Master of Science (M.S.) in Product Management
Earn your M.S. for under $18k* in tuition, 100% online.
Gain the skills to lead innovation and product development across a variety of industries. Merrimack’s online M.S. in Product Management features flexible live sessions, expert faculty mentorship and real-world projects. Perfect for professionals seeking a career change to a new role or industry, you can tailor your degree with a concentration in Life Sciences, Digital Products (Software/Web/Mobile), Complex Technological Products or Lean Six Sigma. Complete the program part-time and 100% online in as few as 16 months.
Product Management Master's Degree at a Glance
Mode of Study
Online
Est. Time
16-20 Months Part-time
Start Terms
Fall I & II, Spring I & II, Summer I & II
View Application Deadlines
Credits
33
Evening Classes
Available
Accreditation
Fellowships
Not Applicable
Scholarships
Alumni Scholarship
Tell Me More About Merrimack's Product Management Master's Degree
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Master of Science in Product Management Tuition
Credits
Tuition Per Credit
Total Tuition
*Tuition for 2025-2026, taking effect Fall 2025. Rates are subject to change.
Tuition-Saving Opportunities for the M.S. in Product Management
In addition to the program’s already low tuition, Merrimack’s M.S. in Product Management offers generous alumni and merit-based scholarship opportunities.
Visit the page below to find all up-to-date tuition and fees information.
Overview of Merrimack's M.S. in Product Management
Merrimack College’s M.S. in Product Management is an interdisciplinary graduate program that blends business strategy, technical knowledge and practical experience to prepare future product leaders. Students work on real projects with support from expert faculty and explore topics like innovation, analytics and product lifecycle management. Whether you’re pivoting into product management or looking to advance, the curriculum offers the tools to grow your impact and career.
Explore our four industry-aligned concentrations.
Life Sciences
Lean Six Sigma
Digital Products (Software/Web/Mobile)
Complex Technological Products
Why Choose the M.S. in Product Management at Merrimack?
COMPREHENSIVE, INTERDISCIPLINARY TRAINING
Merrimack’s M.S. in Product Management blends expertise in business, data science, analytics, and product development. You will graduate ready to lead teams, manage the product lifecycle and drive innovation across industries, equipped with a powerful combination of strategic, technical and leadership skills.
INDUSTRY-ALIGNED CONCENTRATIONS
Built with input from industry experts, the program offers concentrations in Life Sciences, Digital Products (Software/Web/Mobile), Complex Technological Products and Lean Six Sigma. Each pathway deepens your expertise and prepares you to meet the needs of today’s high-growth sectors.
OUTSTANDING AFFORDABILITY
With total tuition under $18,000, Merrimack’s M.S. in Product Management is one of the most affordable programs of its kind. It is a smart, cost-effective investment for advancing your career and leadership potential.
FLEXIBLE PATHWAY TO A CAREER CHANGE
Designed for working professionals, the program is 100 percent online with optional live evening sessions. Study from anywhere and complete your degree in as few as 16 months part-time, without pausing your career. Emerge with the skills to work in a new role or industry leading product development initiatives.
PERSONALIZED SUPPORT
Even though the program is online, you will be connected to a strong, supportive community. You will benefit from weekly live faculty sessions, one-on-one mentoring, personalized success coaching and career services support, all designed to help you achieve your goals.
Career Outlook: Where Can a M.S. in Product Management Take You?
