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M.Eng. in Systems Engineering (Distance Learning)

Cornell University offers a Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) in Systems Engineering via distance learning. This program is ideal for people who have entered the workforce and want to earn a master’s degree without taking a break from employment.

Format

Remote

Page Contents

Note: This page provides a general overview. For complete and accurate information, please consult the M.Eng. Student Services Coordinator. For current course offerings and information, refer to the Cornell University Registrar: Courses of Study.

Degree Requirements

  • A minimum of 30 credit hours are required, which includes a required project.
  • The entire selection of courses for the degree must be approved by the student’s advisor. Other courses could be accepted as electives if approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.
  • You must receive a letter grade for all courses applied toward your degree

Of the 30 credits required for the M.Eng. degree, 17 to 19 must come from required courses, and 12 to 14 credits will come from electives.

Optional Pathways

Students can choose to formally specialize their M.Eng. in Systems Engineering by pursuing an official Pathway in the following:

Or by designing their own Pathway. Each Pathway has specific requirements and elective course options as detailed below.

Required Courses

  • SYSEN 5100

    Model-Based Systems Engineering (Fall, 4 credits)

  • SYSEN 5200

    Systems Analysis Behavior and Optimization (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5900

    Systems Engineering Design Project (Fall and Spring, 1–6 credits)

  • SYSEN 5930 or CEE 6910

    Project Management and Leadership for Complex Systems  (SYSEN 5930) (Fall, 4 credits)

    Project Management (CEE 6910) (Fall and Spring, 4 credits)

  • SYSEN 5920 and SYSEN 5940 *

    SYSEN 5920 (Systems Engineering Management for Virtual Teams) (Summer, 1 Credit) and SYSEN 5940 (Creativity and Innovation within Systems Engineering) (Summer, 1 Credit) are also required.

*International distance-learning students should contact Jessica Beebe, the Systems Engineering assistant director of graduate programs, with any Visa questions or concerns pertaining to either (or both) of these residential courses.

Elective courses

The electives are grouped into the following categories with the restrictions described below:

  • Modeling and Analysis: At least one course must be taken from this group
  • Application: At least one course must be taken from this group
  • Management: No more than one course may be taken from this group
  • Seminar: A maximum of two courses may come from this group, and no more than one course from this group may be taken per semester.

For students pursuing the Energy Systems Pathway, three elective courses (9 credits) must come from the Energy Electives. For students pursuing the Health Systems Engineering Pathway, three elective courses (9 credits) must come from the Health Care Electives.

Your advisor must approve the electives you select to ensure a well-rounded program of study. This is documented by submitting a proposal form to the Systems Engineering program office.

Elective Courses – Modeling & Analysis

  • CEE 5930

    Data Analytics (Fall, 4 credits)

  • CEE 6680

    Optimal Control and Decision Theory (Spring, 3 credits)

  • CEE 6690

    Information Design for Strategic Decision-Making (Fall, 3 credits)

  • ENMGT 5980

    Decision Framing and Analytics (Fall, 3 credits)

  • MAE 5780

    Feedback Control Systems (Fall, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5120

    Energy and Climate Scenario Analysis (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5130

    Service System Modeling and Design (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5300, SYSEN 6300, MAE 5930

    Systems Engineering and Six Sigma for the Design and Operation of Reliable Systems (Fall, 4 credits)

  • SYSEN 5350

    Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (Spring, 4 credits)

  • SYSEN 5400

    Theory and Practice of Systems Architecture (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5420

    Network Systems and Games (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5430

    Optimization under Uncertainty (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5440

    System Analysis and Design (Fall, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5460

    Data Science for Socio-Technical Systems: Decision-Making and Data Communication at Scale (Summer, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5500

    Systems Modeling Language: Fundamentals and Practice (Spring, 2 credits)

  • SYSEN 5630

    Clinical Natural Language Processing and Large-Language Models (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5640

    AI for Healthcare Systems Engineering (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5680

    Optimal Control and Decision Theory (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5690

    Information Design for Strategic Decision-Making (Fall, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5800

    Computational Optimization (Fall, 4 credits)

  • SYSEN 5830

    Astronautic Optimization (Fall, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5880

    Industrial Big Data Analytics and Machine Learning (Spring, 4 credits)

  • SYSEN 5888

    Deep Learning (Fall and Spring, 4 credits)

  • SYSEN 6680

    Optimal Control and Decision Theory (Spring, 3 credits)

Elective Courses – Application

  • CEE 5930

    Data Analytics (Fall, 4 credits)

