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 SYS courses (9 credit hours) 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

  • Minimum GPA of a 3.0
  • Bachelor's Degree from an Accredited Institution

Application Requirements

  • Transcripts from all universities attended
  • TOEFL (International students only)

Strong applications also include the below:

  • 3 recommenders
  • Academic Statement of Purpose
  • Personal History Statement
  • A professional resume

Full admissions requirements

Application Deadlines

  • For Fall Start: August 1
  • For Spring Start: January 1
  • For Summer Start: June 1

Tuition

  • Resident of Indiana $1,139 per credit
  • Nonresident of Indiana $1,459 per credit

Domestic students and permanent residents may qualify for the following types of financial aid:

  • US federal financial aid
  • Military, veterans, and military-connected students

Potential Learners

Students seeking a full graduate degree can complete the Graduate Certificate in Systems in addition to their graduate coursework, but they must apply for the Graduate Certificate in Systems separately from the full graduate degree. Reach out to your academic advisor for more information. Purdue students seeking a graduate degree will receive an official certificate once all courses required for their degree program are successfully completed.

Students may pursue the Systems Certificate as a standalone program. Students completing the Graduate Certificate in Systems will be awarded an official certificate once all the courses required for the certificate are successfully completed. To enroll as a certificate-only student, go to the Purdue Graduate School website. In the program details sections, choose "Systems" as the selected graduate major and "Systems Graduate Certificate" for the Degree Objective. Credits from the Graduate Certificate in Systems can be transferred to the full master’s in Interdisciplinary Engineering if non-degree seeking students choose to pursue a degree in the future. For more information, please email poapply@purdue.edu. The Certificate in Systems program is administered through the Office of the Provost and is governed by the Purdue Systems Collaboratory (PSC) Educational Committee representing different Purdue colleges.

Student Quotes

Meryl Suresh

Systems Engineer in software development industry

"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."

Luke Kaiser

AI/Machine Learning within the aerospace & defense industry

"Every research and development effort is a complex system, and my systems engineering training will facilitate reliable results."

Rachel Lilienfeld

Engineer in the construction industry

"The Systems Certificate was not only flexible with the course delivery, but the classes were challenging and relevant. I have already been able to apply the tools and techniques I learned throughout the coursework in my job."

Frequently Asked Questions

The three required courses have been previously cross-listed in the course offerings from various graduate majors. If a student from any major has completed any of these SYS courses during their graduate studies, the course can be counted towards fulfillment of the certificate requirements. Contact your academic advisor for details.

Credits from the Graduate Certificate in Systems can be transferred to an Interdisciplinary Master’s in Engineering. A concentration is available for Systems Engineering. You can apply credits earned for the certificate to the concentration.

If are taking the certificate prior to applying for the master’s degree, you will be considered a non-degree seeking student during the pursuit of the Certificate.

If you are interested in potentially pursuing another master’s degree in engineering, please reach out to the prospective school concerning transfer credit eligibility.

You need to register for at least one credit to be considered an active student. If you do not enroll for more than two consecutive semesters, you will lose your student status and must reapply.

The graduate certificate requires 3 courses. See course semesters below. Professionals can take all 3 courses within 2 or 3 semesters.

  • SYS500 and SYS510 are both offered every fall semester.
  • SYS530 is offered every spring semester.

The courses will be offered asynchronously. We upload recordings of live lectures for you to view on your time. You will follow along weekly to complete your assignments, projects, and/or exams. Exams may require a proctor (virtual or in-person depending on the faculty).

Contact Us

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