Systems Engineering

This professional master's degree program, available at Penn State Great Valley, deals with the various aspects of systems engineering. The primary goal of the program is to prepare engineers to develop the next generation of engineering products, systems, and services for industry and government.

Admission Requirements

Applicants apply for admission to the program via the Graduate School application for admission. Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-300 Admissions.

The M.Eng. in Systems Engineering program is designed for students with backgrounds in science or engineering. Admission will be granted if the applicant has the necessary program prerequisites and a faculty member in the student's interest area agrees to serve as adviser. Normal admission requirements include mathematics through differential equations. Scores from the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) are not an entrance requirement unless the junior/senior grade-point average is below 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale). There is no foreign language requirement.

Students with a 3.00 junior/senior GPA in an appropriate technical degree program will be considered for admission. The best-qualified applicants will be accepted. Exceptions to the minimum 3.00 GPA may be made for students with special backgrounds, abilities, and interests.

The language of instruction at Penn State is English. English proficiency test scores (TOEFL/IELTS) may be required for international applicants. See GCAC-305 Admission Requirements for International Students for more information.

Degree Requirements

Master of Engineering (M.Eng.)

Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-700 Professional Degree Requirements.

The curriculum integrates the traditional engineering disciplines in a synergistic manner. Course work includes four 9-credit modules of study with each module designed for in-depth coverage of a specific area of study (e.g., systems and control, robotics). Two of the four modules, the Skill-Based module and the Systems Engineering module, are required and constitute an 18-credit core. To complete the program, students choose an additional 18 credits of electives in two modules of professional interest. As part of the 18-credit core curriculum, students who are nearing the end of their program complete a capstone research experience. Graduate instruction is under the direction of an interdisciplinary faculty committee and the departments participating in the program. The Graduate Faculty consists of members who have teaching and research interests in the area of systems engineering. Maximum flexibility is maintained by the program in an effort to meet both the professional needs of the individual students and academic quality standards.

All candidates must take two required 9-credit core modules for a total core curriculum of 18 credits and two other 9-credit elective modules. At least 15 credits of selected courses must be at the 500 level.

Student Aid

Graduate assistantships available to students in this program and other forms of student aid are described in the Tuition & Funding section of The Graduate School’s website. Students on graduate assistantships must adhere to the course load limits set by The Graduate School.

World Campus students in graduate degree programs may be eligible for financial aid. Refer to the Tuition and Financial Aid section of the World Campus website for more information.

Courses

Graduate courses carry numbers from 500 to 699 and 800 to 899. Advanced undergraduate courses numbered between 400 and 499 may be used to meet some graduate degree requirements when taken by graduate students. Courses below the 400 level may not. A graduate student may register for or audit these courses in order to make up deficiencies or to fill in gaps in previous education but not to meet requirements for an advanced degree.

Learning Outcomes

1. KNOW. Develop heterogeneous engineered solutions to complex problems using contemporary methods, processes, and tools.
2. CRITICAL THINKING. Understand system interdependencies to analyze the associated tradespaces these generate to identify optimal solution alternatives.
3. PROBLEM SOLVING. Use integrated models and simulations for multi-level system analysis and practices.
4. APPLY. Manage the budgets and schedules of large-scale projects and programs while delivering.
5. TEAMWORK. Work effectively and collaboratively within interdisciplinary teams.

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