M.Sc. in PSSD (Product-Service System Design)

What M.Sc. in PSSD (Product-Service System Design) does

The M.Sc. in Product-Service System Design (PSSD) is a two-year, 120-CFU Master's degree program at Politecnico di Milano's School of Design, located at the Bovisa Campus (Via Giuseppe Candiani 72, 20158 Milan, Italy). Established in 2005, it is described as the first Master's program globally to develop competencies in service design, and trains students to design Product-Service Systems that integrate products, services, spaces, and digital technologies. The curriculum is grounded in Politecnico di Milano's founding research on Product-Service Systems for sustainability and is built on methodologies spanning systemic design, data-driven service design, participatory design, and strategic design; recent work treats Generative AI as a collaborative actor and boundary object within participatory design processes.

Two formal Double Degree tracks extend the program: a long-standing partnership with Tongji University in Shanghai (4 PSSD and 4 Chinese students annually, with PSSD students spending 12 months in Shanghai, launched in 2007) and an internal Double Degree with Politecnico's Management Engineering program covering six semesters. International mobility is supported through Erasmus+, KA171 International Credit Mobility, bilateral non-EU exchanges, and the Master of European Design (MEDes) network of seven European design schools. A 17-member Advisory Board comprising senior industry leaders from Intesa Sanpaolo, Poste Italiane, PagoPA, Eni, Generali Italia, Cariplo Factory, Accenture Song, Croce Rossa Italiana, Comune di Milano, ActionAid Italia, Sketchin, Komebi Studio, and NextAtlas provides curriculum guidance, projects, internships, and placement support.

PSSD is not a commercial entity. It is publicly funded through Italy's state university system, with tuition set by Politecnico di Milano according to nationality and income bracket and not publicly disclosed on the program site. Marketing and student engagement run through the program's own website (pssd.polimi.it), LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram (launched February 2025), supplemented by recurring Expert Design Talks, PSSD Exploring sessions, mentoring programs, and a Service Design Drinks community. The School of Design is ranked 1st in Italy and 6th in the world for Design by QS Ranking by Subject 2024, and the program celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025.

Name

M.Sc. in PSSD (Product-Service System Design)

Legal name

Product Service System Design (PSSD), School of Design, Politecnico di Milano

Website

https://pssd.polimi.it

Company type

Public

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

M.Sc. in PSSD is a two-year Master's degree program at Politecnico di Milano's School of Design, established in 2005. The first program of its kind globally, it trains students to design sustainable product-service systems using systemic, participatory, and data-driven design methodologies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The M.Sc. in PSSD is a two-year full-time on-campus Master's degree program at Politecnico di Milano's School of Design that trains graduate students in the design of product-service systems combining product, service, space, and digital technologies. It offers a coherent multidisciplinary curriculum (120 CFU) delivered through Innovation Studio, PSSD Studio, and Final Synthesis Design Studio, with international mobility via Erasmus+ and a double-degree pathway with Tongji University in Shanghai.

