Online Master of Science in Engineering Management

We are now accepting Master's program applications for our Spring-2, Summer, and Fall-1 semester start dates. For more details on the application deadlines and start dates, refer to the academic calendar.

Program Description

The online Master of Science in Engineering Management is designed to train the field’s present and future technical leaders by providing students with an interdisciplinary understanding of engineering knowledge and leadership skills via graduate-level coursework. Specifically, the skills and excellence needed to become effective leaders in technology-driven organizations and government entities in rapidly growing fields such as supply chain management and product lifecycle management. Throughout the program, students acquire knowledge of technical engineering principles and engineering contracts within a management context.

Taught by expert faculty, graduates of this program are equipped with the academic excellence and real-world skills to gain a competitive edge as they effectively lead diverse engineering teams, oversee complex projects, implement innovative strategies, and drive organizational success. In addition, our graduates are prepared to take the Project Management Professional Examination (offered by the Project Management Institute) to receive the PMP certification.

Curriculum

The program consists of 12 courses (three credit hours each), totaling 36 required credit hours. Its online structure offers synchronous and asynchronous learning options. This gives students both the academic quality and the flexibility of distance education to study at their convenience and from any location. 

Learn more about the courses

EMSE 6001 The Management of Technical Organizations: The practice of management as applied within technical organizations. Includes history of the tradition and current effective practices, research findings, and case studies, with objectives of enhanced understanding of external and internal factors influencing organizational performance and leadership requirements. (3 credit hours)

EMSE 6005 Organizational Behavior for the Engineering Manager: The behavior of individuals and groups in the context of technical organizations, focusing on relationships and interactions within the organization’s operating activities. Individual and group development and motivation. Organizational structures and cultures. (3 credit hours)

EMSE 6018 Engineering Law: Legal principles and procedures of interest to engineers. The American legal system, contracts and specifications, liability of professional engineers, product liability, agency relationships, patent and proprietary rights, special problems in research and development contracts. (3 credit hours)

EMSE 6020 Decision Making with Uncertainty: Problem formulation. Concepts and techniques used in analyzing complex decision problems. Modeling decision problems using decision trees, probability models, multi-objective models and utility theory. (3 credit hours)

EMSE 6070 Management of Research and Development: Seminar on readings and classic and contemporary case studies in the strategic management of innovation and technology. (3 credit hours) 

EMSE 6099 Problems in Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Capstone: Capstone project providing the opportunity to apply concepts and tools previously studied to the solution of a real-world problem. Students work in small groups, on a problem proposed by students and approved by the instructor. Open only to master’s candidates in the department, preferably during the last semester of their program. (3 credit hours)

EMSE 6410 Survey of Finance and Engineering Economics: Survey of material relevant to financial decision making for engineering activity. Includes traditional engineering economy topics; fundamentals of accounting; and financial planning, budgeting, and estimating applicable to the management of technical organizations. (3 credit hours) 

EMSE 6801 Systems Engineering I: Systems approach to the architecting and engineering of large-scale systems; elements of systems engineering; methods and standards; computer tools that support systems and software engineering; trends and directions; the integrative nature of systems engineering. (3 credit hours)

EMSE 6810 Systems Analysis and Management: The systems or holistic approach as a methodology for making decisions and allocating resources. Analysis by means of objectives, alternatives, models, criteria, and feedback. (3 credit hours)

EMSE 6820 Program and Project Management: Problems in managing projects; project management as planning, organizing, directing, and monitoring; project and corporate organizations; duties and responsibilities; the project plan; schedule, cost, earned-value and situation analysis; leadership; team building; conflict management; meetings, presentations, and proposals. (3 credit hours)

EMSE 6825 Project Cost and Quality Management: Developing project cost and resource estimates during the planning stages. Monitoring, forecasting, and controlling cost throughout the project life cycle. Project quality planning, assurance, and control. Relationships among project scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, communications, procurement, and risk. Preparation for the Project Management Professional examination. Prerequisite: EMSE 6820. (3 credit hours)

EMSE 6992 Special Topics: Negotiation and Conflict Resolution: Acquire proven negotiation skills by using real world case studies, learning a broad spectrum of theories underlying negotiating approaches, and put their learning into practice. Discover a framework for understanding and addressing the challenging emotional dynamics that arise in everyday negotiations and conflicts. Students gain the tools for early recognition of unhealthy conflict, accurately diagnosing its causes and developing effective communication-based intervention strategies. (3 credit hours)

Academic Calendar

Our classes meet one night a week (Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays) for nine weeks from 6:30 to 9:50 PM Eastern time. Students enroll in four 9-week sessions. There is also an optional fifth summer session (classes meet twice a week for four and half weeks). Students may begin their studies in any of the five sessions. Please see below for the dates of our upcoming sessions.