Estimated Average Total Pay
Associate Product Manager
Estimated Average Total Pay
Product Manager
Estimated Average Total Pay
Director of Product Management
Source: Glassdoor, 2024
Jobs with a Product Management Master's Degree
Upon completing our program, you’ll be well-prepared to pursue careers in product management, product marketing, product development and related fields. Potential roles include:
- Product Manager
- Product Owner
- Technical Product Manager
- Innovation Manager
- Program Manager
- Solutions Manager
- Portfolio Manager
- Agile Product Owner
- Agile Delivery Manager
- Product Developer
Where Merrimack's M.S. in Product Management Graduates Work
Amazon Robotics
Head of Robotics Safety Engineering
Exadel
Senior Consultant
Carnegie
Senior Digital Marketing Strategist
Winchester Interconnect
Engineering Manager
Bread Financial
QA Manager
Johnstech Asia (Semiconductors)
General Manager
NetApp
Content Strategist and Architect
Takeda
Senior Quality Compliance Manager
What Our Master of Science in Product Management Students and Alumni Say
Mercury Systems
Listen to podcast episode
What You'll Learn in Merrimack's M.S. in Product Management
Explore Our Four Career-Focused Concentrations
In Merrimack College’s M.S. in Product Management, you’ll tailor your degree to your specific interests and career goals by choosing from one of the following concentrations:
Life Sciences
Prepares students to innovate and manage products within the tightly regulated life sciences industry. Students gain a deep understanding of product lifecycle management, regulatory environments, reimbursement systems and intellectual property considerations specific to medical devices, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. This concentration is ideal for product managers or aspiring professionals in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and other healthcare innovation sectors.
Digital Products (Software/Web/Mobile)
Focuses on managing digital product development through agile methodologies and user-centered innovation. Students learn how to build, iterate, and optimize software, apps and digital platforms using modern frameworks and design thinking. This concentration is ideal for those managing or aspiring to manage software, apps, SaaS products or digital service platforms in fast-paced tech environments.
Complex Technological Products
Equips students to lead innovation in advanced, multi-component technology environments. This track emphasizes tools for managing hardware/software integration, rapid prototyping and lean development in industries with high technical complexity. This program is ideal for product managers in aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, robotics or any field where products require tight integration of engineering and design.
Lean Six Sigma
The Lean Six Sigma concentration equips students with the tools and methodologies needed to deliver high-performing products and processes with minimal waste and maximum value. Drawing from both Lean principles and Six Sigma practices, this concentration emphasizes analytical problem-solving, quality systems and continuous improvement, all essential for managing complex technical products in high-stakes environments.
Students learn to integrate reliability engineering, process optimization and customer value mapping into product development cycles, making them highly effective in roles that require precision, consistency, and operational excellence.
This concentration is ideal for product managers and technical professionals in manufacturing, aerospace, defense, healthcare or other sectors where operational efficiency and product reliability are critical.
Key Courses You'll Take
New Product Development
EMP 6001
This course introduces students to the range of activities along the new product development pathway, including ideation and concept development, concept refinement, detailed product design and engineering, design for manufacturability, design for usability, prototyping, scale-up and launch. It introduces multiple tools (used in different industries) to manage product development activities, including phase gate systems, agile development for software, lean development for products, etc. It also introduces scheduling, budgeting and monitoring tools to project and measure new product programs.
Principles of Product Realization
EMP 6002
A product manager sits at the center of a complex web of interconnections and relationships that define successful products. This course introduces students to the various skills a product manager must deploy for product success including product definition, positioning, pricing, placement and promotion. It also introduces the relationship skills needed to manage cross-functional interactions and indirect and virtual teams. The course also includes an overview of the financial tools used to guide product realization and financial metrics used to measure product success.
Introduction to Data Science and Statistics
DSE 5001
Master of Science in Product Management Curriculum
View Full Curriculum from the Graduate Catalog
Product Management Requirements
To see more details about the program, please visit catalog.merrimack.edu.Product Management Capstone Project
Product Management Capstone Projects involve students creating a product design, development, deployment, lifecycle strategy, go-to-market and commercialization support plan for a product or service of their choice focused in their concentration area.
Some examples of students’ project topics can be found below:
- AI technology sourcing strategy
- Agile UX and API development plan
- Multi-tiered subscription service offering
- Go-to-market roll-out by target sector
- Long-term commercialization support plan
- Waterfall design and development plan for small rooftop solar performance monitoring hardware and software
- Deployment strategy and co-marketing with solar installers
- Support service design with window cleaner services (for panel cleaning)
- Go-to-market roll-out by target geography
- Long-term commercialization support plan
- Waterfall design and development plan for minimally invasive liver retractor
- Regulatory and reimbursement strategy for required product approvals
- Deployment strategy with existing distribution and surgical kitting houses
- Go-to-market planning in parallel to existing laparoscopic surgical tools
- Co-marketing and surgeon education plan with existing laparoscopic surgical tools
- Long-term commercialization support plan
- AI technology sourcing strategy
- Agile design and development of data collection and root-cause analysis systems
- Multi-tiered subscription service offering
- Go-to-market roll-out by type of warehouse operation
- Long-term commercialization support plan
Skills You'll Learn
In Merrimack’s online product management master’s program, you will develop the following capabilities:
Product Lifecycle Management
Plan, develop, and launch new products using frameworks like phase-gate and Agile.
