Program Overview
The Systems Science Ph.D. Program encompasses both applications and theory-oriented aspects of the field. It is designed to prepare students for professional practice in industrial, governmental, and public service organizations and for research and teaching in academic institutions.
The student pursues interdisciplinary studies with a strong emphasis on systems course work. Examples of subject areas appropriate to such a program are: intelligent systems; information, structure and dynamics; organizations, decision-making and optimization; modeling and simulation; systems philosophy; systems approach; and topics related to the study of complex systems.
Admissions
Admission is for Fall Term. Application is via CollegeNet, and is due by March 15th. Admission decisions will be communicated by April 15th.
Admission is based on the applicant's academic transcript, three letters of recommendation, a statement of interests and objectives, and other background material considered individually by an admissions committee, in line with general University admission policies. The GPA requirement is 3.0 for undergraduate and 3.25 for graduate. GRE scores are required for the doctoral program. The following comprise recommended technical background for the program (although few students fulfill all of these at the outset):
- Calculus up to and including simple ODEs
- Statistics, including introductory multivariate
- Programming at introductory level
- Linear algebra at introductory level