Undergraduate Bulletin
Spring 2025
Requirements for the Major in Technological Systems Management (TSM)
Acceptance into the Major in Technological Systems Management
Qualified freshman and transfer students who have indicated their interest in the major on their applications may be admitted directly as a degree major or as a pre-major. Pre-majors are placed into the Area of Interest (AOI) program and to be eligible for the degree, they must be admitted to and declare the major. The requirements and application process for matriculation are detailed below. Students admitted to other programs within the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) follow the same admissions process as students in the AOI program. Students in programs outside of CEAS (non-CEAS students) and double major applicants may apply for admission to the degree program following a separate process, outlined below.
Intellectual honesty and academic integrity are cornerstones of academic and scholarly work. The department may table any applications for major/minor admission until academic judiciary matters are resolved. An academic judiciary matter will be identified by a grade of “Q” in the instance of a first offense.
Area of Interest and Other CEAS Students (excluding double major applicants)
Applications for major admission from AOI and other CEAS students are reviewed twice per year and must be received by January 5 for Spring admission and June 5 for Fall admission. Students who submit their application on time will be admitted if they meet the following requirements:
- Calculus I and Calculus II (or equivalents) and the natural sciences requirement with grades of C or higher;
- Earned a cumulative grade point average of 2.80;
- Received completed course evaluations for all transferred courses that are to be used to meet requirements for the major.
Students must complete these requirements no later than one year after they enroll in the first course that applies towards major entry. Students must apply for admission by the application deadline immediately following completion of the above requirements, but no later than the one year limit. Admission of AOI students and other CEAS students who apply late will follow the process of Non-CEAS Students and Double Major Applicants below.
Non-CEAS Students and Double Major Applicants
Applications for major admission from non-CEAS students and double major applicants are reviewed twice per year and must be received by January 5 for Spring admission and June 5 for Fall admission. Students who do not meet the requirements for AOI admission above will not be considered. Fulfilling the requirements does not guarantee acceptance. Admission is competitive and contingent upon program capacity.
Requirements for the Major in Technological Systems Management (TSM)
Students must complete a specialization. Specializations are drawn from programs in natural science, engineering and applied science, environmental studies or may be defined by the department. (For those students who have a major in one of those areas and who pursue Technological Systems Management as a second major, the first major will serve as the specialization.)
Completion of the major requires approximately 79 credits.
A. Mathematics
- AMS 151, AMS 161 Applied Calculus I, II
Note: The following alternate calculus course sequences may be substituted for AMS 151, AMS 161: MAT 125, MAT 126, MAT 127 or MAT 131, MAT 132
B. Natural Sciences
At least one of the following natural science courses:
BIO 201, CHE 131, GEO 304, GEO 311, GEO 313, GEO 315, PHY 131, PHY 141
One additional natural science course selected from above or the following list:
BIO 202, BIO 203, CHE 132, ENS 101, EST/ATM 102, GEO 101, GEO 102, MAR 104, PHY 132, PHY 125, PHY
126, PHY 127 or PHY 142. Note: or any other natural science course with permission of the department.
C. Study in Related Areas: Specialization
A cluster of seven related courses, totaling at least 21 credits*, in one area of natural science, engineering, applied science, or environmental studies from a single department or program, or in the department defined specialization of Information and Communication Technologies for Development. At least three courses, totaling at least nine credits, must be at the 300 or 400 level. Specializations in the areas of Computer Science and Information Systems are slightly different. (See "Prescribed Areas of Specialization" below for the specializations with course options.)
*Note: All 21 credits must be unique without any overlap in requirements: A, B, D or E and specialization course options require prior approval.
D. Technological Systems Management
1. Required courses (11)
1. EST 194 Decision-making
2. EST 202 Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society Studies
3. EST 304 Communication for Engineers and Scientists
4. EST 331 Engineering Ethics
5. EST 391 Technology Assessment
6. EST 392 Engineering Economics
7. EST 393 Project Management
8. EST 440 Interdisciplinary Research Methods
9. EST 441 Interdisciplinary Senior Project
10.One skills-information course:
EST 110 The Digital Generation: Investigating AI Ethics, Social Impact and Real-World Applications
EST 240 Visual Rhetoric
EST 291 Energy, Environment and People
EST 305 Applications Software for Information Management
EST 325 Technology in the Workplace
EST 326 Management for Engineers
EST 339 Benevolent Computing
EST 342 Industrial Engineering, Intro to Operations Research I
EST 344 Technical Writing
EST 364 How to Build a Startup
11.One design course:
EST 100 The Digital Generation: Mastering Multimedia Tools That Shape Our World
EST 205 Introduction to Technological Design: Innovation and Design Thinking
EST 207 Interaction Design
EST 209 Introduction to Italian Design: Theory and Practice
EST 221 Multimedia for Online Content Platforms
EST 310 Design of Computer Games
EST 323 Human-Computer Interaction
EST 327 Systems Engineering Management, Elements of Product Design and Development
Please note:
- At most 3 credits of the 3 electives can be counted from the following courses: EST 475, EST 488 and EST 499.
- Only two courses below the 300 level may be used in the major elective category unless permission is received from the department.
- Students may take other 300 or 400 level courses in their area of specialization with the approval of the undergraduate program director/advisor.
- Elective course options may not be offered each term. Students should plan accordingly.
E. Upper-Division Writing Requirement
All degree candidates must demonstrate skill in written English at a level acceptable for Technological Systems Management majors. To satisfy this requirement, Technological Systems Management majors must complete EST 440 and EST 441 with a grade of C or higher. Successful completion of these two courses also satisfies the university WRTD requirement.
Grading
All courses taken to satisfy requirements A through D above must be taken for a letter grade. A grade of C or higher is required in all.
Prescribed Areas of Specialization
Specialization in Computer Science
A specialization in the area of Computer Science also requires completing at least 21 credits (nominally, seven courses). Four introductory courses are required; this rigorous sequence of courses will provide students with a good background to complete the upper division courses for the specialization. Students who specialize in Computer Science may not specialize in Information Systems.
Students specializing in Computer Science must take the following four courses:
1. CSE 101 Computer Science Principles
2. CSE 114 Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming
3. CSE 214 Data Structures
4. ISE 218 Fundamentals of Information Technology
*Students with demonstrated programming experience may substitute a course from the special topics sequence CSE 190-191-192 for CSE 101, with permission of the Computer Science Department Undergraduate Committee and with prior approval.
Students must also select three courses from the following list:
- ISE 305 Database Design and Practice
- One of: CSE 310 Computer Networks or ISE 316 Introduction to Networking
- CSE 337 Scripting Languages
- CSE 373 Analysis of Algorithms
- Up to two courses from CSE 390-CSE 391-CSE 392 Special Topics with prior approval.
Specialization in Information Systems
A specialization in Information Systems also requires completing at least 21 credits (nominally, seven courses). Four introductory courses are required; this rigorous sequence of courses will provide students with a good background to complete the upper division courses for the specialization. Students who specialize in Information Systems may not specialize in Computer Science.
Students specializing in Information Systems must take the following four courses:
1. CSE 101 Computer Science Principles
2. CSE 114 Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming
3. CSE 214 Data Structures
4. ISE 218 Fundamentals of Information Technology
*Students with demonstrated programming experience may substitute a course from the special topics sequence CSE 190-191-192 for CSE 101, with permission of the Computer Science Department Undergraduate Committee and with prior approval.
Students must also select three courses from the following list:
