Urban Systems Engineering and Management

Program Director: Ilan Juran

The Department of Civil and Urban Engineering offers a graduate program in Urban Systems Engineering and Management, leading to the Master of Science. This program was developed as part of the Institute for Civil Infrastructure Systems (ICIS), supported by the National Science Foundation. Polytechnic Institute of NYU is a major partner institution in ICIS, a consortium effort led by New York University.

The primary objective of ICIS and of the Urban Systems Engineering and Management Program is to educate professionals with both engineering and non-engineering backgrounds to understand and manage major urban infrastructure systems and the problems they pose to society and government. It is not sufficient to have a technical understanding of the engineering aspects of urban infrastructure systems and their components. To manage this sector effectively, professionals must also understand the societal and political contexts that affect them. Issues of public policy, finance, monitoring and maintenance must all be understood more clearly.

This Master of Science program attempts to provide a broader exposure to the range of knowledge and skills needed to play a leading role in infrastructure management in an urban setting. Thus, the program includes elements of engineering and technology, management, economics, finance and public policy.

Goals and Objectives

The specific objectives of the Urban Systems Engineering and Management Program are to provide students with the following:

• A broad base of understanding of infrastructure management and policy issues;
• Analytic and decision-making skills that account for the political, economic and social impacts of infrastructure technologies;
• A broad overview of the full range of urban infrastructure systems;
• An integrated knowledge of the interactions and interdependencies of various urban infrastructure systems;
• Specialized management skills and techniques to apply to unique problems of the infrastructure segment.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the MS in Urban Systems Engineering and Management is open to professionals with BS or BA degrees and backgrounds in engineering, science, public policy, management, economics and/or finance. Necessary mathematics background, usually including undergraduate calculus, is required, as is an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better.

Grade Requirements

To earn graduate degrees or certificates, students must have a 3.0 GPA or better in all graduate courses and guided studies (readings, projects, theses, dissertations). Averages are separately computed for courses and guided studies. Transfer credits from other institutions are not included in this average.

Analytical Background

All applicants for this MS program must show evidence of quantitative analytic ability, generally, including a minimum of two years of college mathematics and a college-level course in statistics.

Transfer Credits

The residency requirement for the MS degree is 21 credits. This is the minimum number of credits that must be taken at NYU-Poly for an NYU-Poly MS degree.

Students may transfer up to 9 credits of acceptable courses toward an MS degree, subject to the approval of the academic adviser. To be transferred, the course(s) must be relevant to the program and from an acceptable institution. A grade of B or better is required for granting of transfer credit. Courses graded on a pass/fail basis are not considered for transfer unless accompanied by a detailed written evaluation by the course instructor. All transfer requests must be accompanied by an official transcript from the transferring institution. Applications for transfer credits are accepted only after the student has earned 12 credits at NYU-Poly.

Advising

Each student in the graduate program is assigned a faculty adviser. It is important that students maintain frequent contact with the adviser throughout their studies. Students must meet with their academic adviser before each registration and at any other time they need advice or consultation.

Students must have a detailed program of study formally approved by their adviser before registration. Advisers also handle requests for waiver of certain degree requirements, where warranted. Such waivers must be approved in writing and must be entered into the student’s departmental file. Where specific courses are waived, the approval of the course instructor is also required. When waivers are granted, students may be required take other specific courses in their place, or to select additional electives.

Students registering for any guided studies (readings, projects, theses) are assigned project advisers for each such activity. The project adviser may or may not be the same as the student’s academic adviser, depending upon the subject matter selected. To register for any guided study activity, students must submit written proposals for the topic(s) to be covered to a project adviser before registration. To register, the written approval of the project adviser is required in addition to the approval of the academic adviser.

While academic advisers consult and advise students, students are responsible for ensuring that all degree requirements are fulfilled and for submitting all proper forms and application.

Programs

• Urban Systems Engineering and Management, M.S.