Industrial and Systems Engineering

Professors Gallimore, Narayanan (Chair), Phillips
Associate Professor Hill
Assistant Professors Ciarallo, Zhang
Lecturer Kender

The Department of Biomedical, Industrial and Human Factors Engineering offers an undergraduate program in industrial and systems engineering leading to the Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering. The Industrial and Systems Engineering program is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). The Industrial and Systems Engineering program emphasizes the evaluation, design, and improvement of complex systems. The program recognizes the central role of people in such systems, as both operators and beneficiaries, and provides the breadth of knowledge necessary to design systems from a user centered perspective. The curriculum provides a broad basis in mathematics, science, and engineering including core courses in industrial engineering and operations research while focusing on the human aspects of system design. Students take a variety of courses across traditional engineering disciplines as well as other areas, depending on a chosen focus area of concentration. Core industrial engineering topics include probability and statistics, ergonomics, system design, optimization, simulation, production systems, engineering economics, and software development.

The Industrial and Systems Engineering program emphasizes a broad background in user-centered design within an industrial and systems engineering framework. Students must choose electives within a focus area of application, in consultation with an advisor. The focus area often leads to employment or advanced studies in the area chosen. Currently there are five approved focus areas in industrial and systems engineering: Human Integrated Systems, Ergonomic Systems, Computer Science, Materials Science and Engineering, and Operations Management. Students may also elect to pursue an honors thesis. In the capstone course, students work in teams with a client from industry to identify and solve a real-world design problem.

Graduates of the program pursue careers in a wide range of settings including: manufacturing, health care delivery, information systems, aerospace, consulting, and telecommunications. In addition, students may choose to continue their education in graduate school.

Degree Requirements - Industrial and Systems Engineering

Minor in Operations Management

Students who successfully complete the courses for the operations management focus area and meet additional departmental requirements will receive a minor in operations management from the Raj Soin College of Business. Interested students should apply to be admitted to the minor once they are established in the industrial and systems engineering major and have achieved junior status. Students must be enrolled in the minor in order to be permitted to sign up for courses in the operations management track.

Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship in High Technology

The purpose of this certificate program is to enhance the technical expertise and business acumen of undergraduate students, regardless of professional pursuit. Upon completion of this program, graduates will be knowledgeable about the technical processes that drive innovation and will possess the business skills required of entrepreneurs.

Honors Thesis

The honors thesis provides talented, highly motivated students the opportunity to develop their interests and professional skills by pursuing carefully structured programs of independent study and research, which culminates in completion of the undergraduate honors thesis.