Category Archives: Fall 2021 Incoming Cohort

Fall 2021 Incoming Cohort

Graduate and professional students who not enrolled in the MEM Program may register for some MEM courses (i.e. courses designated with Engineering Management course prefix EGRMGMT) on a space-available basis and with permission of the instructor and their Home Department.* Instructors may require students to demonstrate necessary sufficient background and may also limit outside enrollment for any pedagogical reason. (For example, some courses require close teamwork and may be hindered by allowing Non-MEM students to enroll.) 

Generally, the MEM core courses are not available to non-MEM students. The core courses for the MEM Program are as follows: 

• EGRMGMT 510: Marketing 

• EGRMGMT 520: Intellectual Property, Business Law, and Entrepreneurship 

• EGRMGMT 530: Finance in High-Tech Industries 

• EGRMGMT 540: Management of High-Tech Industries 

For non-MEM students enrolling in MEM courses, no additional fees beyond their degree program fees will be charged by the MEM Program. To enroll into a MEM course, the student must complete a Course Registration Permission Form and submit it to the MEM Academic Coordinator via email to: memp_ac@duke.edu. 

Form is linked below:

Non MEM Student Course Registration Permission Form and Policy

Fall 2021 Incoming Cohort

Duke’s ongoing efforts to keep the community safe and informed

All,

With the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, I wanted to provide a brief summary as a reminder of the steps Duke is taking to help provide a safe campus environment for our students, faculty and staff in the midst of a pandemic.

  • All faculty, staff and students are required to have vaccinations unless given an approved medical or religious exemption
  • All students must complete an entry test for COVID-19 prior to coming to campus
  • All students will surveillance test at least weekly to monitor their COVID-19 status
  • Students who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate until cleared by a Duke clinician
  • Everyone is required to wear a mask when inside
  • Hand sanitizers are located throughout Duke buildings

I also want to mention that Duke provides a weekly update on the number of positive COVID-19 individuals identified each week at coronavirus.duke.edu/covid-testing. Duke’s infection rate is significantly below the infection rate of the general population.

In addition to regularly checking your email, you can find Duke’s communications to the community about the current situation posted online at coronavirus.duke.edu/updates/community-messages. In reviewing these messages, you will note that Duke has taken action, such as closing facilities or asking certain programs to shelter in place, when there is an increase in cases. I am confident that Duke will continue to actively monitor and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic to keep our community safe.

The purpose of this e-mail was to reiterate all that Duke is doing to help keep you safe. I would be remiss if I did not remind you to do your part to keep our community safe by adhering to university guidelines such as handwashing, masking and testing.

To keep up to date on all that Duke is doing to keep our community safe and healthy, please see the Duke United website: returnto.duke.edu.  We are looking forward to a great semester and appreciate your flexibility and patience as we all navigate the next phase of COVID-19 together.

Best regards,

Brad

Brad Fox, Ph.D.

Associate Dean, Masters Programs

Fall 2021 Incoming Cohort

Fall 21 Course Registration Follow-up

Students,

I understand there were some questions about course registration and so I thought I would send a note to try to cover some of the common questions and concerns.

  1. The most common question seemed to be will there be enough seats in technical electives?  The simple answer is that even with increased total enrollment, there should be if current student course interest is similar to past student interest. Having said that, we are aware that interests change from year-to-year and so we will be monitoring enrollment and making changes where we can.

I did want to talk about what we have done to prepare for this year. Historically, many of our electives have been only offered in 1 semester (fall or spring). This year, many of our electives will be offered in both the fall and the spring. The list below are those that will be offered in both the fall and the spring. If a student is not able to get a seat in the fall term, they may take the class in the spring term.

