 SEVI 54103 New Venture Development II may substitute for SEVI 58703 Storytelling & Stakeholder Management with prior program Director approval.
2 SEVI 53203 New Venture Development I may substitute for SEVI 58803 Venture Creation Lab with prior program Director approval.

Program Overview

The Master of Science in Product Innovation will prepare students to usher new products from the idea through the commercialization phases within existing companies or in new ventures. The program aims to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to improve the probability of commercial success for innovative new products and services.

The degree will consist of a 1-year or a 2-year, 30-hour program that includes full summer, fall and spring terms. Classes will meet online during the week and one Saturday per month at the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville.

Product/Venture Practicums

Students will choose a project-based practicum related to some aspect of new product development - developing a new product, building a product-focused business, or working with an existing brand to advance their product portfolio - with the support of faculty experts and mentors from various industries, such as outdoor recreation, biodesign, digital products, and others. The small cohort size of each group enables students to have a high level of engagement with faculty and project sponsors, ensuring a more customized learning experience for a variety of professionals. Students also have the opportunity to participate in a product incubator program and test new product concepts and prototypes.

  • Product Development Practicum – The self-paced practicum experience will be in partnership with a project sponsor in the industry of the student’s preference. With a faculty advisor and project sponsor, the student will develop customized deliverables and timeline to advance the product development goals of the sponsor organization.

Saturday Class Dates

Spring
2026
Summer
2026
January
17
May
16
February
14
June
6
March
14
June
27
April 4 July
25
April 25  

* Students admitted to the professional programs in the Walton College are required to attend a multi-day orientation prior to the start of scheduled courses. Dates to be determined. Please contact gsb@walton.uark.edu for more information.

Alan Ellstrand Retirement Celebration Set for April 25

The U of A community is invited to celebrate Alan Ellstrand's distinguished 25-year career on Friday, April 25, from 3 to 5 p.m. in Willard J. Walker Hall 203 (Hembree Room) for an afternoon of celebratory toasts, collegiate camaraderie and heartfelt farewells.

04/21/2025 | By Meghan Perry

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