Doctor of Engineering (D.Eng.)

A program tailored for practicing engineers who want to apply systems engineering principles directly to their career.

Program Summary

Our D.Eng. program equips working professionals to apply systems engineering principles to complex systems in a working environment.

The D.Eng. curriculum includes professional and applied courses, a systems engineering practicum, and a dissertation to assist working professionals attain a higher level of value to their organizations.

All D.Eng. candidates are expected to have a sponsor from within their company/organization/practicum site to serve on their advisory committee as an industry member and help coordinate the practicum and dissertation process from within the organization. (See our sponsor requirements here.)

In addition to the practicum sponsor, D.Eng. students also have a full CSU advisory committee, including a faculty advisor. The faculty advisor and potentially some initial committee members are selected for those students who gain admission to the program, based on their background and proposed project topic. 

The D.Eng. has a limited capacity for new students each year and the admissions process is competitive.

Deciding between a Ph.D. and D.Eng.?

*Note: Part of the application process is securing a practicum sponsor within your organization/company that meets our requirements. The Practicum Sponsor’s agreement to serve in this role and resume/CV must be received before your application can be reviewed.

Application Information

You can earn your D.Eng. online or on-campus. 

Visit CSU Online to learn more about completing your D.Eng. online.

D.Eng. Curriculum

 
Course descriptions and expected offerings are available on the Courses page.
42-Credit D.Eng.

If an appropriate technical master’s degree has been completed, there is the possibility that up to 30 credits of that degree could be counted toward the 72-credit requirement for the D.Eng. 

The 42-credit D.Eng. option does not include space for technical electives.

SYSE 710 – Leadership/Innovation in Systems Engineering (3 cr.)
Must be completed in first year

SYSE 501 – Foundations of Systems Engineering (3 cr.)

SYSE 505 – Systems Thinking for the Real World (3 cr.)

SYSE 512 – Systems Sensing and Imaging Analysis (3 cr.)

SYSE 530 – Overview of Systems Engineering Processes (3 cr.)

SYSE/ECE 532 – Dynamics of Complex Engineering Systems (3 cr.)

SYSE 534 – Human Systems Integration (3 cr.)

SYSE 536 – Space Mission Analysis and Design (3 cr.)

SYSE 541 – Engineering Data Design and Visualization (3 cr.)

SYSE 544 – AR/VR Environmental Realism for SE (3 cr.)

SYSE 545 – AR/VR Systems Development (3 cr.)

SYSE 548 – Security Engineering for SE (3 cr.)

SYSE 549 – Secure Vehicle and Industrial Networking (3 cr.)

SYSE 555 – Transitions in Energy Systems (3 cr.)

SYSE 567 – Systems Engineering Architecture (3 cr.)

SYSE 569 – Cybersecurity Awareness for Systems Engineers (3 cr.)

SYSE 571 – Analytics in Systems Engineering (3 cr.)

SYSE 573 – Cost Optimization for Systems Engineers (3 cr.)

SYSE 602 – Systems Requirements Engineering (3 cr.)

SYSE 603 – Introduction to Systems Test and Evaluation (3 cr.)

SYSE 667 – Advanced Model-Based Systems Engineering

ENGR 502 – Engineering Project and Program Management (3 cr.)
        OR
    CIS 600A – Information Technology and Project Management (3 cr.)
        OR
    CIS 670 – Advanced IT Project Management (3 cr.)

ENGR 510 – Engineering Optimization: Method/Application (3 cr.)

ENGR 520 – Engineering Decision Support/Expert Systems (3 cr.)

ENGR 525 – Intellectual Property and Invention Systems (3 cr.)

ENGR 531 – Engineering Risk Analysis (3 cr.)

ENGR 533 – Spaceflight and Biological Systems (3 cr.)

ENGR 535 – Modeling Human Systems Behavior (3 cr.)

ENGR 540 – Design & Analysis of Engineering Experiments (3 cr.)

