Complex Systems Program

Program Details | Systems Science MS

Students choose a combination of systems science courses plus approved courses in associated disciplines. Topics and subject areas include environmental systems, sustainability, energy, health policy, biomedicine, and other areas where systems ideas or methods make unique contributions to knowledge. Students learn a wide variety of systems ideas, use them for modeling and analysis in conjunction with ideas and methods from other disciplines, and gain expertise in problem-solving and integrative thinking.

Degree Requirements

Among the 45 hours required, 24 credits must come from letter-graded courses (pass/no pass are not applicable) listed under Systems Science in the PSU Bulletin numbered SySc 510-599 or SySc 610-699. The remaining 21 credits can be satisfied through one of three options:

  1. Thesis Option: An additional 12 credits that can be letter-graded Systems Science courses (numbered as above), approved courses from other departments, up to 3 credits of SySc 507 (Seminar) with a pass grade, and/or up to 4 Systems Science by-arrangement credits. The student must also complete 9 thesis credits and write a master’s thesis. A student selecting the thesis option must form a thesis committee of at least three faculty members, including a core faculty member from Complex Systems.
  2. Examination Option: An additional 21 credits that can be Systems Science courses (numbered as above), up to 3 credits of SySc 507 (Seminar) with a pass grade, approved courses from other departments, and/or up to 4 Systems Science by-arrangement credits. A student selecting the examination option will be required to pass two written comprehensive exams, each of which covers a minimum of 16 credit hours of coursework.
  3. Coursework-Only Option: An additional 8 letter-graded Systems Science courses (numbered as above), plus 13 credits of courses that may be either Systems Science courses (numbered as above), approved courses from other departments, up to 3 credits of SySc 507 (Seminar) with a pass grade, and/or up to 4 credits of Systems Science by-arrangement credits.