  • CEE 5200

    Economics of the Energy Transition (Fall, 3 credits)

  • CEE 6910

    Project Management (Fall and Spring, 4 credits)

  • ECE 5660

    Computer Networks and Telecommunications (Fall, 4 credits)

  • ENMGT 5980

    Decision Framing and Analytics (Fall, 3 credits)

  • MAE 5160

    Spacecraft Technology and Systems Architecture (Spring, 4 credits)

  • MAE 5220

    Introduction to Internet of Things – Technology and Engagement (Spring, 4 credits)

  • MAE 5340

    Innovative Product Design via Digital Manufacturing (Fall, 4 credits)

  • ORIE 5100

    Design of Manufacturing Systems (Fall, 4 credits)

  • SYSEN 5170

    Energy Policies for Systems Transition (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5180

    Sociotechnical Systems and Policy (Fall, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5210

    Economics of the Energy Transition (Fall, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5220

    Systems Dynamics (Fall, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 6220

    Systems Dynamics (Fall, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5230

    Energy Efficiency in the Circular Economy (Fall, 1.5 credits)

  • SYSEN 5240

    Strategies for Climate Action (Fall, 1.5 credits)

  • SYSEN 5250

    Systems Integration, Verification, and Validation (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5260

    Software Systems Engineering: Design, Develop, and Deliver Software in the Modern Enterprise (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5270

    Sociotechnical Systems Modeling and Simulation (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5280

    Adaptive and Learning Systems (Fall, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5290

    Transdisciplinarity and Systems (Fall, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5300, SYSEN 6300, MAE 5930

    Systems Engineering and Six Sigma for the Design and Operation of Reliable Systems (Fall, 4 credits)

  • SYSEN 5370

    Sustainable Life Cycle Management (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5380

    Collective Intelligence (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5390

    Cybersecurity for Cyber-Physical and Aerospace Systems (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5400

    Theory and Practice of Systems Architecture (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5410

    Cyber-Physical Systems (Spring, 4 credits)

  • SYSEN 5450

    Industrial Blockchain Systems and Applications (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5460

    Data Science for Socio-Technical Systems: Decision-Making and Data Communication at Scale (Summer, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5490

    Digital Twins and Model-Based Systems Engineering (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5500

    Systems Modeling Language: Fundamentals and Practice (Spring, 2 credits)

  • SYSEN 5520

    Power Systems and Market Operations (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5610

    Introduction to the US Healthcare System, Data, and Interoperability (Fall, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5620

    Healthcare Data Management and Analytics (Fall, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5630

    Clinical Natural Language Processing and Large-Language Models (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5640

    AI for Healthcare Systems Engineering (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5740

    Design Thinking for Complex Systems (Spring, 2 credits)

  • SYSEN 5800

    Computational Optimization (Fall, 4 credits)

  • SYSEN 5830

    Astronautic Optimization (Fall, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5880

    Industrial Big Data Analytics and Machine Learning (Spring, 4 credits)

  • SYSEN 5888

    Deep Learning (Fall and Spring, 4 credits)

  • SYSEN 5930

    Project Management and Leadership for Complex Systems (Fall, 4 credits)

Elective Courses – Management

  • CHEME 5660

    Financial Data, Markets, and Mayhem for Scientists and Engineers (Fall, 3 credits)

  • ECE 5830

    Introduction to Technical Management (Fall, 3 credits)

  • ENMGT 5300

    Technology Strategy and Roadmapping (Spring, 3 credits)

  • ENMGT 6095

    Digital Marketing for Engineering Managers (Spring, 3 credits)

  • NBA 5070

    Entrepreneurship for Scientists and Engineers (Fall and Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5140

    Economic and Financial Decisions for Engineers (Spring, 3 credits)

  • SYSEN 5740

    Design Thinking for Complex Systems (Spring, 2 credits)

Elective Courses – Seminar

  • SYSEN 6100

    Systems Seminar Series (Fall and Spring, 1 credit)

M.Eng. Project

The M.Eng. project experience is key to the success of developing systems engineers who are well prepared to make a significant difference in the world. These two-semester projects go beyond our diverse coursework and provide a more in-depth, hands on, and real-world opportunity to gain valuable experience in the application of systems engineering.

The M.Eng. program requires an engineering project of 6-9 credits completed over two semesters. With the guidance of a faculty advisor, students will work with a team to solve a real-world problem. The projects vary considerably in structure, length and topic. Students will have an opportunity to select from an array of cutting edge project topics.