Engineering Systems

Master's Degree Program

Graduate opportunities

Computer chip design, robots, bridge building and software integration all require using a host of tools to solve complex problems in a holistic and comprehensive way. As a highly educated, technical problem-solver or manager, which next-generation technology will you tackle?

The Department of Engineering Technology in the College of Engineering at the University of North Texas offers course work leading to a Master of Science degree in Engineering Systems. As the largest of its kind in Texas, the engineering systems master's program will advance your training and prepare you to design, develop, build and manage modern technological systems.

UNT's College of Engineering is a pioneer in developing project-oriented curricula that allow you to apply knowledge in interesting and tangible real-world applications. Our state-of-the-art labs and research facilities are the envy of universities nationwide.

With small class sizes, you will work closely with distinguished faculty members to solve complex problems faced by businesses and consumers. You also will have the opportunity to take advantage of the invaluable contacts the university has with leading companies and corporate partners.

If you are working full or part-time, a variety of flexible class and lab times will accommodate your schedule. Most courses are taught at night and on weekends, some including labs, and others use distance education methods. The college is developing additional online courses to make it even easier for you to meet work and academic obligations.

The program is dedicated to meeting the increasing demand for advanced training and research in the engineering systems spectrum. The department's mission is to provide excellence in research, teaching and service relative to technical concentrations. The faculty is committed to exceeding the need for advanced education, training and applied research.

M.S. degree

You may pursue a Master of Science degree in Engineering Systems with concentrations in electrical systems, mechanical systems, construction management or engineering management under a thesis or non-thesis option.

If your concentration is in electrical systems, your technical background will be enhanced through advanced study in a number of areas including telecommunications, process controls, instrumentation and sensor systems. The mechanical systems concentration emphasizes computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing, contemporary materials, quality assurance, research and development, component/product, and process design as well as instrumentation design. Construction management includes scheduling, risk management, building information modeling and dispute avoidance. Engineering management emphasizes design of experiments, analytical methods, technological innovation, product design and development, accounting, marketing, and business management.

M.S./M.B.A. dual degree

The dual-track master's degree program offers an M.S. in Engineering Systems combined with an M.B.A. If you have an undergraduate degree in business and choose the dual-track master's program, you will be able to better comprehend how business decisions affect other divisions of the corporate organization. If you have an undergraduate degree in engineering or engineering technology or another technical field of study, you will develop an understanding of the business side of corporations.

Research and laboratories

Research in the Department of Engineering Technology focuses on technological systems and processes with specific industrial applications. Thesis research develops the problem-solving skills needed to transfer theoretical knowledge from the laboratory to the industrial sector (technology transfer).

The principal research themes in electrical systems include hardware and software interfacing, data acquisition and analysis, computer-aided software engineering, local area networks, digital signal processing, real-time control systems, distributed control systems, radio frequency communication systems and solar energy research.

Research themes in mechanical systems include product design and development, quality assurance, composite materials, materials testing, production planning and management, green manufacturing processes, computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacturing, computer numerical control, part programming, electromechanical design, robotics, and computer-integrated manufacturing.

Construction management research includes sustainability, thin-walled cold-formed steel structures, structural stability, computational mechanics, building information modeling, green building, earthquake engineering, structural dynamics, high-rise building lateral systems, and bridge and transportation structures.

Engineering management research includes inventory management, production planning and control, process optimization, logistics, supply chain management, new product management, and value stream mapping.

Current support for research projects in the department comes from many sources including Alcatel-Lucent, Altera Corp., the American Cancer Society, the American Society for Engineering Education, EDS Inc., Motorola, the National Science Foundation, Nuconsteel, the Office of Naval Research, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, the Society of Plastics Engineers, the Texas Advanced Research Program, the Texas Education Agency, TXU, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation.

The department resides at Discovery Park, UNT's nearly 290-acre research facility. Laboratories supporting each area of emphasis have been upgraded with the addition of new computers, software, equipment and instrumentation. Laboratory equipment in other departments is available to support thesis research.

Admission requirements

In addition to the following program requirements, you must meet the admission requirements of the Toulouse Graduate School. For requirements and possible exceptions, please visit tsgs.unt.edu/admissions.

Program requirements include submitted GRE scores. If you graduated from a program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology Inc. (111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, Md. 21202, 410-347-7700), GRE scores are not required. If you do not have the equivalent of an undergraduate major in engineering or engineering technology at UNT, including appropriate physics, chemistry and calculus courses, the time required for your degree completion could be longer than average.

Degree requirements

Your program is planned under the direction of a major professor or advisor during your first semester of graduate study. When the degree plan is approved by the graduate dean, you will be admitted to candidacy.

The 30-credit-hour thesis option consists of 6 hours of thesis credit and 24 hours of graduate course work. As a candidate for the M.S. in Engineering Systems under the thesis option, you will select and develop the topic and design of a thesis in consultation with your graduate advisory committee. This option concludes with a thesis defense.

The 33-credit-hour non-thesis option includes a 3-hour project-in-lieu-of-thesis and 30 hours of graduate course work.

Financial assistance

The department has scholarships and research/teaching assistantships available for full-time graduate students. For additional information, please contact the department chair.