Program Directors

Dr. Rajiv R. Shah (Naveen Jindal School of Management), and Dr. Stephen Yurkovich (Jonsson School of Engineering & Computer Science)

Objective

The Graduate Program in Systems Engineering and Management provides intensive preparation for professional practice in the design, engineering and management of complex systems involving a large number of interconnected components.  

Overview

The Master’s in Systems Engineering and Management (MS-SEM) program is delivered through an equal partnership between the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science and the Naveen Jindal School of Management (SOM).  The program focuses on educating students in the disciplines of Systems Engineering, Systems Management, Entrepreneurship & Intrapreneurship, Product Line Development and Management, and Strategic Business Management.  Industry concentrations for the program include: aerospace, defense and space systems; transportation systems; information and communications technology (ICT) systems; information assurance and cyber-security systems; healthcare systems; energy, environment and infrastructure systems; complex biological systems; and macro-economic and financial systems. Faculty for the primary SEM courses are drawn from both the engineering and management schools; faculty from other schools on campus, and industry leaders with expertise in specific fields teach other courses as appropriate.   

Faculty

Jonsson School of Engineering & Computer Science
Lawrence Chung, Kendra Cooper, Duncan L. MacFarlane, Mark W. Spong, Janell Straach, Lakshman Tamil, Mathukumalli Vidyasagar, Eric Wong, Stephen Yurkovich

School of Management
Alain Bensoussan, Abhi Biswas, Greg Dess, Robert Kieschnick, Padmakumar Nair, Rajiv Shah, David Springate, Chelliah Sriskandarajah, Jim Szot, Chris White  

Facilities

UT Dallas has developed a state-of-the-art computational facility. All systems are connected via an extensive fiber-optic, Ethernet and, through Internet2 and the Texas Higher Education Network, have direct access to most major national and international networks. In addition, many personal computers are available for student use.  In addition to the facilities on campus, cooperative arrangements have been established with many local industries to make their facilities available to UT Dallas graduate students.

Admission Requirements

The University’s general admission requirements are discussed here. A student lacking undergraduate prerequisites for graduate courses must complete prerequisites or receive approval from the graduate adviser and the course instructor. A diagnostic examination may be required. Specific admission requirements follow.  

A student entering the MS-SEM program should meet the following guidelines:

•  A minimum of a BS in engineering, mathematics, physics, chemistry, economics or finance (in order to ensure adequate fundamental skills in mathematics) from an accredited program.

•  Must submit GRE and/or GMAT scores, as appropriate

•  Must submit three letters of recommendation from individuals who are able to judge the candidate’s probability of success in pursuing a program of study leading to the master’s degree.

•  Must also submit an essay outlining the candidate’s background, education and professional goals.  

Degree Requirements

The University’s general degree requirements are discussed here. The MS in SEM program is designed to be flexible to accommodate different student backgrounds, allowing students to pick up areas in which they are deficient, while still guaranteeing core competency in systems engineering and systems management. This program has both a thesis and a non-thesis option. All part-time MS in SEM students will be assigned initially to the non-thesis option. Those wishing to elect the thesis option may do so by obtaining the approval of a faculty thesis supervisor.  To receive a Master of Science degree in Systems Engineering and Management, a student must meet the following minimum set of requirements:  

Course Requirements

The MS in SEM degree will require a total of 36 credit hours consisting of 12 courses in the non-thesis option or 10 courses plus 6 hours of thesis credit for the thesis option.  All students must have an academic advisor and an approved degree plan. Courses taken without advisor approval will not count toward the 36 semester-hour requirement. Successful completion of the approved course of studies leads to the MS-SEM degree.  

Non-thesis Option:Completion of a minimum of 36 semester hours of graduate level lecture courses including the required core courses. With advisor approval, these may include some 5000 level courses.  

