The Importance Of The Non

Engineering Management Institute The Importance of the Non-Technical Professional Component of Engineering Education EMI Featured Guest Blogger: Merlin Kirschenman, P.E., CPC, M.ASCE, M. AIC The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has been a pacesetter in “elevating the bar” for the training of civil engineers. In 2001, ASCE established the Task Committee on Academic Prerequisites for Professional Practice. During a decade of work on raising the requirements for knowledgeable engineer, this committee achieved so much, and in 2008 it published the Body Of Knowledge Second version (BOK-2). This establishes the training requirement of a grasp’s degree in engineering, or equivalent, to qualify to be a licensed professional engineer. The BOK-2 addresses the necessary non-technical subjects, however it lacked emphasis or depth of information in the non-technical, professional areas of the education part; which is critical to organize the graduate engineer to function as a master builder and meet the requirements for ASCE’s Vision 2025. The fifth 12 months of the BOK-2 is dedicated to techn ical knowledge subjects; making it much like a present superior technical engineering diploma. Many engineers consider the “increase the bar” effort for engineering schooling ought to include considerably extra professional preparation particularly in management, administration, business, communication and public policy. During the preparation of the ASCE BOK reports, some of the committee members with industry backgrounds tried to get more professionalism into the 5th yr of the CE curriculum. They proposed that the fifth year must be a professional engineering diploma instead of extra technical data. However, they weren't profitable in acquiring this stage of professionalism within the BOK stories. The following are a couple of comments and ideas on how the issues of those who need extra skilled features within the training process could be addressed whereas nonetheless addressing the concerns of those that want the primary emphasis to be on the technical elements. This debate has been happening for fairly a while and it doesn’t appear like a resolution of the variations is forthcoming. The consensus of nearly all of the people concerned in preparation of the BOK-2 apparently believes the emphasis must be on extra technical preparation. Those in industry need extra professional preparation in the fifth yr which incorporates leadership, communication, business, public policy, administration and team building; which is a professional engineering master’s diploma. The non-technical professional component of engineering is extra important than the technical part for the success of an engineer as a leader and grasp builder. Therefore I propose the following: CONCLUSION: Many engineers in industry need more non-technical professional and management knowledge and expertise built-in into the engineering training elevate the bar effort. The elevate the bar effort should include a Professional Masters of Engineering option. The non-technical element of engineer ing is extra essential than the technical part for the success of an engineer as a Leader and Master Builder as mentioned in the ASCE VISION. RECOMMENDED ACTION: If anybody agrees with the recommendation that we add a Professional Masters of Engineering choice to the fifth 12 months of the BOK-2 recommended 5 yr education program, please contact me at or Tom Lenox at ASCE. Mr. Lenox is in charge of the ASCE’s increase the bar effort. Mr. Lenox’s tackle is: Thomas A. Lenox, Ph.D., M.ASCE Executive Vice President Professional & Educational Strategic Initiatives American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Email: Merlin Kirschenman is professor emeritus and former chair of the Construction Management and Construction Engineering Department at North Dakota State University. Before entering academia, he spent 20 years in business as a construction engineer and supervisor, primarily in heavy building such as oil refineries, chemical crops, massive concrete arch dams, massive earth dams, and different flood control tasks. He joined NDSU to develop their construction engineering and building administration packages. The CME Department obtained its first ABET accreditation for the construction engineering program and its first ACCE accreditation for its building administration program, throughout his tenure. He currently is a advisor in development engineering and management. Filed Under: Credentials Tagged With: Engineering Degree or MBA, Engineering Master's Degree, Master's in Engineering