Systems engineering, PhD
Program description
Systems engineering is the discipline of designing systems that meet requirements while balancing competing constraints. It is a holistic and integrative field that draws on knowledge from multiple engineering areas to create optimized, well-balanced systems.
Modern industrial systems must consider technological, environmental, social and cultural factors that affect the inputs, outputs and interactions within a system.
The doctoral program in systems engineering prepares students to identify, model, analyze, interpret, optimize and manage the complex interactions involved in today’s technological challenges. Students complete a core of five foundational courses covering systems thinking, identification, modeling, design and analysis and perspective taking. This program is intended for students with a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a closely related field who have demonstrated strong mathematical skills.
Career outlook
Graduates of the systems engineering doctoral program gain expertise to lead systems integration in key industry and government sectors. They are prepared to tackle complex challenges using interdisciplinary methods and contribute original research to advance the field.
These graduates are suited for leadership roles in aerospace, defense, healthcare, energy, transportation and manufacturing, where managing complex systems is critical.
Common career titles include systems architect, systems integration engineer, systems analyst, research scientist, project leader and program manager. Many also pursue academic roles, shaping the future of systems engineering through research and teaching.
Estimated salary range: $100,000-$140,000/year.
Applicants who meet the following requirements are eligible to apply:
- a minimum of a BS in engineering or a closely related discipline from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States or from appropriately credentialed institutions in other countries
- a minimum of 3.00 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.00 = A) in the applicable bachelor’s degree
The admission process begins by applying for graduate admission. The application requires that following items must be submitted:
- Two (2) Letters of Recommendation
- Statement of Purpose: Submit online a 300- to 500-word statement of purpose describing your motivation and rationale for obtaining a PhD in the Systems Engineering program at Arizona State University and how it relates to your long-term career goals.
- CV/Resume
- Official transcripts from each college or university attended.
- International applicants must also meet the English proficiency requirements, as defined by Graduate Admissions. Please be sure to review the TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE score requirements, as your application will not be processed without valid proof of English proficiency.
Graduate faculty and funding opportunities
Degree requirements
A minimum of 84 semester credit hours are required for the PhD degree, distributed as follows:
- A maximum of 30 credit hours of coursework from a previous master’s degree in engineering or a related field may be applied to the PhD.
- Three core courses, totaling 9 credit hours.
- One foundation course, totaling 3 credit hours.
- Additional coursework that is directly in support of the research area. This must total, at a minimum, 15 credit hours.
- 12 credit hours of MFG 792, Research.
- 12 credit hours of MFG 799, Dissertation
Application deadlines
August 15 Spring semester (January)
January 15 Fall semester (August)
These are priority deadlines. Applications submitted after this deadline may still be considered.
Core courses
All students enrolled in the PhD in Systems Engineering must complete the following core courses* as early as is reasonable in their program. Students must also complete one course from their foundation area. Additional curriculum details are available in the PhD Systems Engineering program handbook.
- EGR 602: Principles of Independent Research
- EGR 608: Advanced Simulation
- EGR 611: Complex Engineering Systems
If a student needs additional preparation before taking one or more of the core courses the required deficiency courses may not be used as part of the Plan of Study, although the grades received in these courses will be used in computing the overall GPA. Additionally, PhD programs of study are dependent on both the background and the chosen specialization of individual students and preparation beyond the minimum core requirements is occasionally necessary.