phd in systems and engineering management

Industrial, Manufacturing, & Systems Engineering

• Whitacre College of Engineering
• Graduate Programs

Systems and Engineering Management, PhD SYEM

The doctoral program requires a minimum of 60 hours of coursework beyond the bachelor's degree, which may include up to 15 hours constituting a minor area. At least 12 hours of doctoral dissertation enrollment are also required for the doctoral degree. Transfer credits from a master's degree program are determined by the student's graduate advisor and the graduate school, with a maximum of 30 transfer credits allowed. W

Within the 60 hours of coursework, doctoral students with a major in systems and engineering management must complete the Ph.D. SYEM core described below (transfer courses may be used with approval of the student's advisor). A formal plan of study, detailing the major and minor courses and the Ph.D. committee, must be approved by the student's advisor and the Graduate Dean. The Ph.D. committee is typically made up of at least 3 Industrial, Manufacturing and Systems Engineering graduate faculty members and at least 1 graduate faculty member from outside Industrial, Manufacturing and Systems Engineering (for larger committees, a majority of faculty must always be from Industrial, Manufacturing and Systems Engineering). Further, the student must complete a qualifying exam, research proposal, and final dissertation defense. In addition, all Ph.D. IE students must have at least two refereed journal papers accepted for publication prior to their final defense. For more details on the degree requirements, please consult the IMSE graduate handbook.

Ph.D. SYEM Core:

• IE 5311 Principles of Optimization or IE 5318 Principles of Operations Research Modeling with Spreadsheets
• IE 5316 Simulation Models for Operations Analysis, IE 5319 Risk Modeling and Assessment, or IE 5346 Total Quality Systems
• IE 5320 Systems Theory
• IE 5321 Decision Theory and Management Science, IE 5322 Industrial Cost Analysis, IE 5324 Advanced Economics of Systems, or IE 5325 Productivity and Performance Improvement in Organizations
• IE 5323 The Engineering Management Environment or IE 5329 Project Management
• IE 6323 Systems Management Global Environment*
• IE 6329 Systems Management Seminar*
• IE 6331 Advanced Theoretical Studies in Systems Management*
• IE 6399 Research Methods in Science and Technology*
• IE 7000 Research

* Indicated courses used to fulfill the program's residency requirement. Courses are taught exclusively in the summer, when online students must be in-residence. Residency consists of a one-month summer session during each of the first two years of the doctoral program, in which the students must be on campus for the first two weeks of the term.

ASEM Awards

The Department of IMSE has won 5 of the 18 American Society for Engineering Management Best Dissertation Awards ASEM ever awarded. There is only one award given annually and nominations are international. We would like to recognize those who have received this distinguished and international honor at Texas Tech University:

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Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Online

• Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering
• Batten College of Engineering & Technology
• Department of Engineering Management & Systems Engineering

Program Delivery Method

• 100% online, with live online classes
• Live online class attendance is required
• Classes are usually held in the evening (Eastern U.S. Time Zone)

Why ODU for Engineering Management and Systems Engineering?

ODU's engineering management and systems engineering PhD program allows you to work with expert faculty to develop innovative solutions and conduct ground-breaking research.

You'll meet in live online classes. Your courses will blend highly theoretical knowledge with applied and pragmatic research. Then, you'll learn rigorous evaluation techniques to solidify your findings.

When you graduate, you will be prepared to teach and research at academic institutions, work at national research labs, or be a technology leader in public and private organizations that focus on innovation and technological leadership.

Admission to this program is competitive. As part of the application process, you will be matched with a faculty advisor with similar research interests. If a matching faculty advisor already has a full advising schedule, your admission may be delayed.

When you graduate, you will earn a Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering – Engineering Management and Systems Engineering.

Want to learn more? Contact us!

American Society for Engineering Management Founder's Award for Excellence in Engineering Management Education and Practice

Most Affordable Online Doctoral Degrees, 2023 -  OnlineU.com

Required Courses

• 48 credit hours minimum

You will take:

• Three core courses in engineering research and multivariate statistics.
• Two elective courses from a range of topics such as engineering design, big data, systems analysis, reliability and maintainability, and risk analysis.
• At least three subject area courses based on your research focus.
• At least 24 credit hours of research.
• View Courses in ODU's Graduate Catalog

Online Learning Environment

Participate in live, regularly scheduled online class meetings and access course materials online from any location. All courses follow ODU's regular academic calendar.

• Taking Classes Online

Careers in Engineering Management & Systems Engineering

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Calculating Cost

Rates are effective Fall 2024 and subject to change. * In-state rate assumes residency requirements are met.

• ODU Tuition and Financial Aid

Licensure Disclosure

This program is not intended to lead to a specific state-level license.

If you plan to pursue a professional license or credential, we encourage you to explore requirements through the appropriate credentialing agency or professional organization in your state. Learn More About State Licensure Disclosures

Meet Your Team

You'll have a dedicated academic advisor for this program.

Contact us if you have questions about admission requirements, transferring credits, or application deadlines.

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How to apply.

Admission to this program is competitive. In addition to general ODU admission requirements, you must have:

• A master of science in engineering or a closely related technical field with a minimum 3.50 GPA from an accredited institution of higher education.
• A bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA from an ABET-accredited program in engineering or engineering technology, or from an accredited program in applied science.

You will also submit a research concept paper to aid in pairing you with a faculty advisor. The number of students admitted depends partly on the advising load of faculty with matching research interests. See full application details in the Graduate Catalog .

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Ph.D. in Systems Engineering

The Ph.D. is an advanced graduate degree for students wishing to contribute to knowledge creation through independent, original, cutting-edge research. 

The PhD in Systems Engineering provides a springboard for careers as an academician, as a researcher, as a consultant or in management/leadership within a university, institute, industry or government setting. SIE doctoral programs include three components:

• Coursework and Teaching to gain fundamental and advanced knowledge, as both student and GTA
• Research conducted in a collaborative environment leading to a doctoral dissertation and scholarly papers
• Engagement in UVA’s intellectual life

See below for information on the Systems Engineering PhD program, or download the SIE Graduate Handbook .

Admissions Criteria

The deadlines for PhD applications with financial aid requests are January 5 for fall semester and September 29 for spring semester. All SIE faculty are eligible to advise students enrolled in the SE PhD program. We accept applications from candidates with degrees from all engineering and some affiliated backgrounds. In some cases, candidates who do not have engineering or similar credentials will be offered conditional admission, which will require them to take selected undergraduate coursework in addition to the coursework required for their PhD. 

All candidates are evaluated by one or more of the SIE research subgroups. Some students are admitted directly into a specific research group with a specific advisor. Other candidates are admitted into a subgroup and are then connected with an advisor during the first year. 

Most accepted PhD students receive financial aid. Funding offers take the form of GRAs, GTAs and/or various fellowships. SIE is committed to acquiring the resources to fund PhD students for five years, contingent upon satisfactory progress toward the degree. The department’s default stipend for PhD students is $35,000 per year. 

Funded offers also include tuition and health insurance. Some PhD students are funded by third-party entities (e.g., their employer or government or military agencies), and a small number of students are self-funded. 

Join our vibrant community of graduate students!

Engineering School Requirements

Engineering School requirements for the PhD degree are described on the UVA Graduate School of Engineering’s information webpage . The page also addresses admission requirements, rules and regulations pertaining to financial assistance and outside employment, and other matters. The portion of the Engineering School’s website devoted to current graduate students contains many helpful resources, including required forms.

Time limit: All requirements for the PhD degree must be completed within seven years after matriculation to the program.

Coursework, Professional Development and Engagement

SIE has three general classes of PhD requirements: coursework, professional development, and academic engagement. These are described below. 

The SE program require relevant coursework to help students access foundational knowledge in their discipline while striking a balance between depth and breadth. All PhD students must take at least six credits of graduate coursework at UVA beyond the master’s degree. All PhD students, including those entering with an ME/MS from another institution, must complete at least six credits of SIE coursework. Students who earn an ME or MS degree at UVA en route to a PhD in SE may use SE credits from their master’s degree to meet this requirement. A minimum of 30 credits beyond the BS program is required for all Engineering School PhDs. The following requirements should be met: 

• Mandatory Courses: SYS 6001 and 2 semesters of SYS 7096
• Nine credit hours of foundation courses : 3 courses selected from SYS 6003, SYS 6005, SYS 6007, and SYS 6021.
• Twelve credit hours of methodological courses : Students must take four courses from at least two of the methodological areas listed here . The courses listed in each of the areas are only exemplars as course offerings change from year to year. Other courses in these areas may be used to fulfill methodological requirements as approved by the student’s doctoral advisory committee. Additionally, certain courses are listed in multiple areas. In these cases, the student must decide which area the course satisfies for their plan of study. Each course may only satisfy one area for the student’s plan of study.
• Nine credit hours of research elective courses : These can be any 6000 and 7000 level courses that are chosen in consultation with the advisory committee to support the student’s research program.