Course Number Course Name Allocated Residential Enrollment per semester Total seats in the year
EGRMGMT 512 PRODUCT MGMT IN HIGH-TECH COMP (Lecture) 48 total over 2 time periods 96
EGRMGMT 514 NEGOTIATION/CONSULTATIVE SALES (Lecture) 40 80
EGRMGMT 542 COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES (Lecture) 35 70
EGRMGMT 556 ENGINEERING MANAGEMT PRACTICUM (Independent Study) 48 Fall  Likely 30 spring 78
EGRMGMT 560 PROJECT MANAGEMENT (Lecture) 40 80
EGRMGMT 576 DESIGN THINKING AND INNOVATION (Lecture) 40 80
EGRMGMT 580 DECISION MODELS (Lecture) 45 90

 

The Negotiations (EGRMGMT 514) class is new for the fall. It was previously only a spring class.  We also increased the number of practicum sections, and added a number of Advanced Topics classes (EGRMGMT 590) that we think will be of interest. The advanced topic classes are related to managing product design, managing product development and managing software development.

Based on scaling our historical enrollment in these classes, we believe we will have enough elective options and seats to accommodate our incoming class of ~ 225 students.

  1. There are also questions about in person classes (room listed) and online classes for students in the MEM residential program (indicated by time listed and room is “online course.” All of these class seats are intended for our MEM residential students. (Note: classes for our MEM Online students are in the room “online course” and do not have a time associated with them. These classes are not typically available to MEM residential students.) In the above table, I combined the in-person and online seats for residential students. We will allocate seats in the in-person and the online sections for residential students as needed.  We made an initial guess as to how many residential students may be studying remotely or may be arriving after drop/add (Sept. 3, 2021) and would need to start the class online. Please sign up for the class for your situation, even if it puts you on a waitlist. We will monitor enrollment and reallocate seats as appropriate. Students will come off of the waitlist depending on their waitlist number. If you sign up for the online class, the system should not let you enroll. Even if it does let you enroll, if you want to switch from an online section to an in-person section, you will go to the end of the waitlist. Therefore, it is important that you sign up for the class that you want and let us manage the allocation of seats between in-person and online sections.
  2. We have heard that some students are planning on enrolling in 5 electives and not signing up for any core courses in order to hold potential seats in case they might want to take that elective. There is not any safeguard in the system that would prevent hoarding of electives, but we strongly discourage this. It is one of the many reasons we talk about professionalism and the 5 principles within the program. Just because something is not forbidden, does not mean that it is the appropriate and ethical thing to do. By hoarding elective seats you will not use, you are preventing one of your peers from securing a seat in a class they want to take. Hoarding classes also limits our ability to expand seats/sections of a class because we will not be sure if there is an actual need or a bubble due to hoarding. Our recommendation is to sign up for the classes that you intend to take. This will allow your peers to sign up for the classes that they want and will allow us to better respond to any waitlists that may occur.
  3. Many of you are seeking clarity about the different ways you can plan your Fall schedule in DukeHub. Under the “Enrollment” menu, DukeHub offers three tools — Planner, Schedule Builder, and Shopping Cart — to assist you in your course selections.

The Planner tool is primarily designed for undergraduates’ use in mapping out current and future semesters. The Planner tool does not automatically add courses to a student’s Shopping Cart. The Planner tool does not integrate well with graduate classes; for this reason, we discourage MEM students from using it to plan their MEM path. Instead, we encourage MEM students to utilize Stellic, a web-based platform for degree planning and auditing, to map out potential course paths.

The Schedule Builder tool allows students to create and save multiple possible course schedules for the upcoming semester. Students can create a schedule, view it in a weekly calendar view, and save it (e.g., first-choice schedule, back-up schedule, etc.). Multiple schedules may be saved in the Schedule Builder as you look for different possible class combinations. The Schedule Builder does not automatically add courses to a student’s Shopping Cart, but students may add courses to their Shopping Cart when they are in the Schedule Builder. For more information about how to use the Schedule Builder, please click here.

The Shopping Cart is what you will ultimately use to enroll in your Fall 2021 courses. You should add your intended Fall 2021 courses to your Shopping Cart and then enroll in your courses when registration goes live on July 7 at 7:00am (EDT). At any time prior to enrollment, you may also validate your course selection to ensure that you meet any prerequisites for your selected courses, and that your selected courses do not meet at overlapping times. For more information about registering from the Shopping Cart, please click here.

