Overview

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.

Courses Required

Eligibility

The following are eligible for this offering:

• Naval Officers
• Naval Enlisted
• Non-Naval Officers
• Non-Naval Enlisted
• DON Civilians
• DOD Civilians
• Defense Contractors
• Non-DOD Federal Employees
• International military personnel
• International non-military personnel

Requirements for Entry

• Undergraduate engineering, science or technical degree with a minimum 2.6 grade point average
• At least one college calculus course
• Successful completion of the System Engineering Fundamentals Certificate (282)

Learning Outcomes

• Define the digital environment and apply digital modeling tools to the solution of an engineering problem to include an assessment of model accuracy, completeness, trust, and reusability
• Use modeling languages, concepts, and data attributes to create model artifacts and generate diagrams.
• Construct a capabilities portfolio for a given set of missions
• Model the effectiveness and cost of a capability portfolio and analyze and interpret the results of a simulation model for the capability portfolio.
• Develop life-cycle cost models
• Apply cost estimating techniques to develop cost estimates incorporating uncertainty.  Quantify and evaluate cost risk.
• Describe the role of V&V within systems engineering and formulate traceable requirements for testing complex systems using the dendritic approach.
• Develop test scenarios and identify required test resources.  Apply statistical tools for evaluating specification compliance and designing experiments.

Application Information

Applications are handled by the NPS Admissions Office. Please visit the admissions website or contact them at admissions@nps.edu.

Tuition & Service Obligation

For information regarding tuition, please contact the NPS Tuition office at tuition@nps.edu, or contact this offering’s POC at wowen@nps.edu.

For information regarding service obligation, please visit the Admissions Office’s Eligibility/Service Obligation page.

Other Information

The FY24 off campus tuition price for OPEN enrollment seats entering the one-year, four quarter (one course per quarter) distance learning part-time Capability and Mission Engineering Non-Resident Certificate Program is $2750 per course ($11,000 for certificate) for military, federal government civilian employees and defense contractors, payable in full by FY, quarterly installments or as negotiated with the program manager. Qualified active duty Naval and Marine Corps Officers are eligible for NPS mission funding. Tuition does not include textbooks or additional class materials (software, handouts, case studies, miscellaneous equipment, etc.). If requested, NPS can provide textbooks for an additional $250 fixed fee per course per student.

Additional Documentation

131-251O NPS Announcement for Capability and Mission Engineering Certificate (October 2024 PDF)
131-251O Capability and Mission Engineering Certificate Open Enroll Tuition Letter (October 2024 PDF)

131-252O NPS Announcement for Capability and Mission Engineering Certificate (January 2025 PDF)
131-252O Capability and Mission Engineering Certificate Open Enroll Tuition Letter (January 2025 PDF)