Engineering Management Degree Online Archives | Page 2 of 2

Summer ’19 Newsletter: Online Engineering Management Program

By Ashley Jefferson | July 24, 2019

Faculty Spotlight
Dr. Elizabeth Gentry
Director, Engineering Management Program

What classes do you teach?
I teach Operations Management, Decision and Risk Analysis, Financial Management, Statistics II, and Effective Communication.

What do you like most about teaching in the engineering management program?
My favorite part about teaching in the EM program is getting to know my students. It is great to hear about how they used a concept that they learned in one of my classes and it is helping them at their work. Even though the program is completely online, the students talk to their classmates and me about their jobs and even their personal life. I had two students this summer who were planning their wedding and using some tools learned in class!

What is your favorite topic to teach?
I am very passionate about six sigma! It is a great process improvement methodology that uses a lot of data analysis. I cover it in my statisics II and operations management classes. I also teach a green belt and black belt class in six sigma for the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers.

Where would you like to travel to next?
I always am up for going to Disney World! I am going there in November to run a half marathon. A place that I have never been and would love to go to is Germany. It is a dream of mine to see the Neuschwanstein Castle. Also, a friend of mine plays basketball there.

What is your favorite TV show?
It is hard to choose my favorite tv show! I love watching college basketball and most sports. On Netflix, though, I love watching Friends and Grey’s Anatomy.

Interested in joining the online EM program?

Fall Term 1 starts August 19
Fall Term 2 starts October 14
Spring Term 1 starts January 6

Click here to get started!

Student Spotlight
Meredith Cooksey ’18

What was your favorite EM class?
My favorite EM class was Operations Management, but I really enjoyed all of the classes. Operations Management gave an introduction to many of the topics covered in the various other classes. Not only was the class interesting, but the book that was read, “The Goal”, allowed me to understand bottle necking of processes which I see everyday in my role. I value using root causes with methods from the book to really solve the problem at hand rather than band-aiding the many issues stemming from the real issues.

How are you using EM in your work?
I think one of the most valuable parts of the EM program was seeing how the concepts I learned were immediately applicable to what I was working on in my job. Plus, many of the discussion boards focused around how topics could be applied to work. This not only allowed me to think, but also to hear from peers how they applied the concepts. I am using the skills I learned in Project Management the most in my role now because of a big project for optimization of downtime I am current working on. I am implementing RACI (Roles and Responsibilities), GANTT charts, and financial project planning to complete the project successfully on time and under budget.

What made you choose the UofL EM program?
The decision was easy in many ways for me. Not only did I already love the university from years of cheering on the Cards and attending undergrad, but it also had great flexibility and compatibility with my career goals. The professors are all incredibly knowledgeable, accessible, and helpful. In addition, the convenience of online learning allowed me to learn while working full-time, but also at a pace that gave me time to fully understand the topics and concepts.

What are you most looking forward to this summer?
This summer, I am looking forward to some fun trips exploring cities with friends and family which I have planned. Before the end of summer I’ll have gone to Milwaukee, Denver, Toronto, and Cleveland. But the rest of the weekends you’ll find me relaxing on Lake Cumberland, which is something I look forward to year-round to get away from the stress of work and the city life.

Click here to join our LinkedIn Group!

Career Coaching
The JB Speed School of Engineering at the University of Louisville offers a one stop shop for all students in terms of their professional plans. Our staff can provide career coaching in terms of resume and cover letter preparation, practice interviews (in person or over the phone), LinkedIn profile reviews, graduate school applications, and salary negotiation.

Students that are taking online courses are also eligible for these services. In addition, we can provide information on relocating, new graduate salary statistics for UofL engineering students (mostly local offers), and job search strategies.

If you have any interest in utilizing these services, please reach out to Mary Andrade.

**Mary Andrade**
Engineering Career Services Associate Director
mary.andrade@louisville.edu
502-852-3196

Know someone who’d excel at the online Engineering Management program?

We’re always looking for new engineers who we can help take their career to the next level. Refer a friend by emailing elizabeth.gentry@louisville.edu and receive a small prize.

Winter ’19 Newsletter: Online Engineering Management Program

By admin | February 15, 2019

Faculty Spotlight
Prof. Rachel Hansen

What classes do you teach?
I teach Intellectual Property Law for Engineers and Management Law.

What do you like most about teaching in the engineering management program?
What I like most about teaching in this program is the relationships I build with students. It may sound unlikely to hear that in an online program, but through our communications we really get to know one another. I have helped students with law school applications, written numerous letters of recommendations, and even gotten into hilarious debates about college football!

What brought you to start teaching engineers in law topics?
I was brought into the EM program in 2013 by my dad, who had recently retired as Dean of Speed School of Engineering. The EM program needed someone to teach Business Law, and my dad knew that was one of the courses I teach at a college near my home. He told me about the opportunity, I applied, and the rest is history. That original Business Law class has transformed into the Management Law course I now teach, and I added the Intellectual Property Law course a couple of years later.

Where would you like to travel to next?
My current dream travel destination is Iceland to see the Blue Lagoon.

What is your favorite TV show?
My favorite TV show is College Game Day.