Product overview

The M.Sc. in PSSD (Product-Service System Design) is an educational Master's degree program offered by Politecnico di Milano. Established in 2005, it is a single academic program that trains students in the design of product-service systems, combining product design with service design methodologies. The program includes various curriculum components such as Innovation Studio, PSSD Studio, Final Synthesis Design Studio, and offers initiatives like PSSD Tour, PSSD Mentoring, and PSSD Expert and Alumni Talks. Double degree programs are available with Tongji University and Management Engineering. The program ranks 1st in Italy and 6th in the World according to QS rankings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• M.Sc. in PSSD (Product-Service System Design) A two-year full-time on-campus Master of Science degree program at Politecnico di Milano's School of Design (120 CFU total) that trains graduate students in the design of product-service systems combining product, service, space, and digital technologies for sustainable innovation. Delivered to individual graduate students through Innovation Studio, PSSD Studio, and Final Synthesis Design Studio.
• Double Degree with Tongji University, Shanghai A dual degree pathway offering 4 PSSD students and 4 Chinese students annually the opportunity to study in both countries. PSSD students spend 12 months at Tongji University in Shanghai, developing projects and internships abroad. Applications are accepted at the 1st semester of the 1st year.
• Internal Double Degree with Management Engineering at Politecnico di Milano A six-semester (three-year) multidisciplinary internal double degree combining PSSD and Management Engineering at Politecnico di Milano, enabling students to earn two Master's Degrees and develop the ability to conceive innovative business models and guide development processes involving a range of actors in the business system.
• Erasmus+ and International Mobility Program International mobility opportunities for PSSD students through Erasmus+ for study or thesis work at European partner universities, extended via KA171 International Credit Mobility to non-European universities, plus bilateral exchanges with non-EU universities offering full ECTS recognition.
• Master of European Design (MEDes) A five-year integrated program across three European design education systems involving seven leading design schools, providing multinational perspectives and cultural sensitivity development for participating students.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Tongji University, ShanghaicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Dual degree program offering 4 PSSD and 4 Chinese students annually the opportunity to study in both countries. PSSD students spend 2 semesters at Tongji University (12 months in Shanghai) and develop projects and internships abroad. Applications accepted at 1st semester of 1st year.
• Politecnico di Milano - Management EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternal Double Degree between PSSD and Management Engineering - six semesters (three years) multidisciplinary courses allowing achievement of two Master's Degrees. Focus on developing ability to conceive innovative business models and guide development processes involving range of actors in business system.
• Polimi Career ServicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer Service supports PSSD initiatives including PSSD Tour (company visits), PSSD Mentoring (alumni-student connections), and career events. Organizes Career Day International for internship and job opportunities abroad.
• PSSD Advisory Board MembersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory Board includes 17 industry professionals from organizations including Intesa Sanpaolo, Fifth Beat, PagoPA, Poste Italiane, Generali Italia, Cariplo Factory, Eni, Accenture Song, Croce Rossa Italiana, and others. Board provides strategic advice, creates student opportunities (workshops, projects, internships), and helps with job placement.
• Erasmus+ Partner UniversitiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerErasmus+ program allows study or thesis work at European universities. KA171 International Credit Mobility extends to non-European universities. Politecnico di Milano has agreements with numerous non-EU universities for bilateral exchanges with full ECTS recognition.
• Master of European Design (MEDes) NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of seven leading European design schools enabling five-year integrated program across three design education systems. Provides multinational perspectives and cultural sensitivity development.
• Design without Borders (Uganda)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for humanitarian design research enabling fieldwork in Kampala, Uganda. Collaboration with Ugandan studio on reflexive and decolonial approaches to design.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Royal College of Art: London-based RCA offers a Service Design MA that competes for the same pool of international design graduates. Comparable as a graduate-level service design program with a strong global brand and direct overlap in target students.
• Linköping University - Service Design Program: Linköping University (LiU) is one of the original academic homes of service design research and offers a leading Master's program in Service Design. Comparable as a pioneer European program with a research-driven, multidisciplinary curriculum.
• Copenhagen Business School - Service Design Program: CBS offers a Master's in Service Design with a business-school perspective on service innovation. Comparable as a European Master's program targeting similar students interested in the business/management intersection of service design.
• Politecnico di Torino - Systemic Design: Politecnico di Torino offers Master's programs in Systemic Design with overlapping content on product-service systems and sustainability. Direct domestic peer in Italy competing for the same Italian student cohort and sharing similar industrial connections.
• Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture: Aalto University in Finland offers a Master's in Service Design through its School of Arts, Design and Architecture. Highly comparable as a European design school with similar interdisciplinary, sustainability-oriented orientation and similar applicant pool.
• Carnegie Mellon University School of Design: CMU's School of Design offers graduate programs with service design and design research concentrations, attracting international students with a research-led, technology-forward curriculum — a direct competitor for the same global applicant pool.
• IIT Institute of Design (Illinois Institute of Technology): IIT Institute of Design offers graduate degrees in Design with a strong systems and service design orientation. Comparable as a graduate design school with a strategic, systems-thinking pedagogy aimed at industry-bound designers.
• TU Delft - Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering: TU Delft's IDE faculty offers a Master's in Strategic Product Design with strong service design and PSS components. Comparable as a leading European technical university offering design education at the intersection of technology, business, and design.
• Tongji University - College of Design and Innovation: Tongji's College of Design and Innovation is PSSD's existing double-degree partner (since 2007). Comparable as a leading Asian design school with overlapping curriculum in service and product-service system design and direct student-exchange pipeline.

Regional players

• Domus Academy: Domus Academy is a Milan-based private postgraduate design school offering design Master's programs with adjacent service/UX content. Regional peer in the same Milan design ecosystem competing for international design students considering Italy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@pssd.polimi
• Facebookfacebook.com/PSSDpolimi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/master-degree-in-pssd-product-service-system-design
• Instagraminstagram.com/pssd.polimi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about M.Sc. in PSSD (Product-Service System Design)