Colorado State University Announces Graduate Coursework in Systems Engineering Starting Fall 2008

Colorado State University at Fort Collins will offer new graduate coursework in systems engineering starting this fall to meet the growing demands of employers.

Systems engineering is designed for engineers involved in complex systems, such as those in aerospace, energy, environment and bioscience fields. Systems engineering provides a disciplined development process for complex engineered systems that results in a quality and reasonably priced product that meets user needs.

Colorado State University will offer its systems engineering courses online as well as on campus starting this fall. The program of study is designed to provide a certificate track or a Master of Engineering degree, both of which are pending final approval. Once approved, the Master of Engineering degree in systems engineering will require 10 courses totaling 30 credits and the certificate program will consist of four core courses totaling 12 credits.

Since he arrived on campus a year ago, Ron Sega, Woodward Professor of Systems Engineering at Colorado State, has approached development of the Systems Engineering education program as a collaborative effort with industry, government and other universities. For example, the Foundations of Systems Engineering course offered this fall will utilize case studies and guest lectures from prominent leaders from industry and government.

"The practice of systems engineering has been evolving for more than 50 years," Sega said. "Colorado employers have expressed a critical need for systems engineering education that will give their workers a broad base of knowledge that can be applied to complex systems, whether that’s in aerospace, energy, environment or other fields. We are trying to meet those needs through the flexibility of an in-class or out-of-class, synchronous or asynchronous delivery approach."

Sega was charged with developing a systems engineering program as part of his role as a professor in the College of Engineering. He also serves as the Vice President for Energy, Environment and Applied Research for the Colorado State University Research Foundation and as a special advisor to President Larry Penley on energy and the environment. Formerly, Sega was a NASA astronaut, the Director of Defense Research and Engineering and the Under Secretary of the U.S. Air Force, where he led a team that received the overall Presidential Award for Leadership in Federal Energy Management.

For more information, visit www.learn.colostate.edu/degrees or contact Carl Melle, Director of College Partnerships at carl.melle@colostate.edu or 970-491-7697.

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