Master of Engineering Management is Top-ranked in Nation

Consistently among the nation’s top five engineering management degree programs, the Master of Engineering Management (MEM) degree at Old Dominion University is currently the top-ranked curriculum of its type in America. The popular, portable program was recently elevated to the top spot for “excellence and leadership in MEM programs” by ASEM, the American Society for Engineering Management. The ODU program features four new classes and aims to produce graduates capable of addressing complex design, operation, analysis and transformation problems while mastering advanced communications skills required to supervise the successful completion of complex projects.

“We are proud that our MEM program has several times received top marks for excellence and leadership by ASEM,” said Professor Resit Unal, chair of the Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering. “We believe our MEM program makes significant contributions to our graduates and their employers by providing the right blend of technical and project management skills.”

Originally designed for the Navy’s nuclear-qualified officers and government nuclear laboratory employees, the ODU program has graduated nearly 1,000 military students over the past five years. It is now available to qualified enlisted military and civilian engineers with accredited academic preparation. The coursework aims to further develop the technical expertise, project management and leadership skills to enhance and advance their careers.

“It is great that the MEM program is now open to qualified enlisted engineers,” said Jon Gebo, a chief machinist’s mate stationed at the Fleet and Industrial Supply Center in Norfolk.

“I began the coursework late last year and expect to complete it in the fall of 2012. I am only taking one class at a time due to work, family and community commitments. The MEM program is great for those that can utilize self-paced learning and offers an excellent opportunity to earn a master’s degree.”

Flexible and affordable, the MEM graduate program is also portable, available asynchronously via DVD and CD-ROM, and at more than 50 ODU distance learning and military sites across Virginia, as well as Arizona and Washington state.

“The MEM program at ODU is superb,” remarked Capt. Will Pennington, executive officer of the USS George H.W. Bush and current MEM student. “The courses are applicable. The material is very well presented in a format ideally suited to deploying active-duty personnel, and the quality of instruction is excellent. I highly recommend this current and convenient program to anyone that is qualified to take it.

“Relevant to both Navy and post-Navy careers, I am not the least bit surprised the program is ranked No. 1 by the ASEM.”

Learn more about the MEM

This article was originally published in Monarch Magazine, Fall 2011.