Enterprise Systems

Enterprise Systems

Enterprises represent a special case of systems of systems, one with enormous economic importance. Enterprises comprise elements (people, polices, governance, technology, etc.) working together to achieve a common purpose. We look at extended enterprises whose elements may be independent firms widely dispersed across the globe, each with their own motivations, expertise, cultures and organizations, yet collectively working together to produce a product or service valued by customers, the challenge of designing, managing, evaluating and optimizing these systems is the equal of any we can find. Today’s global enterprises are far more complex than this simple definition implies.  Enabled by a revolution in communications and information technologies, they may be among the most complex systems ever conceived of by humans. 

The Master of Science in Enterprise Systems was conceived with a two-fold goal.  First, we felt that an educational program was needed for people employed in the governance of enterprises from non-engineering and science backgrounds. 

Secondly, that a certain class of problems should not be characterized as Systems Engineering in nature but should be viewed from an enterprise perspective.  Thus, understanding the complex systems characteristics of these elements to include systems thinking, analysis, and governance requires different tools and processes than those taught in Engineering Management and Systems Engineering.  In a sense, treating them in the same class as technical systems represents a natural evolution, from enterprise systems as enabling technology, to enterprises as systems of cross functional processes, to enterprises as systems in their own right. 

This Master of Science in Enterprise Systems program consists of ten courses (six core and four advisor directed electives) and includes:

ES/SDOE 621 Fundamentals of Enterprise Systems
EM/SDOE 612 Project Management of Complex Systems
EM/SDOE 680 Designing and Managing the Development Enterprise
SYS/SDOE 605 Systems Integration
ES/SDOE 675 Systems Thinking
ES 800 Special Problems in Enterprises Systems

Note students wishing to pursue the thesis option will take 6 credit hours of ES 900 and not take ES 800 and EM 680.

Students are encouraged to take an integrated four-course sequence leading to a graduate certificate for the remaining four electives or four additional courses in Systems Engineering, Engineering Management, or Enteprise Systems. Most of these certificates are offered on-line via web-based instruction. Approved four-course sequences include:

Agile Systems and Enterprises,
Engineering Management,
Enterprise Architecture and Governance,
Logistics and Supply Chain Analysis
Project Management, or
Systems Engineering Management