Master of Science in Systems Engineering /
Master of Science in Engineering Systems (580 Curriculum)

The Master of Science in Systems Engineering (MSSE) Program is a signature program of the Systems Engineering Department accredited by the ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC). This program primarily serves the U.S. Navy Engineering Duty Officer (EDO) community.

Depending on Bachelor’s Level degree, some students may not qualify for an ABET EAC accredited MSSE degree. In this case, while taking the same classes, these students will earn a non-ABET accredited Master of Science in Engineering Systems (MSES) degree.

Admission Requirements

Entry Dates:  September and March
Length of Study:  Eight quarters (with a refresher quarter)
Program Officer: CDR Vet Davis, USN
Academic Associate: CDR Katy Giles USN, PhD

MSSE/MSES Degree Requirements: 

• Completion of an approved curriculum that includes:
  • A minimum of 36 quarter hours of 3000 and 4000 level courses, 16 of which must be at the 4000 level.
  • Completion of core Systems Engineering and Advanced Systems Engineering course sequences
• Completion of a 12 quarter credit hour thesis course sequence and a thesis.

Educational Skill and P-code Requirements

EDO students sponsored by the Naval Sea Systems Command must also meet additional Educational Skill Requirements (ESRs) essential for the primary duties to be awarded of an approved EDO subspecialty code 58xxP. To be able to meet these additional ESRs, the U.S. Navy students enrolled into the 580 curriculum take additional courses within one of the two available domain application tracks:

1. Combat Systems (earning a subspecialty code 5802P), or
2. Total Ship Systems Design (earning a subspecialty code 5801P).

Meeting ESRs enables students to:

1. Understand and apply engineering-baccalaureate-equivalent mathematics and basic sciences.
2. Model and analyze military operations in the context of achieving needed capability.
3. Perform system architecting, applying and integrating methods for both software and hardware aspects.
4. Understand and apply the system design process in a holistic context.
5. Understand and apply core qualitative and quantitative methods of engineering design analysis.
6. Apply the core skills of system integration and development.
7. Apply the core skills of system test and evaluation.
8. Address human factors during requirements definition, as well as workload, safety, training, operability and ergonomics during design. 
9. Work as a team member or leader on a military systems engineering project.
10. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the principles, technologies, and systems used in at least one major specialty area.
11. Understand and apply the fundamentals of the underlying principles of cyber infrastructure and systems; inherent vulnerabilities and threats (required for 14XX designators only)
12. Conduct independent analysis and research in the area of Systems Engineering.

Student Outcomes

In order to achieve the program educational objectives, graduates must complete at least one year of study, or at least 45 quarter credit hours, beyond a baccalaureate level program, achieve a mastery of systems engineering, and complete a thesis or capstone project report, where each student attains outcomes demonstrating competency in:

1. Subject Matter Competence:  Advanced mathematics, including probability and statistics, and computing fundamentals, with practical applications thereof.
2. Technical Merit:  Engineering topics necessary to define, synthesize, analyze, design, and evaluate complex systems containing hardware and software, and human elements (where appropriate), in a holistic manner across the lifecycle.
3. Engineering Reasoning:  Systems design and analysis topics, such as decision analysis, risk analysis (cost, schedule and performance), trade-off analysis, optimization, modeling-based engineering, simulation, sensitivity analysis techniques, or requirements engineering.
4. Communication: Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

In addition to attaining these student outcomes, an MSSE Program student will have had post-secondary educational and/or professional experiences that supports that attainment of student outcomes as defined in the ABET EAC general criteria for baccalaureate programs, Criterion 3; and includes at least one year of math and basic science, at least one-and-a-half years of engineering topics, and a major design experience that meets the requirements in the general criteria for baccalaureate programs, Criterion 5. Students that have attained an ABET EAC accredited undergraduate degree meet these post-secondary requirements.

Curriculum Sponsors

Director, Strategic Systems Programs, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)

​​​​​MSSE (580) Program Tracks

• Combat Systems
  • Matrix A - Track is the same regardless of program entry date Please update the link to the 25/4 attached matrix as shown below (attached) and the Matrix B display below.
•  Ship Systems
  • Matrix B – Spring entry Please update the link to the AY25 version (attached) and the Matrix B display below.
  • Matrix C – Fall entry ​​​​​​ Please update the link to the AY25 version (attached) (attached) and the Matrix B display below.​​

​​SE or Track Electives include courses such as:

• SE4003 Systems Software Engineering
• SE4012 Management of Advanced Systems Engineering
• SE4520 Systems Manufacturing Development and Production
• OA3401 Human Factors in System Design
• CS4000 Harnessing Artificial Intellligence