Engineering Management Minor

Engineering Management Minor

Engineering Management

Minor

Engineering management examines the relationships between the management tasks of staffing, organizing, planning, and financing and the human element involved in production, research, and service. 

Offered by the Department of Systems Engineering.

Are you interested in both technology and leadership? Do you want to learn how to manage projects, lead teams, and make smart decisions in high-pressure environments? The Engineering Management minor at the United States Military Academy at West Point teaches you how to lead in a technical world - skills that are valuable no matter which Army branch or career path you choose.

This minor is a great way to add leadership, organization, and decision-making skills to any STEM or non-STEM major.

What is the Engineering Management Minor?

The Engineering Management (EM) minor is designed for cadets who want to blend technical problem-solving with leadership and management skills. It teaches them how to plan, organize, and lead projects - especially when dealing with complex systems involving people, technology, and resources. It builds off foundational engineering and math courses and adds focused training in project management, decision-making, and systems thinking. It’s perfect for cadets who want a competitive edge in both technical and leadership roles.

The program teaches the concepts and principles of engineering to manage the fundamentals of organizational leadership, personnel management, fiscal management, and systems understanding. Engineering management is a highly relevant program that builds on the traditional roles of systems analysis and basic and applied sciences by emphasizing management functions in a technical setting. 

Cadets study systems thinking, the basics of sound financial decisions and business operations, tools for analyzing and making engineering decisions, and design and analysis of production operations. They also study supply chain design, planning, operation, business processes, and information management systems as well as how to plan, monitor, and control a project. 

Why Study Engineering Management Minor at USMA?

  • Lead Technical Projects with Confidence
    Whether managing a mission, planning a construction project, or coordinating supply chains, this minor helps USMA graduates understand both the tech and the teamwork.
  • Boost Any Major
    Pair it with science, math, cyber, or even policy-focused majors to add leadership and planning skills that stand out in any field.
  • Learn Practical, In-Demand Skills
    Cadets gain experience in project scheduling, budgeting, risk analysis, decision-making, and systems design - all of which are valuable for military and civilian careers.
  • Get a Taste of Engineering Leadership
    Graduates apply engineering principles to real-world problems - without needing to complete a full engineering major.
  • Perfect for Future Army Officers
    Engineering Management knowledge is essential for officers who will lead teams, manage missions, and work in logistics, operations, acquisition, or 

What To Do With This Minor?

After West Point, this minor helps cadets succeed in:

  • Army branches like Engineers, Ordnance, Aviation, Cyber, or Acquisition Corps
  • Managing teams, resources, or operations in high-stakes environments
  • Civilian careers in project management, engineering consulting, or operations
  • Graduate study in business, engineering management, or systems engineering

Interested Cadets

If you’re interested in engineering, leadership, logistics, or managing operations - but you don’t want to commit to a full engineering major - this program gives you real-world skills that apply directly to the Army and beyond. At West Point, the Engineering Management minor gives you the tools to lead in a world where technical skills meet real-world leadership. You'll learn how to think like an engineer while managing people, resources, and technology to solve real-world problems.

Why Consider This Minor

It’s a practical, powerful choice for cadets who want to think critically, act decisively, and make systems work better.

  • Boost Career: These skills are in demand in every Army branch—and in the civilian world too
  • Lead with Confidence: Learn how to manage teams, organize missions, and plan operations
  • Think Like a Leader: Understand how to balance technical challenges with human decisions
  • Pairs Well With Any Major: Especially useful if studying engineering, systems, cyber, or operations research

This minor could be a great fit for cadets who:

  • Enjoy solving practical problems and leading teams
  • Are interested in engineering, but want more flexibility
  • Want to stand out in logistics, cyber, aviation, engineers, or operations
  • Like working with both people and technical systems

What Cadets Learn

Cadets take courses that teach them how to plan, organize, and lead technical work. Core topics include:

  • Project Management – How to keep missions and operations on track
  • Engineering Economy – Make smart money and resource decisions
  • Decision Making Under Pressure – Learn how to lead when things get tough

The minor usually includes five courses, such as:

  • Introduction to Engineering Management
  • Project Management
  • Engineering Economy
  • Decision Analysis
  • Operations Research or Systems Engineering

Many of these classes involve case studies, team projects, and decision-making tools that graduates can apply in Army and civilian settings.

Choice of Electives

Cadets can customize their experience with electives like:

  • Operations Management – Learn how to improve systems and boost performance
  • Risk Analysis – Understand how to prepare for and avoid failure
  • Systems Thinking – See how everything fits together in large-scale missions
  • Leadership in Technical Teams – Lead teams that include both soldiers and tech experts

Learn More

  • View the full Engineering Management minor curriculum
  • Meet the Engineering Management minor faculty

Cadets in this minor have the opportunity to apply for a summer Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD) program, USMA-run academic enrichment experience. Within five years of graduation, cadets can apply for the Professional Engineer License and  Project Management Professional certification. Cadets have the opportunity to join the Association of Engineering Management Club and to apply to the Epsilon Mu Eta, Alpha Chi Chapter Honor Society.

To learn more about enrichment for this area of study, visit the Department of Systems Engineering, the System Design and Analysis Center or the Operations Research Center.