Special Circumstances 

Prerequisites: The student who does not have the prerequisites (i.e., calculus, linear algebra, probability and statistics, computer programming) should take articulation courses. These courses cannot be used to satisfy the degree requirements. 

Equivalent Courses: The student who, prior to enrolling in our graduate program, has already taken a course equivalent to a core course may petition the graduate program director for the substitution of the core course by an elective course. Students that received automatic bulk transfer credits that are applied towards SEAS’s credit requirements must complete the SE Coursework Petition Form to receive credit towards their degree program requirements. The form will need to be completed to have graduate courses taken while enrolled in a previous graduate program evaluated towards SIE Foundations courses to determine if they can be used to fulfill any of your course requirements. Other transfer coursework taken in another STEM program will count towards the methodological and/or research electives. 

Transfer Credit: PhD students who have earned a master’s degree in a STEM field will receive an automatic bulk transfer of 24 graduate course credits toward SEAS’s total graded coursework credit requirement. PhD students who have earned a master’s degree in a non-STEM field will receive an automatic bulk transfer of 12 graduate course credits toward SEAS’s total graded coursework credit requirement. Students who receive a bulk transfer of credit may not transfer any additional credits toward the PhD degree. PhD students, that didn’t earn a master but took graduate level course, may transfer a maximum of 6 graduate course credits into their program of study. Only courses with a grade of B or better that have not been applied toward another degree may be transferred. The request for credit transfer must include the following documents: a completed Request Approval of Transfer Credits form , a description of course content and level, and an official transcript. The documents are provided to the SIE Student Services Coordinator to facilitate processing of the request. If the student is already admitted into a UVA program, then the request for credit transfer must be preapproved before the course is taken. 

Professional Development and Academic Engagement

The ultimate goal of an SE PhD is to give students the best possible preparation for their careers in research, government, or industry. The following professional training requirements help students prepare for the full spectrum of career choices: 

• GTAs : Students typically serve as a GTA at some point over the course of their MS or PhD. GTAs will enroll for three credits (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory, or S/U, basis) of SYS 6097 or SYS 9997 in a section corresponding to their supervising instructor. Receipt of one or more U grades for graduate instruction may endanger a student’s eligibility to serve as a GTA in future semesters. More information about the Engineering School’s language-skills requirements for international students serving as GTAs can be found  here .
• Research Dissemination : Students will disseminate their research via journal and conference papers. Before scheduling the final defense, students must have at least one first-authored paper with their research advisor published or accepted by a journal or peer-reviewed conference paper approved by their advisory committee. To aid in supporting student travel to conferences, all SIE PhD students are able to apply to receive a travel grant if their research adviser or fellowship is unable to fund their travel, conference registration, and lodging. To receive a travel grant, the student must be the primary author presenting a peer-reviewed publication. Additionally, their advisor must write a statement that there are no research funds to support travel. See the Doctoral Student Travel Grant section below for more information. 
• Seminars and Defenses : SIE is committed to providing members of our community with the opportunity to learn from a wide range of scholars and practicing engineers through seminars. These seminars are organized as (a) our weekly Graduate Colloquium and (b) Distinguished Speakers invited by our faculty on an ad-hoc basis. As an essential component of graduate education, PhD students should register for at least two semesters (preferably in their first year) of SYS 7096 with zero credit hours. Students are expected to attend and participate actively in scheduled SIE and UVA seminars and student thesis/dissertation defenses. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, it is expected that seminars and defenses are held in person at the university. 
• Academic Engagement : Doctoral students are valued members of SIE’s community of scholars. They are expected to be good citizens by engaging in departmental and school-wide events (e.g., milestone defenses, symposiums, workshops, social events). 

Doctoral Student Travel Grant

Each SIE PhD student is eligible to apply for a one-time travel grant of up to $1,500 to present their research at a peer-reviewed conference once during their tenure at UVA. To receive a travel grant, the student must be the primary author presenting a peer-reviewed publication. Additionally, their advisor must write a statement that there are no research funds to support travel. The one- time grant can be requested by using the SIE PhD Student Travel Fellowship Request Form . The request should be submitted at least 6 weeks prior to the conference date.

The three main milestones toward completion of an SE PhD are the qualifying exam, the dissertation proposal, and the dissertation defense. 

The typical timeline for the completion of the PhD in SIE is listed below. This timeline assumes that students enter the PhD after first completing a master’s degree. However, SIE also routinely accepts students directly into the PhD program without first requiring them to complete an MS. For these students, it may be valuable to extend the initial timeline by one year, in which case students can delay the qualifying exam until the end of their second year. The rest of the timeline then proceeds as shown below.

Engineering School policy allows a leave of absence (an action students can take after the completion of a semester, indicating that the student plans to be away from the university for at least one semester) for parental leave or serious personal or family illness; this requires notification to and approval from the appropriate department or program and the Office of Graduate Programs. When considering these options, students are urged to talk with their advisor, their program’s graduate director and the Engineering School’s graduate registrar. These individuals are committed to helping students find and navigate their best possible paths. Students must first obtain the approval of their advisor and the graduate director of the student’s program.

Typical timeline for doctoral students entering with a master’s degree .  Students entering without an MS may need one extra year before taking the qualifying exam. Different research groups offer qualifying exams at different times of year.

• Establish a working relationship with the faculty advisor(s)
• Begin coursework
• Identify a research area and doctoral committee
• Prepare a plan of study*
• Pass the qualifying exam (August)

Year 2 

• Finish coursework
• Establish research
• Present and defend dissertation proposal (March–June)

Year 3 

• Continue research
• Submit a paper for publication
• Attend and present at a research conference

Years 4-5 (as needed)

• Complete research
• Publish additional papers or proceedings
• Defend dissertation

*The plan of study form is for departmental use only. Students should file the form with an SIE student services coordinator and maintain a copy for themselves to access it whenever they convene their committee and/or complete a requirement. Official tracking for SEAS and SIE requirements are done using the student's academic requirements report in SIS.

Qualifying Exam

The principal objective of the qualifying exam (also referred to as the comprehensive exam and PhD exam) is to assess a student’s research aptitude and confirm that they have the skills necessary to make a substantive contribution in their field. The exam also provides an opportunity for students to receive early, individualized feedback regarding their strengths and weaknesses in research and foundational knowledge. 

The goal of the qualifying exam is not to directly assess any content in required courses but to provide a comprehensive use of the foundational principles and methods in research. Thus, students must have already specified the required coursework they will take for their program before taking the qualifying exam. Required coursework varies by concentration, the student’s anticipated dissertation topic, and the recommendation of the student’s committee members. 

Successful students will demonstrate that they can:

• Understand, interpret and critically evaluate relevant literature.
• Analyze data (via experiments, observations, surveys, simulation, etc.) and draw meaningful conclusions.
• Apply technical/engineering tools, concepts, coursework and/or approaches to gain insight on real-world problems.
• Effectively communicate results in both oral and written formats.
• Answer questions and respond to critical feedback when sharing, defending and revising their ideas.

The examination consists of two parts, written and oral. The following guidelines apply.

Committee Composition

The examining committee will include three to five members. At least two of the committee members must be from the candidate’s main research area. At least three of the members must be faculty members with non-zero percentage appointments in SIE. External (non- SIE) or courtesy faculty may be a part of the committee but do not count toward the program requirement. In most instances, the qualifying committee contains many of the same members as the student’s dissertation advisory committee. However, this is not mandatory. 

The chair of the qualifying exam committee should be from the student’s home program but cannot be the student’s advisor. The chair will be responsible for collecting and delivering feedback to the student, as explained below. 

Committee Creation and Preliminary Scheduling

Students should work with their advisor to identify a qualifying exam committee and schedule their exam to take place no later than the end of their second year in the SIE department. Some students may be ready earlier, and if the committee is amenable, they may take the exam after completion of the required coursework for their program. The student should send a completed Recommendation and Certification of Doctoral Advisory Committee form to SIE student services coordinator by the end of the semester preceding the examination. The form should be submitted no later than two weeks prior to the date of the written exam component. 

