Engineering Management is defined as the field that concerns the application of engineering principles to the planning and operational management of industrial and manufacturing operations. Engineering Managers are equipped with the know-how to plan and manage these kinds of operations. Engineering Management programs normally involves instruction in accounting, engineering economy, financial management, industrial and human resources management, industrial psychology, management information systems, mathematical modeling and optimization, quality control, operations research, safety and health issues, and environmental program management.

An engineering manager will typically need training and experience in both general management which will chiefly include business administration and the specific engineering disciplines that will be employed by the engineering team that he or she will manage. In addition, a successful engineering manager must completely comprehend that the factors that motivates some individuals to pursue careers in engineering are normally very different than those that motivates individuals who are strongly business minded. As a result, the skills that are essential to coach, mentor and motivate technical professionals are not the same as those that are needed for individuals in other fields. The engineering manager must essentially be have the ability to relate to the engineers he or she will manage.

There are various education and certification programs available that can provide Bachelor’s, Master’s and Ph.D degrees in this field. Undergraduate programs offer generalist degrees that enable engineers to cope more effectively in the business environment. Master of Engineering Management (MEM) provides a technical-based alternative to the traditional MBA programs. Industrial and professional associations like engineers’ societies also offer certification programs that will aid in the validation of engineering management knowledge and skills. The specialization areas that may be observed in both degree and certification programs may be comprised of management of technology, product and process, quality, organizational management, operations management, program management, marketing and finance.

Formal Engineering Management education is normally conveyed at the graduate level and is also an academic field that is attaining more interest. Candidates for engineering management must possess an academic undergraduate degree with a major in engineering, computer science, mathematics or the sciences. The duration of study for this type of degree is primarily 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, Master of Business and Engineering or MS in Management Science & Engineering, depending on the university that offers the degree. Engineering Management students are expected to possess a variable amount of work experience before enrolling, which is mostly determined by program requirements. The degree typically includes units covering Management, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Finance, Optimization, Innovation, Operations and Project Management, among many other areas. Students in this type of program primarily opt to specialize in one or more sub-disciplines such as Marketing, Finance, Healthcare and Energy.

Once an individual obtains the mastery level in Engineering Management then he or she will be able work within that field.