I’m really interested in majoring in systems engineering and I know it’s not a really popular major, so I was wondering what are some good systems engineering programs (undergrad) in the mid-Atlantic region? I’ve already looked at a bunch of websites with rankings so personal experience or just general knowledge about the major would be the most helpful. Any other thoughts on systems engineering would be greatly appreciated as well! Thanks 
What exactly do you know about systems engineering or what makes you decide to study this special engineering.
Systems engineering is most often offered at the graduate level - it is a broad set of methodologies that are best applied over the top of another engineering discipline. You might want to consider a broad undergraduate major like ME, EE, or IE, with the intent to pursue SE with a masters.
Some universities are currently offering this as a major with a Bachelor’s, but it has nothing to do with real EE systems engineering. As @cosmicfish has stated, it’s at the graduate level. This new “systems engineering” degree is more of a business degree.
My DH has been really disappointed in this “misnomer” because people are coming out of college, applying for jobs, as “Systems engineers” with this degree, and they don’t have a clue about engineering.
He interviews these graduates with Systems engineering questions, and they don’t know how to respond to engineering scenarios. The job candidates don’t have the physics backgrounds and can’t plot the trajectories or predict how mechanics will move in a lab scenario and in real life. The newly degreed Systems are very unfamiliar with algorithms, that are common, and the interviews have been awkward because the candidates can’t respond to questions. The joke now is that the EE’s and ME’s have to teach these new grads how to literally push buttons.
I agree with post #3. The degree is almost a paper pusher, nothing to do with engineering.
Georgia Tech’s Industrial and Systems Engineering major is #1 year after year, the nation’s largest program of its kind. Unless you meant something else by systems engineering.
Per my DH’s large corporate business: The job descriptions for true Systems Engineering in EE, CE, MechE and Software Engineering don’t seem to match the abilities of the people coming out with four-year “systems engineering” degrees.
The corporate facilities are now finding that they have to ask for an EE, CE or ME degrees instead of a a “systems engineering” diploma during hiring, because the “Systems” majors appear to be more of a business degree.
He stated that those “Systems” graduates don’t appear to have the technical expertise in physics, math and engineering to design a technical working model of a product. They can’t read or interpret the specs provided by their high profile clients and can’t incorporate and calculate the math theorems quickly in their heads.
My dh is constantly having to reject candidates who apply as “systems engineers”, but who can’t replicate or read a design; when they get into the interviews, questions that are common to engineering, math and physics candidates are left unanswered, and the “new” SE’s appear dumbfounded. My dh’s personnel team is now avoiding anyone with a “systems engineering” degree unless it is attached to a Masters in any Engineering discipline. They are very specific in job experience and minimum requirements.
My dh feels badly because these kids are really confused in the interviews. They are applying to jobs for “systems engineers” assuming that they can BS the questions, without the background and without understanding job prerequisites and descriptions, but they think they qualify because they are “systems” engineers.
One recent candidate, who applied to be dh’s supervisor had no concept of Hertz, or electrical circuit design in a model they provided. When they asked a co-worker why he had recommended the candidate, the co-worker was confused and asked, well isn’t his degree in Systems Engineering? The candidate had been a technical support employee who knew a sequence of steps of when to push buttons in the lab. No concept of design or physics capabilities for communications and navigation. The jobs and money are in true engineering degrees with Systems Engineering masters’.
You can’t be a good Systems Engineer until you have significant experience. But out there some universities have Ms degree in Systems Engineering, IIRC Caltech has a MS in System Engineering , but invent looked at the program carefully.
I think there is a bit of confusion in this thread between an “Industrial and System Engineer” and a EE/ME “systems engineer”. Two completely different animals…
Most folks looking to earn a BS in “Systems engineering” are thinking of ISE.
If the OP is looking for ISE, there are several good ones in that part of the country, starting with Georgia Tech, Purdue, Michigan, and Virginia Tech.
@DrGoogle @AuntBea Thanks for the advice! I knew that systems engineering had a certain vagueness about it but I didn’t know its extent.
I like the idea of less detailed engineerig so what is a broad engineering degree that is still employable?
That’s just what a company likes to hear from an employee: that you don’t like getting bogged down in the details.
Don’t major in engineering because you seem to be doing it for the money and employability. It pays well because it is a tough discipline to learn.
You will be miserable if you major in this field and you won’t be able to do, or keep up with, the undergrad work.
I agree that there seems to be some confusion here. A “technical support person” is clearly not a trained Industrial or Systems engineer, who will be looking at the big picture. There are 97 ABET accredited Industrial Engineering programs in the US, too many to list. As mentioned, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech are two of the best ones in the eastern US (and are Industrial and Systems Engineering programs), but there are many other good programs that you can find There are 19 schools currently with accredited undergraduate Systems Engineering programs -Case Western, GMU, Kennesaw, Lehigh, NC A & T, Oakland SUNY Binghamton, USAF Academy, USNA, US Military Academy, U of Arizona, U of Arkansas, U of Florida, U of New Haven, UNC Charlotte, Penn, UVa, U of Washington Tacoma, Washington University. One of my sons was Systems at UVa, the other Industrial and Systems at VT. Both had to take all the typical calculus, physics and chemistry that any engineer had to take. Both of these majors seem to be currently in demand . Lots of systems engineers seem to gravitate to consulting.
What about UofA? Does it have Systems engineering? If yes maybe that should be the school you want to go if you get tuition scholarship since you are unsure of what type of engineering.
Only the Huntsville campus seems to have an accredited Industrial and Systems Engineering program. So does Auburn.
@boneh3ad I mean that I like to deal with things holistically.
The reason I was attracted to systems engineering was because it seemed to integrate people and engineering. I am interested in politics but also the use of machines and resources to better an economy and overall improve a nation. Politics and engineering are at polar ends of the degree field, so I’m looking for a degree that encompasses both my passions. Any suggestions on a major that incorporate both politics and engineering and schools in the Mid Atlantic that offer that major would be super helpful! (Note: it doesn’t necessarily have to be politics or engineering, but something very closely related to those majors)
Industrial and/or systems then could possibly work very well for you. Potential schools in mid Atlantic states-Rutgers, VT, UVa,Penn State, SUNY Binghamton, Buffalo, Lehigh, RIT,RPI, NJIT,Pitt, WVU. Also, you might want to look at schools with an Engineering and Public Policy type program. CMU had that at one point and probably still does. Other schools probably have similar things. Political peopke, public policy peopke who also have engineering and technical skills could be a very good combination.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate the recommendations