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Arts Administration

MS, Arts Administration

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Museum Leadership Students

MS, Museum Leadership

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Arts Administration

BECOME AN ARTS AND CULTURAL LEADER WITH A GRADUATE DEGREE TAILORED TO YOUR NEEDS

Here at Drexel, we work with your strengths, expand your capabilities, and give you the tools, resources, and experiences you need to fulfill your passion and take charge of your career. Specialize in Arts Administration or in Museum Leadership to create your future as an adaptive, resourceful, strategic, and connected leader through our renowned Arts Administration program.

By joining this prestigious graduate program with over 45 years of accomplishments, you’ll integrate theory into practice, connect with leading arts and cultural executives, and learn from professors who are at the forefront of contemporary issues and practices that reflect the future of arts, culture, creativity, and community.

MS, Arts AdministrationLearn More

  • Our contemporary and comprehensive curriculum addresses a broad range of leadership skills in the performing arts, visual arts, multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and emerging art forms.
  • Attend full-time or part-time. Complete your degree in as little as 15 months or at your own pace.
  • Take your courses on campus, online, or both. Evening classes allow you to work while you earn your degree.
  • Experiential learning through course engagement with the Philadelphia region’s diverse arts and cultural community.
  • Study with renowned Arts Administration faculty, who are prominent scholars and connected leaders.
  • No GRE required (we focus on you, not your test scores).

MS, Museum LeadershipLearn More

  • Curriculum focuses on the broad conceptualization of museums including art, science, history, and living collections (zoos, aquariums, etc.)
  • Incorporates museum planning and design, collections, and resource development into a comprehensive plan of study.
  • Gain hands-on experience through practicum projects in Philadelphia’s diverse museum sector.
  • Take your courses on campus, online, or both. Evening classes allow you to work while you earn your degree.
  • Museum Leadership faculty bring diverse, extensive experience from the field into the classroom.
  • No GRE required (we focus on you, not your test scores).

We encourage prospective students to schedule a campus visit or speak with one of our faculty advisors.

JOIN US BY APPLYING TODAY.

Priority Deadline:

Application Deadline March 1st 2024

Standard Deadline:

Application Deadline August 15th 2024

For information about our fully online program: Arts Administration Online

The Drexel Arts Administration & Museum Leadership Graduate Programs are proud members of leading arts service and education organizations, including the Association of Arts Administration Educators, Americans for the Arts, and the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance.

Digital Media

Drexel's MS and PhD level graduate programs in Digital Media are available for students and professionals who are interested in exploring, researching and building advanced media design and production careers. The programs reflect the fast-paced, constantly evolving field in which art, technology and science intersect and are based on an innovative, interdisciplinary and project-oriented curriculum.

MASTER OF SCIENCE PROGRAM

The MS in Digital Media is a hybrid program created to offer students research as well as career opportunities in 21st century media applications. This two-year program offers comprehensive studies in advanced digital design including 3D modeling, animation, interactivity, gaming and digital media history, theory and methods. The curriculum for the MS in Digital Media offers a mix of academic course work and project-related activities. Projects consist of funded grant research opportunities, industry-sponsored projects and independent, student-generated and faculty-approved projects. 

PHD PROGRAM

The Digital Media PhD program focuses on translational research in digital media within an experiential learning environment. It studies the application of digital media towards solving research problems in various disciplines including but not limited to engineering, education, cultural heritage, health or business. This doctoral program is built on a fundamentally interdisciplinary course structure and emphasizes an iterative and design based research philosophy.

DIGITAL MEDIA RESEARCH

Students at the master as well as the doctoral level may participate in government-funded grant research opportunities, industry-sponsored studies, or independent student-generated and faculty-approved projects. Projects have included Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) for video games, a multi-media interactive dance performance with body tracking, multi-touch games for teaching middle-school children, theme park ride and animation design, interactive online non-linear narrative comics, and advanced animation production techniques. Graduates have obtained jobs at leading companies including Pixar, Microsoft XBOX, NCSoft, Dreamworks, and Disney.

For additional information on scholarships, fellowships and admission requirements, visit Graduate Admissions.

To see student work samples, visit the creative work pagewww.digm.drexel.edu, and also visit replay.drexel.edu.

