Program Goals

Technical knowledge

The Master of Engineering Leadership (MEL) in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering covers all stages of the industry value chain – from the initial design requirements to building and operating a vessel and its eventual retirement. You’ll explore how ships interact with water through hydrostatics, hydrodynamics and ship dynamics, and you’ll examine the structural demands and response of ships through applied mechanics and structural design principles.

NAME

Collaborating with your peers under the direction of leading researchers and instructors from industry, you will work in world-class facilities and multidisciplinary research centres to:

translate client requirements into practical technical specifications
convert technical specifications into realizable products
guide the process with technical tools, such as sequencing, blocks and integration
optimize operations (in terms of route, speed, course, safety, machinery, maintenance, etc.)
define engineering requirements and design solutions, and guide execution of mid-life events
define the retirement process and guide execution

Business foundations

Professional success requires both technical understanding and managerial and business competence. Through courses offered by UBC Sauder’s Robert H. Lee Graduate School, you will explore business strategy and innovation, operations and logistics, project management, and organizational leadership. These classes are an opportunity for you to gain foundational business knowledge in:

managing processes in manufacturing systems and supply chains
assessing visual analytics techniques for analysis and communication
evaluating project management processes and demonstrating their use
analyzing sustainability opportunities across a range of industries
presenting recommendations for organizational leadership challenges using a case study analysis approach
understanding business decision-making through the lens of key functional areas (strategy, marketing, operations and logistics, accounting and finance, human resources and organizational behaviour, and entrepreneurship)
understanding the basic principles of organizational strategy and innovation

“…students [will] understand the engineering decisions that have to be made to build the ship right, but also the business and management decisions that need to be made to build the right ship.” – Dr. Chris McKesson

Leadership and interpersonal skills

Effectively managing people and successfully leading teams requires a wide range of interpersonal skills. The MEL offers professional development workshops throughout the 12-month program. These extra-curricular sessions cover topics that include communication, teamwork, coaching and mentoring. Group projects and collaborative problem-solving are embedded into the MEL courses, creating ongoing opportunities for you to practise your skills as a manager and leader.

Learn more about some of the most significant challenges being faced within the industry and how this innovative leadership master’s degree can place you in a position to address some of our world’s most pressing problems.