Engineering Management

The BS in Engineering Management at CBU’s Gadomski School of Engineering is built for students who want to lead in technical environments without pursuing a traditional engineering design track. 

The degree combines core management principles with hands-on technical training in one of three industry-focused concentrations: aviation management, construction management, or packaging. 

Graduates leave with the business acumen to manage people and projects alongside the technical grounding to communicate credibly in the industries they enter.

An Alternative Choice in Engineering

The Engineering Management major is also a great option if you discover, during your study of engineering, that you are most interested in the management aspects of this field. The BSEM is still focused on engineering but requires fewer upper-division math and science courses.

Is Engineering Management for You?

The Bachelor of Science in Engineering Management combines two sets of skills. You’ll excel in this field if you:

  • Adapt quickly to new information or situations
  • Communicate well verbally and in written communications
  • Enjoy working with people
  • Can delegate well to others
  • Are ethical and diplomatic
  • Have an aptitude for engineering
  • Are responsible

Three Reasons to Choose CBU Engineering Management

1. Three Concentrations Built for Memphis’s Economy

The BS in Engineering Management offers three concentrations tied directly to the industries driving growth in Memphis and the Mid-South: Aviation Management, Construction Management, and Packaging. Memphis serves as the global headquarters of FedEx and sits at the center of one of the world’s busiest air cargo networks, with 15 airports in and around the city.  The region’s construction sector is expanding, and the demand for packaging professionals spans the logistics, manufacturing, and food distribution industries that define Memphis’s industrial base. Students choose a concentration that positions them directly inside a growing sector before they graduate.

2. Workforce Readiness from Day One

The Mid-South has measurable, documented demand for aviation, construction, and packaging professionals. CBU’s industry partnerships connect students to that demand while they are still enrolled. The majority of students in the Gadomski School of Engineering complete paid internships in their junior and senior years, often converting those positions into full-time offers. Starting salaries for graduates exceed $60,000 per year. 

3. Industry Partnerships That Lead to Jobs

Faculty maintain active relationships with industry stakeholders in aviation, construction, and packaging. Those connections produce real-world project opportunities, guest instruction from working professionals, and direct pipelines to employment. CBU Engineering has nearly 3,000 active alumni across industries worldwide, and the network is a working asset, not just a LinkedIn list.

Program Highlights

Aviation Management Concentration

Christian Brothers University’s Aviation Management Concentration, offered through the Bachelor of Science in Engineering Management program, prepares students for exciting careers in the rapidly evolving aviation industry. This interdisciplinary concentration combines foundational engineering principles, business management, and aviation-specific knowledge to equip graduates with the technical and leadership skills needed to succeed in the field. Students develop an understanding of aviation operations, logistics, safety, and organizational management while building strong analytical and problem-solving abilities. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, a major global hub for aviation and logistics, CBU offers students a unique educational environment with proximity to one of the world’s most significant air cargo operations. Graduates of the program will be well-positioned to pursue careers in airline operations, airport management, aviation logistics, and other leadership roles throughout the aviation industry.

Construction Management Concentration

Christian Brothers University’s Construction Management Concentration, offered through the Bachelor of Science in Engineering Management program, prepares students for rewarding careers in the dynamic and growing construction industry. This interdisciplinary concentration combines foundational engineering principles, business management, civil engineering, and construction-specific knowledge to equip graduates with the technical and leadership skills needed to successfully manage construction projects. Students develop an understanding of construction methods, project scheduling, cost estimating, budgeting, and construction safety while strengthening their analytical, communication, and problem-solving abilities. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, a major center for commercial, industrial, and infrastructure development, CBU provides students with opportunities to connect their classroom education with real-world construction practices. Graduates of the program will be well-positioned to pursue careers in construction project management, estimating, scheduling, field operations, and other leadership roles throughout the construction industry.

View Construction Management Concentration Program Brochure

Packaging Concentration

Packaging is an interdisciplinary field that applies scientific and engineering principles to develop and produce packages that contain, protect, preserve, transport, inform, and sell a product. Packaging engineering includes the study of products, packages, materials, containers, structures, methods, machinery, and transportation. It involves such diverse disciplines as chemistry, physics, materials science, mechanics, machine design, industrial engineering, electronics, materials handling, and other specialized skills. Total employment in the packaging industry is estimated at over a million. Packaging engineers are employed in such areas as package engineering, development, sales, purchasing, structure design, production, research, and marketing.

At the graduate level, the Packaging Program offers a Master of Science in Engineering Management with a Packaging Concentration.

View Packaging Program Brochure (PDF) View the Undergraduate in Packaging Program View the Graduate Certificate in Packaging Program

The Packaging Program also houses a Packaging Lab, which is certified by the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) and is well-equipped to provide many opportunities for CBU students to pursue real world training to become ISTA certified packaging laboratory professionals.

Careers

Graduates with a BS in Engineering Management are prepared to work in various environments where management plays a crucial role in the success of engineering projects.

Career Outcomes and Salary Data 

Engineering management graduates work at the intersection of technical operations and organizational leadership, a combination that commands some of the highest wages across all engineering fields.

The median annual wage for architectural and engineering managers was $167,740 in May 2024, with employment projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034 and approximately 14,500 openings projected each year. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–34 edition

Where CBU Engineering Management graduates work:

Graduates enter roles in aviation operations, airport management, construction project management, packaging engineering, logistics coordination, manufacturing supervision, and general operations management. 

Memphis’s position as a global logistics hub, anchored by FedEx, a major port on the Mississippi River, and one of the country’s largest intermodal freight networks, creates direct regional demand for professionals with this specific combination of technical and management skills.