Thesis Option: An alternative to 36 credit hours required for the MS SEM degree, would be the completion of a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate level lecture courses, including the required core courses, and 6 semester hours of a combination of Master’s research (SYSM 6V70) and thesis (SYSM 6V98), submitted to the graduate school, and a formal public defense of the thesis.  

Students enrolled in the thesis option should meet with individual faculty members to discuss research opportunities and to choose a research advisor during the first or second semester that the student is enrolled. After the second semester of study, course selection should be made in consultation with the research advisor. Part-time students are encouraged to enroll in only one course during their first semester and in no more than two courses during any semester they are also working full-time.  

Research and thesis hours cannot be counted in an MS in SEM degree plan unless a thesis is written and successfully defended. A supervising committee, which must be chosen in consultation with the student’s thesis advisor prior to enrolling for thesis credit, administers the defense. With advisor approval, the lecture courses may include some 5000 level courses.  Full-time students at UTD who receive financial assistance are required to enroll in 9 semester credit hours during the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters.  

Either Option: In either option, students must earn a grade of B- or better in each of four core courses, two of which must be selected from the following engineering courses and two of which must be selected from the following management courses.

Students are required to take 4 courses (a total of 12 credit hours) from a set of 8 courses in the table below.  Two of the courses must be from the Engineering 1 section and two from the Management 1 section. The 4 required courses contribute a total of 12 credit hours towards the MS degree.  

Engineering Core Courses:

SYSM 6301 Systems Engineering, Architecture and Design
SYSM 6302 Dynamics of Complex Networks and Systems
SYSM 6303 Quantitative Introduction to Risk and Uncertainty in Business
SYSM 6304 Risk and Decision Analysis  

Management Core Courses:

SYSM 6311 Systems Project Management
SYSM 6312 Systems Financial Management
SYSM 6313 Negotiating Deals & Resolving Conflict Within the Organization
SYSM 6314 Manufacturing & Service Systems Planning & Analysis

Students will take additional courses from those described in the following pages.  

Electives

Recommended Elective Courses: Choose any 18 hours of 6000 level courses or higher with approval of the advisor.  

Prescribed Elective Courses: these consist of an additional 4 courses (a total of 12 credit hours) from the set of 20 courses listed in the table, excluding the four courses already taken for the requirement above.  At least two of these courses must be chosen from the two Engineering sections in the table, and two from the two Management sections.  

 

Free Elective Courses: Working with a SEM program advisor, students take four additional and distinct courses from either the remaining 12 courses from the lists above that have not already been taken as required courses or prescribed elective courses, or from other courses offered in management or engineering that form a “concentration” or “specialization” in specific industry sectors.  

Note: SEM includes two non-degree certificate options (listed below), one in Systems Engineering and one in Systems Management. Students who complete both certificates can go on to earn the M.S. degree by taking additional program courses, and meeting the requirements set out above.  

Areas of Research

The faculty in Systems Engineering and Management conduct research in control systems, systems optimization, supply chain management, entrepreneurship and innovation, and several other areas.

 

Interdisciplinary Opportunities

In keeping with the established tradition of research at UT Dallas, the Systems Engineering and Management Program encourages students to interact with researchers in other strong programs, including computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, bioengineering, computer engineering, operations management, finance, marketing, innovation and entrepreneurship, and business management.  

SEM Certificate Programs  

Curriculum Requirements

Students have a choice of two different SEM certificates:  a Certificate in Systems Engineering, or, a Certificate in Systems Management. Each certificate requires 12 credit hours.  The courses are offered in an Executive Education, 4-hour module format.   

(1) The Certificate in Systems Engineering requires students to complete over the period of one academic year two courses from the set of engineering courses listed below, and any two additional courses from the remainder of the 20 SYSM-prefix courses listed below in either group, engineering or management.   

 

(2) The Certificate in Systems Management requires students to complete over the period of one academic year two courses from the set of management courses listed below, and any two additional courses from the remainder of the 20 SYSM-prefix courses listed in either group, engineering or management.