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Emotional Intelligence and Undergraduate Engineering

Students
Charles Skipper 1*, Lindsay Greenlee 2, Jannette Finch 3, and Kaitlin Marley 4

Abstract
Engineers in construction and manufacturing are expected to be able to work with and lead diverse,
multidisciplinary teams. Engineering students entering the workforce must be not only technically
competent, but also possess skills in working with other people. These traits are frequently lacking
with newly graduated engineering students due to the highly technical focus of their curriculum.
The opportunity to develop Emotional Intelligence skills is limited. This research proposed that
Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) undergraduate students may possess a higher level of
Emotional Intelligence than Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) undergraduate students.
The research also proposed that if differences were observed, that causal influences could be
identified. Undergraduate engineering students at The Citadel completed The TalentSmart
Emotional Intelligence Appraisal® along with demographic data and a variety of questions
regarding their undergraduate experience. This research included freshman and senior students in
Civil and Environmental (CEE) and Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at The Citadel.
These surveys suggested that undergraduate engineering students increase their EI score as they
advance from Freshman to Senior year. The surveys also suggest that Electrical and Computer
Engineering (ECE) Majors do not advance in their EI scores from Freshman to Senior year as well
as Civil and Environmental (CEE) majors. A positive connection was established between work
experience and the impact on higher levels of EI. A positive correlation for growth in EI score
was also demonstrated for students who attended high schools with smaller graduating classes.
Based on the results of this research, the paper proposes CEE and ECE faculty place increased
emphasis on encouraging students to pursue summer jobs, internships, and similar extracurricular
programs. Both CEE and ECE faculty should evaluate their curriculum with an eye towards
inculcating learning opportunities for EI into course work. Additionally, faculty and admission
officials should give at least equal consideration to admitting students who graduate from smaller
schools that may offer less college prep courses that may appeal to admissions officials.

Keywords
Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Undergraduate Students

1
Department of Engineering Leadership & Program Management, The Citadel, Charleston, SC 29409 *Corresponding
Author: E-mail: skipperc1@citadel.edu
2
Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409 lindsay.greenlee@ttu.edu
3
Lowcountry Graduate Center, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC 29405 finchj@cofc.edu
4
University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 kaitlinmarley@gmail.com

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relationship between emotional intelligence

and performance began in the mid-1990s, and
Introduction is continuing (Goleman, 1995). Technical
Engineering, like most professions, has unique expertise is simply not enough for real success
features. Students who graduate with for engineering graduates. Employers are
engineering degrees are virtually ensured of looking for engineering graduates who will be
well-paying jobs upon graduation, and a solid able to remain technically competent in a
career in an honorable and respected field. In quickly changing world while also being
return for those advantages, they must meet a people oriented leaders and teammates who
very demanding undergraduate curriculum. can attain great results on the job. The well-
Typically engineering students take more known phrases for “soft skills” are leadership
hours than most other majors, have more and emotional intelligence. They are now
graded homework assigned on a regular basis, viewed as effective means to identify possible
and are required to meet specific measurable high-performance workers (Mayer and Geher,
requirements on tests vice the opinions and 1996). Figure 1 reports the 5 EI competencies
interpretations that are prevalent in many other as proposed by Goleman, grouped into two
majors. The gauntlet that engineering students main categories: personal skills and social
must endure of chemistry, calculus, physics, skills.
and engineering problem solving courses may
not be conducive to free thinkers, or students The purpose of this research was two-fold; first
who are highly focused on people and their to determine if there was a difference between
feelings as opposed to delivering numerical the EI scores of Civil and Environmental
responses and technical problem solving. Engineering (CEE) students and Electrical and
Computer Engineering (ECE) students, as
On the other hand, upon graduation measured by The TalentSmart Emotional
professional expectations change somewhat. Intelligence Appraisal®. Second, to determine
Engineers in construction and manufacturing if there were life influences that impact the
are expected to be able to work with and lead differences in the EI scores. At the time this
diverse, multidisciplinary teams. research was conducted, CEE and ECE were
"Construction is a people business. In this the only engineering majors available for
business, you are hired for your technical research. It is posed that higher emotional
skills, fired for your lack of people skills and intelligence is at least a partial product of the
promoted for your management skills," academic curriculum of these two different
(Badger, 2002). In other words, engineering majors, as well as the pre and during college
students entering the workforce must be not experiences. Some researchers believe that
only technically competent, but also possess Emotional Intelligence can be worked into the
skills in working with other people. These undergraduate engineering curriculum, just
traits are not normally associated with newly like any other important skill set that is a
graduated engineering students (Walesh, desired outcome (Bradberry and Su, 2009). To
2012). evaluate Emotional Intelligence, “The
Emotional Intelligence Appraisal©”, a skill-
Emotional intelligence (EI) has become one
based self-reporting measure of emotional
way to measure non-mathematical/people
intelligence was utilized. This assessment was
oriented interests as a relevant indicator of
chosen because of its ease of collection and
performance in the workforce. Research on
ability to further analyze data that is generated
the importance and relevance of the
(Bradberry and Su, 2003). Students were also

