The Management of Technology program (MSMOT) at Fairfield University serves the needs of professional technologists, engineers and managers in their progression into management-level positions. The program instructs and trains engineers and scientists, and motivated people from any discipline who have a need to make management decisions in a technology environment or will be involved in the management of such functions as technology research and development, product design, manufacturing, human and physical resources, product and system test, information and data analysis, and product and service support.

The program is intended for technologists and those involved in technology-dependent enterprises who aspire to favorably position their companies in fast-paced markets, influence crucial decision-making in pursuing new technologies and improve the likelihood of corporate success. Graduates of the program are able to help their organizations embrace technology innovation in a timely fashion, focusing the energy of their companies on translating research and development efforts rapidly and effectively into manufacturing strategies and products that satisfy market needs.

Mission

To prepare managers and leaders with the skills and competencies that will enable them to

• Understand, manage and lead organizations.
• Embrace technology innovation to remain competitive.
• Translate technology into business terms to result in richer business decisions, and a higher likelihood of breakthrough business performance.
• Assess, develop and apply solutions to the challenges confronting organizations in today's global economy.

Program Overview

This graduate degree program is designed to enhance your technical experience with advanced management and leadership skills. The program addresses the needs of the technically trained employee who must use business principles across the entire gamut of engineering disciplines. The non-technically trained person will also benefit from this program as business management has become intertwined with technology. Learning the skills this program affords will help prepare you to manage the domestic and global resources and processes required in today's business environment.

MSMOT graduates become effective leaders in small and large companies, providing creative guidance to the development and/or adoption and marketing of technology products and services. Specific program objectives include the following:

• To train the technically proficient by adding to their skills a deeper comprehension of business planning and economics, and an understanding of global markets, thereby empowering them to develop entrepreneurial skills. Technologists who are, or aspire to be employed as managers or supervisors and who currently engage in technology planning and development will be immersed in an educational program that integrates studies in technology management with modern management principles and practices.
• To enhance the skills of technologists in the design and manufacturing disciplines, in the management and effective use of information resources, and in the developing strategies that are crucial to effective leadership in technological entrepreneurship.
• To provide graduates in engineering, science and other disciplines with the opportunity to pursue a graduate program that expands their career paths and ultimately leads to leadership roles in technology-dependent businesses.
• To provide technology-dependent business and industry enterprises in Connecticut with people skilled in the management of technology and capable of enhancing the strength and competitiveness of those businesses. The outcome will serve to enrich the entrepreneurial climate in the state.

• To learn the skills relevant to today's competitive global environment where technology is increasingly a core competency of all organizations.

As a consequence of participating in this degree experience, the student will gain the following specific learning outcomes:

• Identify, prioritize, and solve technical and management related problems through analysis, synthesis, and evaluative processes.
• Understand how to plan, organize, lead, and control within an organizational setting.
• Interact with team members and/or work groups to achieve a common goal.
• Increase their individual knowledge and understanding of group and team interactions, and their impact upon business productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness.
• Recognize the skills and techniques needed for problem solving and decision making.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Understand basic accounting methods and their business applications.
• Use financial analysis within a business environment.
• Apply the strategic management process to an analysis of the business environment and make recommendations on preferred courses of action.
• Recognize ethical issues in the management of technology and in the decision making process in business and industry; and stimulate the student's sense of responsibility and help them deal with ambiguity.

Artificial intelligence plays an increasingly important role in the way organizations are managed, influencing how leaders make decisions, innovate, and remain competitive in technology-driven industries. Today’s managers are expected not only to understand business strategy, but also to recognize how AI tools and data-driven technologies can improve operations, support informed decisions, and create new opportunities for growth. To help students develop this skill set, the program offers electives such as Introduction to Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Generative AI and Applications. These courses provide students with a practical and conceptual foundation in modern AI technologies, preparing them to confidently lead and manage technology-based initiatives in an evolving business environment.

Almost all of the MSMOT faculty have been engineers, managers and leaders in industry. Some have started their own companies. They know what it takes to succeed in the business world. They stand ready to help you move your career into overdrive with the new skills and competencies that you will gain.

Students

The MSMOT program is designed to accommodate students who wish to attend on a full-time or part-time basis. The program is directed toward the following student groups:

1. Engineers and scientists who need skills in critical thinking and decision-making to effectively guide the technology that will enhance product and service quality and their employer's business opportunities
2. Professionals who are charged with implementing technology initiatives in order to effectively compete in the 21st century with a lead over their competitors
3. Managers of technical and business activities responsible for creating strategic business plans and overseeing their execution
4. Research and development practitioners who require skills to recognize relevant technologies developed outside their own business organization and who must judge the merits of investing in them
5. Engineers and scientists who aspire to careers in management and require the knowledge to systematically integrate technology into their company's activity
6. Engineers and scientists interested in academic careers combining science, engineering, and management
7. Technologists who require broad management skills to provide leadership in business

The program does not require the GRE or other standardized testing. International students must take either the TOEFL or the IELTS exam.

Curriculum

The MSMOT program offers courses affording students the opportunity to establish the foundations of technology management, and then choose a set of electives that best reflects their interests.  Of these courses, several are in the School of Business MBA program. A total of 10 courses, including the two-term capstone course, will earn a student the Master's degree.  Entering students are expected to have an adequate background in probability and statistics, computer programming using at least one higher order language, and financial accounting.