Category: Engineering Programs

Growing Your Engineering Career: Advice From an Engineering Management Master’s Graduate

Growing Your Engineering Career: Advice From an Engineering Management Master’s Graduate

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Masters in Engineering Management Career Profile

From the moment Corey Dixon began his internship at Chrysler, he saw potential and dreamed big.

His undergrad degree in mechanical engineering prepared him for a career focused on industrial engineering, a focus that led him into the automotive field. At Chrysler, he quickly rose from intern to Quality Shift Manager, overseeing a growing team on the production floor. But Corey realized that, with the right degree, his career path could take him to new heights.

“To make the career move you want to make these days,” Corey says, “you almost have to have a Master’s degree.” Together with a classmate from undergrad, Corey explored the Master of Engineering in Engineering Management degree from the J.B. Speed School of Engineering at the University of Louisville.

The engineering management degree was attractive for several reasons. “It’s great to be pursuing a degree that’s offered 100% online,” says Corey, who is now on target to graduate. “It’s a flexible degree. I can live my everyday life and still go to school to get the degree I need.”

“It was also nice not having to take the GMAT,” Corey also notes. “Standardized tests just don’t speak to everyone and their full suite of skills. Plus, I can focus my studies and my projects on the industrial side of engineering, a focus that fits with my career goals.”

About 25% of Corey’s classmates are focused on industrial engineering like he is; many others come from a military background or through private engineering firms and consultant groups.

Corey is already seeing parallels between the engineering management courses he takes at UofL and the “real world” experience he’s living at Chrysler. “The project management skills I learn are put into practice in my career,” he says. “We’re doing Gant charts right now, for example, and creating key timelines as we work together to launch a new plant in Northern Virginia. It’s interesting to see my classwork already in action. I see a lot of application of text and theory.”

The new plant also holds the key to Corey’s career growth. Corey will be relocating to that site at launch, joining the supply chain team in a position that allows for more vertical moves within the company. His end goal is to become a plant manager — a goal that is closer than ever with his graduation coming up and his new position in the smaller, more mobile unit of Chrysler.

His advice to other students?

“Go for it. The flexible classes are great. And the teachers are wonderful — they present and lecture very effectively — no fluff, right to the meat of the course. They make the program achievable and challenging, yet easy for you.”

Learn more about the Master of Engineering in Engineering Management degree from UofL. View all our online programs here.

Preparing for a Career in Civil Engineering
Preparing for a Career in Civil Engineering

Preparing for a Career in Civil Engineering

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Preparing for a Career in Civil Engineering

Gains in the housing market and a push for improving U.S. infrastructure, as well as companies like Amazon looking to expand their geographic footprint, make this a compelling time in the civil engineering world.

Now it’s a very good time to further your education and prepare for the challenges of tomorrow. Here’s an overview of what’s happening in the industry—and what you can expect as you earn your Master of Science in Civil Engineering, available 100% online from the J.B. Speed School of Engineering at UofL.

What trends are impacting construction engineering?

In an economy that has seen a lot of flux over the last decade, value still rules the day. Here is an example of how this reality has impacted construction engineering trends — and what tomorrow’s civil engineers may be focused on, according to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

  • Single-design Models shave 20% or more off construction projects by allowing all facets of the engineering, drafting and coordination to be completed under one roof.
  • Prefabrication used to assemble materials off-site is helping construction teams improve project schedules by taking basic construction out of the field. More fabrication is happening before construction elements even show up to the job site.
  • Energy Efficiency is driven by new technologies that allow finished projects to be smarter than ever. For example, sensors regulate energy consumption based on zones, scheduled usage and seasonal considerations.
  • Permanent Modular Construction offers new opportunities to have templated projects go up quickly, eliminating the extra time typically allocated for such work — and with similar or better quality. This is particularly appealing for replicated projects like barracks or storage units, as well as fast-food or retail pop-ups and other scalable outbuildings.

Is the civil engineering industry growing?

Commercial, public and nonresidential projects are on the upswing, fueled by significant industry recovery in recent years. Industry growth is tracking ahead of overall growth across all jobs, a good sign for the immediate future, according to projections from the American Society of Civil Engineers.

