BS in Entrepreneurial Studies: Engineering Management Emphasis
Explore Technology and Tools to Prepare for Engineering Management
The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Entrepreneurial Studies with an Emphasis in Engineering Management degree program 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 that can be successful in today’s high-tech business market environment.
GCU’s engineering management courses can encourage you to embrace servant leadership, innovation, an entrepreneurial spirit and business skills in order to develop the comprehensive innovative thinkers, effective communicators, global contributors and transformative leaders required in today’s global economy.
Engineering Management Courses Designed for Entrepreneurship at GCU
This degree addresses the use of technology tools to solve everyday problems. Business and engineering majors, such as electrical, mechanical and biomedical engineering, are paired together at the start of the program and for the final capstone projects.
In courses that explore business skills, engineering innovation and entrepreneurship in engineering fields, you will have the opportunity to examine topics such as:
- Identify and evaluate unmet needs, 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
You will be taught to examine legal and ethical issues pertaining to entrepreneurship in engineering, including contract law, strict liability and intellectual property. GCU strives to instill an enduring sense of servant leadership and Christian-centered ethics in our students.
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Engineering Management Skills Taught in This Business Program
This engineering management and entrepreneurship program is designed to teach you to effectively communicate and execute critical thinking in professional, global business environments as contributing team members and change agents.
These engineering management courses can allow you to practice the engineering and business degree skills necessary to:
- Think analytically
- Ask the right questions
- Solve problems
- Function as entrepreneurs in your own business or as intrapreneurs in larger companies
- Lead development of new products and services
In the engineering management emphasis, you will be encouraged to develop a sense of servant leadership and strategic business decision-making, as well as a collaborative, cross-disciplinary mindset. In the capstone experiences, the integrative business plan that you are expected to 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. Throughout your engineering management courses, your instructors may remind you to consider the needs and preferences of the end user, as well as the client’s business goals.
Career Paths in Engineering Management and Entrepreneurship
If you are passionate about solving problems and creating solutions through small- and large-scale applications, a career in engineering entrepreneurship may be right 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 engineering management and entrepreneurship competencies, you may position yourself to pursue careers such as:
- Architectural and engineering manager
- Engineer
- Postsecondary engineering teacher
- Management analyst
- Project management specialist
- Logistician
- Construction manager
- General and operations manager
GCU Proudly Offers Institutionally Accredited Business Degrees
As an accredited university, GCU is proud to place a high priority on the quality of our education. GCU has been institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1968, demonstrating our dedication to the education of our students. To learn more, visit our accreditation page.
In your engineering management courses, 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.
BS in Entrepreneurial Studies: Engineering Management Emphasis FAQs
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 is a broad field that involves the design and development of new technologies, processes, services and products. 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. However, engineers do not necessarily have entrepreneurial skills.1 While they 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. The engineering management emphasis at GCU shows entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs in larger companies how to think analytically within their own business.
Engineering entrepreneurship students are taught about project management and its related competencies, such as collaboration, management best practices and effective communication. As an engineering management and entrepreneurship student, 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 BS in Entrepreneurial Studies strives to equip students to work collaboratively with engineering professionals, effectively pairing engineering skills with business acumen.
Due to the broad range of engineering specialties, there is an equally broad range of business opportunities. Identifying a specific demand and target demographic for products and services may help you develop your business concept. Business ideas for engineers may include some of the following:
- Smart product design
- Consulting
- Product assembly service
- Teaching, training and writing
- Planning and organizing
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, engineering management 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 considerable amount of work experience before transitioning into management. They may also benefit from earning a master’s degree in engineering management.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, the engineering management and entrepreneurship program can prepare graduates to work closely with engineers as they seek to bring new technologies to the marketplace.
Entrepreneurship students who choose an engineering emphasis will be encouraged to develop their communication, collaboration and business operation skills. At GCU, you will take courses that cover content areas such as:
- Business statistics, accounting and managerial finance
- The development and implementation of marketing plans
- Sourcing funding for new business ventures and expansion operations
- Management of production and operations in manufacturing and service environments
Are you interested in blending your passion for entrepreneurship and technology with purpose for your future? Fill out the form on this page to learn more about taking engineering management courses at GCU.
1 Bester, N. (2023, March 13). What is an engineer? (types, salaries and responsibilities). Indeed. Retrieved Oct. 3, 2023.
2 Indeed. (2023, Feb. 10). 10 important roles of an entrepreneur. Indeed. Retrieved Oct. 3, 2023.
3 Byers, T., Seelig, T., Sheppard, S. and Weilerstein, P. (2013, June 12). Entrepreneurship: its role in engineering education. National Academy of Engineering. Retrieved Oct. 3, 2023.
4 Kings River Life Magazine. (2022, Oct. 6). 8 benefits of studying engineering management. Kings River Life Magazine. Retrieved Oct. 3, 2023.