The faculty recognizes that preparing for and taking the qualifying exam can be one of the more stressful periods of the PhD program. However, framing the exam as a research aptitude assessment is intended to make it such that “preparing for the exam” and “doing research” can be one and the same. Students should meet with each of their committee members prior to beginning t

Structure and Format of Exam

Students will work with their individual examination committees to identify dates for the written and oral components of the exam. They should then work backward from those dates to complete the activities summarized below. 

Once the written exam date has been selected, students should prepare a two-page document that (i)outlines their research area and explains how it will advance knowledge in their PhD discipline and (ii) provides a preliminary reading list (e.g., research papers, book chapters, policybriefs) organized by topic to be used in their qualifying exam. They should circulate thesematerials to their committee members no later than one month before their scheduled exam date.Committee members will have one week to respond to the student with suggested modificationsto their proposed reading list. The student will then circulate the final reading list to the wholecommittee no later than two weeks before the scheduled exam date. It is recommended thatstudents start this process early so they can have a thoughtful, engaged dialogue with thecommittee and prepare a comprehensive reading list.

The student’s examination committee will then prepare their questions based upon the research overview and finalized reading list. They will forward the questions to the advisor and other committee members before the exam with adequate time for everyone to evaluate the exam as a whole before it begins. 

The student will work on the exam for up to seven days; however, individual faculty may specify time limits for their own individual questions. Students will submit their solutions to the examination committee at the end of the exam period. Each committee member will score their own questions using the a-e criteria of the SIE Qualifying Exam Assessment Form. Each committee member should complete their own scoring prior to the oral exam. 

The oral exam will consist of two parts: 1) a brief prepared presentation summarizing the questions and the student’s responses to the questions and 2) follow-up questions from the committee. There is no stipulated duration for the oral exam. However, a one-hour oral exam period is recommended with approximately 30 minutes devoted to presentation and 30 minutes allotted for questions. Once the oral exam has concluded, each committee member will re-score their question, again using the a-e criteria and the SIE Qualifying Exam Assessment Form (see Table 4-4). The chair is responsible for collecting and organizing feedback from the committee and then communicating it to the student after the exam. A key objective for the exam is to give students individualized feedback on their unique strengths and weaknesses.

Exam Outcomes

The outcome of the exam is determined collectively by the examination committee choosing from four options: pass with distinction, pass, pass with remediation, or fail. The committee weighs both parts of the exam (written and oral) at its discretion when determining the outcome. The chair is responsible for communicating the outcome of the exam and delivering feedback from the committee to the student after the exam. 

Students who do not pass, or pass with remediation, can retake the examination within six months. After two unsuccessful attempts, the student is dismissed from the PhD program. 

• Engineering School’s Recommendation and Certification of Doctoral AdvisoryCommittee : This form is due to an SIE student services coordinator at least two weeks before the scheduled examination.
• Engineering School’s Report on Ph.D. Exam and SIE Ph.D. Qualifying Exam Assessment : These forms are sent to the chairperson of the committee by the SIE student services coordinator to be completed and returned to them after the exam.
• Academic Requirements Report from SIS: The student brings one copy for each committee member to the oral exam.

Note: A student must have approval from the academic advisor for forming their committee.

Dissertation Proposal

Formulation of a dissertation proposal is a key step toward completion of the PhD This milestone allows a student’s committee to make three important determinations:

• To assess whether the student’s knowledge of their chosen area and their understanding of relevant literature is adequate to complete a PhD.
• To recommend coursework, approaches/techniques and other resources that would facilitate or enhance the proposed work.
• To evaluate whether or not the proposed work, if completed, would constitute an acceptable basis for a doctoral dissertation.

Selection of a PhD committee is an important component of the dissertation proposal process, insofar as the committee is responsible for helping the candidate navigate their path to the PhD. The PhD committee approves a candidate’s plan of study, including coursework, teaching, dissertation proposal and the final dissertation. SIE faculty place high value on interdisciplinarity and crosscutting collaborative research. Accordingly, we are firmly committed to letting each student work with their research adviser to select a committee that best supports their scholarly and professional development. PhD candidates must adhere to both the committee composition rules set by SEAS as well as by the department. The requirements are outlined below: 

• SEAS Requirements: The final dissertation committee must include a minimum of three Engineering School faculty with a minimum of four UVA faculty and a minimum of five total members; one of the UVA members (the external member) must be from outside SIE. At least three of the dissertation committee members must have non-zero appointments in SIE.
• SIE Courtesy faculty member policy: Courtesy faculty members appointed by SIE may serve as the primary adviser of a PhD student. Courtesy faculty members that are not the primary adviser can count towards either an internal or external member.
• SIE Committee composition rules: Final committee composition should consist of no fewer two SIE faculty members with greater than 50% appointment. The committee chair should also have a primary appointment in SIE.

Finally, it is strongly recommended that the dissertation proposal committee consist of all five faculty members that would be on the final defense; however, it is acceptable for a dissertation proposal committee to have four instead of five members, in which case the fifth person is added before the final defense. 

The dissertation proposal consists of both a written document and an oral presentation. The written document should discuss the proposed work, contributions, preliminary results to date, and research timeline in a concise manner. Proposal documents should not exceed 15 single- spaced pages (or 30 double-spaced pages). The bibliography and any appendices (appendices are not required to be read by the student’s committee) are not included in this page limit. Significant departures from these guidelines must be approved in advance by the student’s proposal committee. The written proposal document must be submitted to the committee at least two weeks in advance of the proposal presentation.

All members of the committee evaluate the proposal and generate a preliminary assessment of the candidate’s achievement of the following research skills: a) identifying relevant problems of interest, b) interpreting existing literature, c) generating hypotheses, d) collecting data (via experiment, observation, modeling and/or simulation), e) interpreting results and drawing conclusions, f) communicating results (in oral and written formats), g) answering questions and defending their work, and h) commenting/critiquing on the work of others. 

The oral defense of a dissertation proposal is advertised within SIE and Engineering School. All interested parties are welcome to attend. The candidate gives a brief overview (20 to 30 minutes) of their proposed dissertation research, then takes questions from the audience and their committee. The committee then deliberates and decides whether the candidate has passed. The committee also reviews the student’s transcript and plan of study to recommend additional coursework or other relevant training if necessary. In this way, the emphasis of the dissertation proposal will be on supporting student growth, rather than just deciding who passes/fails. Candidates who fail the exam must take it again within six months. The chair of the candidate’s committee takes the lead in identifying an appropriate format and timeline for the second-chance defense. Students who do not pass on their second attempt are dismissed from the PhD program. 

It is the candidate’s responsibility to email the SIE student services coordinator their announcement information which consists of the committee members list with the chair and advisor identified, the meeting date, time, and location information, and the dissertation proposal title and abstract at least two weeks before the proposal. The SIE student services coordinator will provide the chairperson with the relevant forms ( Dissertation Proposal and Admission to Candidacy and Dissertation Proposal Assessment ) for the proposal defense. It is the candidate’s responsibility to bring their transcripts and plan of study. Each committee member is responsible for completing a research skills assessment and submitting it to the committee chair. The chair collates the feedback, submits an aggregated assessment form to the SIE student services coordinator (who sends it to the Engineering School registrar) and circulates the feedback to the candidate and their advisor within two weeks of the proposal. 

Finally, reiterating from Section 4.4 and Table 4-2, SIE students typically complete their proposal milestone at the end of Year 2, or the end of Year 3 if they enter the PhD without an MS. A revised Recommendation and Certification of Doctoral Advisory Committee form should be submitted to the SIE student services coordinator no later than two weeks before the scheduled proposal if the student has revised their committee since their qualifying exam and/or have added the fourth committee member. Proposal defenses are typically scheduled from March through June. 

Final Defense

The final dissertation defense is the culminating step of the PhD process. The main objective of this milestone is to confirm that the completed research constitutes a meaningful contribution to the body of knowledge in the student’s field of study. A secondary objective is to ensure that the written quality of the final document is adequate to highlight the value of the work and make it accessible for an educated audience. Often, there are intermediate meetings with the committee between the proposal and the defense to Students are eligible to defend their dissertation once they have completed all other requirements, including the publication requirement. The final defense committee must have five members (see Section 4.4.3). There is no required format for the dissertation. Rather, the candidate should work with their committee to prepare a satisfactory document. The candidate should circulate the final dissertation to their committee no later than two weeks before the oral defense date. Final defenses are advertised within the SIE and Engineering School. All interested parties are welcome to attend. The candidate gives a brief overview (30 to 35 minutes) of their dissertation research. The candidate then takes questions from the audience and their committee. The committee deliberates and decides about whether the candidate has passed. 