What can I expect to earn annually?

According to BLS.gov, the annual salary for a civil engineer in 2016 was over $83,000. This is an averaged salary; your earning may vary based on the scope of your work, experience and the area in which you live.

Will earning my master’s degree in civil engineering help me?

There was a 60% increase in the mandatory requirement for a master’s degree on civil engineering job postings published between 2014 and 2015 (Labor Insights).

Moreover, a strategic initiative called “Raise the Bar” backed by the American Society of Civil Engineers has been designed to advance the profession by raising educational requirements for licensing future engineers. Specifically, “Raise the Bar” recommends that state licensure laws better protect public safety and community welfare by requiring all new civil engineers to hold a master’s degree in engineering or 30 graduate credit hours, beyond the four-year undergraduate degree. ASCE believes the complex challenges facing the industry demand an advancement in technical excellence and professional leadership, with a particular emphasis on growing fields like sustainability, computer applications, advanced materials or nanotechnology.

Earning a master’s degree can help you stay competitive and marketable in the field, secure your current position or advance your career as opportunities for a better job arise.

The master’s in civil engineering program at the University of Louisville can help you align your education with the industry trends and job demands of the future. Our Master of Science in Civil Engineering is offered through J.B. Speed School of Engineering, recently ranked as one of the best graduate schools for engineering in the United States, according to U.S. News and World Report. With our 100% online degree, you have the flexibility to maintain your professional and personal life, while joining UofL’s learning community from anywhere in the world.

If you have already earned your bachelor’s in civil engineering, you can take advantage of this online degree program now to enhance your skills and expertise within the civil engineering profession.

Learn more and apply today to start down the path to Master of Science in Civil Engineering degree!

About UofL Online Learning

The University of Louisville currently offers online programs in various areas of study for adult learners who are not able to come to a physical campus, but want to earn a college degree or certificate and advance their career.

The University of Louisville is a nationally-recognized, metropolitan research university, with a commitment to the liberal arts and sciences, as well as the intellectual, cultural, and economic development of our diverse community of learners.

Engineering Management - A Career in Profile
Engineering Management: A Career in Profile

Engineering Management: A Career in Profile

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Engineering Management - A Career in Profile

How do you know if Engineering Management is right for you? That depends on your goals, personality, and desire to move into leadership roles. An engineering manager guides projects from conception to completion and sets the milestones that lead the team to success. Imagine taking a step back from design and implementation and working with people involved in all steps of a project. Does this sound like where you want to be?

A Master of Engineering in Engineering Management degree, available 100% online from UofL, brings together the skills and talents of great engineers and excellent managers. With a focus on business practice, this degree marries the technological and analytical savvy of an engineer with the organizational and tactical abilities of a manager.

A good engineering management candidate has all the characteristic of a dedicated engineer. Whether you’re drawn to design, development, construction or evaluation – and no matter what kind of structure or machine you’re focused on – engineering requires a strong command of math and science.

Engineering managers complement the technical side of engineering with a thorough knowledge of the best practices in business as a whole. Financial management, risk analysis and intellectual property law play a significant part in the role of an engineering manager.

Potential Careers for Engineering Managers

Graduates from UofL’s online engineering management program can apply their credentials to various fields and positions. In the past, these have included:

  • Civil/construction engineering
  • Health care engineering
  • Logistics/distribution engineering
  • Manufacturing engineering
  • Computer and electronic product manufacturing
  • Pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing
  • Transportation equipment manufacturing
  • Biomedical engineering
  • Environmental engineering
  • Aeronautical engineering
  • Chemical and petro-chemical engineering
  • Federal, state, and local government positions

Earning Potential in Engineering Management

According to BLS.gov, the annual median salary for architectural and engineering managers in 2016 was $134,730. Relative to all management occupations, the median for engineering managers was nearly $34,000 higher.

How UofL’s Engineering Management Degree Can Help Advance Your Career

UofL’s online master’s in engineering management is designed for professionals with a bachelor’s in engineering or a hard science who want to develop superior skills in managing engineering projects. The program comprises 10 courses — thirty credit hours — that build upon prior engineering education and experience in the industry.

