The Demand for Embedded Systems. Fundamentally, an embedded system is some combination of hardware and software that is designed for a particular function. It senses a real-world condition, does some computing, then produces output data or control of some kind. ECEN-4003/5003 Mastering Embedded Systems Architecture. 2  Graduate students pursuing an ESE Certificate are not required to matriculate into the ESE program sub-plan through the ME degree, although degree-seeking students enrolled in the ESE program will be given enrollment priority.