5 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, Sept. 6). How to become an architectural or engineering manager. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Oct. 3, 2023.
General Education Requirements
General Education coursework prepares Grand Canyon University graduates to think critically, communicate clearly, live responsibly in a diverse world, and thoughtfully integrate their faith and ethical convictions into all dimensions of life. These competencies, essential to an effective and satisfying life, are outlined in the General Education Learner Outcomes. General Education courses embody the breadth of human understanding and creativity contained in the liberal arts and sciences tradition. Students take an array of foundational knowledge courses that promote expanded knowledge, insight, and the outcomes identified in the University's General Education Competencies. The knowledge and skills students acquire through these courses serve as a foundation for successful careers and lifelong journeys of growing understanding and wisdom.
Requirements
Upon completion of the Grand Canyon University's University Foundation experience, students will be able to demonstrate competency in the areas of academic skills and self-leadership. They will be able to articulate the range of resources available to assist them, explore career options related to their area of study, and have knowledge of Grand Canyon's community. Students will be able to demonstrate foundational academic success skills, explore GCU resources (CLA, Library, Career Center, ADA office, etc), articulate strategies of self-leadership and management and recognize opportunities to engage in the GCU community.
Course Options
- UNV-103, University Success: 4
- UNV-303, University Success: 4
- UNV-108, University Success in the College of Education: 4
Requirements
Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to construct rhetorically effective communications appropriate to diverse audiences, purposes, and occasions (English composition, communication, critical reading, foreign language, sign language, etc.). Students are required to take 3 credits of English grammar or composition.
Course Options
- UNV-104, 21st Century Skills: Communication and Information Literacy: 4
- ENG-105, English Composition I: 4
- ENG-106, English Composition II: 4
Requirements
Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to express aspects of Christian heritage and worldview. Students are required to take CWV-101/CWV-301.
Course Options
- CWV-101, Christian Worldview: 4
- CWV-301, Christian Worldview: 4
Requirements
Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to use various analytic and problem-solving skills to examine, evaluate, and/or challenge ideas and arguments (mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, geology, astronomy, physical geography, ecology, economics, theology, logic, philosophy, technology, statistics, accounting, etc.). Students are required to take 3 credits of intermediate algebra or higher.
Course Options
- MAT-154, Applications of College Algebra: 4
- MAT-144, College Mathematics: 4
- PHI-105, 21st Century Skills: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: 4
- BIO-220, Environmental Science: 4
Requirements
Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to demonstrate awareness and appreciation of and empathy for differences in arts and culture, values, experiences, historical perspectives, and other aspects of life (psychology, sociology, government, Christian studies, Bible, geography, anthropology, economics, political science, child and family studies, law, ethics, cross-cultural studies, history, art, music, dance, theater, applied arts, literature, health, etc.). If the predefined course is a part of the major, students need to take an additional course.
Course Options
- HIS-144, U.S. History Themes: 4
- PSY-102, General Psychology: 4
- SOC-100, Everyday Sociology: 4
Core Courses
Course Description
This course provides the foundation of core knowledge within the field of information technology. Topics include technology-centric organizations, the type and role of fundamental information technology systems, data management to include privacy and security, e-business and m-business, hardware, software, and computer networks.
Course Description
This course introduces models and practices used by contemporary marketers in fast-paced, dynamic, domestic and global markets, including the marketing concept and processes for developing, implementing, and assessing the effectiveness of marketing plans. Building from a foundational understanding of consumer behavior and marketing research, students examine the development and implementation of marketing mix strategies and tactics with an emphasis of how marketing integrates within all aspects of business.
Course Description
This is a course for non-engineering majors. The course introduces students to engineering product design and build in mechanical, electrical, and biomedical disciplines. Students learn engineering communication, reverse engineering, and the assessment of low and large volume manufacturability of product design. General makerspace equipment is utilized. The students conduct hands-on projects throughout the course. Prerequisite: MAT-154. Co-Requisite: ESG-210.
Course Description
This course introduces the fundamentals of the engineering design methodology and the product development process.. Students will learn the importance of listening to the voice of the customer and how to incorporate those desires into a product using design for X principles. Students will develop verification and validation tests and learn how those become formalized qualification or acceptance processes. Prerequisites: ESG-162 and ESG-162L or MAT-154 or higher subsequent math course.
Course Description
This course provides an introduction to the practical application of descriptive and inferential statistics in business. Topics include probability, probability distributions, the central limit theorem, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, correlation, and regression. Prerequisite: MAT-134, MAT-144, MAT-154, or higher subsequent math course.
Course Description
In this course, students examine basic accounting concepts and explore how accounting information assists business leaders in making financial decisions that increase profitability and contribute to competitive advantage. There is specific emphasis on the analysis of financial statements in the business decision-making process, budgeting, and factors businesses must consider when determining appropriate pricing of goods and services. Prerequisite: MAT-134, MAT-144, MAT-154, or higher subsequent math course.