It is the candidate’s responsibility to email the SIE student services coordinators their announcement information which consists of the committee members list with the chair and advisor identified, the meeting date, time, and location information, and the dissertation defense title and abstract at least two weeks before the final defense. The SIE student services coordinators will provide the chairperson with the relevant forms( Report on Final Examination and Thesis and Dissertation Assessment ) for the final defense. The chairperson will return the completed forms back to them after the final defense. 

PhD candidates must apply for graduation in SIS at the beginning of the semester in which they’re expected to graduate. In addition, after successful completion of the final defense, the candidate must submit the dissertation via Libra  (see Graduation Procedure ) and complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates .

Administrative Forms

It is important that graduate students submit administrative forms related to degree requirements in a timely manner to the SIE student services coordinators. These forms can be found on the Engineering School’s webpage for current engineering graduate students.

The information contained on this website is for informational purposes only.  The Undergraduate Record and Graduate Record represent the official repository for academic program requirements. These publications may be found here .

Academic Catalog

Doctor of Philosophy Engineering with a Concentration in Engineering Management and Systems Engineering (PhD)

Degree description.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) focuses on developing the necessary skills to perform and evaluate rigorous research. Graduates are prepared for careers in teaching and research at academic institutions as well as in other public and private organizations characterized by innovation and technological leadership. The program blends highly theoretical with more applied or pragmatic research. The fields of research supported by the program are defined by the diverse specializations of the department faculty. Students in the Ph.D. program work closely with faculty to develop world-class expertise in their chosen fields of research. Advising faculty expect doctoral students to become collaborators, supporting the faculty's research agenda, and contributing towards their research goals. This program is available on-campus and online .

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Ph.D. program is competitive. The admission process is designed to select applicants that have a strong alignment between their own research interests and an area of specialization of one of the faculty. The best qualified applicant or applicants for an area of specialization are then selected. The number of students admitted into any faculty's area of specialization is dependent on the faculty's projected ability to advise additional doctoral students. The selected is based on the applicants' academic history, maturity in the development of research capabilities, and proficiency in specialized skills demanded by the research area.

In addition to general University admission requirements, which include English language proficiency for international students, applicants must have: (1) A master’s degree or equivalent with a grade point average of 3.50 in an appropriate field from an accredited institution of higher education. (2) Undergraduate degree from an ABET-accredited program in engineering or engineering technology with a GPA of 3.00 (out of 4.00) or better. Students who hold bachelor’s degrees in other disciplines or who do not meet the GPA requirement may be considered for admission based on transcript evidence of applicable physics and calculus courses, a resume indicating relevant work experience in an engineering discipline, and/or satisfactory GRE quantitative scores.

Each applicant is required to submit the following documentation when initially applying: (1) Transcripts from all institutions that the applicant has attended; (2) Graduate Record Examination general aptitude scores; (3) A curriculum vitae that highlights professional and research related activities; and (4) an essay of 500 words or less describing personal and academic goals, professional objectives, preparation for graduate study, and how the chosen program will help the applicant achieve these goals and objectives. The essay should clearly state the specific area in which the applicant intends to specialize.

Applicants whose interests can be supported by a faculty's specialization and demonstrate adequate preparation to meet the demands of doctoral studies will be contacted by the Graduate Program Director.  The GPD may request additional information that will assist in the selection process. Additional information may include but is not restricted to: publications, samples of research reports, and documents or materials that support proficiency claims of specialized skills. If warranted, the GPD will organize an interview of the applicant by faculty that have specializations in areas that may overlap with the applicant's intended area of research.

Admission is contingent on having the support of a faculty that is willing to commit to acting as an advisor should the applicant be admitted.

Students lacking adequate academic preparation may be required to complete coursework in addition to the graduate admission requirements. Students may be admitted to the Ph.D. program deficient in these leveling courses, but as part of their plan of study, the student must take and successfully complete these courses at the earliest possible opportunity. All students must have mathematics coursework through the level of integral calculus; matrix algebra or differential equations; and a course in calculus-based statistics ( ENMA 420  or equivalent). As part of masters-level coursework, all students must have completed the following engineering management leveling courses or their equivalent:  ENMA 600 ,  ENMA 603 , and  ENMA 604 .

Curriculum Requirements

General requirements.

The Ph.D. program is intended to develop scholarship and research capabilities in the student. Graduates will be experts in their chosen field, highly skilled researchers, critical thinkers, and competent communicators and debaters. Graduates will demonstrate this in a variety of ways that will include, but is not limited to, their performance in: coursework, written and oral examinations, closed and public debates and defenses, and contribution to their field's body of knowledge. The development and assessment of such expertise and scholarship take place under the guidance, advising, and mentorship of a faculty that is an expert in the field, and appropriate guidance, dissertation, and examination committees.

Curricular Requirements

Curriculum requirements in engineering management are in accordance with the general requirements for Ph.D. degrees as specified in the Requirements for Graduate Degrees section of this catalog. The Ph.D. program is governed by a Plan of Study that is established by the student in conjunction with his/her advisor and guidance committee within the first nine credit hours of coursework and will follow the established course requirements (below) unless a substitution to one or more courses is agreed upon between the advisor and student and approved by the Graduate Program Director. The plan of study is designed to prepare the student to undertake scholarly research in the particular field and specialization of their dissertation. The coursework selected will provide the student with (1) the requisite foundational knowledge of the selected field, and (2) the necessary research skills. A high degree of flexibility is provided to customize the plan of study, taking into account the diversity in the fields of study, the multidisciplinary nature and variety of research that is undertaken, as well as the different levels of preparation that individual students have.

At least three-fifths (3/5) of formal coursework must be at the 800 level for all doctoral programs.

Up to 6 dissertation research hours may be replaced by coursework with the approval of the advisor and GPD.

Additional Requirements

Requirements for graduation.

In addition to any University and College requirements presented in this catalog, the Ph.D. program in engineering management requires:

• Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 48 credit hours of postmaster’s degree credit or equivalent level of performance coursework. This shall include a minimum of 24 credit hours of coursework that complies with the student's plan of study, and a minimum of 18 credit hours of dissertation research hours.
• Passing a written and oral candidacy examination at the completion of formal coursework.
• The completion of research representing independent original research and its formal documentation as a dissertation.
• The successful defense of a dissertation proposal.
• The successful final public defense of the dissertation before an audience, which includes an appropriately selected committee of faculty knowledgeable in the field of the research.

Continuance Requirements

Students may be separated for failure to comply with any policies, procedures or requirements that pertain to this Ph.D. program or student behavior. In addition to the requirements for graduation, separation from the program may be warranted for the following reasons, among others:

Coursework:

• All students admitted to Engineering Management and Systems Engineering programs must earn a grade of “C” or better in all courses required for the degree and in all Engineering Management prerequisite courses. A student may be separated from the program if he/she receives a grade lower than a "C". Additionally, a student may be separated from the program if he/she receives 2 (two) grades lower than a "B".

Adherence to programmatic expectations:

• Students are expected to complete their coursework according to an agreed upon plan of study. See plan of study requirements above.Failure to adhere to the plan of study may result in separation from the program.
• Students are expected to make timely progress on their coursework and research. Persistent failure to meet deadlines and milestones or other indicators that demonstrate progress, as assessed and documented by the guidance or advisory committee may lead to separation from the program.
• Students are expected to remain within the specialization area of their advisor and committee members. Students that deviate outside of the agreed upon research area will be notified of this deviation. The student may lose the support of their advisor and committee if the deviation persists. A student will be given a limited period of time (generally one semester) to acquire an advisor that is capable of supporting their new research direction. Separation from the program will result if the student cannot obtain a new advisor, whether this is due to the lack of a specialization in the new field, or if a faculty with a suitable specialization cannot take on additional advising responsibilities.
• Similarly, if a student is left without an advisor for any other reason (e.g. departure of a faculty advisor from the program), it is contingent on the student to obtain a new advisor in a timely manner. This may require flexibility and willingness by the student to adjust their area of specialization. The department will assist the student and take their particular situation into consideration when the loss of an advisor is due to factors outside of the student's control. Separation from the program will, however, result if no advisor is obtained after a limited period of time (generally one semester).

