As a student in the program, you will conduct original research under the supervision of an advisor and committee, write, and successfully defend a dissertation.

Recent research dissertation titles have included:

• A Bayesian Inference Based Complex Systems Approach in Precision Medicine, Md Asad Rahman, July 2024
• Deep Learning and Adaptive Clustering Approaches for Flood Prediction and Efficient Sensor Placement in Missouri, Fahimeh Sharafkhani, January 2025 
• Complex Systems Approach in Data Analysis: Unraveling Interactions and Emergent Behavior in Material Science and Human Health, Yasaman Jamalipour Soofi, March 2025 
  

For more information on areas of research specialization and selected research topics: Systems Engineering Specialization Areas

Ph.D. Course Requirements

(After B.S. Degree in Engineering or Physical Science)

Core Curriculum (12 Credit Hours)
Sys Eng 5101 - Systems Engineering and Analysis
Sys Eng 6102 - Information Based Design
Sys Eng 6103 - Systems Life Cycle Costing
Sys Eng 6104 - Systems Architecting
Systems Engineering Electives (18 Credit Hours)
Specialization Electives (24 Credit Hours)
Research (30 Credit Hours)
Program TOTAL (84 Credit Hours)

A condition of the oral Ph.D. qualifying exam is that students must have a GPA of 3.5 for the core curriculum courses.

Program Requirements

• Qualifying Exam
• Comprehensive Exam
• Dissertation Defense

Distance Student Residency Requirements

To complete the Ph.D. in systems engineering program, you must normally spend at least two sequential semesters in full-time residence at the university.

As an off-campus, working professional, you can meet the two-year residency requirement by doing the following:

• The qualifying exam must be taken within the first 5 semesters of enrollment;
• Conduct minimum one virtual conference per month with his/her research advisor;
• The Ph.D. comprehensive exam is recommended to be taken on campus
• He/She has the option of conducting research that is beneficial to the his/her professional work
• The defense of dissertation is recommended to take place on campus

Please refer to the graduate catalog for the program process and time limit, etc.

Department Admission Requirements

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