A program design for concurrent engineering education

Abstract

This paper presents a challenge to engineering schools across America. Faculty and deans need to change curricula at both the undergraduate and graduate levels to prepare engineering graduates with the skills, knowledge and abilities to practice concurrent engineering. This paper points out the skills engineers need to have, what they need to know, and the needed competencies to work in a concurrent engineering environment. It discusses changes that can be made to engineering programs and recommends a curriculum for a graduate degree in manufacturing engineering that will provide graduates with requisite attributes. This curriculum is modelled after the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) recommended structure for MBA programs.