Title: The emerging curriculum for engineering

Authors: Richard de Neufville

Addresses: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139-4307, USA

Abstract: There is a need for new engineering curricula in Technology/Management/Policy to complement existing programmes in engineering science. Although the traditional programmes were a great improvement over pre-1950s engineering education, they fail to incorporate the managerial and political aspects central to the design of important engineering systems. The engineering science curricula thus cannot prepare students to deal effectively with the full range of modern technological issues. Programmes combining technical education with preparation in management and policy will develop leaders who can comprehensively design the complex engineering systems increasingly central to our global economies. Strong programmes already exist at Carnegie-Mellon, the Technical University of Delft and MIT. The new MIT Engineering Systems Division bringing together some 30 faculty and 350 students shows how we can extend existing programmes. Its goal is to educate leaders for the strategic direction of technological systems. Its engineering curriculum has several distinguishing features: 1) many subjects in management and policy; 2) professional education, more similar to management than to science; 3) real-world experience through internships; 4) preparation for leadership.

Keywords: engineering; education; engineering systems; technology management; technology policy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTPM.2001.001742

International Journal of Technology, Policy and Management, 2001 Vol.1 No.1, pp.117-127

Published online: 18 Aug 2003 *

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