Session	Dates	Application Deadlines
Spring-1 2025	week of 1/6/25 – week of 3/3/25	12/1/2024
Spring-2 2025	week of 3/10/25 – week of 5/5/25	2/14/2025
Summer 2025	week of 5/27/25 – week of 6/23/25	5/1/2025
Fall-1 2025	week of 8/11/25 – week of 10/6/25	7/28/2025
Fall-2 2025	week of 10/13/25 – week of 12/8/25	9/29/2025

The course order is determined by advisors based on student progress toward completion of the curriculum.  Course details will be provided to students via Blackboard approximately one month prior to the start of classes.

Tuition

Tuition is $1,200 per credit hour for the 2024-2025 academic year.  Tuition is billed at the beginning of each semester for the courses registered during that semester.  A non-refundable tuition deposit of $495 is required when the applicant accepts admission.  This deposit is applied to tuition and due the first semester.  Our online graduate degree programs in engineering require no additional fees.  We provide eBooks and software at no additional cost. We also urge student veterans, dependents, and military personnel to inquire about military benefits to our program.

Admissions Process

Review the Admissions Requirements 

Ideal candidates for the programs will meet the following requirements:

• Hold a bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, information technology, mathematics, physics, or a related field from an accredited institution.
• Minimum grade point average of B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or higher.
  • Applicants with lower GPA may also apply and if otherwise qualified will be admitted to a 4 course graduate certificate in Systems Engineering. Upon successful completion of the graduate certificate and reapplication, they will be admitted to the Master’s program. All graduate certificate courses* will count towards the Master’s program.
• Grade of C or better in one course in college-level calculus and one course in college-level statistics. Applicants who do not meet this requirement in full but are otherwise qualified may be conditionally admitted and required to take an additional 3-credit hour course, EMSE 4197 — Special Topics: Quantitative Methods in Engineering, during the first semester of graduate study.
• If you’re applying from outside the U.S., please see international student admissions information for additional requirements.
• Applicants to our online programs are expected to remain engaged. Failing to respond to inquiries or provide requested materials within the designated timeframe could result in the denial of the application.

*Graduate Certificate Courses in Systems Engineering:

• EMSE 6001 – Mgt of Technical Orgs
• EMSE 6801 – Systems Engineering I
• EMSE 6810 – Systems Analysis and Management
• EMSE 6820 – Project Management

Apply for Admission and Submit Supporting Documents

Apply for Admission
 There is no application fee for any GW online engineering program. 

Complete application packets include:

• Resume or C.V.: Upload your up-to-date resume or C.V.
• Statement of Purpose: In an essay of 250 words or less, describe your academic objectives, research interests, and career plans. Also, discuss any other related qualifications not already mentioned, such as collegiate, professional, or community activities.
• Official Transcripts: Official transcripts are required from all institutions where a degree was earned. Transcripts should be sent to [email protected] (if sent electronically), or via mail to:
  Online Engineering Programs
  The George Washington University
  170 Newport Center Drive
  Suite 260
  Newport Beach, CA 92660
• Letters of Recommendation: Two (2) letters of recommendation are required, and one must be from a professional reference. Begin this process by filling out this letter of recommendation form. Within this form you will share the email address of the individual providing your recommendation. Once you complete your required section, Docusign will send that individual a link to the letter of recommendation form. A letter of recommendation is only considered official when it is sent directly from the individual providing the recommendation through DocuSign. Submissions directly from applicants will not be accepted.
• GRE Scores: GRE scores are not required but if available, should be submitted to enhance your application.

Remain Engaged in the Admissions Process

You will receive emails from us updating you as your application goes through the admissions process.

View a previously recorded info-session