I hope this helps to address your questions. If you have other questions, please let us know.

Best Regards,

Brad

 

Brad Fox, Ph.D.

Associate Dean, Masters Programs

 

 

Fall 2021 Incoming Cohort

Welcome from the PDC!

Hello,

Congratulations & welcome to the Master of Engineering Management Program at Duke!

I am Pratik S. Rath, President of the student led MEM Program Development Committee, an organization dedicated to providing students with holistic development opportunities outside of classes during their time at Duke. I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the PDC board and student body to welcome you all to the MEM class of 2022!

The Program Development Committee consists of various professional and social clubs. The professional student organizations aim to provide students with opportunities to hone their skills or learn new ones through various client projects, competitions, and workshops. They are a great way to network with other MEM students, alumni and industry professionals while advancing your career. Social clubs work towards building a strong, inclusive, & diverse MEM community.

We are currently in the process of adding a few more organizations to the PDC roster and will keep y’all updated. We will be hosting our PDC Kick-off Event on August 18th where you’ll be able to meet our Club Presidents and learn more about each club, including membership registration, industry projects, and open cabinet member positions.

In the meantime, feel free to reach out with any questions you might have. We are excited to have you join us this fall and cannot wait to meet everyone!

Best,

Pratik S. Rath

Duke University | Pratt School of Engineering
Master of Engineering Management | Class of 2021

Board President | MEM Program Development Committee

217 419 7081 | pratik.rath@duke.edu

Fall 2021 Incoming Cohort

COVID Protocols for Beginning of the Fall Semester

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Together we have made extraordinary progress in combating COVID-19 on campus. More than 81 percent of our faculty and staff and nearly 10,000 of our students are fully vaccinated, and that number increases every week. We ended the Spring semester with a very low number of positive cases and had a joyous in-person celebration for our graduates. In addition, since May 3, there have been 35,000 surveillance tests completed with only 7 positive results.

In preparation for the Fall semester, we continue to work closely with Duke’s infectious diseases experts and follow the guidance of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among others, to promote a safe environment for our students, faculty, staff and visitors. While the national news is good, the pandemic is not over yet. Vaccination rates in our region continue to lag and the emergence of new and more transmittable variants of COVID-19 mean we must continue to practice some of our public health protocols as we begin the Fall semester.

These protocols include:

  • Vaccinations: All Duke undergraduate, graduate and professional students must present proof of vaccination in order to attend classes and other campus activities this Fall. All faculty and staff are expected to present proof of vaccination by September 1. Students, faculty and staff may apply for a medical or religious exemption. Individuals granted medical or religious exemptions will be subject to daily symptom monitoring, regular testing, masking and other protocols applicable to those who have not been vaccinated.
  • Testing: All students will be tested upon arrival at Duke and must then participate in weekly surveillance testing regardless of their vaccination status. All students who have obtained an exemption from vaccination will be required to participate in surveillance testing twice a week. Faculty and staff who have not been vaccinated will be required to participate in surveillance testing once per week. The testing schedule for each group is based on the number of interactions they are likely to have that could lead to the transmission of COVID-19. Students tend to live in congregate settings and will likely have substantially more interactions than faculty and staff.
  • Symptom Monitoring: Fully vaccinated faculty, staff, and students will not be required to complete daily symptom monitoring. Anyone who has not been vaccinated, regardless of the circumstances, will be required to complete daily symptom monitoring.
  • Masking: Fully vaccinated faculty, staff and students will not be required to wear a mask in most indoor areas effective July 1. Because masks are still required in certain settings – including health care facilities, buses and shuttles on campus, and childcare centers – everyone should have a mask ready and available if needed. Also, please respect anyone who chooses to continue wearing masks as a means to prevent exposure to themselves or loved ones. Faculty, staff, and students who have not been vaccinated will be required to wear a mask indoors at all times. Masks will be provided to all students as part of the initial testing program.
  • Social Distancing: Social distancing is no longer required on campus, though distancing is still recommended for those who are not vaccinated.
  • Flu Vaccination: All members of the Duke community will be expected to participate in the annual flu vaccine program.

