Systems Engineering As A Foundation Of Engineering Management Education

The Department of Systems Engineering at the United States Military Academy (USMA) offers an undergraduate major in Engineering Management. This multi-disciplinary major is accredited by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) of the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC). All Engineering Management majors at USMA start their studies with an introductory course in Engineering Design and Systems Management. In this course, students are introduced to the Systems Engineering and Management Process (SEMP), which is the foundational problem solving approach used and reinforced throughout the curriculum. This paper describes the Engineering Management curriculum at the USMA, and shows how the sequencing of courses enhances students’ abilities as problem solvers using the SEMP. Students take courses in Systems Engineering, Engineering Management, another engineering discipline of their choosing, Financial Management and Personnel Management. The program of study culminates with students solving a real-world problem following the framework of the SEMP for a Department of Defense or industry client as part of a year-long Capstone Design course. Students work in small teams of four under the direction of a Ph.D. faculty member in applying the concepts learned throughout the curriculum.