Systems Engineering, M.S.

Program Details

Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering
Modality: Online
Concentrations: Not Applicable
Semester Hours: 30
Total Years: 2

Program Overview

Modern technological programs are characterized by high complexity, multidisciplinary considerations, and strong interactions between science, technology, business, and human civilization. Systems Engineering is the body of knowledge evolved to effectively manage such systems. Our program offers study options that span a broad spectrum of areas, such as engineering management, aeronautics and space systems, and cybersecurity, that allow students to customize the program to meet their needs.

Schedule

All courses are offered online and synchronously with the exception of elective courses offered by other Seaver College departments and the College of Business Administration. Such courses will be offered on the LMU Westchester campus.

Registering for courses is the student’s responsibility. A student is expected to make reasonable progress toward the degrees to remain in good standing at the University. A full-time course load is considered to be 6 semester hours per semester in Fall and Spring. 

Program Educational Objectives

Graduates of the program will:

1. Apply the fundamental principles of systems engineering to complex problems
2. Become leaders of innovative technology projects and businesses
3. Develop multidisciplinary skills to architect, design, and manage complex systems throughout their life cycle
4. Apply principles of project management and lean engineering to improve operational efficiency
5. Develop technical skills to model, analyze, and design integrated engineering systems

M.S. in Systems Engineering Degree Program Admission Requirements

Applicants must submit the following:

• A completed Online Application and $50 application fee
• Official Transcripts of all colleges and universities attended
  • If the applicant’s GPA is below 3.0, also submit two letters of recommendation from past professors or current employer.
• A resume demonstrating at least two years of work experience
• A personal statement (1-2 pages) discussing how the graduate program fits the applicant’s career goals

International applicants must supply the following additional admission materials:

• Transcript evaluation: Transcripts from an international institution must be translated and evaluated by a U.S. transcript evaluation service (e.g., Educational Credential Evaluators, International Education Evaluation, International Education Research Foundation, SpanTran, or World Education Services) before the application is considered for admission.
• TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo: All applicants must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Duolingo English Test unless they received a high school diploma or a bachelor's degree in the United States. The minimum IELTS score for admission for most graduate programs is an Overall Band Score of 7. The minimum Duolingo English Test overall score for admission is 130. For TOEFL exams taken before January 21, 2026, the minimum iBT TOEFL score for admission into most graduate programs is 100. For TOEFL exams taken after January 21, 2026, the minimum TOEFL score for admission is a 5.

Admission Policies

Transfer Credit Policy: Students may transfer up to six (6) semester hours for graduate-level courses completed at another regionally accredited college or university. Credits to be transferred must be taken prior to admission. Each transferred course grade must be at least B (3.0), and the course must not have been used to satisfy degree requirements at another college or university. To request more information about this process, students may contact SeaverGraduatePrograms@lmu.edu.

Deferment Policy: Students admitted into this graduate program may defer their admission offer for up to one year from the initial admission entry term. A formal request should be made by the student by contacting SeaverGraduateAdmission@lmu.edu.. Requests to defer past the one-year mark from the initial admission entry term are reviewed upon request, and the decision is left to the discretion of the Admission Committee.

Appeal Process: The appeal process should be sought after once an admission decision has been provided, and the applicant would like to be reconsidered. To explore the appeal process, the applicant should be prepared to present new evidence of admissibility via new/additional/updated documentation aside from what was presented during the initial admission submission. Such documentation can be in the form of final grades, providing proof of updated relevant course completion and grade/s, etc. 

In addition to the documents provided, the student will be required to submit a short essay stating why they are interested in having their application be reconsidered and explain how the new/updated documentation provided shows improvement for admission reconsideration. The admissions team will review the submission of all new documentation and provide the applicant with an updated decision. To request more information about this process, interested candidates in this option may contact SeaverGraduateAdmission@lmu.edu.

Graduation Requirements

• The overall minimum GPA required for graduation is 3.0. Students who receive a grade of less than “B” in any 500-level course or a grade of less than “C” in any 600-level course will not have the course count toward their degree.
• The program of study must include the following courses: SYEG 500 Systems Engineering, SYEG 510 Project Management, SYEG 600 Advanced Systems Engineering and Program Management, SYEG 640 Model Based Systems Engineering, and Graduate Capstone Project or Master’s Thesis.
• 500/5000-level courses taken as an undergraduate may not be repeated for graduate credit. If a 500/5000-level course is cross listed with a 600/6000-level course, graduate student must enroll in the 600/6000-level course.
• The requirement for the M.S. in Systems Engineering degree is 30 semester hours in total.

Curriculum

¹

The Graduate Capstone Project or Thesis are typically the last courses taken in the program. It is designed to demonstrate the student’s knowledge of all the systems engineering and systems management principles and lean engineering addressed in the prerequisite courses.

²

At most one course (3-4 hours) can be from another graduate program of SCSE or from the MBA program.

Master’s Thesis Option

Preparation of a Master’s Thesis is optional and can fulfill up to a maximum of 6 semester hours of elective course requirements. Students interested in this option should consult with their academic advisor and secure a thesis advisor prior to their final year of the program. The thesis must conform to the requirements shared by the department. The thesis and associated work is intended to advance the state of knowledge in the thesis subject not “rehash” previous work by others or a serve as a “literature search.” The thesis ideally will form the basis for a paper or article, produced by a student, which would be submitted and hopefully published in a peer-reviewed journal or presented at a professional organization’s conference. A thesis is completed after being successfully defended to the thesis committee. With direction from the thesis advisor, a thesis committee will be formed. The thesis committee consists of the student’s thesis advisor, a full-time faculty member from the student’s department, and a third member from other than the student’s department.