 

Fashion Design Master’s Degree Program

What is 21st Century Fashion Design?

The Drexel Westphal Master's program in Fashion Design is recognized as one of the top fashion programs in the world by Fashionista and Business of Fashion. This Fashion Design Master’s program is ideal for students who have a passion for personal creative expression and who have Bachelor's degrees in various academic disciplines from fine arts, sciences, liberal arts, business and other areas of study. Upon completion of the three-year, full-time program, graduates earn a Master of Science in Fashion Design.

The MS Fashion Design program fuses art, design, science, and technology for a collaborative and trans-disciplinary approach to designing 21st century fashion. Within an individualized studio environment, students acquire knowledge about the creative process, industrial production, advanced technologies in design, and the marketing and merchandising of clothing. The Fashion Design Master’s program lays a foundation in the traditional making of apparel and accessories while integrating the cutting edge of design technology with the sociological and psychological influences of community and fashion culture. All courses are guided by philosophies of inclusivity and sustainability in the ethical workplace.

The program presents opportunities for individualized instruction from renowned faculty like Genevieve Dion, Director of the Center for Functional Fabrics and industry-leading designer of smart textiles for wearable technologies and Kathi Martin, fashion/textile designer and innovator in the integration of virtual/augment reality and fashion design. Fashion Design graduate students work in state-of-the-art facilities that provide access to cutting-edge technology like Shima Seiki knitting machines and SDS-ONE APEX3 workstations. Learn more about our industry-leading faculty.

Why Pursue a Master’s Degree in Fashion Design at Drexel Westphal?

The Master’s in Fashion Design aims to train visionary designers to use an integrated approach to the creation of contemporary fashion. Building on Drexel University’s reputation for experiential learning and professional development, the MS Fashion Design program requires students to pursue a fashion industry internship, participate in international fashion design competitions, and develop a capstone collection for showcase at the annual Drexel Fashion Show. Graduates of Drexel’s Fashion Design Master’s program are prepared for a broad range of careers in the fashion industry and related fields such as education, retail, costume design, computer-aided design, and curatorial work with historic clothing and textiles.

The Fashion Design graduate program is a first professional degree that welcomes seasoned designers who hold bachelor’s degrees in design fields as well as emerging designers with degrees from other disciplines. Prerequisite courses in fashion design foundations—drawing, design, production, patternmaking—prepare students for graduate coursework. Incoming students who hold undergraduate degrees in fashion, art or design may be waived from some of the prerequisite courses via portfolio and transcript review and a skills test. All students will work with faculty advisors on curriculum placements that reflect their skill level and career aspirations.

Drexel Westphal Fashion Design alumni go on to careers in various areas of the fashion business and related fields—often becoming industry leaders in fashion technology, inclusivity, and sustainability. Adriana Galijasevic, Denim & Sustainability Expert and designer at G-Star RAW, has spoken at numerous conferences and was recognized by Forbes Magazine and Women’s Wear Daily for pushing boundaries on innovation and sustainability in the denim industry.

What Do You Learn in the MS in Fashion Design Program?

The fusion of art, design, science and technology within the MS Fashion Design program represents a multi-disciplinary approach and a springboard for the production of unique apparel for the 21st century. The graduate Fashion Design curriculum emphasizes the aesthetics and philosophies of fashion while training designers in the technical skills needed to support an innovative career in the fashion industry.

Within an individualized studio environment, students acquire knowledge and experience in:

  • Design fundamentals: construction, patternmaking, tailoring, etc.
  • Knitwear design
  • Industrial production of clothing
  • Advanced design technologies
  • Fashion marketing and merchandising
  • Computer-aided design (CAD)
  • Textile design, research, and development
  • Fashion illustration
  • History of fashion design
  • Sustainable practices in design
  • Inclusive and adaptive fashion design
  • Professional presentation and portfolio development
  • Business of fashion

Students pursuing a Master’s in Fashion Design can take electives in accessory design, machine knitting, technical design, or many other topics according to their personal interests and career aspirations. The hands-on curriculum includes frequent critiques from renowned faculty and industry professionals, and culminates in the annual Drexel Fashion Show, which is attended by press, regional and national designers, and other fashion industry representatives.

