CAMPUS: TAMIU welcomes new Graduate School engineering program
By Kaily Olivo
Editor-in-chief
Published Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026
As the Fall 2025 semester came to an end, TAMIU introduced its first Graduate School engineering program with the launch of the Master of Science in systems engineering event. The new program begins in Fall 2026.
This event began with opening remarks from Director of the School of Engineering Mahmoud Khasawneh followed by welcoming remarks from Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Marcus Ynalvez, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Claudia San Miguel and President Christopher Maynard.
TAMIU student members of the first graduate engineering program, from left, Valeria Escamilla, Jose Leonidez, Bryan Garcia and Jennifer Garcia pose for a photo with a robot in the Student Center Ballroom on Nov. 6, 2025.
“This is a very important milestone, not just for our university, but also for our community,” Khasawneh said. “It’s gonna start existing in the Fall, because of you; it was built for you and it’s meant to empower you, to improve our community, improve our lives and the lives of your families.”
Khasawneh also recognized faculty support in the creation of this program.
“When this program does launch in the Fall, it’s going to be them [the faculty] at the forefront, mentoring our students, working with them on cutting-edge projects, research and activities,” Khasawneh told the crowd at the event.
As Khasawneh opened, Ynalvez shared the impact of this degree in today’s society.
“This is more than a new degree program; it is a strategic response to a world that is rapidly transforming,” Ynalvez said. “We are living in a digital age, one defined by exponential change, transformative technologies, non-sequential thinking and the urgent need for a step-function approach to innovation.”
With the constantly developing technological society, this program offers student opportunities that fit alongside these advancements.
“Concentrations in data analytics, automation—this program prepares students not just to adapt to change but to lead it,” Ynalvez said.
Besides these student opportunities, San Miguel shared how this wouldn’t be possible without the years of work and proposals put into this program, especially by Khasawneh.
“[Khasawneh] led the effort to put all of this degree proposal together and to put a degree proposal—it doesn’t happen overnight; it doesn’t happen over months. It happens over years,” San Miguel said. “I was still dean of the College of Arts and Sciences when we first started talking about this degree.”
As Khasawneh and Endowed Professor of Computer Engineering Habib Ammari introduced the program with an overview, explaining the opportunities and concentrations.
Despite the informational format of the event, it also included several raffles, trivia rounds giving away prizes like Stanleys and board games, and equipment demonstrations. Following this, the TAMIU Graduate School provided an overview of the Graduate School’s application and a presentation from the TAMIU Office of Financial Aid.
A faculty panel discussed career pathways and curriculum available with this program and an alumni panel shared its journey through its members’ career and graduate experience.
This event shared its program information, career opportunities, program requirements, possible coursework, how to apply and additional requirements for certain students.
