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Ph.D. in Systems

The Cornell Ph.D. in Systems explores advanced methodologies and modeling techniques to tackle complex design and operational challenges. With a multidisciplinary approach, the program equips students to develop innovative solutions at the intersection of engineering, business, and the social sciences.

Format

In-Person

Page Contents

Note: This page provides a general overview. For complete and accurate information, please refer to our Ph.D. Handbook and consult with your advisor. For current course offerings and information, refer to the Cornell University Registrar: Courses of Study.

Degree Requirements

A Ph.D. student is required to take four core courses, and must also obtain appropriate knowledge in each of the following four areas, either from prior study or by taking one or more of the suggested classes in the areas below. The exact subset of courses required is at the discretion of the student’s Special Committee, based on the specific needs of each student.

  • Human-Centered Modeling
  • Risk, Uncertainty, Stochastic Modeling and Learning
  • System Architecture, Design and Optimization
  • Complex Systems Science

Further, each Ph.D. student will be required to complete two minors in either engineering, business, or the sciences (including social sciences), or other appropriate courses relating to areas such as health care, agriculture, etc. The criteria for how many and what courses must be taken in each minor are at the discretion of the committee members, although some fields may recommend their faculty to enforce specific guidelines.

Core Courses

These courses are required for all Ph.D. students.

  • SYSEN 6000

    Foundations of Complex Systems
    Fall, 3 credits

  • SYSEN 6150

    Model Based Systems Engineering
    Fall, 3 credits

  • SYSEN 8000

    Systems Doctoral Colloquium
    Fall, 1 credit

  • SYSEN 8100

    Systems Seminar Series – Ph.D.
    Fall or Spring, 1 credit

Special Committee

A committee chair (thesis advisor) must be selected by each Ph.D. student within three weeks of starting the Ph.D. degree. The Graduate School requires that all doctoral students have a full Special Committee no later than the end of their third semester.

The committee chair will aid the graduate student in selecting a Special Committee, which consists of a minimum of three faculty members who will directly supervise the graduate study and research of a student. For Systems Engineering students, the members are:

  • A committee chair who represents the major field of Systems Engineering.
  • One member who represents a minor outside of systems engineering.
  • A third member who may either:
    • represent another minor outside of the field, or
    • represent an internal minor in some subspecialty of systems engineering.

More information about the special committee

Examinations

Students are required to pass the following three exams, and meet the residency requirement, before being awarded a Ph.D.

  • Q-Exam

    The Q Exam (Qualifying Exam) is taken between May and December of the second year. Students must have achieved a minimum grade in of “B” in both SYSEN 6000 and SYSEN 6150. The exam consists of an oral presentation by the student about research, followed by a question-and-answer session. Questions will be about material in SYSEN 6000 and SYSEN 6150 as applicable to the research presented. This exam helps the Special Committee determine the student’s ability to pursue doctoral studies, continue in a program, and tailor an appropriate program of study.

  • A-Exam and Residence Units

    The A Exam is also known as the Examination for Admission to Candidacy. The A Exam must be scheduled before the beginning of the seventh semester unless a special petition is filed. To schedule the A-Exam, file the examination scheduling form with the Graduate School well in advance of when the student plans to take the exam, but at least seven days prior. After the student completes the A-Exam, the committee chair must check the “Cornell Engineering Systems Engineering” box on the Results of Examination Form. The form must be turned into the Graduate School within three days following the exam.

  • B-Exam

    The B Exam is the oral defense of a student’s thesis or dissertation. This exam can be taken after completing all degree requirements, but not earlier than one month before completing the minimum registered semester requirements (See “Residency Requirement” below). At least two semesters of successful registration must be completed between passing the A Exam and scheduling the B Exam.

  • Residency Requirement

    A registration (residency) unit is typically awarded to a student who has been registered and enrolled for a full semester. A minimum of six registration units are required to obtain a Ph.D. degree, and two of them must be after completing the A Exam.

Elective Requirements for the Ph.D. Graduate Minor

Human-Centered Modeling

  • AEM 6140

    Behavioral Economics and Managerial Decisions

  • AEM 6440

    Consumer Behavior

  • AEM 6120

    Applied Econometrics

  • CEE 6640

    Microeconometrics of Discrete Choice

  • ECON 7260

    Econometrics of Network Analysis

  • HADM 6470

    Consumer Behavior

  • NBA 6390

    Data Driven Marketing

  • NBA 6630

    Managerial Decision Making

  • MSE/CHEME/MAE 7070

    Professional Product Design Studio

  • PSYCH 6050

    Perception

  • SYSEN 5740

    Design Thinking for Complex Systems

Risk, Uncertainty, Stochastic Modeling and Learning

  • AEM 6061

    Risk Simulation & Monte Carlo Methods

  • CEE 6970

    Risk Analysis and Management

  • COMM 6860

    Risk Communication

  • ECON 7120

    Decision Making Uncertainty: Empirics

  • ORIE 6500

    Applied Stochastic Processes

  • ORIE 6510

    Probability

  • ORIE 6540

    Advanced Stochastic Processes

  • ORIE 6570

    Stochastic Dynamic Programming

  • ORIE 6580

    Simulation

  • ORIE 6630

    Risk Measures

  • ORIE 6700

    Statistical Principles

  • ORIE 6741

    Bayesian Machine Learning

  • ORIE 6750

    Optimal Learning

  • ORIE 6780

    Bayesian Statistics and Data Analysis

  • SYSEN 5300

    Systems Engineering and Six Sigma for the Design and Operation of Reliable Systems

  • SYSEN 6880

    Industrial Big Data Analytics and Machine Learning

System Architecture, Design and Optimization

  • SYSEN 5200

    Systems Analysis Behavior and Optimization

  • SYSEN 5350

    Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

  • SYSEN 6400

    Theory and Practice of Systems Architecture

  • SYSEN 6800

    Computational Optimization

  • ORIE 6300

    Mathematical Programming I

  • ORIE 6310

    Mathematical Programming II

  • ORIE 6320

    Nonlinear Programming

  • ORIE 6328

    Convex Analysis

  • ORIE 6334

    Combinatorial Optimization

  • ORIE 6350

    Foundations of Game Theory and Mechanical Design

Complex Systems Science

  • CS 6810

    Theory of Computing

  • MAE 6840

    Asymptotics and Perturbation Methods

  • MATH 4210

    Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos

  • MATH 6270

    Applied Dynamical Systems

  • MATH 6280

    Complex Dynamical Systems