Industrial Engineering Curriculum
The typical undergraduate degree needed to become an Industrial Engineer is the Bachelor of Science (BS) or Bachelor of Science and Engineering (BSE) in Industrial Engineering (IE). Some Industrial Engineers hold degrees in Industrial & Operations Engineering (IOE), or Industrial & Systems Engineering (ISE).
Similarly to other undergraduate engineering programs, the typical curriculum is built on a foundation of broad math and science courses. Examples include courses in chemistry, physics, mechanics, materials science, computer science, electronics/circuits, and engineering design. In addition several engineering mathematics courses, such as calculus, differential equations, and statistics, are required. These courses are required by virtually all accredited undergraduate engineering programs and prepare students for most engineering licensure exams.
Following the foundational courses, students take courses specific to IE. These specialized courses are in areas such as systems theory, design or analysis, ergonomics/safety, stochastics, optimization, advanced mathematics, computation or modeling, and/or engineering economics. Other subjects typically studied by IE students include management, finance, strategy and other business-oriented course, and social science courses such as psychology or public policy. Some business schools offer programs that overlap with IE, but the engineering programs tend to be more quantitative as well as more rigorous in the basic sciences and mathematics. Bachelor’s degree programs typically include both classroom and laboratory experiences.
At the postgraduate level, the most commonly-earned degree is the Master of Science (MS) or Master of Science and Engineering (MSE) in IE. Typical coursework at this level tends to be focused on operations research and optimization techniques, engineering economics, supply chain management and logistics, facilities and work-space design, quality engineering, reliability engineering, human factors engineering and ergonomics, robotics, productivity improvement, operations management, time and motion studies, computer aided manufacturing, and others.
A few colleges and universities offer 5-year degree programs in IE that lead to both a bachelor’s and master’s degree at graduation. The advantage of obtaining a graduate degree is that it opens up the possibility of working as a professor at a college or university, or working in research and development. There are also some 5-year or 6-year cooperative education programs that combine classroom study with practica in the work world. These programs enable students to gain real-world experience and finance part of their education Programs in IE are accredited by ABET.
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