Build Safety-Critical Embedded Systems That Perform Under Pressure.
When software lives inside machines, failure isn’t an inconvenience—it’s a safety, reliability, and security risk. From vehicles and aircraft to medical devices and industrial automation, embedded systems make real-time decisions that can affect people, equipment, and critical operations.
Embedded systems are the hidden backbone of modern life. They are small, specialized computing devices built into larger systems such as automobiles, medical equipment, avionics, and industrial control systems. They monitor, regulate, and secure critical infrastructure.
Embedded software is the firmware and real-time code that runs on specialized hardware inside a larger device, using sensor data to monitor conditions and control functions like motors, brakes, displays, or communications. Robust embedded software goes a step further: it’s embedded software engineered to remain dependable under real-world stress, such as timing constraints, unexpected inputs, partial hardware failures, and even security threats.
Michigan Tech’s Online Graduate Certificate in Robust Embedded Software helps engineers build the advanced verification, testing, and quality assurance skills needed to design software that performs reliably under real-world conditions.
Who is This Certificate For?
This certificate is intended for early- and mid-career engineers and other technical professionals who want to specialize in dependable embedded software. It is especially relevant to those with backgrounds in electrical or computer engineering, mechatronics, controls, or robotics who work with safety-critical systems, such as the following:
- Automotive systems (electric vehicles, control systems, advanced driver assistance)
- Aerospace and avionics
- Medical device engineering
- Industrial automation and robotics
- Cyber-physical and IoT systems
What You'll Study
The graduate certificate in Robust Embedded Software is a 9-credit program made up of three 3-credit courses. Each course builds on the previous to allow you to progress deeper into the subject and provide you with comprehensive expertise.
At the completion of the certificate, you will be able to
- Design and implement embedded software in C/C++ on microcontrollers/RTOS.
- Use model-based design and formal verification tools to prove properties.
- Plan and execute testing and QA for embedded and safety-critical systems.
- Reason about fault tolerance, redundancy, and security in embedded designs.
Embedded Software Foundations
(CS 4713)
Explore microcontroller architecture, firmware, hardware abstraction layers, real-time operating systems, and toolchains for programming/debugging.
Currently Offered in Fall 2026.
Model-Driven Development and Verification of Embedded Software
Learn to design, model, and formally verify embedded systems using simulation and state-of-the-art tools such as UPPAAL, Romeo, BIP, and DREAM.
Testing and Quality Assurance of Embedded Software
Learn to test embedded software using techniques such as hardware-in-the-loop testing, code coverage analysis, worst case execution time analysis, scheduling, and trace analysis.
Why Michigan Tech?
Michigan Tech is uniquely positioned to train the next generation of embedded systems professionals.
- Expert Faculty
Courses are developed and taught by faculty with deep expertise in robustness, dependability, testing, and formal methods. You’ll learn directly from leaders such as Dr. Ali Ebnenasir, Dr. Jie Wu, and Christopher Cischke.
- Hands-On, Project-Based Learning
This program goes beyond theory. Every course is project-based, giving you experience in the design, verification, implementation, and testing of embedded software.
- Industry Relevance
Michigan Tech is located in a hub of automotive, aerospace, and medical device industries, making this program especially valuable for engineers across Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and beyond.
Where You'll Apply Your Skills
There is a high demand for embedded systems engineers with advanced expertise in software robustness, quality assurance, and testing. Some in-demand job titles include embedded software engineer, firmware engineer, controls engineer, safety engineer, systems engineer.
has projected a 15% growth, by 2034, in jobs for software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers. The median salary for these jobs is $131,450 per year ($63.20 per hour).
Possible Industries Requiring Embedded Software Engineers
- Automotive and EVs: ECUs, ADAS, battery management, updates.
- Aerospace and avionics: navigation, redundancy, fault detection, flight control.
- Medical devices: monitoring, imaging, implantables, regulatory requirements.
- Industrial automation and robotics: PLCs, motion control, safety systems.
- Cyber-physical and IoT systems: edge devices, smart infrastructure, sensors.
Get Started on Your Online Robust Embedded Software Certificate.
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