Quality of Research

• A student that persistently submits work of low quality whether it be in documented or in oral form, may be required to submit for special reviews by the committee. Records taken by the advisor, and the guidance or advisory committees, which document the quality problems and present remedial actions where appropriate will be used to help ascertain whether the problems can reasonably be expected to be resolved, or if separation from the program is warranted.

Ethical Behavior

• Any student partaking or demonstrating behaviors that might be considered to go against the policies and conditions expected for responsible conduct in research, Old Dominion University expected codes of conduct, or ethical considerations that might be specific to an area of research, may result in separation from the program.

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2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog

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The PhD degree in MS&E is intended for students primarily interested in a career of research and teaching, or high-level technical work in universities, industry, or government.

The PhD is conferred upon candidates who have demonstrated substantial scholarship and the ability to conduct independent research. Through course work and guided research, the program prepares students to make original contributions in Management Science and Engineering and related fields.

Doctoral Programs

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“I became interested in the intersection between behavioral economics and energy policy, inspiring many of the projects I have undertaken during my time at Stanford.”

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PhD graduates from MS&E have taken positions with a wide range of organizations that include high-tech businesses, government agencies, nonprofits, and academic institutions.

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Doctor of Philosophy in the Field of Engineering Management

The online master of science in engineering management is designed to provide students with an interdisciplinary understanding of leadership skills. Specifically, the skills needed to become effective managers in technology-driven organizations and government entities. Throughout the program, students acquire knowledge of technical engineering principles and engineering contracts within a management context.

Program graduates are equipped with the skills to effectively lead diverse engineering teams, oversee complex projects, implement innovative strategies, and drive organizational success. They also are prepared to take the Project Management Professional Examination (offered by the Project Management Institute) to receive the PMP certification.

The online program’s structure offers synchronous and asynchronous learning options, giving students the flexibility to study at their convenience and from any location.

This is a STEM designated program.

Visit the  program website  for additional information.

* A limited number of doctoral applicants are accepted for the summer. Please contact the admissions office for details.  International applicants who require a visa from GW are eligible to apply for admission in fall and spring only (not summer).

For additional information about the admissions process visit the SEAS Admissions Frequently Asked Questions  page.

Contact for questions:

[email protected]

202-994-1802 (phone) 202-994-1651 (fax)

Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday

Credit Requirements 

Students entering the program with a relevant master’s degree spend a minimum of three years in full-time residency for PhD studies. During that time they take a minimum of 36 credits in coursework, including at least 18 credits in dissertation research. Students entering the program without a relevant master’s degree are required to take up 24 credits in additional of coursework. Students entering with only a bachelor’s degree are required to take 24 credits in additional coursework. 

Additional requirements

• To advance to the research phase, students must achieve a minimum GPA of 3.4 with no grade below  B-  at the completion of their coursework.  
• Coursework must be finished within three years (five years for direct admit PhD students) of the start of the PhD program.
• Within three years of the start of the program (five years for direct admits), Students must attempt the doctoral qualifying examination and will be given a maximum of two attempts to pass the exam.
• Within five years of the start of the program (seven years for direct admits), students must complete their research proposal and successfully defend it to a committee of three members, at least two of which which must be from the EMSE Department. Students have a maximum of two attempts to successfully pass their research proposal defense.
• Within seven years of the start of their PhD program (nine years for direct admits), students must complete their research dissertation and successfully defend it to a committee of five members, at least three of which must be from the EMSE Department and one must be from outside the EMSE Department. Students have a maximum of two attempts to successfully pass their dissertation defense.

Preliminary/Qualifying Exams

The Qualifying Examination is the principal means of determining whether a student qualifies as a candidate for the doctoral degree and progress to the second stage of the program. Its purpose is to ascertain that the student's background and intellectual development are adequate to support doctoral research in the central field. The DQE will be offered in January (both parts) and September (only data analysis).  Before taking the examination, students must have completed the core courses and 27 credits (nine courses) of their required coursework and have the DegreeMap finalized. Students must also submit a Doctoral Qualifying Exam Checklist to the doctoral coordinator.

The Qualifying Examination consists of two parts: a two-part written examination and a focus area exam.

Written Exam (Part I)

This exam consists of a two-hour, in-class exam covering EMSE 6765 and an eight-hour, take-home exam covering EMSE 8000 and EMSE 8001 . Both exams are offered during the last week in January. The EMSE 6765 -based exam is also offered during the last week in January. Students should apply to take this exam before the end of the preceding semester.

Focus Area Exam (Part II)

The Focus Area Exam is both a written and oral exam. Students must take this exam by the end of the semester following the successful completion of DQE part I (i.e., student will nominally complete Part I in January, and must take Part II in the third week of May). Students should register for EMSE 8999 for the semester in which they are taking the exam.

Students have three options for the basis for their oral defense:

• A conference or journal paper, on which they are the lead author. If it is a conference paper, the full paper must have been peer-reviewed.
• A seminal journal paper in their focus area. Their advisor and examining committee must approve the paper.
• A 10-page literature review on a topic in their focus area. They have two weeks to complete the review.

In all cases, students are required to defend the work in front of a committee. The committee must consist of three faculty members, at least two of which are full-time in EMSE. Oral exams are approximately one hour long.

At the discretion of the committee, a student who fails any part of the qualifying examination may be given a second opportunity to attempt qualification for candidacy. Usually, only the failed portion of the examination must be retaken. Students who fail to qualify for candidacy in a doctoral program of the School are considered to have failed on a school-wide basis and will not be admitted to further doctoral study within the School.

After successful completion of the DQE, the candidate's advisor will present the academic record of the candidate and request the formation of a research committee. The Department votes on (provisional) admission to candidacy and the research committee. The research committee must be formed before the proposal defense (described below) and must consist of the student’s advisor and two other faculty members, at least one of which must be full-time. Once the student is admitted to candidacy for the degree, he/she begins specialized study and research under the supervision of their research committee. At this point the research committee remains fixed unless a change is formally requested and approved by the department chair and advisor.

Publication Requirements

Students are given 18 months from completion of DQE Part II to be accepted into a pre-approved conference for presentation on a topic relevant to their research. This presentation must be co-authored by their adviser. Failure to do so will result in termination of their candidacy in the doctoral program.

Dissertation

• Proposal defense: After acceptance to a conference, students are required to present a written dissertation proposal to their research committee and to successfully defend the proposal in an oral defense. This proposal should consist of, at a minimum, an introductory chapter, a review of the literature chapter, a methodology chapter, and a chapter on potential results. The Request for Proposal Defense form must be filed and approved two weeks prior to the defense. The Form 5 Doctor of Science Dissertation form is present at the proposal defense and, after a successful defense, is signed by all committee members. After the defense, the advisor in collaboration with the student submits, in writing, a copy (signed by student and adviser) of all suggestions, clarifications, and corrections to the proposal along with the signed Form 5 to the doctoral coordinator within four weeks of the defense. Failure to do so will void the defense. The doctoral coordinator forwards the Form 5 to the department chair for signature. Students are given a maximum of two attempts and a maximum time limit of two years past the semester in which they pass their DQEs to successfully defend their proposal. Failure to do so will result in termination of their candidacy in the doctoral program.
• Final examination/doctoral defense: Once the dissertation has been completed and accepted by the faculty advisor and research committee, students may file a Request for Final Examination form with the Doctoral Coordinator. This form must be filed and approved by the department chair at least two weeks prior to the final examination date. Approval is granted only when all required materials have been presented to the doctoral coordinator. The required materials include a completely filed Request for Final Examination Form, a copy of the journal article with reviews, resumes of outside evaluators and electronic and written copies of the dissertation. The final examination is oral and open to the public. The candidate must demonstrate mastery of the special field of study and of the materials and techniques used in the research. The committee of examiners may include qualified experts brought to the University especially to participate in the examination. The director of research usually serves as advocate for the candidate. Students should consult department regulations concerning the formation of the committee. The committee votes on the quality and originality of the candidate’s contribution to knowledge as well as their mastery of the scholarship and research techniques of the field. Upon a majority vote for pass, the committee recommends the candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The vote to pass may be provisional based on committee recommendations for changes to the dissertation in terms of additional analysis, writing or clarifications.

