Master of Engineering Management
Master of Science in Engineering Management (MSEM) or Master of Engineering Management (MEM) is a professional master's degree that bridges the gap between the field of engineering or technology and the field of business management. Engineering Management is a multidisciplinary field that seeks to address problems associated with complex engineering operations or systems. MSEM or MEM graduate programs are grounded in principles such as systems engineering, management science, project management, and financial analysis.[1] Some colleges and universities provide opportunities for interested students to pursue a PhD in Engineering Management; often, the path is pursued through acquiring a Master of Science in Engineering Management degree, and not a Master of Engineering Management degree.
Differences between Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Engineering Management (MEM)
Core courses that make up a MEM program can be found in an MBA program as well; courses such as Organizational Management, Statistics, Decision Science, and Operations Management are examples of courses that are utilized within both an MBA program and a MEM program.[2] The primary focus of students engaged in a Master of Business Administration graduate program is business-centric: teaching students how to make informed decisions that would impact business (large and small). Subject areas that are specific to an MBA program includes: Marketing, Business Law, Supply Chain Management, and Cost Control Systems.[3] A Master of Engineering Management degree is more specialized than an MBA program; the primary focus is on the management and leadership aspects that are required to manage large and/or complex technical and engineering projects.[3]
Accreditation
Until recently, there has not been an extensive amount of collaboration among different colleges and universities. However, that has begun to change with two major accreditation bodies that have sought to bring rigor and structure to the Engineering Management graduate degree programs: American Society of Engineering Management (ASEM), and Master of Engineering Management Programs Consortium (MEMPC).
American Society of Engineering Management (ASEM)
ASEM states that "program is designed to provide recognition to those programs that excel in offering education at the Master’s level that meet the rigorous standards of ASEM. It also provides an excellent mechanism to assess the state of an existing Master’s program relative to ASEM standards and is especially useful for new Master’s programs just getting started." [4]
References
- "Engineering Management & Systems Engineering". Old Dominion University. Retrieved 2019-04-10.
- "MBA or MEM for an Engineering Career?". Arkansas State University Online. Retrieved 2019-04-10.
- "MBA vs MS in Engineering Management: What's the Difference?". Online Master's Programs in Engineering at George Washington University. 2017-12-14. Retrieved 2019-04-10.
- "ASEM - Graduate Program Certification". Retrieved April 14, 2019.