BS in Entrepreneurial Studies: Engineering Management Emphasis
BS in Entrepreneurial Studies: Engineering Management Emphasis
journey today.
The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Entrepreneurial Studies with an Emphasis in Engineering Management from Grand Canyon University teaches you how to participate in and lead the innovative process. This program provides cross-disciplinary collaboration between technical and business functions required to develop novel products and services for today’s high-tech business market environment. This degree may be well-suited to business-minded individuals with STEM inclinations.
The program courses are designed to help you embrace servant leadership, innovation, an entrepreneurial spirit and business skills. You will be taught how to become an innovative thinker, effective communicator, global contributor and transformative leader who plays an important role in today’s global economy.
In this undergraduate program, you will examine legal and ethical issues pertaining to entrepreneurship in engineering, including contract law, strict liability and intellectual property, along with other key business competencies pertaining to the STEM world — from engineering innovations to organizational behavior.
By offering academically rich degree programs rooted in the Christian worldview, GCU strives to instill an enduring sense of servant leadership and Christ-centered ethics in our students. You will be encouraged to apply entrepreneurial engineering competencies to effect positive change in your community.
This degree addresses the use of technology tools to solve everyday problems. Business and engineering, such as electrical, mechanical and biomedical engineering, complement each other throughout many courses in this program.
You will have the opportunity to examine topics and competencies such as:
The identification and evaluation of unmet needs that can translate to new business opportunities
Engineering product design in disciplines such as mechanical, electrical and biomedical engineering
Managerial concepts and strategies in the design, operation and control of production systems
Microeconomics and macroeconomics
Examining market forces such as supply and demand, and consumption and production
The advantages and risks of venture capital financing for start-up and growth operations
The development of scalable business models
Collaborate With Engineering and Business Enthusiasts
This program culminates in two capstone projects. The capstone experiences include the gradual development of a strategic business model canvas to further evaluate business opportunities.
Prepare to explore practical applications of entrepreneurial principles through the lens of engineering projects during the capstone projects through collaborative experiences with engineering and technology students. For your project, you will establish market viability, explore product market fit and execute other steps.
You will be encouraged to develop a sense of servant leadership and strategic business decision-making, as well as a collaborative, cross-disciplinary mindset. The integrative business plan you will develop in collaboration with engineering and technology students can provide a glimpse of how these business skills may serve you well in your post-graduation career pursuits.
Cultivate Innovation and Critical Thinking Skills
This undergraduate program is designed to teach you to effectively communicate and execute critical thinking in professional, global business environments as a contributing team member and change agent.
Throughout this degree program, you will be taught by knowledgeable faculty, many of whom emphasize the blending of classroom instruction with hands-on, experiential learning activities designed to optimize the student experience. This cross-disciplinary program can enable you to examine the principles and processes of entrepreneurship with a highly focused specialization.
These engineering entrepreneurship classes can allow you to facilitate the practice of engineering and business degree skills necessary to:
If you are passionate about solving problems and creating solutions through small- and large-scale applications, a career in engineering entrepreneurship may be for you. After graduation, you might pursue a career path that allows you to combine technical capabilities with leadership skills while guiding projects to completion and achieving goals.
With a solid foundation in STEM-centered business competencies, you may position yourself to pursue careers such as:
Architectural and engineering manager
Engineer
Postsecondary engineering teacher (be sure to review your state teaching requirements)
Management analyst
Project management specialist
Logistician
Construction manager
General and operations manager
As an institutionally accredited university, GCU is proud to place a high priority on the quality of our education. GCU has been continually accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1968, demonstrating our dedication to the education of our students.
FAQs for Aspiring Engineering Entrepreneurship Students
Before taking the first step toward your intended career path, it can be helpful to gain a better understanding of the professional field and your degree options. The following frequently asked questions and answers may guide your decision-making process.
Engineering management is at the intersection of business, technology and leadership. This interdisciplinary field brings together professionals from various engineering disciplines and leaders in business and management — all working together for greater innovation and technological breakthroughs. Management professionals in this area are charged with leading teams and supervising engineering projects with the goal of working toward business objectives.
Engineering is a broad field that involves the design and development of new technologies and processes. An engineer must be skilled in designing and developing these technologies or products in a way that solves problems or improves something that already exists.1
While engineers create new technologies, not all engineers necessarily know how to package and market them for sale. Instead, entrepreneurs may create or grow companies, or act as intrapreneurs within their employers’ companies for the purpose of turning engineering innovation into profit. An entrepreneur identifies a market gap and works to fill it.2
This emphasis program teaches you how to find solutions to problems and how to create or develop methods or products as solutions to these problems. This degree shows entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs in larger companies how to think analytically within their own business.
In this degree program, you will be taught about project management and its related competencies, such as collaboration, management best practices and effective communication. You will be encouraged to work closely with others to recognize new opportunities and bring projects to fruition. Some engineering students may choose to focus their studies on project management to develop and refine these skills.
Engineers are essentially inventors of the future. However, a purely technical education may not be sufficient to serve a graduate’s ambitions. For example, some engineers decide to launch their own companies in order to market and sell the technologies, products or services they design and develop. Others may decide to join an existing company, and to adopt an intrapreneurial mindset toward the development of products that are associated with consumer demand. Entrepreneurship can further serve to drive innovation.3 At GCU, this undergraduate degree gives you the opportunity to work collaboratively with engineering professionals, effectively pairing engineering skills with business acumen.
Engineering professionals work on the frontier of technological advancement, looking for ways of improving processes and making new breakthroughs. While mechanical, biomedical and other engineers focus on technological processes and designs, entrepreneurial engineering professionals are responsible for managing projects, directing teams and paying attention to the financial side of the business.4
Professionals who already have a technical engineering degree may need a substantial amount of work experience before transitioning into management. They may also benefit from earning a master’s degree in management in technical fields.5 However, instead of earning a technical engineering degree, another path is to earn a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurship with a specialization in engineering. At GCU, this degree can prepare graduates to work closely with engineers as they seek to bring new technologies to the marketplace.
Reach Your Entrepreneurial Potential
Pursue a career at the intersection of technology and business.
1 Bester, N. (2024, April 18). What is an Engineer? (Types, Salaries and Responsibilities). Indeed. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
2 Indeed. (2024, April 9). 10 Important Roles of an Entrepreneur. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
3 Byers, T., Seelig, T., Sheppard, S. and Weilerstein, P. (2013, June 12). Entrepreneurship: its Role in Engineering Education. National Academy of Engineering. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
4 Kings River Life Magazine. (2022, Oct. 6). 8 Benefits of Studying Engineering Management. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
5 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, April 17). How to Become an Architectural or Engineering Manager. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved July 9, 2024.