Modern engineering systems, for example, microelectronics, transportation, nanotechnology, telecommunications, energy systems, or robotics, are increasingly complex and interdisciplinary. A degree in systems engineering gives students the necessary design skills to integrate components and technologies across many disciplines. Systems engineering also trains students to understand the role of business and entrepreneurship in the design of complex engineering systems and to take on leadership roles in multidisciplinary teams in many application areas. 

Systems Engineering at UT Dallas

The systems engineering program provides a solid foundation in system architecture, project management, and system design, as well as a rigorous introduction to more advanced topics, such as data analytics, dynamical systems, optimization, modeling and simulation, and complex networks.  Students take 123 hours to graduate, including 42 hours from the University’s core curriculum and 75 hours in the major. A unique feature of the systems engineering degree program is the Secondary Field requirement, which consists of 15 credit hours that give students flexibility to tailor their own curriculum.  Students may choose from a list of pre-approved secondary fields, such as robotics or healthcare systems, or design their own secondary field, in consultation with an advisor.     

Engineering education requires strong high school preparation. Pre-engineering students should take at least one semester in trigonometry and one year each in elementary algebra, intermediate and advanced algebra, plane geometry, chemistry and physics; this background makes it possible to move immediately into demanding college courses in calculus, calculus-based physics and advanced mathematics. Students also should be able to read rapidly and with comprehension, and to write clearly and correctly. 

Gaining experience in engineering practice is an important component of a well-rounded education. The Jonsson School operates a successful internship program that averages more than 1,000 undergraduate and graduate student placements a year at Dallas-area companies. A dedicated staff in the Industrial Practice Programs (IPP) office is available to help students find and prepare for internship opportunities. 

Careers in System Engineering

Systems engineers are sought after in virtually every field of engineering.  A small sample of disciplines that hire systems engineers includes logistics, supply chains, technology management, software systems, healthcare systems, energy systems, transportation systems, operations research, data analytics, artificial intelligence, defense, cyber security, business analytics, financial systems, telecommunications, robotics and automation, control systems, mechatronics, aerospace, biomedical systems, manufacturing, and industrial engineering.  The secondary field option in the BS program gives students unlimited possibilities to tailor their degrees to their own personal interests and career goals. 

About the School of Engineering and Computer Science

The Jonsson School is strategically located in the Telecom Corridor, home of the second-largest high-tech economy in the U.S. The Jonsson School recently completed a major public-private initiative that greatly expanded its capabilities, including construction of a new state-of-the art 220,000-square-foot interdisciplinary research building, and recently opened a 200,000-square-foot engineering building. The School is home to six academic departments:

• Bioengineering
• Computer Science
• Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Systems Engineering

Degrees Offered

Bachelor of Science: Biomedical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, data science*, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, software engineering, system engineering

Master of Science:Biomedical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, cyber security, technology and policy**, electrical engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, software engineering, systems engineering and management***, telecommunications engineering

Doctor of Philosophy: Biomedical engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, software engineering, telecommunications engineering

*Joint program between School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.

** Joint program between the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences and Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.

** Joint program between the Naveen Jindal School of Management and Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.

Research

Research efforts underway at the school involve such cutting-edge technology as:

• Medical imaging.
• Speech recognition.
• Materials characterization.
• Cochlear implant technology.
• Cybersecurity.
• Organic electronics.
• Physical, chemical and biosensors.
• Wireless networking.
• Carbon nanotubes.
• Micro-electromechanical systems.
• Semiconductor design.

Additional Facts

The Jonsson School’s rapid growth has helped propel its undergraduate programs into U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of the nation’s top schools of engineering.

The Jonsson School has significantly increased the size of its faculty in recent years, hiring top recent graduates of Stanford University, Cornell University, Purdue University, Georgia Tech and UCLA, as well as seasoned professionals from Rutgers University, University of Southern California, University of California, Davis, Sandia National Laboratories, Freescale Semiconductor and Texas Instruments.

The Jonsson School features a variety of student organizations that are actively involved in both academic and social activities. Completely student-run, these include the Association for Computing Machinery, the Game Development Group, the National Society of Black Engineers, a chapter of the scientific research society Sigma Xi, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and the Society of Women Engineers.

The Fast-Track Program enables exceptionally gifted undergraduate students to include up to 15 hours of master’s level courses in their undergraduate degree plans. When Fast-Track students graduate with a bachelor’s degree, they are automatically admitted to graduate school at UT Dallas. The hours required to complete the master’s degree are reduced by up to 15 hours by the number of Fast-Track graduate hours completed.