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asked to complete a supplementary Literature Review

questionnaire that was used to collect
information on student demographics, work A survey of the literature supports the
experiences, number and size of high schools hypothesis that Emotional Intelligence (EI)
attended, and other potential Emotional would increase from Freshman to Senior class
Intelligence influences. level, as research by Boyatzis (2009) and Mo
and Dainty (2007) shows that EI increases
“relative to age and work experience”
(Boyatzis, 2009); (Mo & Dainty, 2007).
Personal Skills (how we manage ourselves) So what is the value of Emotional Intelligence?
Self- Knowing one’s internal states,
The term has appeared in many studies, from
Awareness preferences, resources, and
intuitions. Recognizing ones 1966 to the present, although Petrides,
emotions and their effects, Frederickson, and Furnham (2004) report that
strengths, limits, self-worth. the term as it is used today was introduced by
Self- Managing one’s internal Salovey and Mayer (1990) and became part of
Regulation impulses and resources. the mainstream with Daniel Goleman’s
Keeping disruptive
emotions/impulses in check, popular book, Emotional Intelligence (1995).
maintaining honesty and The classic definition by Salovey and Mayer is
integrity, taking responsibility “the subset of social intelligence that involves
while being flexible and the ability to monitor one's own and other's
comfortable with new feelings and emotions, to discriminate among
approaches.
Motivation Emotional tendencies that guide them and to use this information to guide one's
or facilitate reaching goals. thinking and actions” (1990), (Petrides et al.,
Striving to improve, aligning 2004); (Salovey, P. and Mayer, 1990);
with goals of the group, acting (Goleman, 2006).
on opportunities and persisting
while overcoming obstacles. The need for Emotional Intelligence to be
Social Skills applied to engineering students is becoming
Empathy Awareness of other’s feelings well represented in the literature as educational
needs and concerns. Sensing,
others’ feelings, needs, institutions realize that employers want to hire
concerns. Anticipating and graduates who not only possess the technical
recognizing the needs. knowledge of engineering, but perhaps more
Cultivating opportunities and importantly, possess soft skills. These non-
reading a group’s emotional technical skills allow them to be effective
currents.
Social Skills Adeptness and inducing
members of a team, interface effectively with
desirable responses in others. the public, and better represent their
Persuasion, communication, organization in business settings. Ironically,
conflict resolution, leadership, job interviews for engineers typically focus on
managing change, nurturing soft skills, since all engineering curriculums
relationships, collaboration,
creating synergy.
turn out students who meet the standard
Figure 1. Five EI Competencies (Goleman, technical requirements of The Accreditation
1998) Board for Engineering and Technology
(ABET).

