More than two-thirds of all engineering professionals invest a significant portion of their career in managing and administering a wide range of technical engineering and research projects and budgets. As the engineering profession evolves, an increasing need has emerged for entry-level engineering professionals who have both a broad engineering background and the knowledge and ability to interface between the business and technical functions of organizations.

Undergraduate Engineering Management majors learn engineering fundamentals, together with the art and science of planning, organizing, allocating resources, and directing and controlling activities in technological environments. The Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Management equips entry-level engineers with knowledge of the business of engineering, making them valuable to their employers and ensuring future professional growth. For students who enjoy people and technology, the technical challenges of engineering and the opportunity to integrate higher-level organizational considerations into technological decision-making processes, engineering management is an ideal program of study.

The undergraduate Engineering Management degree program includes studies in basic mathematics and sciences, the engineering sciences, engineering management disciplinary studies and technical electives, as well as general education. The selection of technical electives can be tailored to particular areas of student interest. The team project experiences in many courses approximate the professional environment that graduates will encounter in their future careers. Program culminating experiences include community service learning course projects and capstone course design projects. Students also have access to well-equipped laboratories, including computing laboratories with discipline-specific software programs that are essential to achievement of program objectives.

This program is based on an expectation of adequate high school preparation in science, mathematics and English. Science courses should include chemistry or physics, both of which are desirable. High school mathematics courses should include algebra, plane geometry and trigonometry. Four years of English are required. Beginning students must take (or be exempt from) the Entry Level Mathematics Test, and the Mathematics, Chemistry and English Placement Tests before registration in basic courses is permitted.

Students who have not had an adequate background of pre-engineering work in high school may be required to complete some additional work in their first year and may not be able to complete the program in 8 semesters. Students are referred to the section of the University Catalog titled Appendices-Admission regarding rules and regulations as to earned college credit.

Special Grade Requirements

A grade of “C-” or better is required in all courses in the major. The Mathematics department requires a “C” grade in its prerequisite courses. A grade of “C” or better is required in all undergraduate transfer courses.

Unit Requirements

The following unit requirements are necessary for the B.S. degree in Engineering Management:

1. Lower Division Required Courses (44 units)

Freshman Year

CHEM 101/L General Chemistry I and Lab (4/1)
MATH 150A Calculus I (5)
MATH 150B Calculus II (5)
MSE 101/L Introduction to Engineering and Lab (1/1)
PHYS 220A/L Mechanics and Lab (3/1)

Sophomore Year

MATH 250 Calculus III (3)
MATH 280 Applied Differential Equations (3)
MSE 227/L Engineering Materials and Lab (3/1)
MSE 248/L Engineering CAD Graphics and Lab (2/1)
PHYS 220B/L Electricity and Magnetism and Lab (3/1)

With faculty advisor approval, the student selects 6 units from two departments from the courses below:

2. Upper Division Required Courses (37 units)

Junior Year

MSE 304 Engineering Economic Analysis (3)
MSE 362 Engineering Statistical Applications (3)
MSE 401 Introduction to Engineering and Technology Management (3)
MSE 402 Engineering Project Management (3)
MSE 406 Engineering Cost Analysis (3)
MSE 407 Production Systems (3)

Senior Year

MSE 403CS Facilities Planning and Design (3)
MSE 410/L Production Systems Modeling and Lab (2/1)
MSE 415 Product Design (3)
MSE 488A MSEM Senior Design I (2)
MSE 488BCS MSEM Senior Design II (2)

With faculty advisor approval, select two courses from:

AM 316 Engineering Dynamics (3)
CE 340 Strength of Materials (3)
ECE 320 Theory of Digital Systems (3)
ME 370 Thermodynamics (3)
ME 375 Heat Transfer I (3)

3. Upper Division Major Elective Courses (12 units)

With faculty advisor approval, select four courses from among department 400-level and/or 500-level courses.

4. General Education (48 units)

Undergraduate students must complete 48 units of General Education as described in this Catalog.

In addition to the required major program courses, Engineering Management majors must satisfactorily complete General Education Plan R requirements and take courses in Analytical Reading and Expository Writing (3 units); Oral Communication (3 units), Title 5-U.S. History and Local Government (6 units); Arts and Humanities (6 units); Social Sciences (3 units); and Comparative Cultural Studies (6 units). All other GE requirements are met through completion of courses in the major. 6 of the General Education Plan R units must be at the upper division.

Students are required to complete one upper division Subject Explorations or Title 5 course that satisfies the Information Competency requirement.

Students should carefully consult the 4-year plan of their major and confer with their faculty advisor when selecting their General Education Plan R courses.

Total Units in the Major: 93

General Education Units: 27

Total Units Required for the B.S. Degree: 120