MSc in Engineering Systems and Management

OVERVIEW

The degree of Master of Science in Engineering Systems and Management (MSc in ESM) is awarded for successfully completing the requirements of a program of study, which includes taught courses as well as a written thesis. The thesis is an independent investigation of specialized areas within the general field of Engineering Systems and associated disciplines.

The MSc in ESM is an interdisciplinary program that brings together experts in engineering, design, economics, management and policy to teach and undertake research into large-scale complex systems, and contribute to the process of discovery and knowledge creation through the conduct of original research. The mission of the Master of Science in Engineering Systems and Management Program at KU is to create corporate and government leaders that can effectively deal with global energy and sustainability challenges that involve large scale systems.

The MSc in ESM graduates are trained in strategy, industrial operations, operations research, and systems thinking. As such, they will be ideally positioned to take leadership positions in the private or public sector and guide research and implementation of advanced technologies, and optimize the operations and design of complex systems. Research may be undertaken in several topics corresponding to the areas of focus identified by the University.

For more information contact esm@ku.ac.ae

OBJECTIVES

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Stemming from the overarching goals, the MSc in ESM program aims to fulfill the following set of outcomes:

1) Successfully apply appropriate combinations of advanced concepts of engineering, economics, system theory, management and policy to identify, formulate and address engineering systems problems, and acquire knowledge of contemporary issues in the field of Engineering systems and management.

2) Successfully use advanced system analysis, operations research methodology, data management, and design tools (e.g. optimization, simulation, architecture, statistical analysis, surveys, applied principles and heuristics etc.) to design, develop, implement, integrate and improve systems and processes, and make educated objective decisions.

3) Understand and apply the relationships between the management tasks of planning, organization, leadership, control, and the human element in production, research, and service organizations along with an understanding of and dealing with the stochastic nature of organizational systems.

4) Assess the direct and indirect impact of engineering solutions on sustainable development (e.g., economic, environmental, and social factors) with a focus on engineering systems contemporary issues such as energy and health care delivery systems, while developing an aptitude for continuous improvement.

5) Use appropriate advanced methods to design, conduct and analyze experimental studies and manage data for engineering systems with a strong sociotechnical component.

6) Communicate effectively in written and oral form, both, individually and as a member of a multidisciplinary team, while conducting research, documenting and defending the research results.

REQUIREMENTS

Overall Structure and Requirements

The MSc in Engineering Systems and Management (ESM) program consists of a minimum of 30 credit hours. The required program credits are distributed as follows: 12 credits of Program Core courses, 9 credits of Elective courses, and 9 credits of ESM Master’s Thesis work. A student may organize the selection of the elective courses and the master’s thesis topic to follow a specialization track within the broad field of ESM. In such cases, the track will be noted on the student’s transcript. The table below presents a summary of the MSc in ESM degree program structure and requirements. All the MSc in ESM program courses, with the exception of the Seminar in Research Methods and the Master’s Thesis, have a credit rating of three credits each.

Summary of MSc in ESM Degree Program Structure and Requirements

Category	Credits Required
Program Core	12
Program Electives	9
Seminar in Research Methods	0
ESM Master’s Thesis	9
Total	30

Program Requirements

Students seeking the degree of MSc in ESM must successfully complete a minimum of 30 credited hours as specified in the categories detailed in this section, with a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.0.

Program Core

The MSc in ESM degree program core requires a minimum of 12 credits, consisting of program core courses, and the research seminar course, which has zero credit rating. The courses for each one of the core categories are specified below.

I. ESM Core Courses (12 credits):

It is mandatory for the students to complete the following listed courses:

ESMA 603 Systems Optimization
ESMA 604 System Dynamics for Business Policy, Or, ESMA 650 Cost Engineering
ESMA 605 System Project Management
ESMA 610 Business Analytics, Statistics for Engineering Systems

II. ENGR 695 Seminar in Research Methods (0 credits)

ENGR 695 Seminar in Research Methods

Program Electives

Students must complete a minimum of 9 credits of electives. The ESM program electives that students can select from are listed below. Students can also select up to two elective courses (6 credits) from other MSc programs in the College of Engineering at KU, subject to the approval of their research advisor.

– ESMA 601 System Architecture

– ESMA 602 Product Design and Development

– ESMA 607 Management and Entrepreneurship for Engineers

– ESMA 608 Environmental Policy and Economics

– ESMA 617 Innovation Creativity Entrepreneurship

– ESMA 618 Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation

– ESMA 619 Advanced Quality Systems Management

– ESMA 621 Production, Operations and Inventory Management

– ESMA 623 Advanced Lean Manufacturing

– ESMA 633 System Simulation: Modelling and Analysis

– ESMA 641 Supply Chain, Logistics and Transportation Networks

– ESMA 642 Global Supply Chain Management

– ESMA 643 Warehousing and Distribution

– ESMA 671 Healthcare Operations Management

– ESMA 672 Lean Service Systems

– ESMA 673 Healthcare Information Systems

– ESMA 694 Selected Topics in Systems and Engineering Management

Engineering Systems and Management Master’s Thesis

ESMA 699 Master’s Thesis (9 credits)

A student must independently complete a master’s thesis that involves original research-oriented work within the broad field of ESM, under the direct supervision of at least one full-time ISYE faculty advisor. The outcome of research should demonstrate the synthesis of information into knowledge in a form that may be used by others. The research findings must be documented in a formal thesis and defended successfully in a viva voce examination.

Program Tracks and Concentrations

A student may choose to organize the selection of the elective courses and the master’s thesis topic to follow one of the identified concentrations or specialization tracks within the field of Engineering Systems and Management.

For the specialization tracks the selected track will be noted on the student’s transcript provided that the student completes:

– A minimum of 9 credits from the group of courses designated by the track.

– A master research thesis within the domain of the track.

The tracks identified by the MSc in ESM program and the required courses for each of the tracks are as indicated below.

Healthcare Systems Engineering
ESMA 671	Healthcare Operations Management
ESMA 672	Lean Service Systems
ESMA 673	Healthcare Information Systems

Manufacturing Systems
ESMA 619	Advanced Quality Systems Management
ESMA 621	Production, Operations and Inventory Management
ESMA 623	Advanced Lean Manufacturing

Supply Chain, Logistics and Transportation
ESMA 641	Supply Chain, Logistics and Transportation Networks
ESMA 642	Global Supply Chain Management
ESMA 643	Warehousing and Distribution

Concentration in Technology Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (TMIE):

The MSc ESM program offers its students the choice to register in the Technology Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (TMIE) concentration, which will be noted on the student diploma and transcript upon completion of the concentration and the graduation requirements. To fulfill the course requirements for the TMIE Concentration, students must successfully complete at least 9 credits from the list of courses below and the MSc thesis field of research should be relevant to the general area of TMIE.

– ESMA 618 Managing Technology and Innovation

– ESMA 607 Management and Entrepreneurship for Engineers

– ESMA 617 Innovation and Creativity in Technology Organizations

Study Plan