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“Engineers no longer manage their daily tasks technical skills alone (Leicht, Macht, Riley &
with plain substance expertise; instead they Messner, 2013).
must be adept at communication,
collaboration, networking, feedback provision Van der Zee, Thijs and Schakel also find high
and reception, teamwork, lifelong learning, EI does not predict academic success. The
and cultural understanding... working life study by these researchers interestingly
skills relevant in today’s work communities” contrasts self-rated surveys of emotional
(Lappalainen, 2009). Desired attributes that intelligence with reporting done by others.
help engineering graduates find jobs include Some research finds that self-reporting may be
“self-management, business and customer inaccurate, and suggest that surveys be
awareness, problem solving, communication supplemented by additional reporting by
and literacy, application of numeracy and knowledgeable others, such as peers and
information technology, all of which are spouses (Van der Zee, Thijs, & Schakel, 2002).
underpinned by a positive attitude” (Lamb, F., Assessment models of EI can be split into
Arlett, C., Dales, R., Ditchfield, B., & “mixed models” and “ability models.” Mixed
Wakeham, 2010). assessment models have been described as
For potential employers of engineers, desired trait-based models and are generally based on
candidates ideally possess a combination of self-report. EI measurement based on ability
academic competence and strong EI skills. A models uses a performance-based response
few studies have tried to find correlations format from which a correct answer can be
between grades and EI. A study published in derived (Bar-on, Reuven, Maree, J.G., and
Engineering Project Organization Journal Elias, 2007).
(Skipper and Brandenburg, 2013) did not find Most common measures of EI use one of the
that higher EI contributed to better GPAs. This following tests: The Mayer-Salovey-Caruso
finding is supported by other research that Emotional Intelligence Test, the Emotional
finds “although the emotional intelligence of Quotient Inventory, the Emotional Intelligence
students was not directly linked to academic Scale, the Emotional Competency Inventory,
success, those with higher levels of emotional the Emotional Judgement Inventory, or Wong
intelligence were more confident that they and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (Bar-on,
could handle problems and challenges” Reuven, Maree, J.G., & Elias, 2007).
(Thilmany, 2005).
Using a mixed model tool outside of the
One research study reported that Emotional commonly used surveys can be supported by
Intelligence is highly associated with the leading researchers in the field, who propose
extremely important Project Manager that we need to access a wide variety of multi-
competencies of teamwork, managing conflict, dimensional EI assessment instruments that
and transformational leadership (Clarke, are scientifically developed, normed and
2010). validated (Bar-On, R., Maree, J.G., & Elias,
In another study, Leicht, et al. were able to 2007).
measure the impact of emotional intelligence In this study, the Emotional Intelligence
on the classroom performance of Architectural Appraisal® was employed, which was
and Engineering students in an undergraduate approved for use by TalentSmart. The
course, Introduction to Building Industry. The Emotional Intelligence Appraisal was selected
study found that EQ skills helped to create a because scientific data suggests it is an
higher performing team than predicted by accurate and reliable means of assessing
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emotional intelligence (Skipper & value of integrating some soft skills education
Brandenburg, 2013). It also can be favorably into undergraduate engineering programs.
used in comparison with demographic data to
analyze findings. Once a program recognizes the desirability of
cultivating hard and soft skills within the
Other studies using TalentSmart include a engineering student, several models are
large study, a sample size of over thirteen suggested in the literature as effective. Many
thousand, focusing on project managers and EI programs advocate for problem-based learning
(Sunindijo, Hadikusumo, & Ogunlana, 2007). (Butun, Erkin, & Altintas, 2008), (Cain &
Also using TalentSmart is a study attempting Cocco, 2013) as a preferred pedagogical
to correlate EI and academic performance of approach. A 2013 workshop conducted by the
civil engineering students. This study also American Society for Engineering Education
finds a positive correlation between work (ASEE) also encourages integrations of
experience and EI (Zhou, 2010). problem-based learning into engineering
curricula as either course-related work, or as
Lamb, et al. (2010) finds that integration of the course itself. Examples of this include club
soft skills into the curriculum is beneficial to activities, entering competitions (p. 14), design
students. Internship placement also results in projects for industry, case studies, and
measurable positive attitudes and improved internships (p. 6). Dym (2005) finds that
grades (Lamb, F., Arlett, C., Dales, R., Project-based learning integrated into
Ditchfield, B., & Wakeham, 2010). curriculum improves retention, satisfaction,
Research conducted by the American Society diversity and student learning (Dym,
for Engineering Education (ASEE) describes Agogingo, Eris, Frey, & Leifer, 2005).
the ideal employee possessing both deep Service learning as a pedagogical component
knowledge of their field and broad knowledge which also teaches EI and soft skills is an
in other areas as “T-Shaped” (American emerging area strongly advocated for in the
Society for Engineering Education, 2013). The literature. Shelby, Ansari, and Patten (2013)
T-Shaped engineer has the deep technical describe a freshman engineering course
knowledge, skills, and abilities of their module that teaches students the leadership
profession, balanced with the horizontal bar skills that are essential for them to be
that includes good communication, exceptional engineers by placing them in team
persistence, learning capability, high ethical projects servicing real clients (p. 2). Service
standards critical thinking, and other attributes learning projects integrate real-world
desired by business. experiences, tapping into the proven success of
One study demonstrated the strong connection problem-based learning. Shelby et al. find that
between emotional intelligence and leadership student engaged in service learning develop
behaviors of construction leaders (Butler and the three Cs of leadership: “competence,
Chinowsky, 2006). Another study found that compassion, and chronos (time management)”
Project Managers and Engineers (PMEs) with (p. 3). Shelby et al. also find that first year
higher EI scores tended to use more open service projects also increase student interest,
communication and proactive leadership styles learning, performance, and retention.
than PMEs with lower EI scores (Sunindijo, According to the American Society for
Hadikusumo and Ogunlana, 2007). These Engineering Education workshop report, soft
studies are in line with others that indicate the skills should be integrated directly in the core
engineering curriculum and not be taught in a

