MTM Students Excel in Program’s First Field Project Presentations

(Santa Barbara, California) - Twenty-one students from the Master of Technology Management (MTM) program recently presented their final reports at the program’s first ever field project presentations at the UC Santa Barbara Executive Learning Center in front of campus leaders, MTM faculty, and TMP staff.  

A signature of the professional master’s degree program, the field projects provide MTM students with the opportunity to consult with company sponsors on real and challenging issues faced by those firms. They begin the field projects at the end of fall quarter and consult with the organizations for five months.

Teams of four or five participants work collectively with key stakeholders in each firm sponsors to derive a project plan that includes arriving at a consensus on the scope of work, methods of implementation, and key milestones.

As they execute the projects over the five months, the teams receive support from faculty advisors, including guidance on their project plans, constructive feedback concerning work in progress, and individual performance feedback. At the end of their project, the teams provide solutions, recommendations, and/or deliverables to the sponsors and senior leaders in the organization.

Professor Dave Seibold, instructor for the two-term practicum course in which the projects are undertaken, noted that each team had a challenging task.

“Students needed to give a comprehensive review of their team’s project – from conception, through execution, to recommendations and outcomes – and they were required to demonstrate how they had integrated learning from the twelve MTM courses they completed toward the degree. In addition, each team was required to successfully answer questions from three faculty examiners (who did not include their faculty advisor for the project).” Seibold concluded, “All five teams did a marvelous job!  The Dean, faculty, and staff were truly impressed.”

The teams had already delivered final reports to the firms, and feedback from the organizations was uniformly positive. Company sponsors reported that the students had met and exceeded the firms’ high standards. Students then delivered presentations back on campus to all MTM faculty members, staff, and the Dean of College of Engineering. 

Three highlights emerged from the presentations: 1) the quality of the teams’ work in research, findings, and final recommendations to the company sponsors; 2) the strong collaboration within each team and the leadership exhibited by student members; 3) the practical applications and connections the students drew across the program curriculum.

Through a rigorous combination of ongoing project discussions, hands-on field assignments, and team interactions, the MTM program provides students with an integrated learning experience in which concepts and skills covered in classes are reinforced in their field projects.

Below is an example of the connections made across the curriculum within one field project. It offers future students a glimpse of what to expect concerning the learning experiences afforded in the MTM program.

About the MTM Program

The Master of Technology Management (MTM) program prepares early career engineers and scientists to be leaders in technology ventures - within both startups and established companies. The 9-month intensive program is designed to teach the frameworks, skills, and techniques you need to be a successful technology manager. No fluff, no filler. For more information, please visit our website.