Systems engineers are the visionaries who take a global perspective of the system.  Whereas discipline-specific engineers deal with system components, the systems engineer is concerned with the integration of these components and the overall success of the system throughout its life cycle. Systems engineers focus on needs and requirements, design, production, deployment, operation, maintenance, refinement, and retirement of systems, considering multiple objectives and constraints from different stakeholder groups. Systems engineering comprises product, process, and resource management and focuses on architecture, human factors, decision support, performance and evaluation, and management. Our educational and research program reflects the systems engineer's unique perspective on the system life cycle.

Mason's graduate program in Systems Engineering recognizes the importance of balancing an education in quantitative models and engineering tools with a proper understanding of the systems perspective. Concentration areas include Advanced Transportation Systems, Command, Control, Communications, Computing, Intelligence & Cyber, Digital Engineering and System Architecture, Financial Systems Engineering, Systems Engineering and Data Analytics, Systems Engineering of Software-Intensive Systems and Systems Management.   

The graduate program leading to the Master of Science in Systems Engineering emphasizes both analytical and practical aspects of engineering complex systems.  Students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in using qualitative and quantitative tools relevant to systems engineering practice.  The program also prepares students for careers in research and development and for pursuing advanced graduate study leading to the PhD degree in Systems Engineering and Operations Research.

https://catalog.gmu.edu/colleges-schools/engineering-computing/engineering/systems-operations-research/systems-engineering-ms/