FAQs

What is Technical Leadership?
The Technical Leadership program at Stevens Institute of Technology is an executive education and masters level leadership program* for senior-level engineering and technology professionals that aspire to top technical leadership roles in industry and government – such as Chief Engineer, Chief Architect, or Chief Technology Officer (CTO). The only program of its kind in the United States, it features an innovative curriculum emphasizing the experiential approach and systems thinking for which Stevens is internationally known.
    
The Technical Leadership program offered by Stevens Institute of Technology provides technology professionals with the skills they need to become technical leaders driving results in complex and dynamic organizations. The program integrates lecture, case study, and simulation of leadership challenges with underlying themes that include ethical awareness, effective communication, technical integrity and personal mentoring.

What is the intent of the Technical Leadership program?
The next generation of technical leaders will need a broad set of skills and competencies to effectively conceptualize and architect, develop and integrate, evolve and upgrade and to operate and govern systems and enterprises.

The traditional career progression of technical leaders begins with domain specialists who grow to become systems engineers, lead designers/architects, or team leads. However, very little formal training exists to prepare technical leaders to reach the top level of leading complex technical organizations in roles such as Chief Engineer, Chief Architect, or Chief Technical Officer.

The Technical Leadership Program offered by Stevens Institute of Technology was developed to meet this need. The program prepares and empowers the next generation of technical professionals with the skills they need to expand their growth opportunities and progress their career into top technical leadership roles and responsibilities.

What are the critical elements in the educational approach of the Technical Leadership program?
At Stevens, collaboration meets the classroom. The Stevens Technical Leadership Program is unique in its emphasis, curriculum architecture and experiential approach. The program integrates lecture, case study, and simulation of leadership challenges with underlying themes that include ethical awareness, effective communication, technical integrity and personal mentoring.

The Technical Leadership program’s educational approach is founded on three critical elements, Mentoring, Renowned Faculty and Instructional Approach.
 

• MENTORING: Mentoring is a critical aspect of leadership, both in knowing how to be a good mentee and effectively mentoring others. The individual mentoring component is designed to make  a participant’s learning experiences more personal and enable the participant  to apply the knowledge gained in an immediate and practical way. The program also provides tools for participants to learn the power of mentoring and how to apply it personally and with others in their organization.
• RENOWNED & EXPERIENCED FACULTY : To achieve the most impact, theory must be grounded in practical application. Stevens Institute of Technology brings together institute-wide faculty who are industry experts and practitioners, researchers, and academics, with professionals who are committed to learning in a dynamic, diverse, and engaged community. Stevens’ faculty possessess a wealth of industry and government experience, and expertise across diverse domains, including Systems Engineering, Information Technology, Security, Telecommunications, Strategic Management and Defense.
• TEACHING AND INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH: This program leverages the Socratic Method of discussion and inquiry. Technical leadership is a “contact sport” so much of the learning occurs by applying concepts and approaches taught via specific case studies, discussions and debates, hands-on experience solving real-life problems and simulations with feedback from instructors, coaches and mentors. The over-arching learning philosophy is that participants learn by doing and do better with timely, coached feedback.

Why should I consider the Technical Leadership program at Stevens?
The Stevens Technical Leadership Program is unique in its emphasis, curriculum architecture, experiential approach, and is the only program of its kind in the United States. It is the first program of its kind solely offered to senior systems engineers and technologists as they progress through their career to technical leadership roles. The curriculum is guided by on-going research sponsored by the Department of Defense’s Systems Engineering Research University Affiliated Center (SER-UARC) which Stevens leads, and via collaborative discussions with key technical leaders within industry and government.

Why is Mentoring part of the Stevens Technical Leadership (TL) Program?
There are three related reasons. First, there is a cascading effect to good leadership. Interaction with other leaders plays an important role in developing one’s own leadership skills. Mentoring relationships are an important way to ensure that interaction occurs. Second, the Stevens TL  is an applied learning experience. Mentoring relationships will provide key touch points to help program participants apply what they will learn in the context of their roles and organizations. Finally, mentoring is part of what it means to be a good technical leader. The Stevens TL  program is designed to help participants develop their mentoring skills and regular interaction with their own mentors helps them to do so. It also provides participants with tools to learn the power of mentoring and how to apply it personally and to use it to help others grow.

