Program Management Strategies and Student Success Practices for a Fully Asynchronous Online Professional Master’s Program
Concurrent Session 1


Brief Abstract
This session will cover program management strategies and student success practices for the Master of Engineering Management (MEM) which is a fully asynchronous online professional master’s degree for working engineers. Faculty and student onboarding practices are discussed as well as strategies used in advising and building community in the program.
Presenters

Extended Abstract
The Master of Engineering Management (MEM) program is an asynchronous, web-based, fully online program with no residency component. MEM students are engineers who work full-time, and are geographically dispersed. Many of them are located either regionally or nationally, and a few even globally. Naturally, design, administration, and delivery of such a program requires care, both in terms of student-staff interactions as well as course and curriculum issues and interactions.
We have implemented some big and small changes and started a few practices in hopes of improving MEM student interactions and overall quality of their experiences with staff and in courses. This session highlights a few of those changes and practices, including:
- MEM Student Success Center: An information repository and a venue for communication
- Effective student advising practices
- Minor changes to improve rankings
- Onboarding practices for new adjuncts and faculty
- Development of course and instructional design template (using multiple sources)
- Use of Syllabus and Canvas templates for consistency
- Syllabus and course review
- Plans to build a platform for networking opportunities and to create a sense of community between MEM graduates and current students
Outcomes for the audience
- Improve LMS course design and students’ experience
- Implement consistency across the program
- Enhance student engagement from a distance
- Establish onboarding processes for both faculty and students