UT Austin Launches Graduate Systems Engineering Course, Filling a Key Gap in the Region's Engineering Landscape
This fall, Texas Engineering Executive Education (TxEEE) will introduce ENM W390: Systems Engineering, a new three-credit-hour graduate course, led by incoming instructor Nate Wiggins, Ph.D., SEQM.
The course arrives at a moment of opportunity for UT Austin, which, despite its standing as one of the nation's top engineering schools, has not offered a dedicated systems engineering program until now.
"UT Austin is a very powerful engineering school, but there's no direct systems engineering program," Wiggins said. "The local region is Silicon Valley Junior right here — there's a huge opportunity to integrate all of these engineering disciplines with industry."
A Framework-Driven Approach
Rather than teaching to a single technical discipline, the course centers on systems engineering as a broadly applicable framework — one that equips students to analyze complex projects, identify where processes break down, and lead effectively across disciplines.
Students will examine real-world case studies to understand how systems engineering failures can lead to significant budget and schedule overruns and how a stronger framework could have changed the outcome.
Coursework includes readings, instructional videos, and homework designed as individual mini-lessons, alongside lab-based projects that receive direct instructor feedback and, at times, peer review. Students will work with SysML and Python; they are also encouraged to come in with some familiarity with AI/LLM tools, though Wiggins notes that support is available for those who don't.
Live sessions, guided software demos, and one-on-one meeting time round out the format, with a recommended time commitment of at least six hours per week.
Built for More Than Traditional Engineers
One of the course's defining features is the breadth of students it's designed to serve. While mechanical, electrical, biomedical, and civil engineers are a natural fit, Wiggins is emphatic that the framework extends well beyond traditional technical roles, reaching into the social sciences and psychology as well.
That inclusive approach reflects a broader philosophy: leadership and systems thinking require both technical rigor and an understanding of people, a combination Wiggins has built his career around.
From the Classroom to the C-Suite
Wiggins brings nearly two decades of academic and industry experience to the role. He currently serves as Director of Engineering Leadership and Management at The University of Oklahoma, and previously spent time at UT Austin as a faculty member for the Walker Department, where he received a teaching award, and at the University of Houston, where he helped launch a new systems engineering program at the university's Katy, Texas campus. Earlier in his career, he spent 15 years as a distinguished mathematics professor and ran a robotics and AI lab for a decade.
That industry-facing focus carries through to student outcomes. Graduates of Wiggins' systems engineering courses have gone on to roles at companies including Exxon, Strata Systems Engineering, Tietronix Software, and NASA, along with training programs for the U.S. military. Many, he said, move into senior leadership and executive positions after completing the coursework.
"It moves you toward a leadership mindset by providing the infrastructure and framework to be successful at higher levels," Wiggins said. "You can integrate all of your different engineering skills, as well as skills outside of engineering."
Students who complete the course also earn a digital certificate, a credential that is recognized by industry partners.
A Low-Risk Way to Bring New Ideas Back to Work
For working professionals, Wiggins says the course is designed to deliver immediate, tangible value.
"We provide a framework for you to run your own ideas," he said. "That really allows engineers to use their creativity and expansiveness in a low-risk way, because we're teaching a framework; we're not just working on a random project. But if it works, then all of a sudden you have something to take back to your company."
ENM W390: Systems Engineering through TxEEE at the Cockrell School of Engineering.
