Design, Development and Implementation of a Master of Science Degree in Modeling, Simulation, and Visualization

The School of Technology at Purdue University Calumet designed, developed and implemented a Master of Science Degree in Modeling, Simulation, and Visualization (MSV). The degree is a 30 credit hour master’s degree program, consisting of courses in problem solving with MSV tools and applications. In the development of this degree program, analyses were done of the stakeholder needs in the area; based on these analyses, the School designed the degree to meet “high-tech” workforce need in the region. The program is flexible enough to appeal to students having various academic or professional backgrounds within Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The goal is to prepare graduates who would apply MSV skills in a variety of ways to solve industry and business problems. This paper describes the design, development and implementation of the interdisciplinary MSV graduate program in terms of, 1) needs and justification, 2) planning process, 3) program description and objectives, 4) curriculum, 5) implementation issues related to faculty, students, and resources, and 6) examples of MSV related industry projects. The description also includes the process, starting from a concept paper development through approval of the program by the State Commission of Higher Education.