Drexel graduate Fashion Design students and alumni have had their work featured in international runway shows, exhibitions, and television programs. Nancy Volpe Beringer (’16), a finalist on Season 18 of Bravo’s Project Runway, made her red carpet debut in 2019 when Philadelphia hip-hop artist and Grammy nominee Tierra Whack wore her designs to the 61st Annual Grammy Awards. Nancy’s designs have showcased at the 2018 Libertae Fashion Show, the Salvation Army’s 2019 Garbage Bag Gala, and can be found in Philadelphia’s iconic fashion store Joan Shepp. Xiaohan Zhou ('19) appeared on Cool China Fashion Designer, a Chinese television competition akin to Project Runway. Xiaohan’s work has been featured in numerous gallery exhibitions, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, EDGE Annual Fashion Exhibition in Santa Barbara, and she took home the China Cup award for excellence at Shanghai Fashion Week in Spring 2018.

Fashion Design Master’s Program Resources & Facilities in Philadelphia

Housed in the URBN Center, the hub for creativity and innovation in Drexel’s Westphal College, the graduate Fashion Design degree program encourages collaboration within the College and provides numerous opportunities for research across Drexel University’s disciplines.

Fashion Design Master’s students have access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources, including:

  • Well-equipped, spacious design studios open 24 hours
  • SHIMA SEIKI Technology Laboratory: 3D computerized knitting machines and SDS-ONE APEX3 workstations systems to support research and development of textiles
  • The Fox Historic Costume Collection (FHCC): thousands of apparel items, accessories, sketches and more from designers like Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, James Galanos, and Halston
  • Hybrid Making Lab: 3D printers, laser cutters and fabrication equipment
  • Computer labs with access to Adobe Creative Suite, trend forecasting and retail lifecycle management software
  • Charles Evans Fashion Library: computers, forecasting materials, swatches, periodicals and resources for the study of fashion past, present and future

MS Fashion Design students with a deeper interest in multidisciplinary research and development can choose to pursue a minor in Design Research. Nicole Feller Johnson (’18) earned a dual master’s degree with Westphal’s MS Design Research program; Nicole’s multidisciplinary work spans haute couture, digital fabrication, embellishment, full-fashioned hand and machine knitting, surface development, innovation and new technologies, user experience and interaction, and 3D printing. Nicole's graduate thesis was recognized as the "Most Original and Creative Graduate Research" at Drexel University, she was named a CFDA+ Design Graduate for 2018, and here debut collection, which features the world’s first dress made of 3D printed yarn, walked Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia, SS 2019.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Fashion Design Master’s program, please contact the Graduate Recruitment Team at Westphal College here.

Please direct inquiries regarding the portfolio to:

Jackie Kilmartin
Associate Teaching Professor
Director, Graduate Fashion Design
215.895.0359
jk942@drexel.edu

Interior Architecture & Design

The graduate Interior Architecture & Design program at Drexel Westphal is recognized as one of the top interiors programs in the world by Design Intelligence and Architectural DigestOur students win major national and international honors, and take positions at many leading firms. The program is uniquely situated within a top university with a distinctive vision, and a city that fosters a vibrant design community. 

Get to know the program through the GRADUATE THESIS PROJECTS or check out what is going on via INSTAGRAM.

Interior Architecture & Design Program Mission

The mission of Drexel Westphal's Interior Architecture & Design graduate program is to train skilled designers, creative thinkers, professional leaders, and responsible citizens in the fields of interior design and architecture. We cultivate students who acknowledge their responsibilities to the safety and well-being of the public and the stewardship of the environment, and we inspire graduates to lead a multifaceted profession in an ever-changing world. The Interior Architecture & Design curriculum is structured to teach the fundamentals of interior design, to anticipate and reflect change in a continually evolving profession, and to encourage the kind of exploration and experimentation that fosters life-long learners who will contribute to the profession and the discipline’s body of knowledge.

The graduate Interior Architecture & Design program at Drexel Westphal emphasizes sustainability, diversity, and equity in designing the built environment. Students collaborate across disciplines and engage in hands-on research and studio learning. The graduate interiors program offers an immersive studio experience, producing well-rounded, ethical, innovative interior design professionals.

