Beginning in July, electrical engineering students will have the opportunity to gain managerial skills at ASU. A concurrent online master's degree in business and electrical engineering will debut this summer.
"It's a service to the community, not only locally, but nationally, to provide important educational opportunities in business and engineering," said Joseph Palais, director of graduate studies for the Department of Electrical Engineering.
ASU decided to offer a concurrent degree after the high-tech industry expressed a need and desire for graduates with both business and electrical engineering skills on a local level, Palais said.
Intel, Honeywell and Motorola are among these local companies, Palais added.
Graduates of the program would most likely obtain technical managerial positions for companies, he said.
Gerry Keim, associate dean of the W.P. Carey School MBA program, said the local trend reflects a similar global market demand.
"This is for people all over the world," Keim said. "The majority of online students are not in Arizona."
Students who enroll in the online program will only be on campus for two orientations at the beginning of their first and second years, Keim said.
Keim said recruiting for the program has just begun and it is too early to predict how many students would enroll, but he anticipated the program to fill up to 40 to 50 students.
The online program takes three years to complete and requires an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering, Palais said.
"It is important to note that the program is a cohort program," Palais said, "You don't get to pick and choose your classes."
Students who enroll in the program, which will be mostly working professionals, will benefit greatly from the 56-credit hour program upon graduation, Palais said.
"They'll have advanced skills in communications engineering together with the knowledge of business practices," he said.
Reach the reporter at kelsey.perry@asu.edu.
