Technical Management Degree Online

Career Outlook

As the next decade unfolds, the business world faces unique new realities. Skill gaps, automation and rising competition affect nearly every industry, technical fields included.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects faster-than-average growth for many technical management jobs through 2028. BLS data forecasts higher-than-average financial rewards, too. Construction managers, for example, earn median annual salaries over $95,000 – the same position in manufacturing exceeds $105,000.¹

SNHU’s technical management degree prepares you for the challenges – and the jobs – of the future. If you work in manufacturing, where there’s constant pressure to update technology and operate leaner, you’ll know how to handle it. If you’re in construction, where demand for green buildings means staffing up for solar installations, you’ll know how to do it. If you’re in an emerging industry like wind energy, you’ll know how to help grow a business from the ground up.

Technical managers who can think big picture and understand how to navigate the changing business landscape should have a strong competitive advantage. A degree in technology management only sharpens your edge in the job market.

"With this degree, I was able to pivot my career and steadily increase my managerial experience moving from project to product to managing global teams," said Yvette Jorgensen '17.

Jorgensen wants to stay on a leadership path.

"In the future, I would like to continue building on the knowledge and skills learned at SNHU and reach director level in the next few years," she said.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), construction, engineering, manufacturing and transportation offer some of the best job prospects.¹ Management roles include:

• Architectural and engineering managers: Drawing on their specialized industry expertise, architectural and engineering managers oversee a wide variety of activities. They might direct and coordinate building activities at construction sites. Or they might oversee production, operations, quality assurance, testing or maintenance activities at manufacturing sites. If technical problems arise, they’re responsible for solving them. Architectural and engineering managers set technical goals and lay out detailed plans to prevent technical problems from happening. The BLS projects 3% growth for architectural and engineering managers through 2028 and reported a median annual salary of $144,830 in 2019.¹
• Construction managers: Otherwise known as general contractors, construction managers coordinate and supervise building projects. The scope of the project varies with its type – from residential, commercial and industrial structures to roads, memorials and bridges. In addition to overseeing the construction phase, construction managers often consult with clients during the design phase to help refine plans and control costs. Green building is fueling growth in construction, with solar energy showing unusually high growth. Some jobs in green construction, like solar photovoltaic installers, are seeing a 63% spike in demand.¹ The BLS projects 10% growth for construction managers through 2028 and reported a median annual salary of $95,260 in 2019.¹
• Industrial production managers: Also called plant managers or quality control systems managers, industrial production managers oversee the daily operations of manufacturing plants. They coordinate, plan and direct activities involved in creating consumer goods like cars, computer equipment and paper products. They might also oversee production of commercial goods like lumber, steel and heavy equipment. Industrial production managers are responsible for carrying out quality control programs to ensure finished products meet a specified level of quality. The BLS reported a median annual salary of $105,480 in 2019.¹
• Transportation, storage and distribution managers: Sometimes called logistics managers, roles in this category plan, direct or coordinate transportation, storage or distribution activities. Industries include warehousing and storage, as well as truck, freight and water transportation. Telecommunications and oil and gas extraction may also fall into this group. The manager’s job often involves compliance with organizational policies and applicable government laws or regulations. The BLS showed a median annual salary of $103,320 in 2019.¹

Fields in industrial technology are ripe with opportunities for technical managers with a business degree. Whether you want to step up from your current role or find a new opportunity, you’ll be well positioned for leadership.

Course & Curriculum

To take on leadership roles in technical management, you need management skills. SNHU’s online technology management degree can help you build the skill set you need to succeed as a technical manager. You'll learn about key business principles and management styles and how they apply to a number of different industries.

And since you'll build on your previously earned associate degree in a technical field, you have a head-start on moving into a leadership position.

"I loved that with this program I had the ability to transfer in my previous AAS in Instrumentation," said Yvette Jorgensen '17. "The technical aspect of financial reporting and analysis that this program provided – coupled with the technical training and experience I had – was a good fit for my career goals."

