Computer Systems Engineering Certificate

Earn your computer systems engineering certificate online

The online certificate in computer systems engineering is designed for students and professionals seeking knowledge and skills in state-of-the-art parallel hardware architectures, parallel software programming, algorithms, and networking technologies. Stay current on rapidly advancing technology, and learn to problem solve for future challenges.

Online students take the same engineering courses from the same faculty and receive the same computer systems engineering certificate as students in our on-campus program.

Focus your studies on three areas integral to computer systems engineering:

• Networking – how the internet works, protocols, standards
• Embedded systems – the underlying digital intelligence behind all the smart devices at the heart of the Internet of Things (IoT) revolution
• Computer architecture – chip, server, and datacenter design

What you learn

Students will work with a variety of hardware and software tools and analyze research to understand state of the art approaches to computer system design and future challenges the industry will face. The computer systems engineering certificate curriculum includes both individual and group project work. You will:

• Learn concepts and principles on state of the art networking.
• Learn advanced computer architecture and system design.
• Gain knowledge in computer security, including encryption techniques, secure software algorithms, and hardware security issues.
• Understand concepts in computer reliability, including soft error and aging reliability, dealing with variations, and cross-layer techniques for fault resilience.
• Learn how to analyze, model, and optimize hardware and software and how they integrate into the embedded system itself.

Topics of study include:

• Design and exploration of computer systems
• Computer architecture
• Fault tolerance
• Computer security
• Parallel programming
• Machine learning
• Communication networks

Study online with expert faculty

Colorado State University's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) has been a leader in innovation for more than a century. The department was awarded two Engineering Research Centers by the National Science Foundation, and is one of the top patent-producing departments at CSU.

The ECE department is known for leading research in areas including embedded systems, lasers and optics, radar systems, and biomedical systems; and is sponsored by industry (e.g., the Dept. of Defense (DOD), Dept. of Energy, the Airforce, and the National Science Foundation). The department maintains strong ties with leaders in the industry and works closely with them to meet the needs of employers through curricular input.

The computer engineering certificate program is taught by experts in the field who have both industry and research experience in computer systems engineering. Faculty have active collaborations with leading semiconductor, system on chip (SOC) design companies, and application-domain experts (e.g., automotive companies). ECE faculty work in partnership with industry to improve products and performance and bring that experience into the online classroom.

Advance in your engineering career with computer systems training

The Graduate Certificate in Computer Systems Engineering prepares students to succeed in job roles such as:

• Network analyst
• Network designer
• Network programmer
• Computer architect
• Computer security analyst
• Big data analyst
• Other roles requiring computer systems engineering skills and knowledge

Option to pursue a master's degree

Credits completed for this certificate may be applied toward CSU's online electrical or computer engineering master's degrees after formal admission per University transfer policies. Additionally, you can earn a guaranteed admission recommendation into either master's program from the department and bypass the GRE requirement, if you complete two classes from the curriculum with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and with no less than a 2.7 in any course. Learn more about this option and the online computer and electrical engineering master's programs at CSU.

The curriculum for the computer systems engineering graduate certificate is customizable to your interests and educational goals. Select three courses from the list; at least one must be an ECE course.

You must be admitted to this program for the certificate to appear on your official University transcript.

• ECE 528/CS 528 – Embedded Systems and Machine Learning (4 cr.)
• ECE 554 – Computer Architecture (3 cr.)
• ECE 558 – Manycore System Design Using Machine Learning (3 cr.)
• ECE 561 – Hardware/Software Design of Embedded Systems (4 cr.)
• ECE 658 – Internet Engineering (4 cr.)
• ECE 661 – Advanced Topics in Embedded Systems (3 cr.)
• CS 530 – Fault-Tolerant Computing (4 cr.)
• CS 545 – Machine Learning (4 cr.)
• CS 556 – Computer Security (4 cr.)
• CS 575 – Parallel Processing (4 cr.)

This certificate can be completed in one year, though completion time will vary based on the number of credits successfully completed each semester.

Note: This certificate may have courses in common with other graduate certificates. A student may earn more than one certificate, but a given course may be counted only in one certificate.

Application Deadlines

Students can be admitted for either the fall or spring semester. Summer admission is not available. For full consideration, submit your application and supporting documents prior to the dates below.