I have been trying to decide between these two graduate programs for months. My undergrad is Computer Science. I currently work in an Operations Research group and I have 5 years of professional experience. I'm looking to further my career through education since my company will cover a large portion of the cost. My goals are to become a better technical leader and to build credentials to move into management. Here are the two programs along with my perceived positives (+) and negatives (-) of each.
University of Florida - MS Industrial and Systems Engineering / MBA Dual Degree
Program Link: http://www.ise.ufl.edu/oemp/conc/
+ Strong school influence in my current location (Northeast Florida)
+ Great educational breadth. Nice mix of technical / business to complement my current expertise
+ Weekend classes that I can attend and build a network
+ Relevant to current job
- Not top ranked programs
- 4 year commitment
- Regional recognition and not so much national?
Duke - Engineering Management
Program Link: http://memp.pratt.duke.edu/distance
+ Top ranked school
+ Campus visits required to help build network
+ Curriculum covers technical and business areas
+ 2 year degree
- Are EM degrees sought after?
- Too broad of a degree without enough depth in technical or business
Which degree would be best for my career? Which is more important, the degree or the school? I get the impression that Engineering Management wouldn't be as beneficial as an MBA but I would like to get others' feedback on this and thoughts on choosing between these two programs.
- Thanks
