In my opinion, basic business literacy would be a great class to take and essential if one plans on going into industry. I agree wholeheartedly that the engineering management course was very surface level and I worry about going into a full-time job in industry with such little knowledge will be difficult. I think that a business elective should be required if a student is not a pre-med student and does not plan on going into research (on the other hand, a intro to research class should be required for those planning on applying to a PhD program). Even if it seems unnecessary, I think that basic business literacy is beneficial for everyone, including in one's personal life. It would help people better understand news, politics, and generally a better understanding of how to establish a business. In the case of industry though, it would also give people a leg up in climbing the corporate ladder. If all recent graduates know how to do is the technical portions of their job, they may never understand what skills are necessary for rising in positions. There are so many factors to management that are completely different from technical skills that an entire course should be taught on it. I understand that the technical skills are very important, but classes taught should cater to all the goals of students, including the ones that are more business-oriented.

I believe additional business courses should be available as electives rather than required courses. Engineering students can follow many different career paths that may not include the need to incorporate business courses. For example, students who are pre-med or are interested in research and would like to pursue a PhD, would not need to take on any additional business courses as it would not serve their interests. However, students who plan to go into industry may want to take on some additional business courses to help them navigate through industry life. In addition to classes, however, I believe that practical experience would be more beneficial to students who are looking into the industry. Practical experiences could include co-op experiences, internships, and entrepreneurship programs. 

Business courses would offer the interdisciplinary skills that could bridge the gap between the technical and business teams that are seen often in the industry; however, learning hands-on would be a better approach to fully understanding the scope of business in the industry field. 

Engineering students should take an additional business course to be better prepared for entering industry since business classes would provide valuable information that could help in the transition from school to career. When engineers enter into the work field, sometimes they have a strong technical background but may be lacking management skills, such as leadership and communication. These business courses could help in developing different soft skills. Additionally, engineers would be exposed to project management and cost analysis, which would help them in planning and assisting in different projects. Business courses also emphasize the importance of looking at the bigger picture which would help engineers in understanding how their projects in industry tie into the bigger picture of the company and the department. Across most majors, business courses should be taken as having a foundation in business principles will help as an individual progresses in their career.

If any FDA/Regulatory class is considered "business," then I believe it should be added to the curriculum. Although the FDA medical device classification is more relevant to people who are preparing to design a product for human use, I think any exposure to Regulatory basics and ISO certification are crucial to success in industry. The importance of understanding what ISO 9001 vs. ISO 13485 (to name a few examples) and how companies are able to register themselves for this, as well as how employees are able to become compliant, is something I personally was not exposed to until I was in a company. I think familiarizing ourselves with FDA rules and regulations as well as getting involved with a business's connections to these certifications by having this in the BME curriculum (or at least as a seminar class) would be fantastic to familiarize ourselves with a business connection to regulatory. 

I believe basic business classes should be required electives for all students, not just biomedical engineering students. For almost all careers, a basic understanding of financials and business development is needed. As an engineer, it is important to understand the financial implications of projects and the use of business analytics to guide decision-making. While it is possible to work in industry without this knowledge, I think having some prior experience in business courses will make you more valuable to a company. Also, if a student ever wants to start their own company, engineering firm, or consulting company, they need to understand many business concepts.

As an NJIT grad, I agree that engineering students should be required to take additional engineering courses. The problem with the way the current BME curriculum is laid out is that their is not much room for engineering courses. Besides this course, the only other course that exists is the course BME 472, which only talks about one pathway towards FDA approval, only 510(k) and PMA, the contents of which are covered in less than a week of this course (BME 684). As a result, any course that operates in that regard is functionally equivalent to a workshop, which is not that useful. The reason these courses are not sufficient is because they are taught by faculty who have very narrow experience within industry that cannot be applied to other fields. This is not the fault of the faculty or the BME department, but it is because as BME is a relatively new field, there are not a lot of faculty members who have a broad range of experience both as a BME professional and as a BME professional in management. Therefore, in order to educate the next generation of BME majors and ensure the continued success of the BME field, it is crucial for BME students to engage in business education to a certain extent in their coursework beyond a few required courses.

I believe that, the question of whether engineering students should be required to take an additional business course or participate in workshops to enhance their business knowledge is a matter of academic program design and the specific needs and goals of the students and the industries they will enter. Here are some considerations:

Additional Business Course: Pros:

1. In-Depth Knowledge: Taking an additional business course would provide engineering students with more in-depth knowledge of business principles, economics, and management, which can be valuable in various industry roles.
2. Broad Understanding: It would give students a broader understanding of the business world and the factors that impact decision-making, which could be beneficial in their careers.

Cons:

1. Additional Time and Cost: Adding another course to an engineering program might extend the time required to complete a degree and increase the cost of education.
2. Relevance: The relevance of additional business coursework may vary depending on the career path and industry of the individual student.

Workshops: Pros:

1. Practical Application: Workshops can focus on practical skills and immediate application, allowing students to gain hands-on experience.
2. Flexibility: Workshops can be more flexible and tailored to specific needs, ensuring that students acquire the most relevant knowledge and skills.

Cons:

1. Depth of Knowledge: Workshops may provide practical skills but may not delve as deeply into theory and concepts as a formal course.
2. Limited Scope: Workshops may not cover the breadth of business topics that a full course would.

I think as an engineering student, you are already familiar with business principles. I think a class in Project Management might be helpful though. I think, in the end, you are ready to learn and tackle business problems because of your coursework. You learned a lot of math and statistics. You already have very well developed critical thinking skills. However, you could consider doing an MBA though. I think this is an excellent way to further develop yourself.