Every graduate student’s learning experience is unique. When Katherine Peters decided that getting an online engineering management degree was the best move for her career, she knew that whatever program she chose, she wanted her experience to be as engaging and interactive as possible.
“I didn’t want my master’s degree to be about just checking off the box,” Peters says. “Some people do that, but I wanted something more meaningful that would make me better in my field.”
Peters earned her undergraduate degree in applied mathematics at CU Boulder in 2014. After graduating, she moved back to her home state of Arizona where she’d accepted a position as a mechanical engineer. A few years later, Peters felt the timing was right to pursue a masters in engineering management degree. She considered the University of Arizona but ultimately chose the online degree option at CU Boulder’s Lockheed Martin Engineering Management Program.
An Interactive & Collaborative Experience
One of the biggest misconceptions about being an online student is that it’s a solitary experience offering limited interaction with fellow students and faculty. Speaking from her experience at CU Boulder, Peters says nothing could be further from the truth.
“In the discussion-based classes, I really enjoyed hearing from and interacting with the other online students,” she says. “It was interesting to get a glimpse into their work and how they would approach the different concepts.”
As an online engineering degree student, Peters attended her classes using the Zoom web conferencing tool. It worked much the same way as Skype and enabled her to engage in discussions and interact with fellow students and faculty. She would post completed assignments online, and for lecture-based courses, she would sometimes watch the video recording of the class later that night.
“I was impressed by the caliber of the other students in the Program and the experiences they brought to it,” Peters says. “And the faculty is a huge strength. They’re experts in their fields, they bring in an immense range of experiences and they’re really effective at guiding classroom discussions.”
Why Being an Online Student at CU Boulder Was Her Best Option
There were a number of factors that led Peters to decide that an online engineering degree from CU Boulder was the best option for her.
“Faculty was always available and accessible outside of class hours,” Peters says. “There were plenty of times I’d call Professor Dan Moorer up to ask about something we discussed in class, and he always had the time and would talk through how to make concepts applicable to real-world work situations.”
Peters earned her degree in 2018 and didn’t have to wait too long to experience the practical value of the Program. “One of the real values for me was developing my understanding of how to interact, read and gauge people, how to maximize my network, and how to employ a management perspective in the interactions I have. Those were things I was able to use on the job immediately.”
CU Boulder’s Lockheed Martin Engineering Management Degree Program
Getting an online engineering management degree at CU Boulder is flexible, convenient and will equip you with a powerful credential without requiring you to sacrifice your current position or other daily responsibilities. As was the case with Peters, you will be able to apply concepts learned in class to your work on the job the very next day.
The Program, offered through the College of Engineering and Applied Science at CU Boulder, provides a wide selection of offerings, all of which are characterized by exceptional faculty instruction and innovative, relevant courses.
In addition to the Master of Engineering in Engineering Management, students can opt for a dual graduate degree, graduate certificate, undergraduate minor and undergraduate certificate.
You can request additional information about earning your engineering management degree on our website, or by contacting Kendra Thibeault, Admissions, Graduate and Undergraduate Advisor at: Kendra.Thibeault@colorado.edu or call 303-492-0954.