We will continue to assess our COVID protocols and test results as the semester progresses to determine whether it is safe to further ease restrictions.

With your participation and support, Duke has led the way back from this pandemic. Your perseverance, creativity and sheer will to overcome the many challenges that confronted us reflects the best of Duke and will define our future.

Sally Kornbluth,
Provost and Jo Rae Wright University Professor

Kyle Cavanaugh,
Vice President, Administration

Fall 2021 Incoming Cohort

Duke MEM – Student Website, Course Registration upcoming!

Hello Incoming MEMers!

As we get closer to the beginning of your new adventure with Duke University, I hope you are as excited as we are to have you join the Master of Engineering Management Program. My name is Carolyn Gilbert and I work within the MEM department. You’ll hear from me often during your career with MEM! I help students navigate orientation, work closely with our student leaders, and help build community within MEM, Pratt, and Duke…your new home!

I’m here today to share another valuable resource with you (and a few reminders!)

MEM Student Resources Site

We have created this site exclusively for MEM students, as a one-stop-shop for everything you’ll need related to MEM. https://sites.duke.edu/mgmt/ You will need to log in using your Duke NetID & Password near the top of the message. Make sure to visit this page as you begin to transition to Duke and MEM.

Reminder: Academic Advisor Survey due June 23

Please fill out this survey to let us know what your interests are so that we can pair you with the advisor that will best fit your needs. You will be emailed with the name and contact information for your academic advisor after they are assigned to you.

Reminder: Course shopping carts (June 28) & course registration (July 7)

The Fall 2021 course list will be made available to students on June 28 when shopping carts open and course registration will begin on July 7. You will use the DukeHub system to register for your courses. For guides about navigating DukeHub and registering for courses in DukeHub, click here.

Reminder: Frequently Asked Questions document

Quick answers to all your questions – Click here to view!

I hope your find the Student Resources Site helpful this summer. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Thanks,

Carolyn

Fall 2021 Incoming Cohort

Fall 2021 Welcome Message from the MEM Academic Coordinator

Greetings, incoming MEM Fall 2021 students!

Congratulations and welcome to Duke! You are one day closer to the beginning of your graduate degree. I hope you are as excited as we are to have you join the Master of Engineering Management Program. My name is Katie Douglas and I am the academic coordinator for MEM. My role here is to assist students and faculty and to provide support to facilitate the academic experience.

We know that you have career goals and ideas about your future, and we want to make sure you achieve those goals. We also want you to be able to get the best experience you can on your educational journey with us here at the Pratt School of Engineering.

GETTING STARTED

By now, you should have received an email from Bridget Kerwin, the Assistant Director of Graduate Student Programs and Services in the Pratt School of Engineering, with a New Student Checklist. The items on this list are critically important to help you successfully transition to graduate school. Please complete the items on this checklist according to the deadlines given. Additional reminders to complete these checklist items will be sent out throughout the next few months as you prepare for your arrival on campus in August.

Attached you will find a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from incoming MEM students. Please review these, as they will answer many of the questions you likely have about starting the MEM Program. In addition, please review the Bulletin of the Pratt School of Engineering, which contains a plethora of information about Pratt and MEM policies. (Note: The current bulletin linked is for the 2020-2021 academic year. The 2021-2022 Bulletin will be available later this summer.)

REGISTERING FOR FALL 2021 COURSES

The Fall 2021 course list will be made available to students on June 28 when shopping carts open, and course registration for Fall 2021 will begin on July 7. You will use the DukeHub system to register for your courses. For guides about navigating DukeHub and registering for courses in DukeHub, please click here.

