What is Engineering Management?

So my first semester in the Engineering Management (EM) program at UT comes to a close this month. Since I have been in this program, the question I have been asked quite often by peers and co-workers is "what is engineering management." After having explained this countless times, I have determined the best and quickest way to answer this question is the following: "It's a MBA for engineers." And this is exactly what this program is about. Its aim is to bridge the gap between engineering and management (hence engineering management). Yeah you probably could go and get a MBA (just like everyone else) or you could go a different route and get degree which you can standout with and can actually use. The main selling point for the EM program is that you learn all the material as you would in a MBA program (and then some), but the material is geared towards an engineering/technical environment. And so perhaps a MBA will prepare me to work at Wall Street or some financial institution, but it's not what I want to do. I plan on being involved in a technical environment, and this program is best at preparing me for a management position in a technical environment.

Another great benefit of this program is that they understand that you have work and family. Therefore, you only go to school one weekend (Friday/Saturday) a month. Does it get any better than that? And let’s admit it, online classes just don't cut it. So you go to school one weekend a month for two years (~ 48 days) and then you graduate. Thus, you can keep your day job and go to school. There are several reasons why anyone should consider the EM program at UT, but I think their selling point is how they focus the material towards an engineering/technical environment and how they gear the EM program towards a working individual (who may have a family).