Degree Options for Interior Architecture & Design

The graduate program in Interior Architecture & Design offers two master’s degree options:

Master of Interior Architecture & Design (MSIAD): a CIDA-accredited first-professional degree that consists of 92 required graduate credits and 12 undergraduate prerequisite credits. This Interior Architecture & Design degree is ideal for students from diverse undergraduate backgrounds who are interested in entering the field of interior design.

Learn More about MS Interior Architecture & Design

The highly ranked, CIDA-accredited master’s program in Interior Architecture & Design is characterized by a focus on human experience, novel explorations of materials and form, commitment to a sustainable future, and a rigorous professional training. Interior Architecture & Design prepares students of diverse backgrounds to become leaders in the field of interior design. We are consistently ranked among the top programs in the country, and in the Top 10 survey by Design Intelligence of “America's Best Design Schools." As one of the few CIDA-accredited graduate programs in the country, Interior Architecture & Design students are on the fast-track to licensure and are highly prepared to enter the professional world of interior architecture and design. The rigorous graduate Interior Architecture & Design coursework emphasizes independent research culminating in a master's thesis. The master’s degree in Interior Architecture & Design requires 92 graduate credits and 12 undergraduate prerequisite credits. The program integrates design concepts, technical information, and hands-on skills in an integrated studio model that encourages communication and shared learning. Students engage questions of aesthetics, function, ethics, technology and the realities of the marketplace. The Interior Architecture & Design program is grounded in visual studies, providing a foundation of design knowledge, integrating creative and artistic approaches to experience, and emphasizing the value of aesthetics and craft. At the same time, the program integrates social science research and methods that inform a human-centric design process, contribute to the understanding of human factors in design, and provide a basis for design decision-making grounded in evidence.

Master of Interior Architecture (MSIA): a post-professional degree that consists of 48 required graduate credits. Intended for students with backgrounds in interior design and architecture, the accelerated MSIA curriculum is highly interdisciplinary and customizable.

Learn More about MS Interior Architecture

The Master of Science in Interior Architecture is a post-professional degree in interior architecture. For students with undergraduate and professional backgrounds in interior design or architecture, the MSIA allows in-depth specialization, interdisciplinary research, and custom paths of study. The MS Interior Architecture curriculum reinforces design fundamentals, advances technical skills and conceptual approaches, allows for specialization in areas such as health/wellness, making/fabrication, or technology/representation, and culminates in a comprehensive thesis research and design project. Students select from a range of studio, seminar, and elective courses to create a curriculum tailored to their professional interest. The Interior Architecture graduate program is closely affiliated with the graduate MS in Design and MS in Urban Strategy programs within the Department of Architecture, Design & Urbanism, and provides access to graduate programs across the University. These connections allow students to engage and collaborate with experts from a variety of disciplines, preparing them to take leadership roles in the interior architecture profession. The master’s degree in Interior Architecture consists of 48 graduate credits. Admission to the program requires a first professional degree from an accredited program in interior design or architecture and submission of a design portfolio. Applicants with degrees in related fields or unaccredited programs who have professional experience in interior design or architecture will be considered through review of transcript and portfolio. Applicants who do not meet the admission requirements may be recommended for the MS Interior Architecture & Design program.

Visit our FAQ for more information, or help deciding which interiors master’s degree may be right for you.

Studio Culture

The graduate degrees in interior architecture and design thrive on the diverse graduate students’ educational and life experiences as they engage in a vigorous learning environment through exploration, self-learning and creativity. Classes are structured around processes of drawing and designing with close feedback from instructors and peers. The conceptualization and implementation of ideas involves aesthetics, function, ethics, technology and the realities of the marketplace. The program balances visual acuity with grounded research, promoting work that is rigorous and comprehensive. 

Diversity and Equity

The graduate interiors program embraces diversity and aims to increase equity, both for interior design practitioners and for the people served by interiors projects. Interior design is uniquely equipped to advocate and promote diversity and equity in the profession and the built environment.