Market and Financial Analysis
Apply pricing models, assess product profitability, and evaluate market opportunities.
Strategic Product Planning
Develop product roadmaps and go-to-market strategies based on market research and business goals.
Foundational Business Knowledge
Understand core concepts in marketing, finance, analytics, and operations that drive product success.
Data Literacy for Product Decisions
Use data visualization, SQL, and statistical methods to inform product direction and measure performance.
You’ll also build specific skills pertaining to your chosen specialization:
Life Sciences
- Design thinking and innovation strategy for life sciences
- Regulatory compliance (e.g., FDA processes, Design Controls)
- Navigating reimbursement systems and health economics
- Intellectual property management in biotech/medtech
Digital Products (Software/Web/Mobile)
- Agile project management (Scrum, Sprints, IdeaScrums)
- Digital product life cycles and innovation models
- User experience research and interface design
- Visual storytelling and rapid prototyping
Complex Technological Products
- Lean Product Development and virtual design techniques
- Managing lifecycle of advanced technology products
- Ideation and innovation for high-tech systems
- Cross-functional team collaboration in complex settings
Lean Six Sigma
- Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) frameworks (DMADV, DCCDI, IDOV)
- Robust design, quality functional deployment (QFD), and statistical analysis
- Lean tools: Value Stream Mapping, 5 Whys, Kanban, and PDCA
- Integrating Lean with Agile and traditional project methods
Product Management Graduate Certificates
Each of the concentrations in our M.S. in Product Management may also be taken as a separate 12-credit certificate. Not only are they a great way to build your skills and credentials, they are also “stackable” – the credits you earn in the certificate program can be transferred directly into the product management master’s program with the same cost per credit! View the expandables below for the curriculum requirements for each.
Certificate in Life Sciences
- New Product Development (4 cr.)
- Principles of Product Realization (4 cr.)
- Life Sciences Innovation Models (2 cr.)
- Regulatory, Reimbursement and IP Consideration in Life Sciences (2 cr.)
Certificate in Digital Products (Software/Web/Mobile)
- New Product Development (4 cr.)
- Principles of Product Realization (4 cr.)
- Agile Project and Innovation (2 cr.)
- Models Design Thinking (2 cr.)
Certificate in Complex Technological Products
- New Product Development (4 cr.)
- Principles of Product Realization (4 cr.)
- Innovation Models for Tech Products (2 cr.)
- Design Thinking (2 cr.)
Certificate in Lean Six Sigma
- New Product Development (4 cr.)
- Principles of Product Realization (4 cr.)
- Design for Six Sigma (2 cr.)
- Lean Engineering Management (2 cr.)
Life Sciences
- New Product Development (4 cr.)
- Principles of Product Realization (4 cr.)
- Life Sciences Innovation Models (2 cr.)
- Regulatory, Reimbursement and IP Consideration in Life Sciences (2 cr.)
Digital Products (Software/Web/Mobile)
- New Product Development (4 cr.)
- Principles of Product Realization (4 cr.)
- Agile Project and Innovation (2 cr.)
- Models Design Thinking (2 cr.)
Complex Technological Products
- New Product Development (4 cr.)
- Principles of Product Realization (4 cr.)
- Innovation Models for Tech Products (2 cr.)
- Design Thinking (2 cr.)
Lean Six Sigma
- New Product Development (4 cr.)
- Principles of Product Realization (4 cr.)
- Design for Six Sigma (2 cr.)
- Lean Engineering Management (2 cr.)
