Program Overview

Systems thinking teaches professionals how to consider the complex interconnections between different elements of social, biological, economic, political, and technological systems and turns the spotlight on the role of humans in improving and changing system designs. Whether it’s solving problems in the global energy grid or creating 3-D nanostructures, systems thinkers understand that the whole is more than the sum of its parts.

The Graduate Certificate in Systems is designed to prepare a new generation of industry and academic leaders to create holistic solutions to the most challenging and complex problems in today’s society. This program trains scientists, economists, engineers, designers and humanitarians to use systems thinking to make significant advancements in research and professional contexts.

Students can complete the certificate as a stand-alone program or add it to a full master’s program.

Curriculum

The certificate requires three graduate systems courses, 9 credit hours total, that introduce fundamentals of systems thinking by teaching systems methodologies that can be applied to a variety of complex problems - both at the micro and macro level..

Required Courses

Engineers are frequently asked to solve problems as a team to achieve a goal. However, confusion arises when proponents of one perspective interact with others without a clear understanding of the variety of SE histories and tools. Each can play an important, complementary role in the development of a robust approach to SE and the role of humans in engineering systems. This course provides an introduction to, and references for, each of 4 distinct approaches to SE concepts/tools.

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The purpose of the course is to emphasize patterns of systems thinking, to introduce systems engineering processes and methods, to introduce theory for model-based systems engineering, and to provide practice in using a model-based systems engineering tool.

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Engineers, social scientists, and managers frequently bring people and technology together to address complex problematic situations in an equitable way that benefits people and the environment. Multiple systems concepts and methods have been developed to address these situations, and typical courses in systems focus on a relatively small portion of the rich assortment of available approaches to addressing systems problems. This course introduces students to multiple systems concepts and methods via readings and class discussion. The students then apply these concepts and methods on team-based projects. The course will emphasize critical thinking about how the concepts and methods are applicable to the problematic situations of the projects and how well the project teams were able to perform the required activities.

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Admissions Requirements

Criteria for Admissions

Educational Background:

  • Minimum GPA of a 3.0
  • Preferred undergraduate degree in Engineering, Science, Mathematics or Technology.

Full admissions requirements can be found here.

Application Requirements

The following documents are required to complete an application:

  • Transcripts from all universities attended
  • TOEFL (International students only)
  • 3 recommenders
  • Academic Statement of Purpose
  • Personal History Statement
  • A professional resume

Application Deadlines

For Fall Start:

  • August 1

For Spring Start:

  • January 1

For Summer Start:

  • June 1

Tuition

Resident of Indiana/VA Educational Benefit:

  • $1,139 per credit hour

Nonresident of Indiana:

  • $1,459 per credit hour

The cost of attending Purdue varies depending on where you choose to live, enrollment in a specific program or college, food and travel expenses, and other variables. The Office of the Bursar website shows estimated costs for the current aid year for students by semester and academic year. These amounts are used in determining a student’s estimated eligibility for financial aid. You can also use our tuition calculator to estimate tuition costs.

Eligible students may use VA education benefits toward tuition and fees. Coverage varies based on the student’s benefit type and eligibility, and additional provisions may apply to qualifying military-connected students. To ensure qualification for the VA Educational Benefit tuition rate, students should work closely with the Veteran and Military Student Success Center.

The classes in the Graduate Certificate in Systems gave me the tools to be able to visualize concepts when words are not enough. This gives me the opportunity to look for areas that may be lacking or completely missing but are important to the system.”

Meryl Suresh

Systems Engineer in software development industry

Contact Us

  • Prospective Students: Please email poapply@purdue.edu.
  • Current Students: Please reach out to your Academic Advisor.