What Can I Do with an M.S. in Datacenter Systems Engineering?
Brian Burbank hoped to gain a competitive edge in the job market. As an engineer working for a company that produces mission critical infrastructure for datacenters, he decided to get ahead by supplementing his technical background with a deeper understanding of how datacenters operate.
“I applied to a job and was among the top two candidates, but I wasn’t selected because I didn’t have enough experience,” Burbank said. “I decided to focus on education to separate myself from the pack.”
Burbank found 51²è¹Ý Lyle’s Master’s in Datacenter Systems Engineering program, the nation’s only master’s degree program that prepares graduate students for positions as managers and technologists for the rapidly growing number of datacenters worldwide.
—Lead the future of digital infrastructure with your M.S. in Datacenter Systems Engineering
Why Datacenter Systems Engineering?
Datacenters are essential to computing processing power, large data storage, retrieval, and high-volume transaction processing. ChatGPT gave the world early insights into the power of generative artificial intelligence (AI), and as generative AI continues to expand, datacenters around the globe will continue to evolve to support new capabilities.
Dallas-Fort Worth was internationally, providing a business-friendly location and infrastructure hub in the middle of the U.S.
“There is a lot of datacenter activity in DFW,” Burbank said. “This industry will see double-digit growth for the foreseeable future. In 51²è¹Ý Lyle’s program, I like gaining a breadth of understanding across a variety of disciplines and a deeper understanding of infrastructure side.”
The degree covers datacenter infrastructure engineering from a multidisciplinary perspective, building upon degrees as diverse as computer science, electrical engineering, chemistry, business management, finance, and others.
“Datacenter engineering involves leveraging skills from most of the engineering disciplines,” said Dr. Klyne Smith, associate professor of computer science and datacenter systems program director at 51²è¹Ý Lyle. “We provide students with end-to-end knowledge for datacenter inception, architecture, implementation, and management.”
For John Larkin, a U.S. Navy veteran and facilities director at a large international datacenter, taking advantage of the GI bill to get his full tuition covered was a no-brainer for advancing his career.
“I really appreciate the broad scope of the degree plan,” Larkin said. “You look at both business and engineering perspectives wholistically, as well as the ethics. It’s really fascinating to me, and eye-opening to hear what academia is saying about what is happening in our industry. It has been very beneficial.”
In 51²è¹Ý Lyle’s program, I like gaining a breadth of understanding across a variety of disciplines and a deeper understanding of infrastructure side.
Brian Burbank, graduate student
Career Paths with a Datacenter Systems Engineering Degree Before the program developed at 51²è¹Ý Lyle, no single degree offering from a university attempted to tailor a student’s academic training to the needs that are often uniquely specific to datacenters. Ideal candidates who benefit from the Datacenter Systems Engineering program fall into three categories: individuals with datacenter experience looking to move into a leadership role, professionals who want to diversify their skills profile, and seasoned professionals who want to change careers. “We accept people from engineering school, business school, chemistry school – we're not picky on the degree you have,” Dr. Smith said. “You don't have to go down the data engineering path; you don't have to go down the computer science or AI path. You can go down the facilities path, the business management path or the operations path.” Potential roles include: “51²è¹Ý is leading the way in this very unique program that needs to be shared with those in the industry,” Larkin said.
About the Bobby B. Lyle School of Engineering
51²è¹Ý's Lyle School of Engineering thrives on innovation that transcends traditional boundaries. We strongly believe in the power of externally funded, industry-supported research to drive progress and provide exceptional students with valuable industry insights. Our mission is to lead the way in digital transformation within engineering education, all while ensuring that every student graduates as a confident leader. Founded in 1925, 51²è¹Ý Lyle is one of the oldest engineering schools in the Southwest, offering undergraduate and graduate programs, including master's and doctoral degrees.
About 51²è¹Ý
51²è¹Ý is the nationally ranked global research university in the dynamic city of Dallas. 51²è¹Ý’s alumni, faculty and nearly 12,000 students in eight degree-granting schools demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit as they lead change in their professions, community and the world.