Systems Engineering

Degree Requirements and Curriculum

Requirements

• Minimum of 30 credits of graduate work in approved program of study for the concentration.
• Minimum of 24 credits must be earned at Colorado State University, 21 of which credits must be earned after formal admission to the University.
• Minimum of 21 credits earned at Colorado State must be in 500-level or higher.
• 12 credits must be of core courses, 9 credits of Depth courses, 6 credits of electives, and 3 credits of group study.
• No independent study, research, internship, supervised college teaching, or practicum credits may be credited toward the degree.
• No more than two courses at the 400-level taken at Colorado State University are permitted.
• No more than two 500-level or higher graduate courses may be transferred from another accredited university.
• Electives or course substitutions must be approved by an academic advisor.

You can expect the Master of Engineering program to take four to five years. Summer courses are not required, but will be offered on a limited basis beginning Summer 2010. A thesis is not required to complete the degree, but you do complete a significant capstone project.

Curriculum

The program begins by establishing a strong foundation in systems engineering and concludes with collaborative group study. After completion of four core courses, you will be awarded a Systems Engineering Certificate, then you will complete depth courses, electives, and then the group study. You are encouraged to start with ENGR 501 but can take the remaining courses in any order. At least four courses applicable to the degree will be offered each fall and spring semester, and students typically enroll in no more than two classes per semester.

Core Courses (12 credits)

Courses in Depth (9 credits)

Electives (6 credits)

400-level or above course credits consistent with the program of study. Contact your advisor (information listed on the left of this page) for suitable elective courses.

Group Study (3 credits)

The Learning Experience

Classes are offered online in a webinar-style format. You can attend class during regular meeting times or any time that fits into your schedule. If you want to plug in live, courses are offered Monday – Thursday from 5:15 p.m. - 8 p.m. MT. You will want to allow three hours to view each lecture, plus at least three hours to complete weekly assignments for each course.

You are encouraged to interact with your peers and some courses have group projects. Group projects are coordinated through RamCT. Courses are based on a 16-week semester schedule, but have deadlines that can be flexible at the instructor's discretion.

The Systems Engineering program is taught by renowned faculty with extensive academic and real-world experience. Most are distinguished professors from Colorado State University; a few of the instructors are engineering professionals employed by private industry or government agencies. You can communicate with the instructors and guest lecturers during the live lecture, by email, or during designated online office hours.

The university's commitment to being a leader in clean energy and sustainability research includes the recent addition of an enterprise arm of its Clean Energy Supercluster, named Cenergy, to more rapidly facilitate technology transfer of research out of the laboratory into the commercial marketplace. More than 100 faculty members in all eight colleges are involved in developing and disseminating market-driven solutions to address some of the world's toughest environmental problems - from creating clean-burning two-stroke engines to helping developing nations create sustainable enterprises.