The Engineering Management program at Texas A&M University, formerly Engineering Systems Management, prepares students for careers in leadership roles, giving them the tools to manage engineering and technical organizations. This flexible program allows for various study modes, including completing the program fully online.
We spoke with two current students about the program and why they chose Texas A&M and the Wm Michael Barnes ’64 Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering for their graduate degrees.
Emma Partridge ’17, ’21
Partridge is currently a mechanical engineer at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and is in the online Engineering Management program. She graduated from Texas A&M with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2017.
Lilly Pharmakis ‘21
Pharmakis is currently an assistant program manager at Triumph Aerospace Structures and is in the online Engineering Management program. She has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and another in mathematics.
Q&A
Q: What drew you to the Engineering Management program?
Partridge: I was looking for a program where I could gain more knowledge in systems engineering, project management, as well as the business operations. The courses in the program will help me become a more well-rounded engineer and allow me to advance my career to leadership and management roles.
Pharmakis: I had researched various MBA programs at different schools, but nothing felt quite right, in either the school or the degree. I wanted to gain more knowledge in business, but I wasn't ready to let go of engineering, as my background is in mechanical engineering. When I came across the Engineering Management program, I knew I had found the right fit.
Q: What has been your favorite part of the program so far?
Partridge: I have been able to apply knowledge I've learned from my courses to tasks I'm working on in my current role. In addition, some of my work experience has also helped reinforce concepts being taught by some of my professors. It's interesting to see the areas of my courses that have benefited me in my job and vice versa.
Pharmakis: My professors have been incredible. They are always so excited to hear about the real-world successes and challenges I experience at my job. On more than one occasion, my professors have been eager to help me create solutions that I could apply to my work that also correlated to the information we were learning about in class. I have really been able to understand how to apply these concepts to my industry, something that I think is so hard for professors to achieve in other programs.
Q: What do you hope to do after earning your master’s degree?
Partridge: After earning my degree, I hope to remain in a technical position, but in a more leadership-type role where I can be leading larger projects or managing a program.
Pharmakis: I decided to do the business specialization for this program, so I will graduate with a business certificate as well as a master’s degree. I hope to take the new knowledge I'll gain about business and industrial engineering and apply it to my current role in aerospace design and manufacturing, eventually moving into program management.
Q: How have you benefitted by being able to do the program completely online?
Partridge: I enjoy the flexibility that online classes allow you to have. I have the ability to move through the class at my own pace by watching the lectures at times that are convenient for my busy schedule. As a student working a full-time engineering job, the online classes have allowed me to continue gaining valuable industry experience while earning my degree at the same time.
Pharmakis: This program allows me to be a student in my free time, so I never feel that I need to sacrifice my work for school, or vise-versa. Since I travel quite a bit for my job, it's really great to be able to take advantage of plane rides to squeeze in a lecture or finish homework.
Q: Do you have any tips for students taking online courses?
Partridge: I find it helpful to build a schedule for myself for the next week or two for when I'm going to watch my lectures, do homework, and study and make sure I stick to it.
Pharmakis: It's very important to prioritize your time when taking an online course, because you aren't seeing a professor in class to remind you about a deadline or a test that's around the corner. It's especially important if you are juggling other responsibilities as well, such as work or a family.
Do you think the engineering management program is right for you? Find more information about the program online.