Concentration Overview

The systems engineering concentration offers an area of specialization for students in the Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Engineering (MS/MSE) degree. The concentration aims to develop professionals who are both well-grounded in interdisciplinary engineering as well as prepared to create and execute trans-disciplinary processes that result in engineered systems that are responsive to stakeholders' needs.

Graduates will be able to apply state-of-the art methods in designing, analyzing, and controlling the next generation of complex systems that respond to rapidly changing environments.  Application areas include next-generation air traffic management, sustainable buildings, intelligent healthcare devices, healthcare delivery systems, flexible manufacturing integrated with design, next generation transportation systems, and next generation intelligent systems.

Purdue University's online graduate engineering program is consistently ranked among the top three online programs by U.S. News and World Report.

Students pursuing the systems concentration have the opportunity to earn a Graduate Certificate in Systems without taking additional courses. A separate application is required to be considered. 

Curriculum

Course Topical Areas

  • Analytics and Evaluation
  • Automotive Systems
  • Cybersecurity
  • Decision Analysis
  • Human Factors
  • Introduction to Systems
  • Modeling Tools and Methods
  • Models-Based Systems
  • Systems Engineering Theory/Architecting
  • Systems Thinking

Degree Requirements with the Systems Concentration

The Interdisciplinary Engineering (MS or MSE) degree requires a total of 30 credit hours with at least 18 credits of Purdue, graduate level, engineering courses. The Systems Engineering concentration must be completed within these degree requirements

Courses with engineering prefixes (AAE, BME, CE, ECE, IE, ME, MSE, SYS, etc.) will fulfill this requirement. To see what courses are available, please visit our courses page.

Any courses listed on our courses page will fulfill this requirement, including available non-engineering courses. All questions regarding courses and transfer credits should be directed to a student’s academic advisor.

Dual Degree Option

Students in the Systems Engineering concentration may pair the Interdisciplinary Engineering MS/MSE with Purdue Daniels School of Business online MBA or MBT program. 

  • MS/MSE + MBA: 60 total credits with 18 shared credits  

  • MS/MSE + MBT: 54 total credits with 12 shared credits  

Shared credits are applied through approved electives and may vary based on a student’s concentration and plan of study. 

Creating Your Plan of Study

The MS/MSE master's programs offer a wide range of flexibility in course options. After you begin your studies at Purdue, an academic advisor will help you create an electronic plan of study (EPOS) to best fit your educational needs and career goals.  

Students enrolled in a dual degree program will have a unique electronic plan of study for each degree they are seeking.      

The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements. This website is a knowledge source for specific requirements and completion.