What is expected of me as a program participant/mentee?
We’ll expect you to keep your mentor informed of what you are doing in the Stevens TL program. Be prepared to bring him or her comments and questions about what you have learned –things you agree with, found interesting, even things you might have learned that you disagree with. Most importantly take advantage of your mentor interactions to learn more about where, when and how you can apply what you are learning. Throughout most of your TL courses you will also encounter “mentorable” assignments that require you to further explore and report on what course concepts mean for your particular role and organization. As an TL  participant, you will also be accountable for establishing and pursuing personal development plans. Your Stevens TL faculty will help you work toward your goals, and you will be strongly encouraged to share your plans and goals with your mentors.

Mentoring is also a two-way street, built upon trust and mutual respect. We’ll expect you to work toward interacting candidly with your mentor and to be prepared when for your meetings with him or her. Being prepared includes having clear ideas about things you’d like to discuss or accomplish and following through on any actions you promised to take or commitments you may have made. We’ll also expect you to be proactive in establishing a regular meeting plan with your mentor. Ideally this should mean committing to meet with your mentor at least once every 4-6 weeks. We would also like you to explore mutually beneficial ways you can help your mentor. Examples include special assignments or even research opportunities. While we will not ask your mentors to share with us things you may have said in confidence, we will be checking in with them 3-4 times throughout the program to get their feedback on the extent to which you have taken advantage of the opportunities to interact with them

More details on the mentoring component, including expectations for both program participants and mentors, of the Stevens TL will be provided in the program’s orientation materials and allow for evolution throughout the program.

I don’t have a mentor. Can I still enroll in the program?
Having a mentor, along with sponsorship by a technical director or senior manager, is a precondition for admission to the Stevens TL program. As a high potential individual entering the TL program, you are expected to already have mentors from an existing corporate mentoring programs or be able to obtain a mentor based on a recommendation from your organization’s leadership.

If you do not have an existing mentor, speak with your sponsoring manager or Human Resources organization to learn about any existing mentoring programs within your organization and identify an appropriate mentor. In the rare case where otherwise well qualified applicants do not have access to a formal mentor, please contact us and we will work with you to identify an external mentor. Stevens has a small pool of mentors willing to volunteer their time and experience

What kind of coursework can I expect?
The Technical Leadership Program is delivered in person in a way that is highly compatible with working professionals' schedules. Projects and coursework are presented in dynamic experiential learning ranging from case studies to simulation and are directly tied to participants' current and future job challenges. In addition, participants in the program benefit from significant networking opportunities with peers across diverse companies and domains.

The initial offering begins in September 2011 and will be held in the Stevens Washington DC Location on periodic weekends with collaborative activities between sessions. The Master's degree* is completed in approximately 20 months.

What is the program architecture of the Technical Leadership program at Stevens?
The Technical Leadership Program is modular, and architected into three phases (lenses) that align with a technical leader’s career growth within an organization. These three lenses offer participants an increasingly broader aperture through which to understand and hone their skills as technical leaders. This approach ensures that program participants are exposed to aspects of a technical leadership role that go beyond technology and domain expertise, to include knowing how to enhance business propositions within the context of an enterprise’s culture and strategy.

• Systems Lens focuses on the technical product, system, or systems of systems and the leadership challenges encountered during all lifecycle phases of definition, design, systems engineering, development, production and support in the presence of high ambiguity, rapid change and challenging non-technical constraints.
• Business Lens focuses on the business and collaborative dynamics of a complete technical project and the leadership challenges associated with designing, implementing, managing and improving the processes, teaming, and organizational infrastructure through which a complex technical system is realized.
• Enterprise Lens focuses on the entire enterprise and the leadership challenges encountered in driving sustainable near and long term enterprise growth, optimizing stakeholder and shareholder value, ensuring enterprise competitiveness, and implementing change initiatives through engineering and technology strategic planning.

Communications, Mentoring, Ethics and Technical Integrity are emphasis themes that cut across all three lenses to ensure that fundamental tenets of self-awareness, team-building, and influencing others are pervasive learning threads across the lenses.

