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Invention assessment
Assess what an invention can do and how far it is from practical use. Identify the evidence needed to judge its potential.
Ph.D. / DTech · Online
Learn to evaluate inventions and lead their commercialization. Build research skills to guide decisions about licensing and venture development.
For research and industry professionals preparing to lead technology commercialization.
From discovery to application
A promising invention still needs a viable path to use. Technology transfer professionals assess its potential and work with partners who can bring it to market.
NMU’s Technology Transfer program prepares you to guide that process. Connect technical understanding with research methods that support commercialization decisions.
Assess what an invention can do and how far it is from practical use. Identify the evidence needed to judge its potential.
Examine how ownership and protection affect commercialization options. Coordinate with inventors and intellectual property specialists as a transfer strategy develops.
Evaluate who would use a technology and what would support adoption. Test assumptions about demand against evidence from prospective users.
Assess potential partners and the capabilities they bring. Consider how a licensing approach supports continued development and use.
Evaluate when a new venture is a suitable route to market. Assess the resources and milestones needed to develop the technology.
Professional relevance
Technology transfer connects research with organizations that can develop and use it. In FY2025, institutions participating in AUTM’s U.S. survey reported:
AUTM · 2025 U.S. technology transfer activity ↗
Self-reported activity from participating U.S. academic and research institutions. These figures describe the field, not NMU graduate outcomes.
Guide an institution’s commercialization work. Set priorities for its invention portfolio and build relationships with industry.
Match inventions with suitable partners and guide agreements that support further development and use.
Help research teams assess startup potential and prepare technologies for commercial development.
Identify external research that addresses a company’s needs. Evaluate opportunities for licensing and research partnerships.
Career progression depends on experience, demonstrated performance, and employer requirements.
Advanced research in practice
Both pathways include 15 credits in research methods and an 18-credit dissertation. Use this training to assess commercial potential and explain the evidence behind your recommendations.
Evaluate the methods behind performance claims. Distinguish what an invention has demonstrated from what still needs validation.
Use interviews and other research methods to examine potential users’ needs. Judge how strongly the evidence supports a proposed commercial application.
Assess evidence for licensing or venture development. Examine the assumptions behind projected outcomes before recommending a commitment of resources.
NSF’s I-Corps program uses customer discovery to assess inventions’ market potential. Interviewing prospective users helps test whether an invention addresses a practical need. NSF · Customer discovery in commercialization ↗
Ph.D. pathway
Conduct original research that contributes to understanding how research and inventions move into use.
DTech pathway
Apply research to commercialization decisions and technology transfer practice within a professional or organizational setting.
Foundational coursework differs by pathway and develops the scholarly writing and ethical judgment needed for doctoral research.
Complete TCH720 and TCH721, Current Issues in Technology Research I and II, for the Ph.D.; or TCH722 and TCH723, Current Issues in Technology Practice I and II, for the DTech. These courses total six credits. Select another 12 elective credits with faculty and advisors.
Work with your committee to develop and defend a proposal. Complete the study and present your findings in a written dissertation and final oral defense.
Research involving human participants requires Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval before data collection. Organizational research also requires appropriate data access and protection of confidential business and personal information.
From coursework to defense
Coursework is online and asynchronous, with four instructional weeks in each monthly term. Students normally take one course per term.
An advisor helps you plan your studies from admission. Writing support and faculty office hours are available throughout your coursework.
After coursework, complete the candidacy examination and defend a proposal developed with your committee.
Obtain required ethics approval, carry out your research, and defend the completed dissertation before your committee.
Tuition
Per three-credit course for eligible geographic pricing zones. Additional fees apply.
Spread the cost of your doctorate across your studies. Pay for each course as you enroll, making tuition easier to manage.
The catalog lists a $20 application fee, $50 registration fee, and $200 graduation fee. Ask admissions for an itemized breakdown before enrolling.
Eligible first-time students receive a 50% tuition reduction on their first course, subject to catalog terms.
Rates are in USD. Source: NMU 2026–2027 catalog.
Your starting point
NMU reviews your academic preparation and readiness for doctoral study. Discuss how your background and commercialization interests fit the program.
Before you decide
Technology Transfer focuses on moving research and inventions toward use through commercialization. IT Management focuses on the systems an organization operates. Both offer Ph.D. and DTech pathways in the School of Technology.
Doctoral study adds advanced research methods and a dissertation to your graduate preparation. Develop the ability to evaluate commercialization evidence and contribute research to technology transfer knowledge or practice.
The Ph.D. emphasizes original research that contributes to technology scholarship. The DTech emphasizes applied research addressing technology problems in practice. Discuss your goals with admissions to choose the appropriate pathway.
The catalog allows up to six transfer credits, limited to approved electives. Courses are evaluated individually for equivalence. A prior master’s degree does not automatically shorten the program.
Asynchronous coursework lets you plan study around work, within published deadlines. Proposal and final oral defenses require scheduled participation. Completion depends on your progress through coursework and dissertation milestones; the catalog allows up to seven years from first enrollment.
The university catalog explains NMU’s status. NMU does not hold accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or CHEA. Check with an employer or receiving institution about acceptance for your intended use.
Technology Transfer · Ph.D. / DTech
Speak with admissions about your qualifications and whether the program fits your goals.
Fill out the form to get personalized guidance and explore how New Meridian University can support your doctoral goals.