Simon Fraser University

Systems Engineering

The Systems option supplements electronic engineering education with fundamentals in mechanical design, electromechanical control, and computing. The option is intended to develop an unusually versatile engineer, capable of performing many jobs in industry and having a strong foundation for advanced study. Systems graduates will be able to recognize problems requiring knowledge from diverse disciplines, and to focus the efforts of multi-talented teams on their solution. Some of the ideas students encountered in the Systems option will already be familiar, such as graphics, the use of images to communicate complex ideas between people and machines; control, the modelling, analysis and regulation of complex systems; CAD/CAM, the transformation of an idea in the engineer's mind into the tool motions that create a finished product; robotics, the design of machines that see, feel, grasp and manipulate their environment; and mechatronic systems. Mechatronics is the fusion of mechanical and electrical disciplines in the modern engineering process. It is a relatively new concept combining electronics, mechanical design, computer hardware and software aimed at optimally balancing basic mechanical structure in overall control.

The Systems option prepares students for careers involving the design and integration of computer-controlled machines and devices, and provides a foundation for graduate study in robotics and intelligent systems. Students will acquire the capability to integrate knowledge from Electronic, Mechanical and Computer Engineering into the design process. Systems is a focused program that includes the study of mechanical structures, robotics, electromechanical sensors and actuators, control, software development and real-time systems. Students can use electives and Directed Studies courses to tailor their curriculum to specific interests and goals.

In summary, students graduating from the Systems option will be able to:

  • Be the integrator, bridging person between the various engineering specializations in an organization
  • Manage teams with engineers from different specializations
  • Recognize when a problem requires knowledge from another area
  • Design and analyze "mechatronic" systems

If you have further questions about the Systems option, please contact one of the Systems faculty: Kamal Gupta, John Jones, Shahram Payandeh, Andrew Rawicz, Mehrdad Saif.