ENGR/ECE 565 – Electrical Power Engineering (3 cr.)

ENGR 570 – Coupled Electromechanical Systems (3 cr.)

MECH 513 – Simulation Modeling and Experimentation (3 cr.)

Other experimental courses as offered; check the SE Courses Page for all available depth courses.

BUS 500 – Business Systems and Processes (2 cr.)

BUS 601 – Quantitative Business Analysis (2 cr.)

CIS 570 – Business Intelligence (3 cr.)

CIS 575 – Applied Data Mining and Analytics in Business (3 cr.)

BUS 620 – Leadership and Teams (2 cr.)

BUS 630 – Information Management (2 cr.)

CIS 676 – Information Technology Management (3 cr.)

SYSE 711 – Ethics in Systems Engineering (1 cr.)

PSY 647 – Applied Industrial Psychology (3 cr.)

PSY 648 – Applied Organizational Psychology (3 cr.)

SYSE 786 – Applied Systems Engineering Practicum (9 cr.)

SYSE 710 must be completed and the student must have advisor permission to enroll in 786 credits. The first approximately 3 credits of 786 are intended to prep for the preliminary exam, and the remaining credits used while the student is engaged in industry-facing practicum activities.

Practicum credits can be completed throughout multiple semesters. 9 credits is the minimum; students may end up needing to take more depending on their progress and project.

SYSE 799B – Dissertation: Professional Doctorate (9 cr.)

The preliminary exam must be passed and most SYSE 786 credits and requirements should be completed prior to enrolling in SYSE 799B credits. 799B credits are taken when the student is working on academic-facing practicum activities such as analysis, writing, publications, etc. of their practicum dissertation.

Dissertation credits can be completed throughout multiple semesters. 9 credits is the minimum; students may end up needing to take more depending on their progress and project.

72-Credit D.Eng.

Students who have not yet received a master’s degree may be admitted to the 72-credit D.Eng. program.

SYSE 501 – Foundations of Systems Engineering (3 cr.)
Must be completed in first year

SYSE 710 – Leadership/Innovation in Systems Engineering (3 cr.)
Must be completed in first year

SYSE 530 – Overview of Systems Engineering Processes (3 cr.)

ENGR 531 – Engineering Risk Analysis (3 cr.)

ENGR 502 – Engineering Project and Program Management (3 cr.)
        OR
    CIS 600A – Information Technology and Project Management (3 cr.)
        OR
    CIS 670 – Advanced IT Project Management (3 cr.)

SYSE 501 – Foundations of Systems Engineering (3 cr.)

SYSE 505 – Systems Thinking for the Real World (3 cr.)

SYSE 512 – Systems Sensing and Imaging Analysis (3 cr.)

SYSE 530 – Overview of Systems Engineering Processes (3 cr.)

SYSE/ECE 532 – Dynamics of Complex Engineering Systems (3 cr.)

SYSE 534 – Human Systems Integration (3 cr.)

SYSE 536 – Space Mission Analysis and Design (3 cr.)

SYSE 541 – Engineering Data Design and Visualization (3 cr.)

SYSE 544 – AR/VR Environmental Realism for SE (3 cr.)

SYSE 545 – AR/VR Systems Development (3 cr.)

SYSE 548 – Security Engineering for SE (3 cr.)

SYSE 549 – Secure Vehicle and Industrial Networking (3 cr.)

SYSE 555 – Transitions in Energy Systems (3 cr.)

SYSE 567 – Systems Engineering Architecture (3 cr.)

SYSE 569 – Cybersecurity Awareness for Systems Engineers (3 cr.)

SYSE 571 – Analytics in Systems Engineering (3 cr.)

SYSE 573 – Cost Optimization for Systems Engineers (3 cr.)

SYSE 602 – Systems Requirements Engineering (3 cr.)

SYSE 603 – Introduction to Systems Test and Evaluation (3 cr.)