With each course you take, you’ll get to apply what you learn to real-world situations. Through class discussions, writing assignments and other exercises, you’ll learn about the many variables that contribute to organizational effectiveness.

As you progress through the technical management degree program, you’ll learn how to organize a business, maximize resources and staff a workforce. You’ll study project management principles, including how to cost out and schedule a major project and see it through to completion. You'll learn Six Sigma methodology, which is in demand at businesses of all sizes.

Among the topic areas covered in our technical management degree are:

• Accounting and finance. Accurate financial records are the foundation of good business. You’ll learn their role in documentation and internal processes.
• Human resources. Managers need to build effective teams, motivate workers and keep employees engaged, productive and happy. You’ll learn what you need to know to succeed.
• Project management. Getting an idea off the ground is step one. You’ll learn all the other steps involved in completing a project and keeping it on time and on budget.
• Marketing and service operations. Market research, competitive pricing and front-office efficiency keep service levels high and business growing. You’ll dig in to all of it.
• Information technology. Managers need basic fluency in spreadsheets, database management, linear programming and more. You'll get the grounding you need.
• Six Sigma quality management. This proven practice for maximizing efficiency and raising quality has become indispensable to business. You'll learn how and why it works.

SNHU’s degree in technology management consists of 5 major courses, including these 3 required courses:

• Introduction to Information Technology: Develop the fundamental computer fluency you’ll need to achieve your academic and professional goals. Coursework covers network technologies, web publishing, digital media, file and database management, information security, social impact and more. Students gain fluency in word processing, spreadsheets, presentation and database software.
• Project Management: As modern organizations have grown more complex, they’ve also become more project-driven. You’ll learn the basic project management framework for organizing, planning, monitoring and controlling the project lifecycle. Coursework covers the methodologies and tools used to manage projects effectively in terms of time, cost, quality, risk and resources.
• Six Sigma Quality Management: Learn the Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) method of Six Sigma quality management, a data-driven, disciplined and proven approach to solving business problems. Coursework covers statistical process control, design and analysis of statistical experiments, process mapping, cause-and-effect diagrams, lean techniques and more.

In addition, you’ll get to focus your technology management degree further by choosing 2 of these 5 major courses:

• Principles of Management. Examine the fundamentals of management to gain an understanding of its role in any organization. Coursework covers planning, decision-making and international management.
• Management of Service Operations. Learn the concepts, principles and practices that lend to successful service operations while achieving operational excellence. Coursework covers the role of services in the economy, strategic positioning, managing service expectations and more.
• Management Science through Spreadsheets. Effective data analysis leads to business decisions that align with strategic objectives and achieve goals. Learn how to apply industry-standard management science techniques to analyze data.
• Supply Chain Management. Examine the role of effective supply chain strategies in global operations. Learn how to plan and integrate supply chain components into a coordinated system. Coursework covers key tactics such as risk pooling, integrated planning and information sharing.
• Topics in Project Management. Explore advanced topics in project management, such as project risk, project integration, project quality and project procurement. Learn the knowledge and skills of an experienced project manager by creating a detailed plan for a real-world project.

Core courses in our online technical management degree are taught by highly regarded, accomplished instructors. SNHU’s online faculty reflect the advanced academic qualifications and practical experience of an accredited university ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the most innovative university in the north every year since 2015. The expertise our faculty bring to the classroom helps to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

Some courses within the technical management degree program will require certain software applications and other technologies. SNHU provides cloud-based virtual environments to give you access to the technology you need for your degree – and your career. Learn more about our virtual environments.

Curriculum Requirements & Resources

• Business core: Business programs require learners to complete the business core program, which includes a variety of business-specific courses. This program focuses on 10 core competencies to prepare you for success wherever you go.
• General education courses: All online bachelor's degree students are required to take general education classes, if not obtained in prior coursework. Through these foundation, exploration and integration courses, students learn to think critically, creatively and collaboratively, giving you the edge employers are looking for.
• Save time and tuition: Depending on your scores, you could earn up to 12 math credits – the equivalent of 4 courses – toward your degree for less than $50 per assessment with our Pathways to Math Success assessments.

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