Curriculum
Four Core Courses are required of all candidates for the Master of Science in Manufacturing Systems Engineering degree, The core courses are: Elective Courses - In addition to the core courses, students must complete at least 4 - 5 graduate level elective courses to complete the minimum 30 credit hours towards their degree. For students pursuing the thesis option the minimum number of electives is four; for students undertaking a project, the minimum number of elective courses is five. It is a requirement that at least one elective is an MSE-numbered course.

Electives are chosen by each student, in consultation with an academic adviser. Electives should be chosen which meet an individual’s technical and professional development needs. Electives may be selected from graduate course offerings in the Colleges of Engineering and Applied Science and Business and Economics to provide a balance of technical and business courses in each student’s program. 

Candidates interested in the graduate engineering and business courses offered by Lehigh University are referred to the on-line University catalog

Project/Thesis Option - MSE degree candidates must complete either an engineering project or a research thesis.

  • Project (MSE 451) The three credit hour project focuses on the analysis and solution to an engineering problem. It can take the form of a simulation study, development of a software package, implementing a hardware system, analyzing and/or designing a manufacturing system or modification thereof. The project forms an important component of a student's career planning. Students should work with senior managment at their site to develop a mission statement that defines the proposed work. The results of project activity should afford benefit to a student’s company. 
  • Thesis (MSE 490) The six credit thesis is a report documenting the results of original research. The research may be: an experimental investigation, analytical study, survey and analysis, or other developmental activity leading to a new system. The scholarly quality of the work reported in a thesis should be such that the results of the research are publishable in an appropriate research or technical journal (preferably a refereed journal). 

    • MBA & E: The Master of Business Administration and Engineering program with a Manufacturing Systems Engineering concentration is a forty-five credit hour option with a greater concentration in business. Admissions are handled jointly by the two Colleges.

    Developed collaboratively by Lehigh's College of Business and Economics and the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, the MBA&E program integrates technical and business concepts. Graduates of the program are equipped with specialized skills in leadership, communication, technology, integrative problem solving, and information management.

    Each engineering department and program has developed individual engineering core and elective requirements, in addition to the 18 credits of MBA courses required for this degree. The basic 45 credit hour course sequence consists of: MBA core-18 credits; Engineering core-12 credits; Business electives-5 credits; Engineering electives-6 credits; Free electives-3 credits; Integrated project-1 credit.