Many universities are offering engineering management programs. While MBAs might be much more prevalent, each year, new engineering management programs enter the scene.

Like MBA programs, Engineering management programs vary significantly in course work and entry requirements. There is no defined engineering management curriculum or standards.

But there are some common themes about programs where IEM differs from most if not all:

• We are focused on ROI. We know a graduate degree costs time and money – and we want to make sure you know how to get a strong return on investment (ROI) from what you have learned. To learn about how we do ROI – see this article.
• Unapologetically real world. We do not teach theory. Our program director, Dale Callahan, explains, "I have done both MBA and technical master's programs, and in each case, I found a disconnect between what I was learning and what was happening in the industry." This disconnect is common, and maybe for some degree programs by design. However, in IEM, we are working with professionals only, and they demand relevant material. So no theory here without real application to follow. Our goal is to provide you with tools so you can add more value at work Monday morning.
• Faculty teaching what they do. Most graduate programs have full-time faculty teaching most if not all of their classes. While some of these faculty might have real-world experience, many do not. Our faculty are teaching what they do all day. They all work with other organizations as professionals and are highly in tune with what is going on in corporate America.
• Flexibility for a professional audience. A job is required for IEM acceptance. On top of that, many clients have families. So we work to make sure the course content is available to you at all times while still providing you with live classes (online meetings) to help you increase your professional network.
• Listen and adjust. We are constantly getting feedback from our advisory board members, the professional community, our alumni, and those currently in class. We will make adjustments to meet the needs of those in the program – sometimes even mid-term. We will make adjustments to meet the needs of those in the program – sometimes even mid-term. Our goal is to add value, and if we are not doing that, we will fix it now.