AN EVALUATION OF CURRICULUMS OF GRADUATE ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS

摘要

Scientific discovery and technological innovation are essential to meeting the challenges of the 21st century. Studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) have become a major priority in education in the US. Many reports and studies have indicated that the nation can only retain its global competitiveness by improving and strengthening its current STEM programs. However, the national STEM education effort currently emphasizes the gap between the secondary and post-secondary education systems. Unfortunately, little research has been conducted how post graduate level studies can be used to close this gap. As a recognized field of engineering by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology, field like engineering management (EM) should contribute to advancing STEM objectives. This paper investigates the current state of EM programs in the postgraduate educational system in the US. It evaluates the applicability of selected graduate EM program curriculums, and whether these curriculums help graduates meet the challenges in their professions. A survey was conducted to gather post-graduation information from participants with an EM graduate degree to illustrate the applicability of current courses, and professional effectiveness and satisfaction obtained by virtue of receiving graduate education in EM. The results are expected to help EM program educators and administrators identify the overall strengths and weaknesses of their curriculums and better strategize to improve current programs.