Certificate in Engineering Leadership | Northeastern University

The Gordon Engineering Leadership Program’s mission is to create an elite cadre of engineering leaders who stand out from their peers in their ability to invent, innovate, and implement engineering projects from concept to market success.

Boston

Location

Full-Time
Part-Time

Commitment

1 Year

Duration of Program

Fall, Spring

Entry Terms

Yes

Meets F1 Visa Requirements

Overview

The Gordon Engineering Leadership Program offered by the Gordon Institute of Engineering Leadership is a transformational graduate program designed to build a future corps of engineering leadership professionals. GEL seeks to accelerate leadership development capability in an engineering context through a concentrated curriculum that inculcates both the psychological skills and capabilities needed to lead engineers in parallel with technical skills to successfully engineer products to customers and markets.

The program teaches relevant leadership theory followed by practice in leadership laboratories. Technical product development and scientific principles courses are followed by the completion of a market-worthy challenge project. This learning framework is supplemented with three-way mentoring from industry, faculty, and program mentors. Graduates of the program, known as Gordon Fellows, have an opportunity to gain the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to successfully lead engineering teams. They stand out from their peers in their ability to invent, innovate, and implement engineering projects from concept to market success. Participation in GEL accelerates Gordon Fellowsʼ careers, making them more valuable to their company.

This certificate can be pursued alongside the following programs:

GEL candidates must apply for and be admitted to both the Northeastern Graduate School of Engineering and the Gordon Institute of Engineering Leadership. Students pursue GEL as part of a Master of Science degree in the engineering discipline of their choice or as a stand-alone graduate certificate. Upon completion of the program, students earn both the Master of Science degree in the discipline of choice and a Graduate Certificate in Engineering Leadership. Students who already hold a graduate degree in engineering or have more than three yearsʼ engineering work experience can complete the program to earn a Graduate Certificate in Engineering Leadership. The core GEL curriculum takes place during one year (September–July), and additional course work required for the Master of Science degree can be pursued before, after, or in parallel with GEL.

More Details

Unique Features

Can be pursued as part of a Master of Science degree in any engineering discipline offered by the College of Engineering at Northeastern University
Can be pursued after earning a Master of Science in any engineering discipline
The core curriculum takes place during one year
Candidates complete a thesis-equivalent challenge project
Nationally recognized by the National Academy of Engineering

Admissions

A graduate degree or certificate from Northeastern—a top-50 university—can accelerate your career through rigorous academic coursework and hands-on professional experience in the area of your interest. Apply now—and take your career to the next level.

Program Costs

$27.8K

Tuition

Finance Your Education We offer a variety of resources, including scholarships and assistantships.

How to Apply Learn more about the application process and requirements.

Requirements

GEL online application. As part of the GEL application, you must provide contact information for an individual at your organization who can 1) nominate you for the program and 2) attest that the organization can provide a suitable Challenge Project for completion during the program.
Current resume
Interview with the GEL admissions committee

Prospective students must apply to both the Gordon Institute of Engineering Leadership and their Master of Science engineering discipline at the College of Engineering.

Are You an International Student? Find out what additional documents are required to apply.

Admissions Details Learn more about the College of Engineering admissions process, policies, and required materials.

Admissions Dates

Applications received after the stated deadline dates will be accepted and processed as quickly as possible; however it may not be possible to have a decision rendered in time for the applicant to begin taking classes for the desired term if admitted.

Applications submitted by the referenced dates will receive full consideration for the referenced term. Applications received after the referenced dates will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Fall Semester Entry

Spring Semester Entry


International student deadline outside the US:	June 1
International student deadline inside the US:	July 1
Domestic student deadline:	August 1


International student deadline outside the US:	September 15
International student deadline inside the US:	November 1
Domestic student deadline:	December 1

Curriculum

Industry-aligned courses for in-demand careers.

For 100+ years, we’ve designed our programs with one thing in mind—your success. Explore the current program requirements and course descriptions, all designed to meet today’s industry needs and must-have skills.

Experiential Learning

Northeastern combines rigorous academics with experiential learning and research to prepare students for real-world engineering challenges. The cooperative education program, also known as “co-op,” is one of the largest and most innovative in the world, and Northeastern is one of only a few that offers the co-op program for graduate students pursuing an MS or PhD. Through this program, students gain professional industry experience in their field of interest as part of the academic curriculum while employed from four to eight months in a wide variety of organizations, from large companies to entrepreneurial start-ups.

In 2019, the Graduate School of Engineering placed nearly 1000 students in co-op positions. We have a team that prepares students for the cooperative education experience through resumé building, developing interview skills, and guiding professional development.

Faculty

Our Faculty

Our faculty represents a wide cross-section of professional practices and fields ranging from finance to education to biomedical science to management to the U.S. military. They serve as mentors and advisors and collaborate alongside students to solve the most pressing global challenges facing established and emerging markets.

Students

By enrolling in Northeastern, you’ll gain access to students at 14 campus locations, 300,000+ alumni, and 2,900+ employer partners worldwide. Our global university system provides students unique opportunities to think locally and act globally while serving as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions.

Below is a look at where our Engineering alumni work, the positions they hold, and the skills they bring to their organization.

Where They Work
- GE Aviation
- Raytheon
- CDM Smith
- Bose Corporation
- IBM
What They Do
- Engineering
- Operations
- Business Development
- Program and Project Management
- Entrepreneurship
What They're Skilled At
- Engineering
- Project Management
- AutoCAD
- SolidWorks
- Manufacturing

Learn more about Northeastern Alumni on Linkedin.

Request Info

You May Also Be Interested In
	Electrical and Computer Engineering Leadership Master's Certificate	Boston	Full-Time Part-Time	2 Years	Classroom	Save
		LOCATION	COMMITMENT	DURATION	TYPE

	Engineering Business Certificate	Boston	Full-Time Part-Time	1 Year	Classroom	Save
		LOCATION	COMMITMENT	DURATION	TYPE

	Engineering Economic Decision Making Certificate	Boston	Part-Time	1-1.5 Years	Classroom	Save
		LOCATION	COMMITMENT	DURATION	TYPE

	Engineering Management Master's	Online	Full-Time Part-Time	1.5 to 2 Years	Online	Save
		LOCATION	COMMITMENT	DURATION	TYPE

	Supply Chain Engineering Management Certificate	Boston	Part-Time	1-1.5 Years	Classroom	Save
		LOCATION	COMMITMENT	DURATION	TYPE

	Leading and Managing Technical Projects Certificate	Boston	Full-Time Part-Time	6-12 months	Classroom	Save
		LOCATION	COMMITMENT	DURATION	TYPE

College of Engineering

Engineering Leadership

More Details

Unique Features

Looking for something different?

Program Costs

Requirements

Admissions Dates

Industry-aligned courses for in-demand careers.

Our Faculty

Steven Klosterman

Steve McGonagle

Simon Pitts

Dr. Christos Zahopoulos

Where They Work

What They Do

What They're Skilled At

Related Articles

You May Also Be Interested In

Boston

Full-Time

Part-Time

2 Years

Classroom

Boston

Full-Time

Part-Time

1 Year

Classroom

Boston

Part-Time

1-1.5 Years

Classroom

Online

Full-Time

Part-Time

1.5 to 2 Years

Online

Boston

Part-Time

1-1.5 Years

Classroom

Boston

Full-Time

Part-Time

6-12 months

Classroom

Northeastern Reception at NASPA