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Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies - Business

Management of Engineering and Technology Specialization

This CAGS will benefit engineers and scientists moving toward technical management and leadership in engineering and technology fields. Courses focus on principles of productivity, quality management, improving productivity through technology, and environmental systems management, integrating practical technical experience with management theory and practice. The final specialization project will assess competencies learned within the previous specialization courses.

Management of Engineering and Technology Specialization Courses

Listed are the courses unique to the specialization or concentration. Additional fundamental courses are also required for degree completion. Please see the full Course Catalog or contact an Enrollment Advisor by email admissions@ncu.edu or phone 866-776-0331 for detailed information.

Course CodeNameCourse Description
MET7010-8Total Quality ManagementA total quality management (TQM) framework helps to establish the means by which an organization can satisfy itself that the quality of its products or service are maintained and improved while ensuring that its customer requirements are met or exceeded. Total Quality Management, and quality in general, assumes that a business is a system. No one single part can be isolated and improved. Optimized performance must consider all parts concurrently. When considering a total quality culture, the shared beliefs, values, and expectations of an organization express the common understanding and meaning of what quality represents. This course, designed for doctoral learners, examines how quality has become a customer-driven methodology. System thinking is an important contextual leadership setting and an important contributor to TQM. Analyzing the interfaces between the parts of the organization and between the organization and its environment is an important consideration for creating the necessary understandings of TQM.
MET7015-8The Impact and Process Optimization of TechnologyOrganizational learning occurs through experiences that improve the organization’s performance. Leaders improve performance through the improvement of processes. Business technology infusion is comparable to process improvement areas such as strategic planning, decision-making, measurement, and analysis. Process improvement is not possible unless the management of the organization understands the current technology and determines the technology direction. This factor is important before any organizational assessment, diagnosis, or improvement consideration is possible. Once established, the organization can begin the evaluation of its processes against external impacts. This course, designed for doctoral learners, examines how people skills, processes, and machines act as current technology tools. Enhancements to these skills, processes, and machines cause technology adjustments. Technology enhancements, such as a change, cause core technology adjustments. As core technology changes, organizational technology improves its level of capability becoming an organizational optimization.
MET7016-8Improving Productivity in the 21st Century Through TechnologyDifferences exist between creativity and innovation. The emphasis of creative people is on original ideas. While many definitions exist, innovation is likely the implementation of the creative idea. Value is added through creativity, but only when the idea becomes reality. Innovation is realized when a deliverable is inserted into the organization’s business activities. This results in value having been added to the organization. This Doctoral level course examines how technology assists with bridging gaps between organizational processes, increasing product effectiveness, and achieving higher levels of efficiency and market share.
MET7020-8Strategic Technology ManagementThe primary question for a strategic manager of innovation and technology is where to look for opportunities. Since business accepts change as a constant and is likely accepting change at a more rapid rate in the 21st century, one potential opportunity area is customer expectations and demands for the organization’s products while looking for the disruptions in the product development process. The product development process is a cycle where innovation leads to productivity, productivity leads to intensified competition, and intensified competition leads to innovation. This Doctoral level course examines how technology is the identification, description, and explanation of needs resolved for business and industry applications. It is important to realize is that technology evolves from implementation modifications due to customer feedback. This evolution is a trajectory of needs.
MET7029-8Enterprise Project ManagementA strategic plan is an intended course of action created prior to executing said course of action. Leaders establish direction; however, followers encounter potential issues in interpreting the intentions. Project leaders manage by information, by working through people, and by action. Effective communication is critical to the success of leaders of information. Leaders who manage through empowered personnel are usually successful as well. Leaders who manage through action are directly involved in decision making and implementation of strategic plans. This Doctoral level course examines the three strategies of project management. A collaborative and iterative approach must be maintained by leadership throughout the organization to successfully execute the plan.
MET8010CAGS-8Management of Engineering and TechnologyThe Learner will create a comprehensive research project that seeks to create a unique solution to a stated, real or hypothetical defined topic approved by the Mentor. Research scope and definitions must be declared before the specific approved project can commence. Learners will be assessed on demonstrated proficiency in designed assignments, which will culminate into a final research project.