The College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) at the University of South Carolina is launching a new master's degree program designed to help engineers and computer science professionals learn to manage innovation and projects within their companies. The program comes after South Carolina companies expressed their dire need for technically trained professionals who also have management expertise.
"The CEC partners with many businesses and industries across the state that hire our engineering and computer science graduates, " said Dean Tony Ambler. "These companies are impressed with their technical skills but urged USC to offer more management courses so these professionals can lead a team and manage large scale projects."
This new executive format program is designed primarily for engineers and computer scientists on management career paths. The program includes interdisciplinary courses in engineering, business, law and communications taught by professors from the CEC, the Darla Moore School of business, the School of Law and the College of Mass Communications. Also, faculty from The Citadel will teach some of the courses.
"The program offers a unique opportunity for engineers and computer scientist to further refine their management skills and capabilities.," said Ambler. "It's an alternative to the MBA that should be appealing to professionals who desire to stay on a technical track as they move forward in their careers."
The program will cover topics from managing product development and optimizing resources to providing leadership in making economic decisions and negotiating new projects.
Uniquely designed for working adults, the graduate program is structured with weekend classes, including some lectures that will be streamed between USC's main campus in Columbia and the Lowcountry Graduate Center (LGC) in North Charleston.
"Through this collaboration, we demonstrate how to leverage rather than duplicate academic resources. By bringing faculty to the students rather than forcing students to do the traveling, it is a new brand of student-centered graduate education and one that is central to the LGC's philosophy," stated Dr. Nancy Muller, LGC Director and Associate Dean. "I expect this new offering to be the first of many structured similarly at the LGC, not only from USC but also other state-owned institutions of higher education including Clemson and South Carolina State University," she added.
Applicants should hold a bachelor of science degree in engineering, computer science, or the equivalent, and have a satisfactory score on the Graduate Record Examination. Applicants will also need letters of reference from management of their existing companies demonstrating their likely competence in the management program. Prospective applicants with other degrees and academic attainment will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
For more information, visit www.cec.sc.edu/academic_programs/em.html or contact Rebecca Wessinger at 803-777-8318 or rineharr@cec.cs.edu
More information about the LGC: The Lowcountry Graduate Center was created in 2001 as a consortium of the College of Charleston, The Citadel and the Medical University of South Carolina. These founding institutions, along with the University of South Carolina, now offer a variety of graduate degrees and certificates at the Lowcountry Graduate Center. Conveniently located in North Charleston, on the North Campus of the College of Charleston the mission of the LGC is to provide advanced education to professionals in the workforce, support the region's employers, and boost the Lowcountry's economic development. For more information, visit www.lowcountrygradcenter.org.
22 May 14