It is the philosophy of the program to graduate students who have the ability to create, evaluate, improve, design, and manage complex human technological systems. Additionally, students will demonstrate the ability, through dissertation research, to contribute to the body of knowledge in the field of engineering management. The systems include engineering/manufacturing systems, service systems, and logistical systems.
Goals/Principles
The goal of the program is to prepare graduates with the appropriate technical depth and breadth of knowledge so that they may be successful educators, researches, and practitioners in the management of complex human technological systems. The program will follow three principles in pursuit of this goal. In addition to passing the required coursework, students must also pass a comprehensive examination to demonstrate a mastery of Principles 1 and 2.
Principle 1: Provide a Solid Foundation and Depth in Engineering Management Theory and Practice
A solid fundamental understanding of a field is essential in order for students to be considered an expert in that field. This is true for Engineering Management as well. It is the fundamentals that a student will need to expand upon in order to contribute new knowledge to the field of engineering management. We place an emphasis on the fundamentals of the management of complex human technological systems and an emphasis on the modeling and analysis of such systems.
Principle 2: Provide Breadth Across Multiple Types of Human Technological Systems
Principles, tools, and fundamentals of engineering management have been rooted in engineering and manufacturing systems. These tools have also been successfully applied to other systems such as service and transportation/logistical systems. Today engineering managers can be increasingly found in banks, hospitals, amusement parks, airlines, and a variety of delivery agencies. On the surface, these industries appear different however; they all involve people, materials, information, equipment, energy, and capital. Therefore, the program will emphasize case studies and examples within the coursework that are applications in the following three areas:
- Engineering and Manufacturing Systems
- Service Systems
- Logistical Systems
Principle 3: Contribute to the body of Knowledge in Engineering Management
A requirement of any Doctorate of Philosophy Program in Engineering is the expectation that graduating students will contribute to the body of knowledge in their chosen field by conducting research. This will be demonstrated by graduating students successfully completing a doctoral dissertation. Students conducting dissertation research will be guided by a selected advisor and advisory committee. Students must pass a dissertation approval examination in order to ensure they are prepared to conduct research. Upon the successful completion of research, graduating students will document the research results in a dissertation. Dissertations will be defended in front of advisory committees.
