Theory-based course design for professional master's degree program in Business Engineering

Abstract

The shortage of young engineers presents a structural problem that deflates growth and innovation and causes high value losses for the economy. To achieve sustainable success in securing new recruits, prospective students from working life are highly relevant for the universities, because they act at the crossroads of Engineering and Business. Although the offer of studying programs alongside work has grown in recent years in Germany, there is still a lack of theory-based development in didactic concepts for this specific studying group. Generally, there is still a need for research in context of accompanied studies and student-centered contact with the learning professionals. This paper aims to generate new insights in a threefold way: (1) by specifying challenges and approaches for accompanied studying programs in Business Engineering; (2) by explaining the theoretical framework for the methodical educational arrangement of exemplary engineering courses; and (3) by describing first experiences with the concept during the development and implementation in selected engineering courses. This generates empirically grounded knowledge on the theory-based course design for learning professionals and contributes the translation of pedagogical research to practice.