Seminar and Colloquia Requirements

• As described in the Publication Requirements section above, students are required to present in a pre-approved conference on a topic relevant to their research. In addition, students are also encouraged to present and participate in departmental research seminars.

Graduation and Scholarship Requirements

Students are responsible for knowing the university’s minimum GPA requirement for graduation and scholarships. Please visit the Graduation and Scholarship Requirements section on the GW Bulletin to read the requirements.

Students should contact the department for additional information and requirements.

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Doctoral Programs

ODU's EMSE department offers two exciting doctoral degrees: the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Engineering Management and Systems Engineering and the Doctor of Engineering (D.Eng.) in Engineering Management and Systems Engineering. Both of these doctoral degrees are designed to let students develop world-class expertise in their chosen fields of study.

The Ph.D. maximizes the research experience that should be expected in a high-quality doctoral research program. Each student is advised and mentored to evolve into extraordinary, multidisciplinary scholars and researchers.

The D.Eng. is designed to develop world-class professional systems engineers and engineering managers. This is achieved by combining the highest-level education and practical business experience. We do this by integrating EMSE departmental capabilities with the relevant problems and environment of a sponsoring company. This ensures that each student advances theoretical knowledge in a practical context.

Our Ph.D. and D.Eng. degrees have been built to leverage the research and know-how of the faculty. We purposefully chose to build the programs on the unique relationship that exists between a faculty advisor and the doctoral student, and work to build a collaborative environment.

• For a Ph.D. student, collaboration means that we seek to work together on highly focused problems that are defined by the faculty's research agenda and objectives. The real benefit to the student lies in being advised by a subject matter expert in a field, and the interaction that comes from having an advisor that has a vested interest in the dissertation research.
• For a D.Eng. student, collaboration lies in the transfer of know-how, and in some cases technology, that a faculty member has developed as part of his or her research, to companies as part of the link that a student forms between the EMSE department and the student's sponsoring company. The benefit to the advisee lies in the support that they will be provided from faculty expertise, which will be augmented by the practical know-how of an advisor from within the organization sponsoring the doctoral project.

Our admission process, curriculum, and mentoring activities are all developed to support this focus.

We train doctoral students to successfully be able to take on the challenges encountered working in highly specialized fields in industry, government, and academia. A good part of this success lies in being able to obtain one of these coveted jobs.

Luckily, very few individuals with doctoral degrees in engineering will ever find themselves unemployed. Deceptively, however, just getting started in a desired field can take quite some doing. Recent graduates are often surprised to find that the degree that they have obtained, the highest level in a field, provides little in the way of a competitive advantage. Doctoral degrees are a minimum entry requirement for jobs that demand doctoral level studies. Desirable jobs are competitively awarded, and the competition is fierce. Completing a Ph.D. or D.Eng. is generally not enough. Successful graduates will have treated their years as doctoral students as a career development phase. Students must have a holistic, well-developed "curriculum vitae" on graduation. They must be able to substantiate their claims of scholarly expertise, research skill, pedagogic prowess, and the ability to obtain funding and other support for all of these activities.

A lot is demanded of the individual, not only as a student, but also as professionals. The student will leverage their own actions by establishing a support network, advising, and mentoring. To ensure that these leveraging activities are effective, it is necessary that the student finds or works within a tightly bound field of study defined by the expertise of the faculty in the department.

To be successful requires high levels of self-reliance to define uncharted paths and lines of inquiry, self-motivation to keep progressing, and the willingness and determination to commit extensive hours to study and development. In the end, even this may not be enough when faced with the prospect of reading hundreds of journal articles and books. There is a glue that keeps the student going, that makes looking for another relevant paper exciting. It is a trait that all successful doctoral students share: passion for their field of study.

Finally, the student that starts on a broad path of career development from an early point in their doctoral studies will essentially make the greatest gains. This means that the most successful doctoral students start their studies knowing what they are passionate about.

Doctoral Program Philosophy

Profile of the successful graduate, engineering management & systems engineering.

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Systems Ph.D.

• M.Eng. Degree On Campus
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Are you looking to take a leadership role within a research group or company division or as a professor? The employment prospects for the graduates of this program, both in academia and industry, are remarkably high as demand for systems experts far outweighs their supply. We expect the graduates of the program to find employment in a variety of fields, including academia, and public, private and governmental agencies specializing in energy, healthcare, defense, aerospace, information technology, policy making, etc. The applicable areas are endless because systems science and engineering are essential to tackle today’s complex global challenges.

Ph.D. in Systems

Accepting applications now for fall 2024 deadline to apply: january 15.

Graduates of the program will find employment in a variety of fields, including academia and public, private and governmental agencies specializing in energy, healthcare, defense, aerospace, information technology, policy making, etc.

Active areas of research

• Multi-agent simulation framework for cooperative observing systems of systems
• Patterns in architectural decisions and fast problem formulation in system architecture
• Extreme weather forecasting using constellations of nanosatellites
• Improved human-computer interaction for design of complex systems
• Integrated materials and process design for carbon capture systems
• Cyber-physical infrastructure and informatics for healthy living in smart cities
• Enhancing the food security through sustainable regional food systems development
• Forecasting evacuation behaviors of coastal communities in response to storm hazard information
• Willingness to improve the resiliency of New York City’s transportation system
• Pharmaceutical manufacturing modeling and control
• Systems design of chemical manufacturing from shale gas

Research Vision for Systems@Cornell

•    Strongly rooted in Cornell identity         • Rigorous theoretical foundations         • Disciplinary breadth         • Integrative and multi-disciplinary

•    Focused on solving global societal challenges         • Water-food-energy nexus         • Global climate change         • Built environment, infrastructure, transportation, energy, manufacturing  

“This PROGRAM is not ABOUT learning existing techniques. These are people who are going to create the state of the art… And so who do you turn to when appropriate techniques don’t exist for innovating complex systems? That’s a systems Ph.D.” –    Pat Reed, Professor,       Systems Engineering Field Faculty Member

PhD in Systems Engineering (SE)

Program sites.

• Systems Engineering

Systems Engineering (SE) offers the Post-Bachelor's PhD (MS/PhD) and the Post-Master's PhD which provide opportunities for research in automation, control and robotics, communication and networking, computational and systems biology, information sciences, and production, service systems and supply chain management. The Division research activities are closely aligned with the affiliated Center for Information & Systems Engineering (CISE).

Degree Type

Availability, how it works:.

• Automation, Robotics, and Control
• Communications and Networking
• Computational Biology
• Information Sciences
• Production, Service, and Energy Systems
• Optimization methods
• Information theory
• Control theory
• Queuing theory
• Applied probability and statistics

PhD Handbook

The SE PhD Handbook includes policies, program requirements, logistics and contacts.

Admission Requirements

For Application Deadlines, Requirements and Fee Waiver information, see the Graduate Admissions web page .

• Fall : December 15

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ASEM 2023 Founder's Award for Best Graduate Program

The EMSE Department has won the American Society of Engineering Management (ASEM) Founders Award for the Best Graduate Program eight years in a row!

Top three in the nation!

Missouri S&T’s online engineering management graduate degree program ranks third in nation.

Fall 2024 Advising

Students must meet with their advisor to have the advising hold removed before you can register for Fall 2024 classes.

Long Standing Accredited Programs

Undergraduate - engineering management.

The undergraduate engineering management degree program has been continuously accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET since 1979.  

Join the oldest and most storied engineering management program in the country. 

This program prepares students for leadership roles in engineering, business and education, balancing engineering preparation with a complementary education in business and management methods.

See our ABET Program Educational Objectives and Student Outcomes for the undergraduate engineering management degree program.

Graduate - Engineering Management

The graduate engineering management degree program is the founding member in  The American Society for Engineering Management (ASEM).  ASEM was founded by Professor Bernard R. Sarchet, the first Chair of the Engineering Management Department at Missouri S&T, along with the support and encouragement of then  Chancellor Merl Baker .

Graduate - Systems Engineering

As one of the leading systems engineering programs in the nation, Missouri S&T is recognized as the only university in the world to have four International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) Stevens Doctoral Award recipients.

The INCOSE Certification Program has recently recognized the Missouri S&T systems engineering academic program as an alternative to the INCOSE knowledge exam as a way for individuals to prove their systems engineering knowledge and obtain certifications.

Enroll in one of the best systems engineering graduate programs in the world.

This program trains graduate students to look at engineering systems as a whole, and take an interdisciplinary, top-down, interactive approach to those systems.

