Designing student excellence, advancing technology
WMU's Department of Engineering Design and Manufacturing offers a bachelor's degree in engineering design technology; undergraduate and graduate degrees in manufacturing engineering; and a Ph.D. in engineering and applied sciences. Our faculty strives to advance the field through teaching, research and service.
When you come to Western, you will find:
- High-quality courses led by faculty with research and applied experiences.
- Industry partnerships that inform our programs to make sure you are ready for your career.
- Interdisciplinary opportunities with other engineering programs, as well as other colleges throughout the University.
- Student organizations that offer even more practical career experiences.
Your career starts at WMU
Your career starts at WMU!
Check out a few companies where Department of Engineering Design, Manufacturing and Management Systems graduates are working.
Our alumni
When you attend Western Michigan University to pursue a degree in engineering design or manufacturing, you will join a growing group of alumni who are impacting our field.
Rodney Burkhardt, B.S.’97, is the chief technical officer of castings and engineering at Metal Technologies, Inc., where he takes on responsibility for product engineering, facilities engineering and quality. Burkhardt has spent his entire career in the metal casting industry. After graduating from WMU, Burkhardt started out at Briggs and Stratton Castings Division, which was later purchased by Metal Technologies, Inc. He has held positions in product and process engineering, engineering management and plant management, and later held positions as vice president of product engineering and vice president of operations. Burkardt also received a master’s degree in engineering management from the Milwaukee School of Engineering.
Burkhardt received a College of Engineering and Applied Sciences Alumni Excellence Award in 2025.
