Recent developments in science and engineering indicate the need for systems approach to problem solving in the widest sense. Following the explication of the concept of a system, the scope of system theory and systems engineering is discussed and operationally defined, with characteristic features of the methodology of systems science and engineering investigated. The state-of-the-art in systems science and engineering education is reviewed. The impact of systems science on engineering curricula, interdisciplinary and intradisciplinary study and research programs and on the structure of academic institutions is discussed. A method for identifying what constitutes the core of systems science and engineering programs, based on the factor analysis of catalogue descriptions of systems science and engineering courses and other relevant data, is proposed. The proposed method is demonstrated and tested on a sample population of such course descriptions, with the model curriculum based on the subject areas in the core being compared with other models of systems science and engineering curricula. The proposed method is also shown as being usable in identifying scope and orientation of academic curricula in general and of systems science and engineering curricula in particular. The feasibility of developing a technique for matching student's background and interests with program orientation is also demonstrated. (Author/PR)