Systems Engineering Doctorate
Systems Engineering integrates all the specialty and sub-specialty groups of engineering disciplines into a team whose efforts result in a structured development process that proceeds from concept to production to operation. Example systems include coastal ecosystems, water treatment facilities, computer networks, visualization platforms, deep-water drilling operations, highway safety systems, biofuels production facilities, robotic units, refineries, fiber optic networks, aircraft, vehicle control systems, biomass gasification units, management of utilities during disaster events, and power grids.
Each of the five engineering departments at UL Lafayette participates in the offering of the Systems Engineering Ph.D. degree with a discipline concentration within each department. This innovative program builds up on the research-based learning experience associated with most Engineering Ph.D. programs by adding the additional learned skill set of Systems Engineering principals. The graduate of this program is expected to be highly appealing to both industry and academic positions. The applicant is required to select a concentration (specialization) department from within the college — chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or petroleum engineering. Hence, the graduate exits the program with a strong specialized knowledge appropriate of a traditional engineering Ph.D. coupled with expertise in the application of systems theory toward solving complex problems within their specialty.
The program does accept direct Ph.D. (student has a B.S. in an acknowledged engineering field) and post-M.S. students (previously obtained a M.S.).
This program prepares its students for licensure or certification within the state of Louisiana. Please visit the list of licensure programs for important information if you plan to move out of state.
Admission to Program
Admission of applicants into the program is based on a thorough evaluation of student capabilities measured via a variety of metrics inclusive of TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), written essays, reference documentation, and evaluation of transcripts from previous educational programs. For Post-B.S. or direct admission (B.S. to Ph.D.) into the program, the students must hold a B.S. from a recognized engineering discipline and have at least a 3.0 Cumulative GPA within the last 70 hours of engineering coursework from their B.S. program.
All other criteria for the proposed program must follow the graduate admission policy of the university. Students without an engineering degree will not be allowed to directly enter the Ph.D. program; they will be required to obtain a M.S. (or B.S.) in an engineering field prior to acceptance. The M.S. in Engineering program at UL Lafayette does allow admission of students without an engineering degree provided that the student takes a series of leveling courses. Post-M.S. students must have at least one of their two degrees being an engineering degree and have a M.S. cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
Note that students with a M.S. in engineering that do not have a B.S. in engineering may be required to take "leveling" courses within their concentration area (civil, chemical, electrical, computer, mechanical, or petroleum). It is the goal of the UL Lafayette College of Engineering that all of its graduates can successfully sit for the Professional Engineering licensure exam; hence, the need for fully discipline-leveled graduates. The extent of leveling courses required will be determined on a case-by-case basis within each department.