Engineering Management, An Umbrella Degree

The Fifth Year History Many years ago, a “fifth year” was proposed that would accommodate all of the new developments that were taking place. These topics were then, as now, competing for a place in the undergraduate curricula. Some major engineering schools developed five year programs to accommodate knowledge expansion, but they awarded only the bachelor’s degree. Since a master’s degree could be earned at other schools in the same five years, the five year bachelor’s was economically non-competitive. It is proposed that engineering reconsider adopting a five year format, leading to a master’s degree, not a bachelor’s degree. The ultimate goal is to provide additional technical expertise, but also to add the breadth that could make engineering a more attractive educational experience, leading to expanded career opportunities. with a greater emphasis on leadership of technical activities to support lifetime career development.