Program Overview

M.S. in Systems Engineering

The Master of Science (M.S.) is a graduate degree for those who desire not only to acquire fundamental knowledge but also to contribute to the advancement of knowledge through independent, original research. It provides a springboard for careers as an academician, as a researcher, as a consultant or in management/leadership within a university, institute, industry, or government setting.

Admissions Criteria

The deadlines for M.S. applications with financial aid requests are January 6th for fall semester and September 30th for spring semester. All SIE faculty are eligible to advise students enrolled in the SE M.S. program. We accept applications from candidates with degrees from all engineering and some affiliated backgrounds. In some cases, candidates who do not have engineering or similar credentials will be offered conditional admission, which will require them to take selected undergraduate coursework in addition to the coursework required for their M.S.

Engineering School Requirements

Engineering School requirements for M.S. degrees are described on the UVA Graduate School of Engineering’s information webpage. This page also addresses admission requirements, rules and regulations pertaining to financial assistance and outside employment, and other matters.

Time Limit

All requirements for the M.S. degree must be completed within five years after matriculation to the graduate program.

Coursework, Seminar Series, and Training Engagement

Coursework

The M.S. in SE requires thirty (30) credits of coursework and research beyond the B.S. program. The following requirements should be met:

• Three (3) credit hours of SYS 6001 Introduction to Systems Analysis & Design
• Six (6) credit hours of Foundation Courses: two (2) courses selected from SYS 6003 Optimization Models and Methods I, SYS 6005 Stochastic Modeling I, SYS 6007 Human Factors I, and SYS 6021 Statistical Modeling I.
• Fifteen (15) credit hours of graded, graduate-level elective courses distributed thusly:
  • At least three (3) credit hours of systems engineering courses at the 6000 or 7000 level.
  • No more than three (3) credit hours of SYS 6993 or SYS 7993 Independent Study.
  • No more than three (3) credit hours of SYS 6995 or SYS 8995 Supervised Project Research.
• Two (2) semesters of SYS 7096 Systems Engineering Colloquium (required) in the first academic year (1 zero-credit hour per semester).
• At least six (6) credit hours of SYS 8999 Thesis (of which six count toward the thirty-credit requirement).

Special Circumstances

• Prerequisites: The student who does not have the prerequisites (i.e., calculus, linear algebra, probability and statistics, computer programming) should take articulation courses. These courses cannot be used to satisfy the degree requirements.
• Equivalent Courses: The student who, prior to enrolling in our graduate program, has already taken a course equivalent to a core course may petition the graduate programs director for the substitution of the core course by an elective course.
• Transfer Credit: Up to six (6) credit hours of graduate courses may be transferred. Only courses with a grade of B or better that have not been applied toward another degree may be transferred.

Seminar Series, Training and Engagement

Seminar Series: SIE is committed to providing members of our community with the opportunity to learn from a wide range of scholars and practicing engineers through seminars. These seminars are organized as (a) our weekly Graduate Colloquium and (b) Distinguished Speakers invited by our faculty. As an essential component of graduate education, M.S. students should register for at least two (2) semesters (preferably in their first year) of SYS 7096 Systems Engineering Colloquium with zero credit hours.

Thesis and Committee

M.S. students will work with their advisor to identify a suitable master’s research topic. Up to six (6) of the thirty credits toward the M.S. will typically comprise thesis research via the SYS 8999 Thesis listing. The M.S. candidates and their advisor will also select an M.S. thesis committee comprising at least three (3) UVA faculty members. One (1) of these three (3) members may be from outside SIE. At least two (2) of the three (3) members must be faculty members with non-zero percentage appointments in SIE.

Academic Progress

Good academic standing is defined as a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 and Satisfactory grade(s) in research and in teaching, when applicable. Unsatisfactory work during any semester or a cumulative grade point average of less than 3.0 may be considered a sufficient reason for withdrawal of financial assistance or for enforced withdrawal from the graduate program. Non-degree and visiting graduate students are also expected to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to remain in good academic standing.

Academic Probation and Suspension

Graduate students may incur academic probation any fall or spring semester in which they fail to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0. Students on academic probation have one (1) semester to increase their cumulative grade point average to 3.0 or above, or they will be placed on academic suspension. Students who do not raise their GPA to 3.0 during their academic probation will incur academic suspension. Academic suspensions may be appealed within thirty (30) days of notification to the UVA Engineering Graduate Studies Committee. Without an approved academic suspension appeal from the UVA Engineering Graduate Studies Committee, students are permanently academically suspended from the School of Engineering and are not eligible for readmission. Approved academic suspension appeals from the UVA Engineering Graduate Studies Committee provide the student a prescribed number of semester(s) of academic probation to increase their cumulative grade point average to 3.0.