Bachelor of Science Program in Systems Engineering (SE)

[129 credit hours]
2009-2010

The multidisciplinary field of Systems Engineering applies engineering techniques and mathematical methods to improve the planning and decision making in organizational systems composed of people, machines, and procedures. By observing, understanding, modeling, and predicting the behavior of such systems, practitioners of Systems Engineering assist the decision-making process that seeks to design and operate the systems optimally. Systems Engineering finds application in many areas, including communications, energy, environment, finance, health care, information technology, marketing, national defense, project management, software development, and transportation.

Educational Objectives - The Systems Engineering program is designed to provide a broad and solid education in the basics of mathematical modeling, software and information systems, and the treatment of uncertainty. Analytical thinking is stressed, in order to prepare the student for graduate education or productive professional employment. Simultaneously, the program is intended to develop the student's communication skills and awareness of the current professional world. A Medical Preparation Option in Systems Engineering is available that prepares the student for entrance to medical school. There are also five-year, two-degree plans that combine a B.S. degree in Systems Engineering with M.S. degree in Systems Engineering or Engineering Management.

First Semester 16 credit hours

Second Semester 16 credit hours

Third Semester 16 credit hours

Fourth Semester 15 credit hours

Fifth Semester 15 credit hours

Sixth Semester 18 credit hours

Seventh Semester 18 credit hours

Eighth Semester 15 credit hours

NOTES

A) The three science electives must be chosen from the following six courses, and must include one of the three two-course sequences:
BiSc 11, 12
Chem 11, 12
Phys 21, 22

B) Each student must take two humanities electives and two social science electives selected from the SEAS menu of electives in the humanities & social sciences. This H/SS menu is available for download as a pdf file at the following location http://www.seas.gwu.edu/academic_programs/advising_forms/H-SS_form_current.pdf.

C) The five Professional Elective courses must be chosen to form a cohesive and meaningful group in an appropriate subject area. Each student, together with her/his academic adviser, will construct a group individualized to the student. It is easy to construct specific groups in such areas as, e.g., civil engineering, computer engineering, computer science, economics, electrical engineering, engineering management, finance, management, mathematics, mechanical engineering, NROTC, physics, risk management, statistics. These courses can be used to satisfy the requirements for a
secondary field in an area such as Economics, Mathematics, Physics, or Statistics.

D) Each student must participate in a significant internship/co-op experience during the last two years of the program. This requirement may be satisfied by an appropriate and approved full-time summer position (approximately 320 hours) after the second or third year. It may also be satisfied by one or two appropriate and approved part-time position(s) requiring 15-20 hours per week during two of the final four semesters. The position(s) used to satisfy this requirement may be either paid or unpaid. A position obtained through the SEAS Career Center or GW Co-op Office will usually be acceptable.

E) CSci 146W and Stat 183W satisfy the GW WID (Writing in the Disciplines) requirement.