Master of Systems Engineering

Designed for both engineers and managers, an advanced degree in systems engineering at Embry-Riddle will prepare graduates for the next stage of their careers. A Systems Engineering degree will provide a solid foundation of fundamental systems engineering knowledge while also teaching students how to apply a systems perspective to business and technology. The program features two tracks to choose from: a technical track — focused on system design, analysis, and implementation — and an engineering management track — covering organization, process, and management. This will help complement a student’s professional experience with the confidence and skills needed to successfully lead complex engineering projects.

ERAU faculty members are subject matter experts who possess a wealth of Systems Engineering experience. With extensive backgrounds in managing complex, multidisciplinary, advanced technology projects, students gain valuable insight into Systems Engineering throughout their studies.

The program curriculum is based on an interdisciplinary engineering approach as envisioned and defined by the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

About Systems Engineering at the Worldwide & Online Campus

In today’s complex world, individuals who can effectively apply Systems Engineering are in high demand across many industries; those who fill these roles can often rise through the ranks of an organization at an accelerated rate compared to their domain-focused engineering and management counterparts. A master's degree in Systems Engineering could be the optimal path for students wishing to gain the heightened understanding necessitated by increasingly complex systems.

The Master of Systems Engineering (MSYSE) program at ERAU’s Worldwide & Online Campus is designed for students who have gained knowledge and experience in a technical discipline, including engineering, and are looking to broaden their perspective and toolkit. Both traditional students and professionals enter the program with varying levels of experience to understand and apply systems thinking principles and systems engineering tools to different types of systems throughout their lifecycle. Students are exposed to stakeholders, requirements, enterprises, system design, development, quality, operations and maintenance, and system disposal over several core courses and are afforded the flexibility to determine the scope of the remaining coursework.

This flexibility is achieved through two track options - Engineering Management or Technical - and allows the student to choose four courses that best align with their personal and professional interests.

The program’s two tracks — technical or engineering management — give students the freedom to tailor their electives. At the Worldwide Campus, personal academic advising helps guide a student’s independent capstone project and ensures the coursework is in line with their career goals.

A Capstone Project at the end of the program ensures that coalescence between the electives chosen and systems engineering fundamentals has occurred. So, whether a student wants to apply systems engineering in a specific domain like Unmanned Systems or Human Factors or prefers the project management or Leadership side of things, the MSYSE program is readily adaptable to those needs.

Ultimately, ERAU’s Systems Engineering program takes an applied, rather than a theory-based approach to understanding systems engineering. That means students are immersed in real-world projects, encouraged to incorporate their personal and professional experiences into their course work, actively engage in teamwork, and are prepared to immediately apply new skills on the job.

Requirements and Courses

Complex engineering projects are at the heart of the modern business. In order to innovate, adapt, thrive, and survive, organizations must undertake efforts that require the coordination of different teams, the understanding of complex technology and tools, and the integration of interdepartmental work processes. Leaders who can effectively manage these efforts are in high demand across many industries.

The Master of Systems Engineering (MSYSE) degree program prepares and qualifies students to take on such a role. Through this focused curriculum, students will establish a solid foundation of fundamental systems-engineering knowledge, learning how to apply a systems perspective to business and technology.

The program is offered in two tracks, allowing students to tailor their education to their career goals. The Technical track concentrates on system design, analysis, and implementation. The Engineering Management track concentrates on organization, process, and management.

The MSYSE delivers exceptional learning and is an esteemed credential for systems engineers entering the field, engineers wishing to broaden their perspective or advance to management positions, and managers seeking the knowledge and skills necessary for engineering products and services from a systems perspective.

Program-Specific Criteria

Applicants and students requesting an internal transfer to MSYSE should meet the following criterion-

• The applicant has successfully completed an equivalent to both MATH 242 and STAT 211/222 and has a 3.0 CGPA or higher in their undergraduate program

Any applicants with graduate coursework must meet the established graduate transfer CGPA as well.

NOTE: Applicants who fail to satisfy the guidelines for full admission may be considered for conditional admission under circumstances determined by the Admissions Office or Program Chair. Applicants not meeting the MATH 242 and STAT 211/222 requirements specifically must successfully complete SYSE 515 prior to enrolling in MSYSE core courses if accepted under conditional terms. The candidate will be notified of academic conditions of admission, including specific information on required course prerequisites, at the time a decision is rendered. Students granted custom conditional admission must adhere to the individual terms outlined in their letter of admission and will remain on conditional status until they have satisfied the terms of their conditional admission.

In addition, applicants must submit

• Three (3) letters of recommendation, including one (1) from a recent instructor or trainer Download the Program Recommendation Form
• Resume outlining work experience, education, relevant activities, and awards
• A type-written Statement of Objectives, demonstrating a strong capacity for written communication and addressing the following topic areas-
  • The applicant’s understanding, in their own words, of what Systems Engineering entails
  • The applicant’s background and exposure to engineering to date, in both their academic and professional career
  • A statement of the particular MSYSE track the applicant intends to pursue (Technical or Management) and a discussion of why this election was made; If the applicant has chosen an elective set, disclosure and justification of elective selections may also be included
  • An explanation of the applicant’s overall academic and career objectives, including how the applicant believes that the MSYSE program will positively contribute to the achievement of stated goals

Current students requesting to transfer into the MSYSE program will be required to meet the same program requirements stated above.

Prerequisite Knowledge

The Master of Systems Engineering degree program is designed to instill specific skills and knowledge, with courses reinforcing one another, building toward student mastery. Access a Curriculum Map, outlining the Program Outcomes and suggested sequencing of student coursework.

Degree Requirements

Core/Major

• SYSE 500 Fundamentals of Systems Engineering
• SYSE 530 System Requirements Analysis and Modeling
• SYSE 560 Introduction to Systems Engineering Management
• SYSE 625 System Quality Assurance
• SYSE 697 Systems Engineering Project

Select one track from the following:

Technical Track

• SYSE 610 System Architecture Design and Modeling

Engineering Management Track

• SYSE 660 Organizational Systems Management

Electives

Electives will be chosen from existing Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach and Worldwide courses in other disciplines and must be approved by the Program Chair.

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