Systems Engineering is a multi-disciplinary field that aims at integrating the engineering and management functions in the development and creation of a product, process, or service. The definition given by International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) is a good description of what SE encompasses: “Systems Engineering is concerned with the overall process of defining, developing, operating, maintaining, and ultimately replacing quality systems. While other engineering disciplines concentrate on the details of individual aspects of a system (electronics, mechanics, ergonometrics, aerodynamics, software, etc.), systems engineering is concerned with the integration of all of these aspects into a coherent and effective system. Systems engineers concentrate their efforts on the aspects of the engineering process (requirements definition, top-level functional designs, project management, life cycle cost analysis, etc.) that serve to organize and coordinate other engineering activities. The systems engineer is the primary interface between management, customers, suppliers, and specialty engineers in the systems development process.” Based on this description, all engineering and manufacturing firms, and many other complex institutions, need Systems Engineering to improve productivity and quality as well as reduction in overall cost.
This certificate program is designed to address industry's increased needs for engineers who have expertise in Systems Engineering. It will prepare today's engineers to be competitive in taking on the new challenges facing the industry so that our companies can compete globally.
The certificate is a Purdue University certificate that would appear on a student’s transcript upon completion.