All courses in the engineering management program are taught 100% online. This allows students to earn their engineering management degree regardless of their location or current life situation. Students can be working or living in the U.S., or any other location worldwide.

The degree can be earned in as few as two years (24 months). Students can transfer up to six (6) credit hours from another graduate engineering program at UofL or from a regionally accredited institution, subject to department approval.

Learn more about the online Master of Engineering in Engineering Management degree from UofL.

About UofL Online Learning

The University of Louisville currently offers online programs in various areas of study for adult learners who are not able to come to a physical campus, but want to earn a college degree or certificate and advance their career.

The University of Louisville is a nationally-recognized, metropolitan research university, with a commitment to the liberal arts and sciences, as well as the intellectual, cultural, and economic development of our diverse community of learners.

UofL Online Cybersecurity and Data Science Programs
As Cybersecurity Threats Rise, UofL Online Sees Opportunity

As Cybersecurity Threats Rise, UofL Online Sees Opportunity

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UofL Online Cybersecurity and Data Science Programs

The Computer Science department at the University of Louisville has realigned two of their Graduate Certificates to reflect industry standards and market demand.

Cybersecurity: A State of Emergency

In 2015, IBM’s President and CEO, Ginni Rometty, made a statement that data is the world’s new natural resource and the basis of competitive advantage in many industries. She followed up these points with a straightforward conclusion:

“Cybercrime is the greatest threat to every company in the world.”

And she wasn’t exaggerating.

In 2016 alone, we witnessed a wide array of cybercriminal activities:

With cybercrime damage costs expected to reach $6 trillion annually by 2021, and an anticipated 1.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs by 2019, the fields of data mining, network security, and information technology now offer more career options than ever before to those with adequate credentials.

UofL Online Sees Great Potential in Data Science and Cybersecurity Programs

The University of Louisville has a long and reputable tradition in providing high quality programs in computer science, data mining (now data science) and network security (now cybersecurity) that fulfill the needs of this growing industry.

The Graduate Certificate programs in Data Science and Cybersecurity will continue to prepare excellent professionals who will be instrumental in managing and securing data for companies of all sizes in the public and private sectors alike.

As described by Dr. Mehmed Kantardzic, Director of Computer Engineering and Computer Science programs at the University of Louisville, “The extraordinary use of computers and flood in production of online data is changing forever the way decisions are made in many disciplines, including finance, medicine, pharmaceuticals, bioinformatics, social welfare, government, education, retail, marketing, security, and the list goes on.

Dramatic growth in the amount and complexity of data that can be collected and analyzed is affecting all aspects of modern society. In today’s fast-developing digital world, data science professionals need skills to collect, process and extract values from big, diverse data sets, and visualize and communicate their findings to other professionals.”

According to the Data Science Association, there are certainly many technological shifts occurring across all industries, so the need for skilled data science and cybersecurity professionals to protect and interpret big data is increasing.

  • The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) uses data science to monitor the financial market and prevent illegal trading activity.
  • Utility companies are installing smart meter readers to collect data, which is then used to improve the customer experience and drive energy efficiency initiatives.
  • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses big data to study patterns of food-related illnesses, allowing faster treatment response times.

Online Graduate Certificate Overview

UofL’s 100% online Graduate Certificate programs range from 12 – 18 credit hours, allowing current students entering the field and those working as data mining and network security professionals, data scientists, cybersecurity specialists or forensic data analysts to acquire valuable education credentials and advance their careers.

Dr. Mehmed Kantardzic adds “Our Data Science Graduate Certificate Program balances theory and applications, enabling our students to handle the flood of big data, and have abilities to create data-driven solutions that boost competitive businesses and new scientific discoveries.”

Professionals who want to enroll in the online graduate certificate programs or the MS in Computer Science program at UofL can learn more about admission requirements and course details by visiting the program website.

About UofL Online Learning

The University of Louisville currently offers more than 20 online programs in various areas of study for adult learners who are not able to come to a physical campus, but want to earn a college degree or certificate and advance their career.

The University of Louisville is a nationally-recognized, metropolitan research university, with a commitment to the liberal arts and sciences, as well as the intellectual, cultural, and economic development of our diverse community of learners.

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