Engineering management

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Engineering Management is a term that is used to describe a specialized form of management that is required to successfully lead engineering personnel and projects. The term can be used to describe either functional management or project management- leading technical professionals who are working in the fields of product development, manufacturing, construction, design engineering, industrial engineering, technology, production, or any other field that employs personnel who perform an engineering function.

1 Required Skills and Disciplines
2 Education
3 See also
4 External links and further reading

[edit] Required Skills and Disciplines

Successful engineering managers typically require training and experience in both general management (which may include business administration) and the specific engineering disciplines that will be used by the engineering team to be managed. But additionally, the successful engineering manager must understand that the factors that cause certain individuals to pursue careers in engineering are often quite different than those for individuals who are driven by purely entrepreneurial thinking. Consequently, the skills necessary to coach, mentor and motivate technical professionals are often very different from those that are required for individuals in other fields.

[edit] Education

There are many education and certification programs available that provide Bachelor's, Master's and Ph.D degrees. Undergraduate programs provide generalist degrees that enable engineers to better deal in the business environment. Master of engineering management (MEM) provide a technical-based alternative to traditional MBA programs. Industrial and professional associations such as engineers' societies also offer certification programs that validate engineering management knowledge and skills. Specialization areas in both degree and certification programs may include management of technology, product and process, quality, organizational management, operations management, program management, marketing and finance.

Formal Engineering management education is generally imparted at the graduate level. Candidates are required possess an academic undergraduate degree with a major in engineering, computer science, mathematics or the sciences. The length of study for such a degree is usually between a year and two and the completed degree may be designated as a Master of Engineering Management, MS in Engineering Management, MS in Technology or Innovation Management or MS in Management Science & Engineering, depending upon the university. The degree generally includes units covering Management, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Finance and Project Management, among many others. Students often choose to specialize in one or more sub-disciplines such as Marketing, Finance, Healthcare and Energy.