The University of Windsor’s Faculty of Engineering and Odette School of Business have launched Canada’s first online Master of Engineering Management degree.

The program is an online version of the University’s weekend Master of Engineering Management (MEM) degree for working professionals. The weekend MEM was launched in 2016 to “address market demands and has become a significant enabler in helping graduates achieve management jobs,” says program co-ordinator and professor Ali AbdulHussein.

“In today’s global economy, employees need to travel and be flexible; this creates a need for an on-demand professional education,” he says. “We’ve had interest from professionals all across North America.”

The program allows working professionals to enhance their technical expertise with business and managerial skills without interrupting their careers. The MEM program has attracted students from all engineering disciplines.

“These days, it’s not enough to be specialized only in one area,” says Mehrdad Saif, the University’s dean of engineering. “There are many policy issues and legal aspects of the business side of engineering that professionals need to be cognizant of.”

Prof. AbdulHussein says even though courses are delivered online, most are still focused and centered around teamwork and interpersonal skills. In addition to core competencies in financial decision making, product and operations management and organizational analysis, students can focus their degrees in areas such as manufacturing strategy, entrepreneurship, or innovation.

Dean of business Mitch Fields says the contemporary business environment is both multifaceted and dynamic.

“In order to thrive and advance in the modern corporate hierarchy, engineering graduates are finding it increasingly necessary to acquire advanced education in management,” he says.

While candidates attend live lectures online, the program still offers students the opportunity to meet their peers and instructors, as well as work in teams, with four residency sessions on-campus.

The University is hosting live, virtual info sessions about the program June 13 and 24. To join or learn more, visit UWindsor Online MEM.

—Kristie Pearce