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separate course outside of engineering (2013). between freshman and seniors, we also sought
Additional course work can lead to delayed to examine other factors that may be related to
graduation and students may complain that differences in and increases in EI scores.
there is little integration with their engineering These additionally areas included participation
major (Lohmann et al., 2006). Many of the in high school athletics, participation in Junior
strategies for improving emotional Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC), size
intelligence, as proposed by Bradberry and and number of schools attended, and part-time
Greaves, can be interwoven directly into and full-time jobs.
engineering curriculum and has the added
benefit of being measured for improvement This analysis was based on two key
(Bradberry and Greaves, 2009). assumptions: (1) emotional intelligence can be
trained and learned, instead of being totally
Several research studies show potential inherent; and (2) the students involved in this
implications for hiring practices. The research were promised anonymity and
candidate possessing the higher EI plus guaranteed that their survey results would not
excellent academic knowledge, as revealed have any reflection on their current academic
through grades, might ensure a better hire classes, thereby encouraging the students to
(Iannucci, B. and Mirabella, 2013); (Ming answer honestly.
Chia, 2005).
This research included voluntary participation
Research also supports that Emotional from freshman and senior students in Civil and
Intelligence, commonly understood as soft Environmental Engineering (CEE) and
skills, can be taught. A major contributor to the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at
field of EI, Reuven Bar-On, has collaborated The Citadel. The students were given the
on many articles on teaching EI through assessment during regularly scheduled class
coaching (2007). Research conducted by periods, and there was no requirement of
Jahangard et al. (2012) also finds that EI is a completion nor was completion incentivized.
learnable skill, and posits that training of EI Students who were not in class on the days
components can enhance mental health. surveyed did not participate. The researcher
administering the surveys did not have any of
There is comparatively little research in the the students in his assigned classes, so there
literature that examines the effect of outside was no issue with students being concerned
influences such as work experience, social with attempting to satisfy a current professor.
groups, athletics, etc. on engineering education
and the growth of emotional intelligence. The Engineering students at The Citadel, The
above references indicate a need for more Military College of South Carolina, follow a
study in this area. standard Accreditation Board for Engineering
and Technology (ABET) curriculum. The
Citadel was the first College or University in
Methodology South Carolina to become ABET Accredited,
and meeting those education requirements are
The purpose of the current research was to
taken seriously by the faculty and
examine possible EI score differences between
administration. There also is an expectation
Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)
that all students will complete their studies in
students and Electrical and Computer
4 years, and most do so. The only significant
Engineering (ECE) students. In addition to
difference in the academic program from other
comparison of scores between majors, and
colleges is that Citadel Students are also

