Stackable Certificates

Stackable Certificates


The Systems Engineering Department offers Systems Engineering Fundamentals Certificate (282) and a variety of advanced standalone four-course certificates that can lead to an MSSE or MSSEM degree.


This certificate is designed to provide graduate level foundation courses in systems engineering to anyone interested in deepening their understanding of how DoD designs, develops and produces large complex systems. Students learn a disciplined approach to finding the right solution to the right problem: on-time, on-budget, supportable, and with minimal risk.

Successful completion of the 282 certificate makes a student eligible for stackable pathway towards either the 311 Master’s Degree (MSSE) or the 722 Master’s Degree (MSSEM).

Mapped Courses

  • OS3111: Probability and Statistics for HSI and MOVES
  • Quarter 2 SE3100: Fundamentals of Systems Engineering Quarter 3 SI3400: Fundamentals of Engineering Project Management Quarter 4 SE3302: System Suitability

    Requirements for Entry

    • Baccalaureate degree with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.6.
    • To qualify for OS3111, a student must have at least one college level mathematics course.
    • To qualify for OS3180, a student must have completed a college level calculus sequence of at least one year.

    Entry Dates: October and March (based on seat availability)
    Program Officer: Joseph Sweeney III
    Academic Associate: Dr. Joseph Klamo

    Learning Outcomes

    After completion of this certificate, students should be able to:

    • Apply advanced mathematics including probability and statistics.
    • Create basic system functional and physical architectures that represent a balanced approach to meeting stakeholder needs, derived system requirements, and suitability objectives. Understand basic system architecture frameworks and their role in architecture development. Apply basic model-based systems engineering techniques, based on UML or SySML, to create, define, and develop system architectures. Create, analyze, and evaluate alternative architectures against appropriate, system-level evaluation criteria and select the best system design based on quantitative and qualitative analysis.
    • Apply the basic system design process in a holistic context to include defining system requirements; conducting functional analysis and allocation to hardware, software, and human elements; designing a system; deriving and defining requirement specifications; allocating requirement specifications to sub-systems; designing for suitability, including reliability, maintainability, availability, supportability, producibility, usability, survivability, and interoperability; evaluating the system cost and risk; and incorporating risk mitigation strategies.
    • Apply basic qualitative and quantitative methods of engineering design analysis to include problem formulation, alternatives development, systems analysis, alternatives comparison, cost analysis, failure analysis, and risk analysis. Mathematical techniques include probabilistic analyses.
    • Demonstrate competence in the planning and management of a complex defense-related systems engineering project. Demonstrate an understanding of basic project management principles including project planning, organizational structures, cost estimating, project scheduling, time-phased budgets, earned-value management, risk and configuration management, and contracts.
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    Math Requirements

    MSSE Pathway

    To qualify for the MSSE Pathway (OS3180, SE3100, SI3400, and SE3302), a student must have completed a college level calculus sequence of at least one year.


    The Department of Systems Engineering offers a four-course academic certificate in systems capability and mission engineering that enables students to apply systems engineering in defense acquisition and system lifecycle support. Practicing systems engineers require technical and management competence with digital and model-based engineering, statistical operational analysis, requirements and capability engineering, lifecycle cost management, and verification and validation. This program is targeted for mid- and upper-level engineers working in or in support of the Defense Acquisition System but has great benefit for all who seek further knowledge in the theory and practice of systems engineering.


    The Department of Systems Engineering offers a four-course academic certificate in Model-Based Systems Engineering Design and Development that enables students to apply systems engineering in defense acquisition and system lifecycle support. MBSE is an increasingly important domain in systems engineering, especially with the introduction of digital engineering initiatives. It requires the skills necessary to create, analyze and execute models and to formally apply them throughout system development from requirements to validation. MBSE requires mastery of modeling languages, methods and tools. This program is targeted for mid- and upper-level engineers working in or in support of the Defense Acquisition System but has great benefit for all who seek further knowledge in the theory and practice of systems engineering.

    The 133 Certificate may be substituted with one of two:

    • Advanced Systems Suitability (135).
    • SE & Integration of Naval Weapon Systems (174).


    The Department of Systems Engineering offers a four-course academic certificate in Advanced Suitability topics that enables students to apply systems engineering in defense acquisition and system lifecycle support. This certificate offers more detailed courses focused on specific suitability areas providing additional expertise useful in system design through integration and manufacturing, development and production efforts. Students create strategies that incorporate human factor considerations, software, production and risk in the overall systems engineering process and product lifecycle. This program is targeted for mid- and upper-level engineers working in or in support of the Defense Acquisition System but has great benefit for all who seek further knowledge in the theory and practice of systems engineering.


    The Department of Systems Engineering offers a four-course academic certificate in Systems Engineering and Integration of Naval weapons systems for distance learning (DL) students. The certificate is designed to introduce the student to critical weapons concepts that are necessary for enlightened examination of both technology development and military planning. The overall emphasis is on what elements contribute to a combat system, their basic principles of operation, their performance limitations, trade-offs, and their interfaces with the rest of the combat system. The student is introduced to the nature of physical observables and propagators, the effects of the propagation medium on sensor performance, the relationship between signals and noise, and the characteristics of critical sensor functions (including detection, estimation, imaging, and tracking).

    With that foundation, students then apply systems engineering principles to understand the design and operation of combat sensor systems. Sensor technologies covered include radars, ESM, active and passive sonar, infrared, and electro-optical sensors. Target engagement topics include the effects that conventional weapons (artillery, bombs, and missiles) can produce as well as the technologies needed by weapons systems to create those effects. Finally, techniques for integrating combat sensor systems and engagement elements into a common platform, including technology development, system development and integration, network integration, and system of systems integration are presented, including engineering analysis of interfaces for power, data, mechanical, and other attributes; engineering change management; advanced collaboration environments; technology readiness levels; and integration risk mitigation.

    MSSEM Pathway

    To qualify for the MSSE Pathway (OS3180, SE3100, SI3400, and SE3302), a student must have completed a college level calculus sequence of at least one year.

    Successful completion of the 282 certificate makes a student eligible for stackable pathway towards the 722 Master’s Degree which includes two other certificates, 171 and 218 (offered by the Department of Defense Management), along with the SEM Capstone Sequence.


    The Department of Systems Engineering offers a four-course academic certificate in Systems Engineering Management (SEM) that enables students to apply systems engineering and management in defense acquisition and system lifecycle support. Integrated product development team members work with systems engineers in both technical and management competency areas requiring skills in effective teamwork and communications, statistical operational analysis, lifecycle cost management, system verification and validation, and manufacturing and production. This program is targeted for mid- and upper-level integrated product team members working in or in support of the Defense Acquisition System but has great benefit for all who seek further knowledge in the theory and practice of systems engineering and the implementation of sound systems engineering management principles within an organization.


    The Certificate in Advanced Acquisition Studies is graduate academic certificate program available to NPS distance learning students. Designed for students interested in Defense system acquisition and program management processes, the program operationalizes the business of Defense acquisition and creates Acquisition Warriors for the DoD. This program supports continuous acquisition reform initiatives mandated by Congress and senior leaders and also supports initiatives to educate operational warfighters in the business of acquisition. The program contributes to Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certifications in Program Management, Test & Evaluation, Production & Quality Management career fields. Additionally, the program provides education supporting for Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.