Minor in Systems Engineering

Minor in Systems Engineering

Minor in Systems Engineering

The ECE department offers a newly revamped Minor in Systems Engineering. This Minor is designed in collaboration with industry experts, and its flagship courses, Introduction to Systems Engineering and Model Based Systems Engineering are regularly taught by experienced high-level systems engineers and executives in major area engineering companies to provide the unique industry perspective.

Systems Engineering is an interdisciplinary approach and means to enable the realization of successful systems. It focuses on defining customer needs and required functionality early in the development cycle, documenting requirements, and proceeding with design synthesis and system validation while considering the complete problem that includes – operations, cost & schedule, performance, training & support, test, disposal, and manufacturing. Systems Engineering integrates all the disciplines and specialty groups into a team effort forming a structured development process that proceeds from concept to production to operation. Systems Engineering considers both the business and the technical needs of all customers with the goal of providing a quality product that meets the user’s needs. In addition, Systems Engineering incorporates concepts of “balanced design” – achieving a product design that meets requirements but does not exceed them, and does so within the constraints of cost, schedule & performance, including life cycle costs; and “risk assessment & management” – understanding the technical and other risks that may be involved and managing the design to effectively mitigate the risks.

Minor in Systems Engineering consists of a total 24 credits, 12 coming from required courses and 12 from electives as follows. Not all courses are offered in all semester, please check Section Tally and plan accordingly. 

Please note  - per University rules - that when a Minor and Major are related, no more than half of the coursework may count toward both credentials. So, for example, students in the ECE major may only double count 12 of the 24 credits for the Minor in Systems Engineering towards the B.S. in ECE degree. 

Required Courses – 12 credits

Take both of the following two courses:

  • ECE 09.421 Introduction to Systems Engineering1 – 3-credits, and
  • ECE 09.427 Model-Based Systems Engineering1 – 3 credits, and

Then, take one of the following

  • ME 10.461 Introduction to Engineering Optimization; or
  • CS 06.390 Introduction to Systems Simulation and Modeling– 3-credits; or
  • CS 07.321 Software Engineering I 

…and one of the following

  • MIS  02.325 Project Management; or
  • MKT 09.375 Business Logistics2 – 3-credits

Elective Courses – 12 credits (or more if the electives you take include a 4 credit course)

Take any four of the Following Courses:

  • ECE 09.321 Systems & Control1
  • ECE 09.433 Electrical Communications Systems1
  • ECE 09.402 Topics in ECE: Technology Focus Elective1,3
  • ECE 09.4xx Approved ECE Elective1,4
  • CS 06.390 Introduction to Systems Simulation and Modeling – 3-credits (if not already taken as a required class)
  • CS 07.340 Design and Analysis of Algorithms
  • CS 07.321 Software Engineering I
  • CS 04.380 Object-Oriented Design

  • ME 10. 342 Quality & Reliability in Design and Manufacture
  • ME 10.345 Dynamics Systems and Control
  • ME 10.443 Design for X
  • ME 10.461 Introduction to Engineering Optimization (if not taken as a required class) 
  • CE 08.305 Civil Engineering Systems
  • CHE 06.405 Process Dynamics and Control

  • EM 01.511 Strategic Risk Management
  • EM 01.512 Quality in Engineering Management
  • EM 01.513 Engineering Decision Making

  • MGT 06.677 Management Skills for Engineers
  • MKT 09.375 Business Logistics – 3-credits (if not already taken as a required class)
  • MIS 02.325 Project Management (if not already taken as a required class)

1 ECE students cannot double count these two courses both towards the ECE electives and towards the Systems Engineering requirements at the same time. ECE students taking these two courses for Systems Engineering Minor must take another set of (five) ECE electives towards the degree requirements. Similarly, ECE students must ensure that no more than 12 credits can be double counted towards both the Minor in Systems Engineering and B.S. in ECE.

2 Business Logistics class has a prerequisite that will be waived for Engineering students. Please go to the Marketing Department chair and request the prerequisite override.

3 ECE 09.402 Topics in ECE is a special topics class, with a different course content presented each time it is offered. Therefore, check with ECE Department Head to verify that the specific ECE 09.402 you are interested will qualify as a Systems Engineering elective. Also see footnote 1 above.

4 ECE 09.4XX ECE Department regularly offers senior electives on topics that are very relevant to Systems Engineering. Please check with ECE Department Head for approved 400-level courses that can be used as a Systems Engineering elective. Also see footnote 1 above.