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Table 1. Demographics of Participants

Sex N Year N Major N Age

Male 158 Freshman 130 CEE 103 Mean 19.45
Female 8 Senior 36 ECE 63 SD 2.07

Major and Year N

Civil Engineering Freshman 82
Civil Engineering Senior 21
Electrical Engineering Freshman 48
Electrical Engineering Senior 15

required to take 4 years of Reserve Officer sample consisted of one hundred and sixty-six
Training Corps (ROTC) classes, as well as students. The majority of the students were
non-credit instruction on leadership male though our sample did include eight
development and ethics. female students. Demographics of students
participating in the survey are reported in
One hundred and ninety-four students Table 1.
completed The TalentSmart Emotional
Intelligence Appraisal®. This appraisal has The small sample size of students must be
consistently been shown to have high noted. In several areas of the analysis we had
reliability (α = 0.79 to α = 0.90; (TalentSmart, relatively small sample sizes, and that
2011), and consistently, we had high reliability prevented the opportunity to have more
with our sample (α = 0.83). Students also findings. These small sample sizes were due
completed a supplementary survey that to the relatively small size of The Citadel
gathered information regarding age, gender, (2400 undergraduate students, most of whom
work experiences, athletics, size of their high do not choose to major in engineering), as well
school, etc. The supplementary questionnaire as the drop off in engineering students from
was developed by the researchers and piloted entering freshmen to seniors. The authors
to several students who were not participants deleted any discussion or potential findings in
in the research. those cases where the sample size was too
small to be statistically significant.
The Citadel has a program with the
Department of the Navy where high quality
enlisted Marines and sailors can attend day
classes with Cadets, earn a Bachelor’s Degree,
Results
and receive a commission as an Officer in the In order to examine the differences that civil
United States Marine Corps or United States engineering students have in EI scores from
Navy. The Citadel also allows Veteran electrical engineering students and to
Students, who have completed their military determine differences in the students based on
obligation, to attend day classes with the time in school, a simple one-way analysis of
Cadets. These engineering students completed variance (ANOVA) was conducted. Due to
the surveys, but were not included in the small sample size of Senior Electrical
analysis since they were older and had Engineering Students, this portion of the
substantially more life experience. Our final analysis was limited. Instead the analysis

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looked at results of all freshman and all senior The research utilized a Type I error α value at
engineering students. To understand how EI .10, which could result in a 90% degree of
scores change during school, we proposed that confidence in the results of the analysis. The
EI scores would improve from freshman to use of a larger p-value in this research was
senior year. A significant result was revealed, acceptable due to the soft nature of the data
F (2, 174) = 2.39, p = .09, ηp2 = .03 (Figure 2). being analyzed. This research was exploratory
in nature and had a limited sample size.