Featured Faculty
Jeff Hovis
Program Director and Assistant Professor of Practice
Jeff Hovis is Program Director and Assistant Professor of Practice at Merrimack College. As a Managing Principal at Product Genesis, he helps Global 1000 companies develop strategic innovation and product roadmaps. Previously, he was SVP and General Manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific. Jeff holds a B.S. in Chemistry and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT. His thought leadership has been published in industry journals such as ISPIM Innovation Insights and the TATA Journal of Management.
Roberto Santos, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Practice, Management
Dr. Roberto Santos is an Assistant Professor of Practice in Management at Merrimack College. He has 18 years of industry experience as a project engineer and holds 23 U.S. patents. His research focuses on technological innovation, venture financing, and global strategy, with work published in books and business journals. He holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration, an M.S. in Technology Commercialization, and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering.
H. David Sheets, Ph.D.
Instructional Professor of Data Science
Dr. David Sheets is a physicist-turned-data scientist with expertise in forensic analysis, biology, and art conservation. He has published widely across disciplines and co-authored a leading textbook in geometric morphometrics. His current research focuses on forensic firearms and handwriting examiner performance, as well as analyzing surface textures in art objects. He holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Buffalo and a B.S. in Physics from SUNY Fredonia.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
Merrimack College offers the following generous automatic scholarship opportunities Product Management graduate students:
Double Warrior Scholarship
Merrimack alumni who have graduated with their bachelor’s degree less than two semesters ago are eligible to receive an automatic 33% tuition coverage on their master’s degree.
All Merrimack alumni who have graduated more than two semesters ago are eligible to receive an automatic 25% tuition coverage on their master’s degree.
Dean Scholarship
Dean Scholarships are merit-based awards offered to eligible graduate students who are not alumni of Merrimack College. These scholarships vary in amount and are awarded based on academic achievement and potential.
Please note that a Double Warrior Scholarship award cannot be combined with a Dean Scholarship.
Financial Aid
Financial aid in the form of federal aid, private loans, and payment plans are also options available for graduate students. Click the link below to learn more about our financial aid opportunities.
Application Information for the M.S. in Product Management
It’s easy to apply online! Simply create your account by registering a username and password. This will allow you to start an application, save and log back in at any time to complete it before submission.
A Completed Application Includes:
Important Information:
- Online application
- Official college transcripts from all institutions attended
- Resumé OR updated LinkedIn profile
- Interview OR personal statement
- Contact information for one reference OR one letter of recommendation
- If you do not have a background in a STEM field, an admissions interview may be required to determine your suitability for the program.
- Optional: Submit test scores to enhance or support your academic background.
- No application fee
- No GRE requirement
The M.S. in Product Management has six start terms – Fall I, Fall II, Spring I, Spring II, Summer I and Summer II – and an online modality with optional live sessions.
Graduate Community and Student Support
As a graduate student at Merrimack College, you are welcome to visit campus and explore our resources to help you optimize your educational journey.
Our graduate students benefit from:
A dedicated success coach to support you throughout the program
A warm, inviting place to meet and network with faculty and peers face-to-face
All resources in our campus library to aid in your studying and research
Access to Merrimack's IT Help Desk
Availability of counseling and wellness services
Want to Learn More about the Master of Science in Product Management?
Contact the Program Director, Jeff Hovis!
Take the Next Step (We're Here to Help)
At Merrimack, we are ready to meet you where you are and get you where you want to go. And, we make the process simple along the way! Please feel free to contact our Graduate Admission team or join us at an upcoming event if you have any questions regarding scholarships, financial aid, or the application process.
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Grad Chat Podcast
Join us for an insightful conversation with Lisa Partington, currently serving as a Senior Principal Capture Analyst at Mercury Systems. Throughout the episode, Lisa shares her journey and provides valuable insights into the distinctive aspects of the program. While listening you will explore Lisa’s decision-making process in returning to graduate school, driven by the anticipation of what she would learn rather than concerns about the workload. This episode also dives into the program’s commitment to practical learning, where coursework seamlessly integrates with real-world applications. Also, Lisa goes over the advantages of Merrimack’s online learning model, allowing you to pursue your master’s degree while balancing work commitments. If you’re interested in Merrimack’s Master of Science in Product Management, make sure to tune in to this episode—it’s a must-listen!
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