Can you give me an example of key topics that will be covered in the program?
Key topics covered within each of the three program phases include:

System Lens

• Architectural Innovation
• Technical Value Propositions
• Customer Expectation Management
• Technical Resource Planning

Business Lens

• Mission & Vision
• Situation Assessment
• Strategy Formulation
• Strategy Execution

Enterprise Lens

• Enterprise Mission & Vision
• Portfolio Strategy & Execution
• Stakeholder Interface
• Enterprise Development

Who is this program best suited for?
This program is geared towards technical leaders in various industries who desire to move into top technical leadership roles and responsibilities within their companies. Examples are: Engineers, Technical Experts, Integrated Product Team Leads, Lead Designers, Lead Architects and Systems Engineers.

What degree will I earn from the program?
Upon completion of the entire program, the participants are awarded a Master’s of Engineering in Technical Leadership*.

The duration of the Technical Leadership program is approximately 20 months.  Courses are held one weekend per month (all day on a Friday and Saturday, in person at the Stevens Washington DC location).  Thread courses are conducted in parallel and include work both inside and outside of the classroom.  All courses include collaborative engagements between sessions, such as with projects, mentors, etc.  You should plan on committing yourself to approximately one day of work per week in addition to class time. 

What are the admissions requirements for the program?
Admission into the Technical Leadership program at Stevens is highly competitive and only a selected number of senior-level engineering and technology professionals will be accepted for each admissions cycle. The admissions requirements for the Technical Leadership program are:

• 7-10 years of professional experience, with at least 1 year experience of team leadership activity preferred
• Sponsorship by a Technical Director or Senior Manager and an identified mentor
• A complete application for admission
• An undergraduate degree in engineering, computer science, or a related technical discipline with a “B’” average or better from an accredited college or university
• Official college transcripts

Who is eligible for the Technical Leadership program?
The program is specifically designed for senior level systems engineering and technology professionals who are looking to develop the skills needed to become technical leaders in complex organizations ranging from Chief Engineer to Executive Engineering and Chief Technical Officer. All applicants must be sponsored by a Technical Director or a Senior Manager and an identified mentor within their company in ordered to be considered for admissions into the program.

Do I need to be sponsored?
Yes. Your Technical Director orSenior Manager and an identified mentor within your company must agree in writing to support you by providing the time to attend scheduled classes and sufficient scheduling flexibility to complete required coursework and collaborative projects.

How do I apply for the program?
Applications and all instructions for completing the application are online at www.stevens.edu/TL
Applicants can submit applications via one of three ways:

• Mail: All application material must be sent to the
  
  Student and Faculty Care Center
  Stevens Institute of Technology
  Babbio Center, 5th Floor
  Castle Point on Hudson, Hoboken, NJ 07030

• Fax to 800-261-0177
• Email to TL@stevens.edu

What are the application deadlines?
Applications for the Technical Leadership program are accepted to our office on a rolling basis. Please visit us at stevens.edu/TL to access an application.

The initial offering began in September 2011 in the Stevens Washington DC location. The Admissions process for the 2012 start of Technical Leadership is expected this spring.
    
What is the delivery format for courses?
The Technical Leadership Program is delivered in person in a way that is highly compatible with working professionals' schedules. The Master’s of Engineering degree in Technical Leadership* will currently only be offered on-site at Stevens Washington, DC location.

Courses are delivered on periodic weekends (currently expected to be all day Friday and Saturday sessions) approximately once a month, with collaborative activities between sessions. The Master's degree* is completed in approximately 20 months.  

What are the costs?
The Master’s in Technical Leadership* consists of 12 courses at the Stevens standard tuition rate plus any books and materials that may be required. The program can be paid for via individual tuition reimbursement programs or organizational sponsorship.

Can I customize my curriculum through electives?
The initial offering of the Stevens Master’s in Engineering in Technical Leadership* is a specially designed curriculum that is already customized. Participants will have flexibility in selecting projects to match personal and organizational objectives.
Future offerings are expected in Executive Education format.

Are there any distance learning courses?
All credited courses will currently be taught at the Stevens Institute of Technology, Washington DC Location, and attendance is required. Given the diversity of our students, there is great learning value from face-to-face interaction in the classroom. Collaborative activities between sessions are conducted on your own time.

When does the program begin?
The Technical Leadership program begins with its first group in September 2011.

Do I have to take the GMAT or any other standardized test before I apply?
No. Applicants do not have to take or submit standardized test scores for the Stevens Technical Leadership program. Please see admission requirements.

I have more questions, who can I contact?
For more information, visit www.stevens.edu/TL or contact the Student & Faculty Care Center at: TL@stevens.edu

* Degree pending approval of the Graduate Curriculum Committee