Life Influences
One category examined was work experience.
Unfortunately, there were too few students
with full time work experience of 10 or more
months, so the analysis was restricted to part-
time work of 10 or more months. The results
were available for total seniors and total
freshman, but could not be subdivided by
major due to the small sample size. An
independent samples t-test was used to
examine differences in EI scores in those
Figure 2. Differences in Emotional students that had held a part time job for 10
Intelligence score by year in school. months or more by year in school. As seen in
Table 2 below, those seniors that had held
lengthy part time work had higher EI scores on
To further understand this effect, we examined average than freshman, t (55) = 2.28, p = .03.
whether this result was an effect due to
schooling or maturation, so a regression N Mean SD
analysis was conducted to examine the effect Senior Students 12 79.92 7.11
of age on EI scores. A significant effect for Freshman Students 44 74.41 8.55
age was found, F (1, 163) = 5.24, p = .02, R2 =
.03 (Figure 3).
Table 2. Impact on EI of Part-Time work
greater than 10 months.

This result is indicative of the tremendous

value for students to have real life work
experience. This finding is also supported by
previous research that indicated the significant
value of work experience in developing
Emotional Intelligence (Skipper and
Brandenburg, 2013).

Figure 3. Emotional Intelligence scores as

predicted by participant age.

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Another category examined was size of high

school graduating class. Participants were
asked to indicate their estimate of their high
school class size. Twenty-two students did not
provide an estimate of their high school class
size. A regression analysis was used to
examine the relationship between high school
class size and EI score. Results showed that
students with smaller high school classes
scored more highly on EI, F (1, 154) = 3.51, p
= .06 (Figure 4).
Figure 5. Emotional Intelligence score by
undergraduate major.

Envirornmental Engineering students (Figure

5).
Additionally, the data indicates that Electrical
and Computer Engineering students may not
progress in the growth of their EI scores as well
as their Civil and Environmental Engineering
student counterparts, especially when year in
Figure 4. Emotional Intelligence score as school is considered. A factorial analysis of
predicted by high school graduation class variance was conducted examining EI scores
size.
Full Time Work Experience, 40 Hours/week (#
months)
This result may indicate that students from
smaller schools may be able to form closer Junior ROTC in High School?
bonds with their fellow students due to a Level of Education of Parents?
variety of factors; previous classes together at Parent served in military?
the grade school level, more able to be team # Elementary Schools attended?
mates on sports teams due to lesser # Middle Schools attended?
competition, a closer relationship in the local # Different towns /cities lived in prior to college?
community, etc.
Population of town/city you are from?
Seasons of Junior Varsity sports played? Captain?
Other areas that were examined are listed in
Table 3 below. In each of these areas, the Seasons of varsity sports played? Captain?
sample size was either too small to produce Will pursue military career upon graduation?
findings, or the survey form was not clearly Volunteer Activities while in High School?
understood by the students and not completed Non Athletic Clubs in HS?
properly. Summer Jobs/Internships while in college?
The data did generally indicate that Electrical Athletic Teams while in college?
and Computer Engineering students have Table 3. Additional Survey Questions
different EI Score values than Civil and