Student Spotlight
David Langner

What is your favorite EM class?
I have enjoyed Engineering Statistics II because it has taught me the mathematical concepts behind process variation, which I really wanted before being able to take on process related projects at work. I also had a lot of fun in Marketing and the Engineer. The entire class was a cool exercise in thinking about WHY companies do what they do, and how engineers play a part in that. Sometimes, it’s fun to step away from the math to explore the psychology and politics behind a company’s directives.

How are you using EM in your work?
There are two big things I’m working on now. On a technical level, I’m working on a regression algorithm that could help our Software Quality Assurance Engineering group predict how long certain test requests will take to complete. This is fun because I can wear my Electrical Engineering hat AND my Engineering Management hat in the same day. In terms of softer skills, I am really working on something that was taught in Effective Leadership…information delivery. So many times, engineers give an overwhelming level of detail when presenting to leadership. Meanwhile, leadership is thinking, “umm…ok. So does it work?” I’m trying to recognize when I need to simplify results, and when I need to get into the low-level detail.

What made you choose the UofL EM program?
First, I wanted to start making full-time money as soon as possible after my undergrad was done. (It’s criminal what it costs to take a baby to the doctor!) Also, I believed that a Master’s in EM would supplement my pre-engineering school experience quite well. I figured it would help me put math behind the things I had experienced in the workplace years ago.

ARTICLE: The Rise of the Master of Engineering Management Degree
This ASME article describes the versatility of the EM degree, detailing how all engineers can benefit from the knowledge and skills gained.

Program Registration Dates
Registration for Summer and Fall Classes starts in a few months. If you have any questions, please reach out to us. We would be happy to hear from you!

Dr. Liz Gentry
EM Director
elizabeth.gentry@louisville.edu

Leigh Ann Elles
Graduate Academic Counselor
leigh.elles@louisville.edu

University of Louisville Masters in Engineering Management: Interview with Tim Hardin

By admin | September 24, 2014

: Dr. Tim Hardin, MEEM Program Director

If you like to focus on something over a small period of time, get it done, and then move on, the new Masters of Engineering in Engineering Management (MEEM) program at the University of Louisville (UofL) is designed for you.

In the online MEEM program, you can power through a different course every 6 weeks! Dr. Tim Hardin, Program Director, said that “the students see the 6 weeks turnaround as a flexibility rather than a limitation. You can complete two courses in a term, or if your next few weeks will be busy, you can take the next rotation off. You can always enter back into your next course at one of our 5 entry points.”

If you think that the 6 week time frame is a little restrictive then perhaps this program isn’t for you. But that’s not what the school is finding.

“We have had feedback saying that with non-structured courses like say some MOOC, students fall behind. They have no skin in the game. But in our MEEM program, it’s hard to get more than a week behind without repercussions. I’ve had many students asking for next week’s material so they can work ahead. It’s a refreshing change. The quick pace collects a different crowd,” explained Hardin.

“However, we have also had students realize that they are unable to meet the required time frame. It is good for a student to come to that decision early on. The accelerated online learning is not for everyone,” cautioned Hardin.

Though the MEEM program existed on-campus since 1972, it has recently transitioned the offering online in August, 2013. “The program curriculum covers the same material; we still use the same textbooks. However, the assessment quizzes and exams are different. Those have been replaced with project papers and reports. This strategy helps alleviate some of the possible issues with identity authentication and cheating,” said Hardin.

“The move to online delivery was a little accidental and a little bit planned. I was interested in online learning and the school started to support the medium more and more. We asked our industrial advisory board about switching over and it was a unanimous ‘yes’ from the board and our students,” Hardin clarified.

You can still work on your own schedule as the courses are asynchronous. This is vital as the student body crosses about 14 time zones. The student base even has a few members of the U.S. Armed Forces deployed in the Middle East and Asia. “I think the Blackboard interface we use as a learning platform makes it easier on our students serving abroad.”

Blackboard, the popular online course platform service, allows for PowerPoint voice over videos or webcam videos, assignments, grades, and student-student/student-instructor communications. However, one-on-one phone calls can be scheduled if needed.

As for online teaching pedagogy, the University of Louisville has the full support of the Delphi Center for Teaching and Learning. Delphi staff provide instructional design and quality assurance support for online learning programs at UofL. Professors can take training courses from Delphi which includes best practices. They also offer a voluntary review process to assess compliance to teaching and learning best practices. However, the MEEM instructors will be given a few more semesters under their belt before the reviews will be requested.

Naturally, new course platforms can be associated with a few kinks that need to be ironed out. Though no issues have been noticed as of yet, best practices and technology, such as those that exist to curb cheating and assist students with disabilities have yet to be perfected. This is however, top priority for the online program team. As the MEEM online program gains momentum, more such best practices will be implemented and tested in the current format of the program.

To learn more about enrollment and graduation requirements for the Master of Engineering in Engineering Management Online at University of Louisville, visit our program page.

Written by Shawn Wasserman of Engineering.com.

Tag: Engineering Management Degree Online

University of Louisville Masters in Engineering Management: Interview with Tim Hardin

By admin | September 24, 2014

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