Engineering Management

<p>I'm thinking of minoring in this course with a major in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Do these two courses go hand in hand? I would really like to manage a couple of projects and ish, but is it very easy to find a job which combines these two?</p>

<p>The Engineering Management minor (or even most minors) will not accelerate your time to manage projects. You have to first acquire expertise and experience with some proven “soft skills” before you can manage projects. On top of that, you may have to “lead” a project/team before managing projects/teams.</p>

<p>Academically, Engineering Management (like Systems Engineering) is better suited as a graduate degree program than for undergrads because you need actual work experience in order to do these jobs.</p>

<p>One more thing, some engineering industries (like software engineering and systems engineering) have their own acceptable “management training” like Project Management certifications (PMP) and Agile Development methodologies. Employers would care more about that type of training (of course with the require work experience) than some college’s Engineering Management minor.</p>

<p>^ I completely agree with the above post.</p>

<p>I am an engineering manager, and never took any management classes at the undergrad level. After years of work experience I moved from leading projects to managing people. At some point along the way, my employer sent me for some non-degree based professional management education (on their dime).</p>

<p>I don’t think I’ve ever come across a resume with an engineering management minor when I’ve been hiring, but if I did, I think I would much rather see more depth in engineering than any engineering management classes. And maybe some classes that indicate a good ability to read and write.</p>

<p>OP: How do you manage while you still are green, fresh graduate with zero experience under your belt?..Managing requires experience, yes years of experience unless you are the Owner and/or son/daughter of the company’s owner.</p>

<p>Ok so basically, minoring in engineering management is a waste of time and I should try it at grad school when I might have had some experience? Which means I have to look for another minor at Cornell then.</p>

<p>You said: I should try it at grad school when I might have had some experience?</p>

<p>I would say: If you go straight to grad school and got your Master degree, you are still considered “green” and no work experience at all. Getting master degree even from MIT, Cal-Tech, etc, it does not mean you have the necessary experience in managing subordinates. And I have never heard nor seen anyone with Master degree will be hired immediately as Manager or Junior VP, etc.</p>

<p>Anyhow, regarding taking Engineering Management as your Minor, nobody in here will stop you. All we can give and say is just opinion only…go ahead and take it. You are the one that manages the course of your life. Whatever works for you.</p>

<p>More importantly, if you go straight into Grad School in Cornell got your degree, find for yourself if you can apply and get the Manager Position. Then kindly, post it in here. I would like to hear it.</p>

<p>Regarding another minor, I would suggest take languages like Spanish (a big market in the US), Chinese (big market in the world), Russian (Russia is booming) or Arabic (if you wanna work in Oil-Companies or finding work in Bahrain, etc).</p>

<p>Whatever works for you and good luck.</p>

<p>Why do you think you need a minor at all? I think having minors is common for student with majors in the colleges of liberal arts & sciences, but not very common for engineers, for good reason.</p>