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when considering student major and year in differences in the EI scores. Due to small
school. A main effect for the type of major sample size of senior Electrical and Computer
indicated that CEE students have higher EI Engineering (ECE) Students, the portion of the
scores than ECE students, F(1,170) = 2.85, analysis that identifies differences at the senior
P=.09, ηp2 = .02. A significant interaction level from Civil and Environmental
showed that the EI scores of CEE students Engineering (CEE) students must be viewed
increase more over time when compared to with caveats. A much larger sample size must
ECE students, F(1, 162) = 3.28, p = .07, ηp2 = be used to produce definitive findings.
.02 (Figure 6). However, the data does indicate that EI scores
improved with age, and this applies when CEE
and ECE students are combined in the analysis.
The research also indicates that there are
identifiable life influences that impact
Emotional Intelligence scores. Certainly age
tends to increase EI scores, of all majors. Yet
students who had substantial work experience
in part-time jobs developed higher EI scores
than their peers who did not. This is logical
since it is predictive that EI is developed by
close exposure to other people. Likewise,
Figure 6. Emotional Intelligence changes,
those students who attended smaller high
Freshman to Senior Year.
schools also showed higher EI scores. These
results indicate the value of developing close
These results come with some caveats since the relationships with a group of classmates in
sample of ECE students that are seniors is helping students mature and be better aware of
small (70 students, only 19 of these seniors). their relationships. Students who do not have
Also it must be undertood that we do not know to work (or choose not to work), or who attend
the EI scores of the Freshmen ECE students larger high schools, tend to have lower EI
who departed the major before their senior scores.
year. It is recommeded that other researchers In a discipline where expectations to perform
who have access to larger populations of are high, engineering students may feel more
engineering undergraduate students explore pressure than the average undergraduate to
that area. succeed. There are many calls in the literature
for Emotional Intelligence skills to be included
in the curriculum. In the United States, in
Conclusions order to be accredited by the Accreditation
The purpose of this research was two-fold; first Board for Engineering and Technology
to determine if there was a difference between (ABET), engineering programs must
the EI scores of Civil and Environmental demonstrate that their students attain, amongst
Engineering (CEE) students and Electrical and other outcomes, an ability to function on
Computer Engineering (ECE) students, as multidisciplinary teams and an ability to
measured by The TalentSmart Emotional communicate effectively (Kirsch, 2012). This
Intelligence Appraisal®. Second, to determine would appear to make a case for the inclusion
if there were life influences that impact the of Emotional Intelligence training and

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experiences in undergraduate engineering isolation, and developing team skills and EI

curriculum. sooner would be valuable.
The push to integrate EI into the curriculum
recognizes that having EI skills can help
develop an individual into a successful leader
Recommendations
or manager, which is highly desirable in a work The Accreditation Board for Engineering and
environment. Therefore, focusing on Technology (ABET) has recognized the need
increasing the EQ level of students in tertiary for engineering students to learn more about
education can increase students’ marketability leadership and to be able to interact better with
after graduation (Saibani et al., 2012). the public and others in their profession.
Placing more emphasis on soft skills such as
Engineering faces unique challenges in helping leadership, emotional intelligence, and the role
their students develop improved EI of engineers in society is being valued by
scores. Undergraduate engineering education professional organizations of Civil
remains very demanding, and the heavy course Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and other
load is required by all schools to maintain the disciplines of the engineering field – as well as
essential ABET (Accreditation Board for employers. This support should be
Engineering and Technology) accreditation. demonstrated by discussing the highly
The demands of majoring in engineering prescriptive course loads and content of
certainly benefit students in the long run with undergraduate engineering courses necessary
more lucrative jobs than their peers in other to retain accreditation. Engineering Deans,
majors. However, in the short run there is little Department Chairs, and individual faculty
free time available during college to focus on members can then adjust course content and
relationships or pleasure. The result is that educational approaches to better support the
some students majoring in engineering may growth of EI in engineering students.
transfer to a less demanding major that enables
a more pleasant college experience. It is up to Many employers make summer jobs and co-op
educators to find a way to fill this void, and programs available to undergraduate and
inculcate a sense of teamwork and belonging. graduate engineering students. These
programs provide that essential opportunity to
The research implies that there may be ways students for them to develop real life work
for educators to “have your cake and eat it too” skills and emotional intelligence. These
by continuing the robust technical problem programs should continue and be enhanced,
solving education that Engineering is famous with an eye towards making it possible for
for, while also helping students develop students to also complete required courses and
leadership and emotional intelligence. stay up with their classmates. This includes
Increased opportunities for students to work military training offered to, or mandatory for,
problems together in the classroom, while ROTC students seeking Active Duty or
constantly changing teams, may be one way. Reserve military commissions. Students
More use of graded team homework should not have to choose between sacrificing
assignments may be another. The literature their desired major, graduating with their
provides several studies that report efforts that classmates, or meeting strict
have been made to look into this area, and more training/graduation requirements. This is an
work can be done in this area. In the work important area for industry – academic
force few engineers of any discipline work in collaboration.

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This research did have a sample size of 166 Management Development, 28(9), 749–770.
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