MEM program earns pair of top-five rankings from U.S. News & World Report

The College of Engineering’s online Master of Engineering Management (MEM) has continued its rise among the best in the nation, vaulting into the top five of two categories in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report rankings - fifth in Best Online Master’s in Engineering Programs and fourth in Best Online Master’s in Engineering Programs for Veterans.

The 2024 MEM ranking represents a jump of four spots from No. 9 in the 2023 rankings, and up two spots in the ranking for veterans.

“The consistent and steady rise in our rankings is a testament to the MEM faculty and staff and their dedication to our students’ successes. Every decision and every action is made with the student as the focal point,” said Jena Asgarpoor, MEM director and professor of practice. “We are elated to be in the company of nationally prominent institutions with our top 5 ranking”, said Asgarpoor.

The MEM program, offered in eight-week sessions, collaborates with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln online Master of Business Administration program and offers diverse courses in engineering management leading to a professional practice-oriented degree that combines business acumen with technical operational knowledge and skills to effectively lead engineering and technical people, projects and teams.

The web-based, 30-credit-hour program is offered 100 percent asynchronously online and ideal for working professionals in engineering, technology, and science industries, Asgarpoor said. MEM is one of only 11 programs internationally certified by the American Society for Engineering Management for exceeding rigorous standards and for its excellence in curriculum, program delivery and administration.

“Our MEM is specifically designed for practicing engineers. We hire faculty members who are professionally qualified with relevant engineering industry experience and who are academically qualified with proper engineering education,” Asgarpoor said. “They have a gift to help students relate the course teachings to their jobs. This helps recruitment, retention, persistence, graduation, and enrollment growth.”

Currently there are 102 active MEM students compared to only 42 in fall 2017. Asgarpoor said the quality and relevance of the program and its content are the reasons for the 15 percent annual enrollment growth in the past 6 years.

“Those figures are significant considering we graduate about 50 students each year,” Asgarpoor said.

Asgarpoor said the program appeals to the educational needs of working professionals. Typical MEM students are engineering professionals with about seven years of experience when they join the program. Several are active, retired, or veterans of the military.

“We get what it is like to be pulled in different directions – between family, work, and school,” Asgarpoor said. “Our MEM is specifically designed for the working professional who wants to have autonomy and flexibility of time/space for their studies. It takes research- and evidence-based strategies in course design/delivery, best-practices in student support/services, and a cadre of dedicated staff and seasoned faculty to make our MEM an ideal program for industry professionals who work full time and pursue their dream of earning a graduate degree.” 

Visit these pages to learn more about the MEM at Nebraska: