BS in Industrial Engineering

Industrial Engineering (IE) is concerned with the analysis, design, and implementation of integrated systems of people, materials, information, and equipment to accomplish useful work. The discipline of industrial engineering is applicable in nearly all industries, whether the industry involves manufacturing of a product or delivery of a service. Job functions performed by IEs include: systems analysis, cost estimation, capital equipment selection, engineering economy, facilities planning, production planning and scheduling, inventory control, quality control, information systems, project management, operations management, engineering management, as well as methods analysis and work measurement. Manufacturing systems engineering (MSE) is a specialty field associated with industrial engineering that emphasizes functions and technologies such as process planning, plant layout design, manufacturing resource planning, production management, production line design, automation, robotics, flexible manufacturing systems, and computer integrated manufacturing.

Career Opportunities

IE graduates are sought by nearly all industrial corporations as well as government agencies and other service institutions. Major employers of our graduates include management consulting firms, manufacturing companies, banks, hospitals, railroads, the postal service, and transportation/logistics services. A typical career path of an industrial engineer is to start in an entry-level engineering position or as a technical analyst and to progress through various management positions in the firm or institution. Significant numbers of industrial engineers ultimately become chief executive officers, chief operating officers, and chief technology officers in their respective organizations.

IE Major Requirements

Please select from below based on year of entry into the College of Engineering:

          IE Major Requirements, 2007-2008      (IE Prerequisite Map, 2007-2008)

          IE Major Requirements, 2006-2007      (IE Prerequisite Map, 2006-2007)

          IE Major Requirements, 2005-2006

          IE Major Requirements, 2004-2005

          IE Major Requirements, 2003-2004

IE Curriculum

The IE curriculum is designed to provide graduates with the skills and knowledge that employers expect of young industrial engineers beginning their professional careers, and to instill the ability for life-time learning. It includes the basic mathematical, physical, and social sciences, together with the principles and methods of engineering analysis and design that are specific to industrial engineering. These principles and methods include probability and statistics, engineering economy, cost accounting, operations research, computer simulation, work methods and measurement, manufacturing processes, production and inventory control, and information technology.

Specialized industrial engineering electives in the senior year include: advanced operations research, operations management, organization planning and control, statistical quality control, database design, web technologies, and data communications technologies. Electives related to manufacturing systems engineering include: computer integrated manufacturing, industrial robotics, facilities planning and material handling, production engineering, and metal machining analysis. The IE degree requires a minimum of 133 credit hours.

Program Educational Objectives

IE graduates should:

  1. have a broad knowledge of mathematics, science and general engineering. Furthermore, this knowledge can be applied to Industrial Engineering related problems
  2. have a fundamental grounding in the fields of statistics, manufacturing, operations research, information technology, production analysis and control, and operations management that reflect current needs and trends
  3. have the detailed and relevant knowledge and ability to perform design and solve problems related to integrated systems that include people, materials, information, equipment, and energy
  4. have the ability to design, conduct, and analyze experiments in laboratories, companies, and on systems models
  5. have the ability to form, lead, and participate on multi-disciplinary teams that solve problems in engineering and business
  6. have an awareness of global, societal, and discipline specific issues necessary to identify, formulate and solve problems
  7. be aware of the NSPE professional code of ethics and have an appreciation of social and legal concerns
  8. have the ability to seek out, understand and apply new information and procedures to their professional development, thus giving them an appreciation for life-long learning
  9. communicate effectively through oral and written presentations using appropriate technologies

Specialty Areas in Industrial Engineering

The industrial engineering curriculum emphasizes four specialty areas: (1) manufacturing systems and processes, (2) operations research, (3) information and systems engineering, and (4) production and operations management. The IE curriculum includes 18 credit hours of advanced (300 IE level) courses plus 3 credit hours of engineering elective and 6 credit hours of free elective. Students can emphasize one of these areas if they choose, or select courses from several areas to design their own individual programs. Listed below are the advanced courses associated with the four specialty areas (including courses in other departments).

Manufacturing Systems and Processes. Students interested in this area should select courses from the following list:

IE 300-level electives: IE 319, IE 324, IE 332, IE 340, IE 342, IE 344 (cross-listed with Mat 344), IE 345, IE 347

ENGR or free electives: Mat 309, Mat 314, Mat 335, Mat 342, Mat 367

Operations Research. Students interested in this area should select courses from the following list:

IE 300-level electives: IE 316, IE 332, IE 339, IE 372

ENGR or free electives: IE 170, CSE 327, CSE 340, ME 340

Free electives: ECO 358, MATH 312, MATH 338, MATH 341

Information and Systems Engineering. Students interested in this area should select courses from the following list:

IE 300-level electives: IE 307, IE 309, IE 310, IE 316, IE 339, IE 341, IE 342, IE 345, IE 372

ENGR or free electives: IE 170, IE 275, CSE 327, CSE 340, CSE 368, ECE 319, ECE 320, ECE 345

Production and Operations Management. Students interested in this area should select courses from the following list:

IE 300-level electives: IE 319, IE 324, IE 332, IE 334, IE 340, IE 342

Free electives: MGT 309, MGT 331, MGT 333