Sustainability

Sustainable thinking is a fundamental responsibility of contemporary design practice. The graduate program promotes and emphasizes sustainable practices as the inherent responsibility of designers and exposes students to a diverse array of sustainable approaches and techniques. These include new and future technologies, material innovations, green building techniques, historic and vernacular strategies, biomimicry, and larger scale approaches including urban and social sustainability. Projects also consider how sustainability is intricately tied to the health and well-being, as well as social and economic sustainability. There is a Concentration in Sustainability in the Built Environment for students who wish to focus their studies in this area.

Learn More About Graduate Interior Architecture & Design

For more information on the Interior Architecture & Design graduate program at Drexel Westphal, to schedule a tour of our facilities, or for guidance in deciding which of our master’s degree options best suits your interests and experience, contact the Westphal admissions team at westphaladm@drexel.edu or 215.895.1738.

Television & Media Management Graduate Program

ON CAMPUS OR ONLINE

Advance Your Career in the Industry You Love

Today's multi-platform television and media industry is competitive, complex and constantly evolving. As a result, there are countless new career opportunities for diverse professionals who are passionate about content creation, deal-making, delivery, and audience measurement. Drexel University’s Paul F. Harron graduate program in Television & Media Management offers two graduate study options to prepare domestic and international students for demanding and fulfilling careers in television and media: the Master of Science in Television & Media Management and dual MS/MBA.

Students in the Television & Media Management program receive real-world experience through simulations, professional networking opportunities, and internships with a range of content distributors (streaming organizations, direct-to-consumer media hybrids, broadcast television station groups, etc.), viewer research organizations, and media marketing and advertising firms regionally, nationally, and globally.

Founded in 2004, the MS in Television & Media Management Program combines practical and academic experience in courses, such as:

  • Media Deal-Making
  • Multi-Platform Programming
  • Audience Data and Analytics
  • Media Law
  • Media Ethics
  • Money and the Media
  • TV Technology and Innovation
  • Media Systems and Dynamics
  • Global Television: London (Abroad)
  • Capstone Seminar

Courses are taught by experienced professionals who currently work in or have significant experience in television and media leadership. With purposefully small class sizes, students can regularly engage with peers and faculty members while building their individual professional networks. The full curriculum is available here.

Two Degree Options

The stand-alone MS degree offers a solid grounding in television and media management, as well as skills specific to business leadership. The dual MS/MBA option, offered jointly with the LeBow College of Business, allows students to integrate more business course content with the management practices of multi-platform television and media, and provides graduates the advantages of also earning the renowned Drexel MBA.

Learning objectives of both the MS and MS/MBA degree programs include:

  • Understanding revenue and financial models that drive the multi-platform media industry
  • Confidently utilizing financial analysis tools
  • Assessing present and emerging technology to successfully manage media organizations at the highest levels
  • Functioning in the multi-dimensional world of programming which includes knowledge of content production, syndication, programming and counter-programming response mechanisms, and understanding the complexities of multi-platform content delivery.
  • Understanding the importance of diverse teams in the media industry and utilizing that knowledge to lead organizations with a specific focus on equity and inclusion
  • Learning and exercising the management skills required to lead every level of the multi-platform media industry

Design Research Master’s Degree Program

What is Design Research?

The Drexel University Master of Science in Design Research (DSRE) is a two-year program that focuses on combining a transdisciplinary design approach with an intensive research process. This interdisciplinary Master’s program is ideal for design thinkers eager to create solutions for important real-world problems.

In this self-defined and flexible MS in Design Research program, students have the option to study full or part time, meaning that students can work a full-time job while pursuing their graduate degree. This program is unique in that it gives students the ability to chart their own customized pathways to consider multidisciplinary problems beyond the scope of traditional boundaries of individual design disciplines. Our flexible approach allows students to collaborate locally and regionally with research labs and organizations, such as the Department of Public Health, to build connections that will drive professional success.

The MS in Design Research program is part of the nationally ranked Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, housed in award-winning, technologically-enhanced facilities, and taught by faculty who have worked at the top of their fields. Situated in the Department of Architecture, Design & Urbanism, the program benefits from its associations with faculty and students in the Interior Architecture & Design and Urban Strategy graduate programs.

Why Study Design Research at Drexel Westphal?

We welcome both experienced designers and those with a design-based interest to pave their own customized path within our Design Research graduate program. All students are placed within the curriculum through conversations with our nationally and internationally recognized faculty and advisors who guide students based on their interests in design, technology, environment, human wellness and more.

