Earning a degree that prepares you for business and management roles is a great way to support your work experience and help you stand out in the job market. Both Drexel’s online MBA and the online MS in Engineering Management were developed to include a core curriculum of foundational business knowledge, and offer electives to help you customize your degree. While they both prepare you for the business world, they do have some key differences to consider when choosing which degree to pursue.
Read on to learn the difference between an MBA and a Master’s in Engineering Management, and figure out which degree is right for you.
What’s the Difference Between Engineering Management and MBA?
If you’re looking to expand your business acumen and managerial skills, both an engineering management degree and an MBA are great options. Both will prepare you with the knowledge you need as a manager, like how to lead a team and manage finances.
The advantage of an engineering management degree is that it gives you a comprehensive overview of both business and engineering skills. Drexel’s engineering management degree includes core courses in engineering leadership, design thinking, and managing technical staff. You can then customize your degree with electives in areas like marketing and business development, project management, systems thinking, and engineering law and ethics.
By getting a degree that focuses on the particular skills and knowledge you need within the engineering management industry, you can ensure you’re prepared for the specific challenges and opportunities you’ll face on the job. While an MBA will help you build your business knowledge, it is a more general degree that can be applied to any field.
Is an MEM degree worth it?
Advantages of Engineering Management
Engineering management can be a lucrative career path. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for an engineering manager is $144,830. Within the engineering services industry, employment is expected to grow 7% between 2018-2028, a rate that’s faster than the average occupation growth.
Engineering management jobs are desirable, and you need to be able to stand out from other potential candidates. Because engineering management jobs require business and management knowledge, having a degree specifically in engineering management gives you an advantage and makes you better prepared for roles in this field.
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