Engineering Leadership in Design Innovation

  • Degree Offered: Master of Engineering Leadership in Design Innovation (MELDI)
  • Study Options: Course-based, Co-op, Design Project
  • Length: 2 years
  • Entry Terms: Fall
  • Application Deadline: March 1 for international applicants, June 1 for domestic applicants

Advance your career with the MELDI program. It offers a comprehensive approach to engineering leadership with a combination of technical knowledge and business-savvy. Pursue advanced technical knowledge in one of four concentrations. Take courses in change management, leadership development, and design innovation.

Be prepared for the future of engineering with multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary learning focused forward on turning global challenges into opportunities. Choose this intensive, high performance, premium program to give yourself the edge in engineering for the future.

Program format

Three learning components prepare you for engineering leadership in a changing world, advanced technical knowledge, management and leadership, and design innovation.

Start in the month of August with two one-week refresher courses in engineering math and computer programing. This ensures that you and everyone else is ready for advanced technical courses.

The five technical courses per concentration start with the overall global context of transformation and then zero in on advanced technical knowledge that prepares you to become a successful innovator.

The second learning component is in management and leadership. Three management courses, led by the Faculty of Management, include communications, managing innovative projects, and managing innovative organizations. Three leadership courses start with your own leadership style and teamwork, include a course on systems analysis of organizations, and conclude with a focus on building teams within engineering and beyond to get important projects done. All these courses build capacity for change within industries and organizations by recognizing and managing obstacles while leading teams to innovate successfully. You develop the skills to be a change leader.

The third learning component is design innovation. Two courses ground you in context and method for creating innovative projects. The final two courses are a two-term studio project to design a new product, process, or system as a team with a real client, guided by professional mentors. You can apply all your knowledge and skills and grow them further under professional direction.

Co-op is available and encouraged between terms two and three, during the summer. This will develop your professional network so that you can land your dream job after graduating.

Choose from four program concentrations:

Program Stream 1: Modern Decarbonized Energy Systems

Take charge of the energy revolution, now and for the future. Move away from carbon-heavy energy systems and drive the shift to clean, decarbonized alternatives. With the right mix of technical know-how and management skills, you'll help adapt power grids to renewable energy, increased demand and climate challenges. This is a pivotal moment for innovation, investment and policy to change the way we produce and consume energy. This program will help you make an impact on both global society and the planet for years to come. The future of power is clean, smart, and resilient, and it starts with you.

Led by chemical engineering

Leverage your engineering background to lead the charge in shaping the future of energy. From renewables to next-gen nuclear, clean energy is the answer to cutting emissions and powering the world sustainably. New policies, innovations, and industries are emerging to support this shift, and you'll be at the forefront of it all. Get ready to lead the clean energy revolution. 

Advanced technical course topics:

  • Renewable energy generation
  • Generation IV and advanced nuclear power systems
  • Bio-energy production
  • Environmental regulations

Led by electrical engineering

Supercharge your engineering skills to power the decarbonization movement. Rethink how we generate, distribute and use energy. Explore cutting-edge digital technologies that make the grid smarter, more efficient and resilient. Lead the design and management of future power systems, ensuring they're ready for the challenges ahead. 

Advanced technical course topics:

  • Industrial electronics
  • Renewable energy systems
  • Power system optimization
  • Power system stability

Program Stream 2: Manufacturing and Design

The way we create things is changing fast, thanks to the 4th Industrial Revolution. This program dives into the latest materials and game-changing manufacturing methods. Think cradle-to-cradle production and the circular economic, where waste is minimized, efficiency is maximized, and new technologies help us do more with less. From biodegradable materials to smart tech that cuts waste and speeds up production, you'll be part of the next big shift in how we build and make things. Be part of the next wave of innovation. The world is changing fast, and the future of manufacturing and design is in your hands. Let's make it smarter, greener and more sustainable together.

Led by civil engineering

If you're passionate about solving the housing crisis and creating future-proof communities, then this is for you. Explore new ways to accelerate construction while making it safer, greener and more sustainable. Design better homes and buildings, then expand your skills to build more resilient and fair communities for everyone. 

Advanced technical course topics:

  • Advanced digital technologies in the built environment
  • Building sustainable and equitable communities
  • Construction materials for the future
  • Energy efficiency in building design

Led by mechanical engineering

The future of manufacturing is here - powered by new materials, new methods and innovative tech. Get hands-on with the circular economy and the 4th Industrial Revolution. Think robotics, AI, machine learning, 3D printing and more. This concentration will push you to the forefront of digital manufacturing, where you'll learn how to use automation and new technologies to transform industries. 

Advanced technical course topics:

  • Advanced manufacturing technologies
  • Additive manufacturing
  • Advanced materials
  • Automation and industry 4.0

Year 1 courses

  • ENGG 6111 Computer Programming
  • ENGG 6112 Engineering Mathematics

  • Technical concentration (12 ch)
  • Design Innovation (6 ch)
  • Management and Leadership (6 ch)

  • Program Stream core course: Either ENGG 6411 Energy for a Decarbonized World, or ENGG 6412 The Future of Making Things
  • Technical concentration course
  • ENGG 6211 Transformative Design for a Transforming World
  • LEAD 6311 Leading as an Engineer

  • ENGG 6113 Data Science and Application
  • Technical concentration course
  • ENGG 6212 Strategizing Design
  • MBA 6166 Communicating Innovation and Change

Year 2 courses

  • Co-op Option

  • Technical concentration (6 ch)
  • Design Innovation (6 ch)
  • Management and Leadership (12 ch)

  • Technical concentration course
  • ENGG 6221 Design Innovation Studio 1
  • LEAD 6321 Understanding Systems
  • MBA 6178 Managing Innovative Engineering Projects

  • Technical concentration course
  • ENGG 6222 Design Innovation Studio 2
  • MBA 6134 Managing Innovative Organizations
  • LEAD 6322 Engineers Exercising Leadership

Program details

Tentative tuition costs are $14,380 per year for domestic tuition and $20,315 per year for international tuition, with a programming fee of $1,500 per student per year. Fees are pending Board approval and may be adjusted.

The outlined costs are an estimate only for the Academic Year: 2025-2026, based on the selected criteria. Actual amounts are subject to review and may increase with each year of study. Mandatory fees, including insurance also apply each new academic year. Additional course costs may also apply. In the event of a discrepancy, the fees listed by Financial Services will be taken as authoritative for the given academic year.


  1. Check that you qualify with an undergraduate degree that prepares you for your chosen specialization.
  1. Make sure you are ready for advanced technical training with a minimum Canadian GPA of 3.0 (B) average.
  1. Complete the application. A complete submission, with references, can be processed more quickly.
  1. If you are an international applicant whose first language is not English, submit language scores. See our English language requirements.
  1. See the School of Graduate Studies Admissions for more details.

This is a premium program with early application deadlines. Mark these dates for a start in August 2025.

  • Applications open for fall term 2025 on Nov. 15, 2024.
  • Applications close for fall term 2025 on March 1, 2025.
  • Applicants notified of acceptance by March 31, 2025.

Apply now