“Design Research students have the opportunity to study alongside internationally recognized design researchers and artists. These include Genevieve Dion, founder and director of the Center for Functional Fabrics; Nicole Koltick, founder and director of the Design Futures Lab, recognized with an International award for their speculative design film; and Lewis Colburn, whose work has won national and international awards. Students typically work with these experts to develop intensive explorations that build knowledge in topics such as machine learning, disaster relief, biological speculation, and healthy materials.”
- D.S. Nicholas, Program Director, Design Research

This human-centered design master’s program empowers graduates to be leaders in the complex practice of design and approach real world problems with integrative and creative solutions.

“The Design Research program emboldens students to examine and adopt the perspectives of fellow creative critical thinkers, inside and outside of their cohort. Originally from a fashion design background, I came to embrace a research-driven approach to redesigning services as a result of the dialogue I shared with professors and classmates in public health, digital media, and urban strategy. The freedom to enrich my own understanding in these small ways enabled me to challenge conventional thinking and seek new ways in which I can inform both physical and digital experiences.”
– Thanh My Nguyen, ’18 Alumni, Design Research

Career paths for students in the Design Research program include:

  • Multi-Disciplinary Design Research Firms
  • Design Research Strategist
  • Design Analyst
  • Creative Place-Maker
  • Data Analyst
  • Service Design
  • Research Think Tanks
  • Social Practice and Innovation
  • Digital Firm Project Management Social Information Strategist
  • Design Research & Usability Expert Innovation Designer
  • Creative Design Director
  • Digital Design Leader
  • Environmental Design Consultant Product Development Leader
  • Work Place Strategist
  • Design Led Practices in Non-Design Industries

What Do You Learn in the MS in Design Research Program?

The curriculum, though self-directed, is grounded in research, studio class work, philosophy, theory, and iterative making. Through deep cross-collaboration, our students create cutting-edge solutions and speculative environments to study culture and human-centered design.

Topics explored include:

  • Experimental materials
  • The built environment for users with a variety of needs
  • Cultural and societal solutions for underserved populations
  • Biophilic design: connecting people and nature within the built environment
  • Design fiction and near-future speculation: critical exploration of possible design futures through the creation of designed artifacts

Students build skills and professional experiences while conducting research that drives new design in the 21st century job market, including:

  • Human-centered design research: focus groups, customized community engagements
  • Research and findings analysis
  • Research context and ethics: lineage and philosophy of design research, ethical approaches to design
  • Technology-driven modes of production: Students master technical approaches that allow them to create high-level fabricated prototypes.

By mastering the speculative and scholarly approach, students are prepared to present their research on major national and international platforms. Design Research students have presented at the following research conferences: Environmental Design Research Association, CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Architecture Research Centers Consortium, among others.

Design Research Master’s Program Resources & Facilities in Philadelphia

Located in Drexel’s world-class research environment, students within the Design Research degree program are encouraged to engage within the wider university and the city of Philadelphia.

Our Design Research partners and collaborators include:

Students in the Design Research graduate program have access to the Westphal College’s facilities that house state-of-the-art equipment and software, including:

  • Full wood shop with four axis CNC routers full bed sized
  • Hybrid Making lab with resin laser 3-d printers small bed CNC and hand tools, 3D printers and laser cutters
  • Dedicated design research lab with equipment including Ultimaker, Robo, and Makerbot 3D printers, filament and other supplies for design research student use.

Urban Strategy Master's Degree Program

What is Urban Strategy?

The next generation of 21st century urbanists will face complex social, environmental and economic problems in an increasingly dynamic and interconnected world.

The Urban Strategy MS program is a multi-disciplinary University knowledge hub that develops leaders ready to address complex urban problems. Students learn a systems approach that drives innovative and comprehensive solutions to all aspects of urban planning and public policy in order to advance the modern city.

Urban Strategy at Drexel University

Drexel University’s Urban Strategy MS program prepares students to meet urban planning and public policy challenges through a 48-credit, 2-year, interdisciplinary master's degree program that brings together Drexel’s expertise in design, engineering, business, policy and public health. This unique master’s program empowers and prepares students for careers focused on improving the well-being of urban citizens.

