Master of Engineering Leadership in Design Innovation (MELDI)

MELDI students will solve the world’s biggest challenges

Become the engineering leader our ever-changing world needs. The MELDI program combines world-class engineering education with training in leadership, management and innovation to give you the skills to drive change.

As a graduate, you will be equipped to meet industry needs head on, with the capacity to effect change as we move toward a climate-adaptive future.

You will be the driving force behind the development of new systems and cutting-edge technologies that will transform our world and the way we live in it.

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Transforming engineers into visionary leaders

The program goes beyond traditional MEng, with a comprehensive leadership focus, advanced technical knowledge training, and an emphasis on change management.

The management and leadership courses will sharpen your leadership skills, provide you with effective ways of communicating and allow you to master the art of analyzing organizations to overcome barriers to progress.

Get connected with potential employers and industry professionals

The program includes a client-driven design innovation project that will immerse you in the full process of engineering design, from theory to practice to application.

You will be mentored by industry partners and professionals who will help guide your creative process.

Through this project and an optional summer co-op, you’ll build valuable connections and gain real work experience, helping you land your dream job after graduation.

MELDI combines globally recognized expertise

MELDI is a unique, multidisciplinary program that combines expertise from the faculty of engineering, the Renaissance College (UNB’s experts in transformational leadership studies) and the AACSB-accredited faculty of management.

UNB’s faculty of engineering is the oldest in Canada and has been ranked in the top 20% of engineering programs globally.

Don’t just become an engineer. Become an engineering leader.

The story behind the program

Engineering the future of leadership

The field of engineering is changing rapidly, with a growing emphasis on interdisciplinary teamwork. There is a new urgency to promote resiliency and sustainability along with advances in processes and materials. Technical experts who can lead and innovate are essential.

Program overview

comprehensive, with a balanced approach to interdisciplinary engineering leadership,
future-focused, to help you evaluate, analyze and understand the context of your work in a changing world,
challenging, through skill development in management, leadership and design innovation, and
designed to enhance your creativity.

Management and leadership

Be the change you want to see with a curriculum based on change management. The leadership and management courses start with personal leadership styles and conclude with a view to the wider world to enable leadership in any context. Skills you will learn include:

leading as an engineer,
communicating innovation and change,
understanding systems,
managing innovative engineering projects,
managing innovative organizations.

Design innovation

Start with a foundational methodology and theory of design innovation. Then live out your learning through a team project. Skills you will learn include:

transformative design for a transforming world,
strategizing design,
moving innovations from ideas to market.

Technical concentrations

The program offers a range of options to specialize in areas where you can dive deep into engineering knowledge. There are four technical concentrations to choose from:

Energy transitions for the future (led by chemical engineering)
Resilient power systems (led by electrical engineering)
Building better communities (led by civil engineering)
Innovative manufacturing (led by mechanical engineering)

Each concentration is forward-thinking, focused on the transformations happening in tech and the world. See the School of Graduate Studies to learn more about each concentration.

All advanced concentrations are supported by UNB Engineering’s globally recognized and respected research. Select your concentration when you apply.

Program details

Tuition and fees

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.

How to apply

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

Applications close for fall term 2025 on March 1, 2025 for international students.
International applicants will be notified of acceptance by March 31, 2025.
Applications for domestic students close on June 1, 2025.