The Fall 2021 academic calendar is available here. The first day of the Fall 2021 semester will be August 23. While Duke anticipates offering classes in-person for students who are in Durham, we understand that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has created travel and visa challenges for our international students. Therefore, the MEM Program will be offering classes both on-campus and online in Fall 2021, to accommodate those students who are unable to travel to the United States within 30 days of the Fall semester start date. Those students who are in Durham will be expected to take classes in-person on campus, but separate sections of courses will be offered for those students who will be learning online. Additional information about in-person and online courses will be provided closer to registration time.

OPTIONAL MEM VIRTUAL SUMMER EVENTS

The MEM Program will be offering a number of optional virtual events this summer to incoming students to get to know one another, to connect with faculty and staff in the program, and to begin engaging with Duke and the Pratt community. Please be on the lookout for emails from Carolyn Gilbert, the Assistant Director of Student Services in the MEM Program, for more information about these events in the coming weeks.

In addition, I will be offering virtual office hours via Zoom every Tuesday from 9:00AM-11:00AM (Eastern Time), beginning May 25, to answer questions you may have about MEM Program academics (e.g., course registration, policies, etc.).

ACADEMIC ADVISING SURVEY

As a part of providing students with an excellent educational experience, we want to ensure you are getting career, academic and professional mentoring and advice. We want all students to have someone they can speak to if they have questions about a certain course. With that in mind, we will be assigning an academic advisor to you before you arrive at Duke. However, we want your input to ensure you are paired with an advisor whose expertise and career interests mirror your own.

Please fill out this survey by June 23 to let us know what your interests are so that we can pair you with the advisor that will best fit your needs. Your advisor will be a great resource to you for course and career questions during your graduate studies. Advisors will be assigned the first week of August. You will be emailed with the name and contact information for your academic advisor after they are assigned to you.

Finally, for answers to many of the questions that you have about the MEM Program, please check out the Frequently Asked Questions document included here:
MEM Campus Incoming Student FAQs-final

If you have additional questions or concerns, or if there is any way that I can be helpful, please let me know. I am here to serve as a resource for you! 

Again, we are excited to have you join the Master of Engineering Management Program and look forward to seeing you this fall. Go Duke!

-Katie

Fall 2021 Incoming Cohort

Fall 2021 – Welcome to Duke!

We are excited to welcome you to Duke!

This is the first of several onboarding messages you will receive from Graduate Student Programs and Services (GSPS) betweennow and the start of your program. Our goal is to help you efficiently prepare to join us as an engineering master’s student.Please be sure to read each of our messages carefully.

To set you up for a successful transition, we have put together the Engineering Master’s Programs New Student Checklist. Besure to click on the checklist link, which will provide detailed information about each of the required tasks. And mostimportantly, please pay very close attention to the deadlines!

Engineering Master’s Programs New Student Checklist

  1. Activate Your NetID and Set Up Your Duke Email – immediately!
  2. Submit All Required Visa Documents (international students only) – immediately!
  3. Research Local Housing Options – immediately!
  4. Submit Proof of Immunizations – June 15 deadline
  5. Register for Courses – opens July 7
  6. Review Transportation and Parking Options – before July 15
  7. Review the Duke Student Medical Insurance Requirements – before July 15
  8. Upload Your Photo for Your DukeCard – July 15 deadline
  9. Enter in Your Preferred Name – July 15 deadline
  10. Request Reasonable Accommodations for a Disability (if applicable) – before July 15
  11. Familiarize Yourself with Duke Technology Resources – before August 1
  12. Review Duke Community Standard – before August 1
  13. Submit Official Transcript – before August 15
  14. Arrive On Campus! – TBD
  15. Attend New Student Orientation – TBD

Upcoming Communication

The GSPS team will continue to be in touch throughout the summer to remind you about your onboarding requirements anddeadlines. We will also be sharing valuable resources and information that is helpful for you to become familiar with before yourarrival. In addition to our messages, you will receive communications directly from your program/department, internationalstudents can expect to hear from Duke’s International House, and Master of Science (MS) students will hear from Duke’sGraduate School.

Questions?

We invite you to reach out to Graduate Student Programs and Services (pratt-masters-studentservices@duke.edu) at any time.We are here to support you!

Warm regards,

Bridget Kerwin