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MST

Strategic Tools for Manufacturing Innovation


About MST

Description

The Manufacturing Systems and Technology (MST) degree programme is a comprehensive education and research effort that concentrates on enabling manufacturing systems and technologies for emerging industries in a global context. We define emerging industries as those based on new technologies that are just beginning to be considered for commercialization.  Currently, this includes a host of new concepts in micro-and nano-technology such as molecular diagnosis, advanced drug screening, new ideas for photonic devices, micro-robots, nano-scale optical devices, and a multitude of potential products employing micro-and nano-scale fluidics. At the commercial manufacturing-level these industries will be characterized by micron-scale product dimensions, high value-added, extreme quality requirements, mass customization, time sensitive distribution and entirely new business structures. In the immediate time frame our research will focus on an emerging industry that is now at the point of large-scale commercialization, namely: microfluidic devices for chemical, biomedical and photonic applications. While specific in nature, we also believe that the manufacturing issues for this emerging industry will have manufacturing process, systems and business issues that are common with many others yet-to-emerge industries, such as fluidic devices computation, advanced drug delivery systems and advanced health maintenance systems. Our research themes focus on critical issues enabling high volume, low cost, high quality products in the emerging industries of micro- and nano-manufacturing.

Programme Elements

For the Manufacturing Systems and Technology Programme (MST), there are three interrelated components:

Scope of Manufacturing for MST

In the MST programme we define manufacturing as the collection of technologies and systems that are necessary for commercial scale production and distribution to customers. This includes the disciplines of:

In addition, since commercial viability is a key issue, it is necessary to address the business economics of the new operations in these emerging systems. In MST these topics are treated as an integrated set, sharing common performance metrics such as cost, quality, rate and flexibility in all aspects of the system.

Career Paths

MST is a multi-disciplinary programme that combines the physical fundamentals of processes and equipment with the operational flow challenges of the factory. Graduates will possess a broad understanding of the many facets of manufacturing, as well as the strategic tools to become premiere leaders in technology development for existing and emerging manufacturing companies, research centers, or universities. Our goal is to equip its graduates with:

MST allows for many career options within the field of manufacturing. The M.Eng. degree from, MIT provides a broad base for those interested in moving into professional technical jobs in the operation of manufacturing industries. The NTU masters provides a first opportunity for deeper study in the manufacturing disciplines. This can lead to careers in the development of new manufacturing processes, equipment, automaton or logistic systems. Finally, the PhD degree will provide the necessary education for a future in advanced industrial R&D or for an academic career.

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Degree Offerings

MST is not accepting applications for the September 2011 intake.

Pathways into the Programme

An MIT Masters AND an NTU Masters (Dual Masters)

The Dual Masters will comprise a Master of Engineering Degree in Manufacturing from MIT and a Master of Science Degree from NTU. This programme combines a broad based approach with independent research and concentrate on problems of emerging industries. Students will combine industry-based project experience with a university-based research derived from that experience. Depending upon the student's progress the programme may be completed in 1.5 years, but no more than 2.0 years. The MIT degree will be taken partly in residence at MIT and by distance at NTU, and will be primarily coursework-based with a group project in industry supervised by MIT. The NTU degree will include coursework and independent research with NTU faculty supervision.

Dual Degree Course Schedule

MIT Fall Semester at MIT

  • Manufacturing Processes and Systems
  • Introduction to Manufacturing Systems
  • Mechanical Assembly & Product Development
  • Management for Engineers

MIT IAP at Singapore

  • Begin MIT thesis project at company in Singapore
  • Pro-Seminar

MIT Spring Semester at Singapore

  • Manufacturing Process Control
  • Supply Chain Planning & Design
  • Product Design
  • Pro-Seminar
  • Thesis Project (part-time)

Summer at Singapore

  • MIT Thesis project attachment at company (June only)
  • Submit MIT project thesis by August 15
  • Initiate independent research project
  • Complete MIT M.Eng. Degree

NTU July-November Semesters at Singapore

  • Concentration Subject 1
  • Concentration Subject 2
  • Concentration Subject 3
  • Independent Research Project

November-December at Singapore

  • Complete research and submit NTU thesis by December 30
  • Complete NTU SM
  • Schedule Ph.D. qualifying exams for January

An MIT Masters and an NUS/NTU PhD

The MIT Masters with NUS (or NTU) PhD includes essentially the same coursework as the dual Masters programme, but additionally it involves specialization courses and a significant research component emphasizing critical technological roadblocks brought about by working at the micron and sub-micron-level length scale and on this new class of products.

An NUS/NTU PhD degree with SMA Certificate

Students in the PhD programme, nearly half of whom we expect to come from the Dual Degree programme, will be part of a concentrated research effort to address the critical technological roadblocks brought about by working at the micron and sub-micron-level length scale and on this new class of products. PhD. students will have a primary supervisor at NTU or NUS with formal participation by MIT faculty. They will also spend at least one semester at MIT during their degree. Students will be required to pass a qualifying examination during their PhD study.

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Graduate Fellowship

Singapore-MIT Alliance Objectives
SMA is an unparalleled and exciting distance-technology enabled educational and research opportunity – a compelling new value proposition – that attracts and retains the very best engineering and life sciences graduate students and researchers from across Asia. SMA develops talented human capital for Singapore’s industries, universities, and research establishments; provides a platform and vehicle for organizational and institutional learning that will raise the general level of all partner institutions; creates world-class educational programs and high-impact research initiatives in areas crucial to the growth of the Singapore economy; and fosters strong academia-industry-Research Institute collaborations, providing the basis for an enduring and viable partnership. SMA is characterized by quality, diversity, integrity, commitment, and service – both to Singapore and to the global knowledge community.

Graduate Fellowship Program
Students who receive a SMA Graduate Fellowship will receive full support for tuition, stipend and travel. The students will be eligible, depending upon the programme they are accepted into, for the following degrees: an MIT Masters and an NUS/NTU Masters; an MIT Masters and an NUS/NTU PhD; or an NUS/NTU PhD.

Eligibility
SMA has established a rigorous screening process to ensure that only the most able applicants become SMA Graduate Fellows.

The following conditions apply:

  1. Only applicants who will have received a Bachelor’s degree by the time that a programme’s academic year commences are eligible. Applications will also be accepted from students who have already received a Bachelor’s degree.
     
  2.  Only applicants who have been independently and separately admitted to both MIT and NUS/NTU are eligible. Applications will be accepted from students who are awaiting confirmation of admission into each of these universities.
     
  3. Evidence of past accomplishments, academic potential, leadership potential, the potential for producing innovative research, creativity, and moral and ethical values are some of – but not exclusively – the characteristics that the Fellowship committee will consider.

Requirements
In addition to your application, you must submit:

  1. A one-to-three page summary explaining your aspirations for applying for an SMA Graduate Fellowship, what you intend to do upon completion of your studies, and your future career goals. Please include your name (family name in capital letters first, followed by given name in lower-case letters) in the top right corner of each page.
     
  2. When received, you must send a copy of your acceptance letter from MIT to the Singapore-SMA Office (located at N3.2-01-36, 65 Nanyang Avenue, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637460).
     

Learn more about MIT's Master of Engineering in Manufacturing Degree and the MST Programme.

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