A new master's program from the University of Guelph will train students to guide businesses' manufacturing strategies, manage their operations and fill leadership positions in high demand.
The master of engineering management (MEM), a course-based graduate program launching fall 2025, will teach students to become leaders of multinational engineering and technical enterprises.
Distinct from similar programs for its interdisciplinary design, U of G's MEM features equal parts advanced engineering principles and business management topics. Students will engage with today's pressing issues of digitalization, learning from leading faculty.
Like a more technical version of a master of business administration, the program is designed for engineering graduates looking to upgrade their skills.
Drs. Ruben Burga and Soha Eid Moussa, program co-chairs
The program comes from a partnership between the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences (CEPS) and the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics. Co-chairs of the program development committee include Drs. Soha Eid Moussa and Ruben Burga, professors at CEPS and Lang, respectively.
"There is a shortfall for individuals with engineering management skills," says Moussa. "With the rise of AI, Industry 4.0 challenges, cybersecurity management, sustainability issues and more, we need leaders who can anticipate problems and communicate with members of the supply chain effectively."
Burga adds the emphasis on non-technical skills is crucial.
"As an engineer myself, I truly believe that managing a global team of diverse individuals is critical to the success of engineering work beyond any one person's technical abilities," Burga says.
Over four semesters, students will complete courses featuring specialized engineering and business leadership topics with real-world applications. This includes courses such as Business Analytics and Engineering Leadership and specialized electives in optimization, supply chain management, quality control and more.
The program culminates in a capstone course in which members of the industry will be brought in for a final case study.
U of G master's program creating 'lifelong jobs'
Engineering project managers are ranked among the most in-demand careers in Canada, representing thousands of new job openings every year.
Helping to fill these positions, the program draws from the School of Engineering's technical expertise and Lang's exceptional management education, accredited by the AACSB and held only by six per cent of business schools worldwide.
Drs. Moncef Nehdi and Sara Mann, deans of CEPS and Lang School, respectively, emphasize that students will become ready for diverse, in-demand careers.
"We are preparing future leaders with diverse skills to thrive in their careers, while also advancing the University's commitment to lifelong learning, global impact and serving society," says Nehdi.
"It's about creating good, lifelong jobs in an in-demand field for our graduates and for all the people they'll employ over their career," says Mann. "This academic partnership will build a comprehensive understanding of sustainable business practices that will serve our graduates well into the future."
Master of Engineering Management answers Canada's call for engineering leaders
The new master of engineering management responds to significant challenges impacting Canada's ability to compete among nations, says Dr. Sean Lyons, associate dean of Lang School.
"To maintain Canada's standing as an engineering powerhouse, we must instill our engineering students with the business fundamentals of accounting, finance and operations management needed to ensure their long-term success," says Lyons.
Dr. Ibrahim Deiab, director of the School of Engineering, highlights that the program prepares students to become global citizens.
"Graduates will be equipped to manage sociotechnical complexities, driving innovation and ethical decision-making in a digitalized and interconnected global economy," says Deiab.
The present climate crisis requires engineers who can lead and manage organizations toward meeting sustainable goals, Deiab adds.
The new program builds off U of G's reputation in sustainability management and its successes in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. It adds to the roster of innovative, interdisciplinary engineering programs, including computer, water resource, environmental, civil biomedical and the recently launched mechatronics engineering.
Prospective applicants can learn more on the official program website.