EMSE 2024 Newsletter

Sophia Rowland , Engineering Management graduate.

2024 Newsletter

EMSE 2023 Newsletter

Dr. Casey Canfield , Assistant Professor, Engineering Management and Systems Engineering.

2023 Newsletter

EMSE 2022 Newsletter

Meet EMSE Ph.D. graduate and Assistant Teaching Professor Dr. Javier Valentin-Sivico , and his daughter, Lizbeth.

2022 Newsletter

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Graduate-Programs-MS and PhD Human Systems Integration

Agricultural Biorenewable Systems Management Graduate Program

We offer Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degree programs in the Agricultural Biorenewable Systems Management (ABSM) Graduate Program.

The Agricultural Biorenewable Systems Management graduate program:

• Integrates science and technology with business (marketing, management, entrepreneurship, and leadership) for bio-based products/materials and their supply chains;
• Provides an alternative high-quality graduate degree program for students without an engineering undergraduate degree; and
• Prepares graduates to lead the development and advancement of the growing bio-based economy in key industry sectors: bio-based fuels, energy, chemicals, plastics, and packaging; pharmaceuticals; and cosmetics.
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Ph.D. in Management Systems Engineering

Management Systems Engineering (MSE) is focused on the theory, research, design, implementation, evaluation, and improvement of systems comprised of decision makers, information, organizational structures, technology, decision tools, work processes, and people, with an emphasis on the interactions among these components. MSE involves the application of engineering design and analysis methodologies and tools to these management systems. One of the primary objectives of this area is to advance the theory and science of designing and understanding of complex management and engineered systems. The MSE graduate track is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills to meet the challenges posed by increasingly complex organizational systems within dynamic, global environments.

The MSE concentration is designed to expose students to a breadth of industrial engineering topics at the graduate level, depth in management systems engineering topics, and the opportunity to take technical electives in specialized areas within industrial engineering and other areas.

Coursework Requirements

Core ise courses (required).

ECE = Electrical and Computer Engineering -  STAT = Statistics

Concentration Courses (Required)

Preapproved electives.

CEE = Civil and Environmental Engineering, PAPA = Public administration, SOC = Sociology, STAT = Statistics, STS = Science & Technology in Society

Supporting Faculty Members

Master of Science in Engineering Management Integrating Technical Expertise with Strategic Leadership

Degree Options

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Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Become a Business Leader in the Engineering Field with Liberty’s Online Master of Science in Engineering Management

Engineers use scientific and mechanical understanding to create new and better products that revolutionize every industry. But it takes a lot of different skills to create a successful business. Liberty’s 100% online Master of Science (MS) in Engineering Management can equip you with the balance of advanced business skills and engineering knowledge you need to help your organizations succeed in a competitive marketplace.

Liberty’s online MS in Engineering Management is designed to equip you for the next step in your career so you can move from directly working on a project to building the structures of leadership to help the project succeed. With this program, you will develop your skills in engineering to learn the best practices and leadership techniques to help engineers work together to reach their goals. With a practical capstone project, you will demonstrate that you can apply your studies to real-world problems in the field and build a successful engineering firm.

What Will You Study in Our Master’s in Engineering Management ?

Building on your hands-on engineering experience, you will gain a new skill set in specialized engineering business management strategies. You will develop project management, product development, strategic planning, and quality management skills that can help your team of engineers work toward project goals more efficiently. Depending on your choice of specialization, you will grow in your skills as a project manager and leader as you tackle advanced techniques and learn the best strategies to use in a leadership role.

Liberty’s MS in Engineering Management can equip you to lead in an engineering business so that you can:

• Integrate a Christian worldview into the practice of management.
• Recommend solutions based on research, knowledge of the literature, and best practices of engineering management.
• Utilize appropriate decision-making skills based on current management theory and analysis.

Featured Courses

• BMIS 650 – Operations Management
• ENGR 500 – Systems Engineering
• MGMT 610 – Risk Management
• MGMT 645 – Quality Management

Master of Science in Engineering Management Degree Information

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Why Choose Liberty’s MS in Engineering Management Degree?

Liberty’s online Master of Science in Engineering Management is structured to give you a set of invaluable, industry-focused tools and skills that can help you navigate and overcome the challenges in leading an engineering business. With an online format, you can gain the skills you need for upper management in just 1 year from the comfort of your home or office. You can advance toward the credentials you need for higher-paying roles in engineering management while continuing to work in your current position.

In our MS in Engineering Management, you can choose between the project management and leadership areas of study to best fit your career path and field. No matter which program you choose, you will have our faculty of industry-leading engineers to mentor you and help you become the leader you want to be.

Additional Degree Highlights:

• Liberty University’s Center for Engineering Research & Education (CERE) promotes research and development of all forms of energy generation, storage, and transmission. As an online student, you will benefit from the findings of our brick-and-mortar campus.
• Completing a hands-on capstone project will demonstrate that you can apply your training and knowledge to real-world problems in the field of engineering.

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• What Sets Us Apart?
• Private Nonprofit University
• 600+ Online Degrees
• No Standardized Testing for Admission
• Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
• Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Potential Career  Opportunities for Master of Science in Engineering Management Graduates

• Cost systems analyst
• Engineering analyst
• Engineering project manager
• Processing engineer

Degree Options for Master’s in Engineering Management

Liberty’s 100% online  Master of Science in Engineering Management – Leadership  program provides engineering-centered training to help managers build successful project teams. You can develop a servant-leadership approach to organizational leadership that can help your business thrive.

View the  Degree Completion Plan .

Project Management

Liberty’s 100% online  Master of Science in Engineering Management – Project Management  helps you develop new strategic approaches to managing operations for small- and large-scale projects. With these new skills, you will be equipped to help engineering teams work together to meet critical project goals – even across the globe.

Not sure what to choose?

Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.

Tuition & Aid

Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.

All Tuition & Fees

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Financial Aid Forms & Eligibility

Scholarship Opportunities

Admission Information for Liberty’s Master’s in Engineering Management

Admission requirements.

• A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required) .
• Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form .
• Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy .

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

• Be in your final term and planning to start your master’s degree after the last day of class for your bachelor’s degree.
• Complete a Bachelor’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
• Submit an official/unofficial transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show a minimum of 105 completed credit hours.
• If you are a current Liberty University student completing your undergraduate degree, you will need to submit a Degree/Certificate Completion Application .
• Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new master’s degree.

Dual Enrollment

Please see the Online Dual Enrollment page for information about starting graduate courses while finishing your bachelor’s degree.

Transcript Policies

Unofficial college transcript policy.

Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:

• Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
• Cumulative GPA
• A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
• Degree and date conferred (if applicable)

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to [email protected] .

If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Admissions Office Contact Information

(800) 424-9596

(888) 301-3577

Email for Questions

[email protected]

Email for Documents

[email protected]

Liberty University Online Admissions Verification

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• Tuition discounts – $275 per credit hour for graduate courses
• Additional discount for veterans who service in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $625 per course) *
• 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)

*Not applicable to certificates.

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Electrical and Computer Engineering

B.S./M.S. Program Information

Program overview.

The ECE Department B.S./M.S. is a contiguous program for advanced, distinguished ECE undergraduates, leading to a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and a Master of Science (M.S.). Students admitted to the program have access to graduate-level ECE courses and opportunities to do graduate level research under the direct supervision of faculty before completing their bachelor’s degree. 

Acceptance into this program is an honor which carries with it practical benefits, one of which is the simplification of the graduate application process (no GREs are required). 

Admission for graduate study through the B.S./M.S. program is for the M.S. degree only. Undergraduate students wishing to be considered for the ECE Ph.D. degree must  apply to the PhD program directly .

Students should apply  at least  4 quarters in advance from their B.S. graduation. There will be two application periods per year: every Fall (for Winter/Spring M.S. start) and every Spring (for Fall M.S. start).

Gallogly College of Engineering

Mewbourne college of earth and energy, college of atmospheric and geographic sciences, lead in an evolving field, master of science in engineering leadership and management, get started, program overview, online ms in sustainable architecture.

Master a comprehensive understanding of professional codes of conduct, ethical principles, and their application to AI concepts, enabling you to effectively address issues related to bias avoidance, risk mitigation, and privacy assurance in the realm of AI.

Students can expect to gain the skills to proficiently establish, lead, manage, and collaborate within multidisciplinary teams, enabling them to effectively and efficiently solve complex real-world problems.

