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Programs: Systems Engineering Description: “The program represents a partnership between the Whiting School of Engineering and the Applied Physics Laboratory. Most instructors are practicing systems engineers. This keeps them sharp and students benefit from their deep understanding of contemporary systems examples provided in class.,” said Dr. Ronald R. Luman, Systems Engineering Chair at Johns Hopkins.Where is it: Elkridge, MD and other Washington-area locations Format: Online, On-campus, and Industrial Partnerships Degree you get: Masters in Systems Engineering; Master of Science in Engineering in Systems Engineering
Prerequisites: Engineering, Science, or Math Degrees (some exceptions for work experience) Size of the Program: ~1000 Students Number of credit hours: 30 (10 Courses) Thesis: Thesis or Capstone Project And that will take how long? 2-5 years When to apply: Any Time Fees: $35,000 - $40,000 Minimum Admission Requirements:
Not Required
Who should take it?
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A Thousand Systems Engineering Students Can’t Be Wrong
Johns Hopkins’ Masters in Systems Engineering program has a lot to be proud of. Since their inception in the 80’s they have grown to become the largest systems engineering masters in the country. Johns Hopkins also was the first civilian systems engineering program to receive an ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) certification.
Dr. Ronald R. Luman, Program Chair of Johns Hopkins Systems Engineering Program.
Program chair, Dr. Ronald R. Luman, pointed out some of the highlights of Johns Hopkins systems engineering master’s program, “The program is a partnership between the Whiting School of Engineering and the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). Most instructors are practicing systems engineers from APL. This keeps them sharp and students benefit from their deep understanding of contemporary systems examples provided in class. We also have strong ties to Washington D.C.’s and California’s industrial and defense companies. The relevance of the program to the development of large scale systems has been the driving factor in program growth. I’m very proud of our ABET accreditation because it recognizes our commitment to continuous improvement.”
Three ways to get a Systems Engineering Masters from Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins’ systems engineering master program offers flexible study formats. Students can access the content online, on-campus, or through an industrial partnership.
Industrial partnerships are made between the school and a company that is interested in sponsoring the education of 20-25 employees on a topic. Johns Hopkins works with the company to determine an optimal way to present the content through a tailored curriculum. Some companies that have partnered with Johns Hopkins Systems Engineering in the past include Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and M.C. Dean.As for the online and on-campus options, there is no difference in the content covered. “The tests, papers, and exercises are all identical. Some lectures are recordings of live lectures,” explained Dr. Luman. “However, the asynchronous nature of online learning allows students to access the content at their own pace.”
He added, “The program also requires students to learn how to work together in teams, often remotely. This is a skill inherent in a multidisciplinary program like system engineering. Woven throughout the curriculum are projects where teams of 3-5 must work on a project.” Therefore, Johns Hopkins looks for students who are ready and able to work in a team environment, often with classmates who live across the country, or around the globe. As such, if you are not ready to work in a team over vast distances, then this program may not be the best fit for you.
To combat the non-interactive nature of recorded lectures, however, online students have a weekly “Q & A” office hour with their professors. They can also discuss topics with professors and peers using a chatroom environment in Blackboard.
Dr. Luman added that, “online education is not for everybody. Online learning requires increased self-discipline for both the student and the faculty. When learning on-campus you get into a rhythm going to class and completing assignments. Additionally, instructors can easily make last minute tweaks to each week’s lesson. This isn’t the case online.”
Dr. Luman suggested that students block out a solid 12-15 hours a week for a course. This constitutes a serious commitment for many working professionals. It might be best to start with one course and work your way up. Even Dr. Luman acknowledged that this is a heavy workload and some professors can get carried away, “We stress to the instructor that they make assignments that are relevant and crisp as opposed to lengthy. Every once in a while though, things move too far in the wrong direction and have to be pulled back.”
The Systems Engineering Curriculum
The average student in the systems master’s program is looking to expand their horizons. They have a solid base in a specialized field and need to understand the broader system in order to enhance their career. These students need the context from previous work experience to make the career decision between specialization or system engineering.
To fill the broad disciplinary need, “the systems engineering master’s program offers 6 core courses, a capstone project, and 3 electives. These three electives can be taken from any other technical discipline in the school or within systems engineering. If a specialized topic interests you or would work to your career goals then you should have the freedom to take that course,” explained Dr. Luman.
In prior years, courses associated with space systems engineering were very popular. In response, Johns Hopkins created a space systems engineering masters. “We expect that more program spinoffs will be created by our systems engineering concentrations as technology and industry evolve,” expressed Dr. Luman. “Additionally, we are trying to weave quantitative modeling lessons throughout the curriculum for the future.”As for those capstone projects, students might be interested in Johns Hopkins’ research initiatives to integrate healthcare systems. . “The ICU has a lot of low hanging fruit to integrate medicine delivery and patient monitoring. The Applied Physics Lab, medical school, and the engineering school have teamed up to address these issues. We are also encouraging sytems engineering students to perform their capstone project in this area as a means to discover fresh ideas on the topic. This is critical national challenge thanks to the aging baby boomers, increasing health costs, and inefficiencies in the healthcare system,” said Dr. Luman.
Why wouldn’t you get a Master in Systems Engineering from Johns Hopkins:
- You are uncomfortable working in teams
- The heavy workload
Johns Hopkins has sponsored promotion of their Master in Systems Engineering on ENGINEERING.com. They have no editorial input to this post - all opinions are mine. Shawn Wasserman