Drexel University is the ideal institution for the MS in Urban Strategy due to Drexel’s inherent philosophy of interdisciplinary learning and practical, engaged education. Drexel is located in the heart of Philadelphia's urban transformation and is actively shaping the environment in which the University sits. Studying urban strategy at Drexel positions students to work with gifted faculty of experienced researchers and practitioners from the Westphal College, Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation, College of Arts and Sciences, Dornsife School of Public Health, among others across the University.

City Planning & Beyond: What You’ll Learn in the MS in Urban Strategy Program

This program combines rigorous training in critical thinking and analytical methods, while grounding students in historical, political and economic context. The Urban Strategy program seeks students who have a sense of curiosity that is broad as well as deep. We relish the opportunity to work with students who are animated by their passions and commitment to rigorous research to transform today's cities into the cities of tomorrow.

Students will hone their skills in real-time through practical engagement and experiential learning. Using Drexel’s pioneering Side-by-Side approach, students learn together with students from the West Philadelphia community in a course focused on Civic Engagement and Participatory Methods. Students envision the future of urban design by participating in collaborative, University-wide charrettes with leading architects from around the world. Through our commitment to community-based learning, Urban Strategy students move beyond the four walls of the university, and into the city, early and often.

Students are not limited to any one discipline or bound by any one way of thinking. Instead, they integrate knowledge and practice from a variety of areas, including design, public health, engineering, social science and business — Urban Strategy graduates are prepared to tackle these difficult problems in new and innovative ways. Students take classes like City of Systems, which explores sustainability, risk and resilience. What is a City, a course which brings together changemakers from the city and region to give an inside look at what it takes to lead. And students are trained for in-demand skills like GIS mapping and quantitative analysis.

Students also have the opportunity to take four elective courses in Drexel’s 13 other Schools and Colleges to deepen their knowledge in their areas of interest, while receiving ongoing support and advising from faculty mentors.

Graduates of the Urban Strategy program gain public and private sector employment, including positions in government agencies, design firms, think tanks, community development corporations, and beyond.

Urban Strategy Master’s Program Resources & Facilities in Philadelphia

The Urban Strategy program is housed in Philadelphia, a city increasingly known for its vitality, livability, and continuous transformation. Students will learn firsthand what makes Philadelphia work, and the struggles the city and region continue to face.

Students pursuing careers in city planning and urban design will have a front row seat as Drexel embarks on an ambitious plan to transform the district around 30th Street Station into Schuylkill Yards: a 14-acre hub for living, learning and innovation.

In addition to having a hyper-local focus within Philadelphia, the program also has a significant global reach and perspective; students will have opportunities to travel and learn about best practices in contemporary urbanism from a network of partners around the world. Urban Strategy students have studied Business Improvement Districts in Italy, climate change in the fisheries of India, and trauma-informed design in Serbia.

Through a partnership with the Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation, students will have access to respected scholars and practitioners from around the world, who will serve as their teachers, advisors and mentors, in addition to seasoned Drexel faculty.

“Urban Strategy students are first in line to work alongside world class fellows who are part of Drexel’s Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation. The Lindy Institute is a think-tank, a catalyst for incredible academic and practitioner energy with global impact. Our mission statement says it all: ‘We forge innovative strategies to equitably advance cities.’ With our support of the Urban Strategy program, we are building a new community to come together and solve problems in a fundamentally inclusive and democratic way. That is a to me a very exciting way to think about urban innovation.”
Harris Steinberg, Executive Director, Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation

Retail & Merchandising

Drexel’s online master's program in Retail & Merchandising provides a broad overview of the retail and merchandising industry, focusing on topics such as branding, fashion, visual communication, omni-channel marketing, product development, and supply chain management.

Considering both theoretical and practical approaches, the curriculum will develop your ability to think critically, research and solve problems, and implement innovative solutions in a dynamic global marketplace.

The forecasted job growth shows a strong need for managers possessing a nimbleness in retail operations, merchandise management, customer relations, strategic planning, product analysis, advanced problem solving, and human resource development. With an MS in Retail & Merchandising, you will be able to pursue such opportunities as Retail Corporate Manager, Retail Sales Manager, Manufacturer Sales Representative, Educator, and more.

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