Systems Engineering Doctorate

Systems Engineering is geared toward the rapid design and development of large and complex systems. Systems Engineering integrates all the specialty and sub-specialty groups of engineering disciplines into a team whose efforts result in a structured development process that proceeds from concept to production to operation. Example systems include coastal ecosystems, water treatment facilities, computer networks, visualization platforms, deep-water drilling operations, highway safety systems, biofuels production facilities, robotic units, refineries, fiber optic networks, aircraft, vehicle control systems, biomass gasification units, management of utilities during disaster events, and power grids.

The College of Engineering at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is dedicated to educating world-class engineers who have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to improve the quality of life across the globe.

Our college, our faculty, and our administration are known throughout the nation for outstanding engineering education, research, and public service.

Our undergraduate student population has soared from approximately 1,100 to over 2,000 over the past few years, making Ragin’ Cajun Engineering the second largest engineering college in Louisiana. We've initiated numerous student development programs, including a leadership development program, engineering ambassadors, and several specialty minors. We are particularly proud that both our African-American and graduate student populations have increased by over 25 percent over the past five years — both go against the national trend.

Our external research funding has increased by over 400 percent in the last decade, now totaling over $12 million. Many of these projects involve economic development within our great state. Examples include civil engineering designing safer highways using immersive computer technology; chemical engineering developing second generation biofuels from algae; electrical and computer engineering improving the performance of fiber optic systems; industrial technology optimizing methods for plastics production; mechanical engineering designing gasifier systems to produce electrical power from woody wastes; and petroleum engineering developing cost-effective methods for enhanced oil production from aged fields.

Our students continue to show that Ragin’ Cajun Engineering can compete with anyone. From solar homes to Baja buggies to robots to satellites to drilling operations — our Ragin' Cajun Engineering students have excelled in so many national competitions and events that the world knows we are one of the best. That success has caught the attention of national media like the Discovery Channel and AP, which have featured projects like our CajunBot, Beausoleil Solar Home, and Cajun Crawler.

More and more of the very best students from the region and beyond are designing their future with Ragin' Cajun Engineering. In fact, the biggest complaint that we hear from visiting industries is that we are not producing enough graduates! Our graduates are in demand and positively impacting their respective industries.