Systems Architecting and Engineering

Program Description [back to top]

This program is recommended to graduate engineers and engineering managers responsible for the conception and implementation of complex systems. Emphasis is on the creative process by which these systems are conceived, planned, designed, built, tested, certified, used and retired.

Engineers with several years of work experience will learn tools and approaches for making decisions in the technical environment of today's corporations and institutions. The architecting experience can be applied to industries in defense, space, aircraft, communications, navigation, sensor, computer software, computer hardware, and commercial systems and activities. Industrial relevance is maintained through regular meetings with industry contacts and industry experienced instructors.

The Master of Science in Systems Architecting and Engineering (MSSARE) is an interdisciplinary program administered by the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering in cooperation with the departments of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and the USC Marshall School of Business.

Specialization Tracks are available in the following areas:

Application Criteria [back to top]

• Bachelor of Science degree in an engineering discipline with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale
  
  
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores of at least 650 on the quantitative portion and 400 on the verbal portion*
  
• A minimum of three years of industrial experience is highly recommended prior to taking systems architecting, systems engineering, and design experience courses. This program is not recommended for bachelor's degree graduates without industrial experience. 
  
  
• Statement of Purpose
  
  
• Three Letters of Recommendation (not required, but highly recommended)
  
  
• International students whose native language is not English must earn a satisfactory score on the TOEFL (600 on the paper-based test; 250 on the computer-based test) or take the on-campus International Student English Examination (ISE) prior to initial registration..

Graduation Requirements [back to top]

A minimum of 30 units is required for the M.S. in Systems Architecting & Engineering degree.

• Required Courses: 12 units to 13 units
  
  
• Technical Management Area Elective Courses: 3 units
  
  
• General Technical Area Elective Courses: 3 units
  
  
• Technical Specialization Area Elective Courses: 12 units
  
  
• Minimum number of units in the Viterbi School of Engineering: 24 units

  
  

• No more than 9 units at the 400 level may be counted toward the degree - the remaining units must be taken at the 500 or 600 level. 
  
  
• No more than 6 units of Special Topics courses (499 or 599) may be counted for this degree. 
  
  
• Every plan of study requires prior written approval by the director of the Systems Architecting and Engineering Program, recorded on the study plan in the student's file. Click here for the study plan form .
  
  
  • Please email this form to Mary Ordaz at mordaz@usc.edu or fax to her at (213) 740-1120.
    
    
• Students interested in completing a research project for this degree will be advised to take directed research (SAE 590) or thesis (SAE 594abz). Thesis and directed research registrations may be allowed to individual students only by special permission of the supervising faculty member and the program director. 
  
  

• A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 is required for graduation. 
  
  

Course Descriptions [back to top]

Required Courses (9 units)

Students may only take ISE 460, ISE 561 or ISE 563 to fulfill the requirement.

Specialization Tracks [back to top]

How To Apply [back to top]

In order to evaluate any application for admission, application materials must be submitted by the deadlines listed:

April 30th Fall admission (Domestic)

March 15th Fall admission (International)
September 1st Spring admission
January 15th Summer admission

Applications received after the deadline will be reviewed only at the department's discretion, so early application is highly recommended.

Please complete the application and submit the following to the USC Office of Graduate Admission via the online application system by clicking here.

• Statement of Purpose
  • The statement of purpose should describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program at the Viterbi School of Engineering, your preparation for this field of study, study interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study.




• Three Letters of Recommendation
• Letters of recommendation should be from faculty or others (supervisors, professional colleagues, etc.) qualified to evaluate your potential for graduate study. They should be written on official letterhead.

Please arrange to have the following sent to the USC Office of Admission as a hard copy (USC Graduate Office of Admission, University Park Campus, Los Angeles, CA  90089-0915):

• Official Transcript(s) from all post-secondary schools you have attended, and official translations if they are not in English.
  
  
• General GRE scores (no older than 5 years). Official scores must be sent through ETS to the University of Southern California, ETS code 4852)
  
  
• TOEFL scores (required for international students)

NOTE:  If you meet our minimum qualifications, you can get started BEFORE you are formally admitted to USC, as a "LIMITED" student! Click here for more information.

Contact Information [back to top]

For the USC Industrial and Systems Engineering Department:

Mary Ordaz
Student Services Advisor
Industrial and Systems Engineering, GER 247
Tel: (213) 740-4886
Fax: (213) 740-1120
Email: mordaz@usc.edu

Dr. Stan Settles
IBM Chair in Engineering Management, Director of Systems Architecting and Engineering Program, and Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Epstein Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering
Tel: (213) 740-0263
Email: settles@usc.edu

For the USC Distance Education Network (DEN):

Loretta Tucker
Student Services Advisor
USC Viterbi School of Engineering Distance Education Network (DEN)
Tel: (213) 740-0123
Fax: (213) 821-0851
Email: info@den.usc.edu