Course Description
This course focuses on the fundamental ideas of microeconomics. Students examine the market forces of supply and demand under different market structures in order to understand how economic agents make decisions about both consumption and production. The structure, conduct, and performance of markets are evaluated through analysis of consumer, producer, and societal welfare. Students explore the topic of factor markets in which the incomes of most workers and owners of capital and property are determined. Prerequisites: ACC-240 or ACC-250 and BUS-352.
Course Description
This course is designed to build effective communication and networking skills so that students can leverage contacts and relationships to create business opportunities. The importance of building a professional and trustworthy business reputation is also addressed. Prerequisite: ENT-436 or ESG-210.
Course Description
This course provides an introduction to designing, planning, operating, and controlling production systems. Emphasis is on managerial concepts and strategies relating to the management of operations in both manufacturing and service environments. Quantitative and qualitative methods and tools are introduced and applied. Prerequisite: BUS-352, MAT-274, MAT-374, or ESG-374.
Course Description
This course focuses on the national economy by examining macroeconomic data measuring national income, the cost of living, production and growth, and unemployment. Students examine the basic functions of the monetary system and analyze the macro economy in terms of long-run economic productivity and growth and in terms short-run fluctuations. The influence and effect of macroeconomic policy is studied within the context of current events. Prerequisite: ECN-361.
Course Description
This course is an introduction to managerial finance and the financial markets, analysis of financial statements, time value of money, interest rates, asset valuation, assessment of risk, cost of capital, and capital budgeting. Prerequisites: ECN-220, ECN-351, or ECN-361; and ACC-240 or ACC-250.
Course Description
Students will engage on a weekly basis with Entrepreneurs building scalable companies that are in the early stage of a capital raise. These are companies from across the country that have some technological component to their service or product and are presenting to the Angel Investor community to raise between $250k and $5 million. Students will investigate these companies side by side with our Investor members and learn how investment decisions are made. Student leadership in the research of each company is a critical insight to our members.
Course Description
This writing-intensive course is a comprehensive study of the legal and ethical issues of concern to business, including those areas of the U.S. legal system that are most relevant to business, such as the law of torts, strict liability, intellectual property, and contract law. It explores the role of ethics and values in business decision making and approaches these subjects from the perspective of the stakeholders as opposed to an economic interpretation of the firm and its responsibilities.
Course Description
In this course, students test hypotheses or develop new hypotheses, cycling through a series of tests to develop a scalable business model, culminating in the development of a pitch for potential investors. Prerequisite: ENT-436 or STG-110 or ESG-210.
Course Description
Drawing upon real-world management situations, this course is a study of individual and group behavior in organizations through detailed coverage of the functions of management, individual differences/diversity, leadership, motivation, decision making, organizational design, and organizational change and development. Emphasis is placed on how an understanding of organizational behavior leads to effective management practice.
Course Description
This course serves as the capstone experience in entrepreneurial studies which includes the gradual development of a strategic business model canvas to further evaluate business opportunities. Business students will begin their collaboration with engineering and technology students to establish market viability and explore product market fit. Prerequisite: ENT-436 or ESG-210.
Course Description
This course examines the growth of the venture capital market and provides students with an understanding of the advantages and risks associated with venture capital financing. Both start-up and growth needs are explored. The course focuses on the more practical aspects of structuring transactions that add value for the firm, owners, and financial backers. Prerequisite: ENT-446.
Course Description
This writing-intensive course serves as the capstone experience in business and management, introducing students to functional, business, and corporate strategy from the perspective of a strategy analyst. Tools and techniques are applied to the student’s previous knowledge of accounting, finance, management, analytics, marketing, economics, entrepreneurship, and leadership acquired through their individual programs of study. Students integrate strategic analysis to demonstrate mastery of a wide variety of business domains. Prerequisites: MGT-420 or MGT-422HN; FIN-210 or FIN-350; and MKT-245 or MKT-315.
Course Description
This course serves as the capstone experience in entrepreneurial studies which includes the gradual development of a strategic business model canvas to further evaluate business opportunities. Business students will complete their collaboration with engineering and technology students to establish market viability and explore product market fit. Prerequisites: ENT-496A, and ENT-436 or ESG-210.
Join Grand Canyon University’s vibrant and growing campus community, with daytime classes designed for traditional students. Immerse yourself in a full undergraduate experience, complete with curriculum designed within the context of our Christian worldview.
* Please note that this list may contain programs and courses not presently offered, as availability may vary depending on class size, enrollment and other contributing factors. If you are interested in a program or course listed herein please first contact your University Counselor for the most current information regarding availability.
* Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Programs or courses subject to change.