Each class is carefully selected to foster a personalized, engaging experience with both faculty and peers. The format includes both synchronous and asynchronous activities.

Gain access to industry leaders including respected guest speakers, networking, and collaborative student experiences.

Admissions Requirements

To apply to the online Master of Science in Engineering Leadership & Management program, students must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university (or the international equivalent).  

Applicants should have a solid foundation in Calculus I, Calculus II, and Statistical Analysis as assumed coursework. If candidates are lacking assumed knowledge of coursework, their application will still be considered on a case-by-case basis. Admissions will occur on a rolling basis and are at the discretion of the admissions committee. Transfer credits will be accepted at the discretion of the admissions committee. 

Submit an official transcript from your undergraduate institution and any graduate institution you have attended.

Submit resume: Include professionally formatted documentation of your past education and work experience.

Write and submit a personal statement on your career goals and reasons for applying to the program.

GRE scores are optional and not required for admission, but they may be required by some potential faculty sponsors to be considered for a Qualifying Graduate Assistantship. International students are required to take the TOEFL exam.

Earn an online M.S. in Engineering Leadership & Management at the University of Oklahoma. Our interdisciplinary faculty ensures practical skills aligned with current trends and employer needs for immediate career application.

Program Courses

Engineering leadership and management.

Credit Hours – 3

Prerequisites: junior standing or senior standing; or graduate standing; or instructor permission. This course will help prepare students for leadership and management positions in a global culture. The course emphasizes team building attributes in a multi-cultural organization, how to build commitment among team members, and how to organize to compete in the global marketplace. Students will gain a better understanding of themselves and their personal and professional goals. (F, Sp)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing. The goal of this course is to impart effective communication abilities to engineers. The course will teach Engineers at all stages of their career skills for effective communication with teammates, clients, and employees and/or pursuing the next level of leadership opportunities. Students will learn to create and deliver powerful presentations and documents. (F, Sp, Su)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing. It covers various tools that can be applied to data to extract the knowledge that can be applied for engineering management decision-making. The main objective is to understand the world of data science and analytics, including descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics as a tool for informed decision-making. (F, Sp, Su)

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing. This course will discuss the application of scientific principles and techniques to problems of cost estimating, cost control, business planning, profitability analysis, project management, and planning and scheduling. It will provide an understanding of both the tools and models that can be used throughout the design, development, and support phases, and examine the trade-offs between system performance and life-cycle cost. (Su)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing. In this course, you will learn that engineering systems are made of complex interconnections of interrelated subsystems. You will learn how to recognize these subsystems and understand their relationships to build efficient engineering systems. You will learn to use and develop optimization models, understand systems engineering life-cycle, and model-based systems thinking. (F, Sp, Su)

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing. In this course, you will learn to assemble the skills, talents, and resources of individuals and groups in effective and efficient ways to best solve the engineering problem at hand. You will learn inter-personnel management skills and tools for creating positive and supportive team cultures and incorporating and supporting diversity in teams. (F, Sp, Su)

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing. In this course, you will learn the underlying principles of negotiation and influence skills that can be effectively employed with supervisors, peers, and team members in engineering environments. Concepts such as the zone of possible agreements, the best alternative to negotiated agreements, and sources of influence are put into practice. (F, Sp, Su)

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing. In this capstone course, students work on a team-based multi-disciplinary project that addresses an industry-based engineering management problem. It is meant to integrate the many tools utilized by engineering managers as taught in the coursework of the engineering management and leadership program. Students are required to produce a written report and give an oral presentation. (F, Sp, Su)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing. This course provides the fundamentals of decision analysis and explores how analyzing risk can be incorporated into good decision-making. Normative and prescriptive approaches to making decisions when uncertainty exists are central to this course. Topics covered include structuring decision problems, developing alternatives, single and multiple objectives, utility theory, risk tolerance, data-driven, and subjective probability, and psychological pitfalls, among others. (F, Sp, Su)

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing. This course provides the fundamentals of systems engineering by offering an overview of the discipline and then focusing on the management of system requirements and developing how a system will meet them. We will discuss the definition of systems, the system development life cycle, and the systems engineering method. Topics include Detail design, requirement analysis and decomposition, and system architecting. (F, Sp, Su)

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RIT graduate pursues Ph.D. across time zones

Nastaran Nagshineh, center, defended her Ph.D. thesis at RIT in April. Faculty from RIT’s Rochester and Dubai campuses served on her thesis committee and include, from left to right, Kathleen Lamkin-Kennard, Steven Weinstein, Nathaniel Barlow, and David Kofke (a professor at the University at Buffalo). Mohamed Samaha participated remotely and appears on the video screen behind the group and alongside Nagshineh’s picture.

Nastaran Nagshineh is one of the first Ph.D. candidates to bridge RIT’s Rochester and Dubai campuses. Her accomplishment creates a path for future students at the university’s international campuses.

Nagshineh completed her Ph.D. in mathematical modeling while working full time as a mathematics lecturer at RIT Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, teaching as many as five classes a semester. She described her Ph.D. journey as “an exercise in perseverance” due to competing demands and long days. Rochester is eight hours behind Dubai, and the time difference meant many late-night classes and meetings.

“I saw this collaboration as an opportunity, rather than as a challenge, because my primary adviser, Dr. Steven Weinstein (RIT professor of chemical engineering), and my co-adviser, Dr. Mohamed Samaha (RIT Dubai associate professor of mechanical engineering), both have the same area of research interest,” she said. “They both worked toward my success.”

Nagshineh is one of 67 RIT Ph.D. students who defended their thesis this academic year and who will earn their doctorate. RIT awarded 63 Ph.D. degrees in 2023.

In 2020-2021, RIT’s Graduate School met and surpassed the university’s goal of conferring 50 Ph.D. degrees during an academic year. That number will continue to grow as students cycle through the seven new Ph.D. programs that RIT has added since 2017, said Diane Slusarski , dean of RIT’s Graduate School.

Meeting these goals puts RIT on a path toward achieving an “R1,” or research-intensive designation, from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning. RIT is currently ranked as an R2 institution . Many factors go into changing a university’s status, including research investment and maintaining a three-year average of 70 Ph.D. degrees awarded per year, according to Slusarski.

“We have met the goals of the strategic plan, and now we look forward to contributing to the research innovation in the future,” Slusarski said. “We want to help the new programs thrive and win national research awards.”

RIT’s emphasis on high-level research is seen in Nagshineh’s Ph.D. work. She applies mathematical modeling to the field of fluid dynamics. Her research has been published in top-tier journals and has gained notice, said Weinstein, her thesis adviser.

Weinstein describes Nagshineh’s accomplishments as “a testament to a fantastic work ethic and commitment” and is inspirational to younger students at Rochester and Dubai.

“The collaboration between RIT Dubai/Rochester has continued,” he said. “Another paper was submitted a few weeks ago with Mohamed Samaha and Nate Barlow (RIT associate professor in the School of Mathematics and Statistics) as co-authors, as well as Cade Reinberger, a younger Ph.D. student in my research group.”

Mathematical modeling is one of RIT’s newer Ph.D. degree programs, and Nagshineh is among its earliest graduates. The program has doubled in size since it began accepting students in 2017, Slusarski said. This past fall, the mathematical modeling program had 35 students, with two graduating this year.

Altogether, RIT has 13 Ph.D. degree programs currently enrolling 438 students, with computing and information sciences accounting for the largest with 117 students. RIT’s other Ph.D. programs include astrophysical sciences and technology , biomedical and chemical engineering , business administration , color science , electrical and computer engineering, imaging science , mechanical and industrial engineering , microsystems engineering , and sustainability .

New programs in cognitive science and physics will launch in the fall.

The growth in RIT graduate education—with more than 3,000 master’s and doctoral students—reflects a demographic change in the student population, Slusarski said. “We have a higher percentage of women in the graduate programs than we have for RIT undergraduate programs.”

RIT’s graduate programs enroll 42 percent women, according to Christie Leone , assistant dean for the Graduate School.

Nagshineh, who also holds an MS in electrical engineering from RIT Dubai, welcomes her role as a mentor to other women students on both campuses.

“As a young woman in an Arabic country, the power of women is often underestimated and undervalued, and I hope to serve as a role model to female students, especially those that question their path,” Nagshineh said.

She plans to continue in her career as a professor and a researcher. “I would like to pursue a research program where I can advise my own students and teach them more deeply.”

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