SYSE 667 – Advanced Model-Based Systems Engineering

ENGR 502 – Engineering Project and Program Management (3 cr.)
        OR
    CIS 600A – Information Technology and Project Management (3 cr.)
        OR
    CIS 670 – Advanced IT Project Management (3 cr.)

ENGR 510 – Engineering Optimization: Method/Application (3 cr.)

ENGR 520 – Engineering Decision Support/Expert Systems (3 cr.)

ENGR 525 – Intellectual Property and Invention Systems (3 cr.)

ENGR 531 – Engineering Risk Analysis (3 cr.)

ENGR 533 – Spaceflight and Biological Systems (3 cr.)

ENGR 535 – Modeling Human Systems Behavior (3 cr.)

ENGR 540 – Design & Analysis of Engineering Experiments (3 cr.)

ENGR/ECE 565 – Electrical Power Engineering (3 cr.)

ENGR 570 – Coupled Electromechanical Systems (3 cr.)

MECH 513 – Simulation Modeling and Experimentation (3 cr.)

Other experimental courses as offered; check the SE Courses Page for all available depth courses.

BUS 500 – Business Systems and Processes (2 cr.)

BUS 601 – Quantitative Business Analysis (2 cr.)

CIS 570 – Business Intelligence (3 cr.)

CIS 575 – Applied Data Mining and Analytics in Business (3 cr.)

BUS 620 – Leadership and Teams (2 cr.)

BUS 630 – Information Management (2 cr.)

CIS 676 – Information Technology Management (3 cr.)

SYSE 711 – Ethics in Systems Engineering (1 cr.)

PSY 647 – Applied Industrial Psychology (3 cr.)

PSY 648 – Applied Organizational Psychology (3 cr.)

Please view our course options page to access a list of suggested electives, or you may use any additional Systems Engineering or applied/professional electives listed above.

Only the 72-credit D.Eng. curriculum allows technical electives.

SYSE 786 – Applied Systems Engineering Practicum (9 cr.)

SYSE 710 must be completed and the student must have advisor permission to enroll in 786 credits. The first approximately 3 credits of 786 are intended to prep for the preliminary exam, and the remaining credits used while the student is engaged in industry-facing practicum activities.

Practicum credits can be completed throughout multiple semesters. 9 credits is the minimum; students may end up needing to take more depending on their progress and project.

SYSE 799B – Dissertation: Professional Doctorate (9 cr.)

The preliminary exam must be passed and most SYSE 786 credits and requirements should be completed prior to enrolling in SYSE 799B credits. 799B credits are taken when the student is working on academic-facing practicum activities such as analysis, writing, publications, etc. of their practicum dissertation.

Dissertation credits can be completed throughout multiple semesters. 9 credits is the minimum; students may end up needing to take more depending on their progress and project.

D.Eng. Timeline

1) Secure practicum sponsor

Submit required materials to SE department; must be done before application will be reviewed.

2) Complete qualifying process

Coursework done with B or higher.

Suggested within 2-4 years of start date.

3) Submit your GS6

Program of Study and Committee Selection

Submit before registration for fourth regular semester.

4) Preliminary exam; Submit GS16

After filing GS6 and before on-site practicum activity; schedule with committee at least two weeks in advance.

5) Submit GS25

Application to Graduate.

Deadline changes each semester. Check the Graduate School website for the deadline. Typically in the first three weeks of the intended graduation term.

6) Final exam; Submit GS24

See published deadlines from the graduate school; schedule with committee at least two weeks in advance.

GS24 needs to be submitted within two working days of defense.

7) Submit GS30

Thesis/Dissertation Submission

After final exam; see published deadlines on graduate school website.

8) Graduation

Graduation ceremonies take place at the end of Fall and Spring semesters.

Documents and Forms

Degree Sheet
Practicum Sponsor
Annual Student Evaluation
GS6 Worksheet
Other Resources
SE graduate student handbook

Systems Engineering Graduate Student Handbook

Download Here

Admission Deadlines

Fall admission

Application materials due by April 1

Spring admission

Application materials due by November 1