Systems engineering is a field of engineering that deals with the design, implementation, and care of systems throughout their lifetimes. It's an interdisciplinary field that you can think of as big picture thinking for a system. The idea behind systems engineering is to look at what problems may arise within a system or what points of failure may lie within that system and how to fix those factors before they occur. In the mid-20th century, industries began looking at systems as a whole to determine how they should function over a life cycle, and a new way of thinking about those systems was developed. Initially, the concept of systems engineering applied only to physical systems, but over time those ideas have expanded to include systems that involve human interaction as well.
It's important to learn systems engineering because it can help you see the larger picture of what you're working with, and it allows you to deal with the complexity of systems as a whole. To put it simply, the goal behind systems engineering is to achieve success. An understanding of systems engineering allows you to see the expectations of the client as well as the needs of those who are working on the project, and you'll be in a better position to respond to changes quickly and effectively. Applying systems engineering can save time and money, which gives both you and your client peace of mind.
If you have a thorough knowledge of systems engineering, you can apply that most directly by finding work as a systems engineer for a corporation or at an engineering firm working with multiple clients at different times. Project management jobs also use the principles that drive systems engineering. There are jobs in other engineering fields in which you may be able to call upon your familiarity with systems engineering concepts. Even if you're not looking for work in the engineering field, you can use the ideas behind systems engineering to further your career to helm and manage projects.
When you study systems engineering with online courses on Coursera, you can learn about topics like systems engineering for the healthcare industry, project management in wood science, and how systems engineering works in a green economy. You can also have the opportunity to learn about model-based systems engineering (MBSE), digitalization in space and aeronautics, and health care systems engineering.