Industrial engineers sit at the intersection of people, equipment, and materials. They design systems that integrate and make the best use of all of these elements while working in a variety of settings, including manufacturing firms, hospitals, banks, public utilities, government agencies, insurance companies, and construction firms.

The work of an industrial engineer is equally as varied. They might design and implement a manufacturing system, oversee the use of robotics on an assembly line, assist in long-range corporate planning, create a quality-control system, or develop computer systems that help control information flow. In general, industrial engineers collect and evaluate information, and help make decisions that advance the goals of the organization.

Our program in industrial engineering includes a base of traditional engineering courses such as production systems, work design, probability, statistics, and engineering economy, and emphasizes cutting-edge thinking in simulation, material handling, computer software, quality control, and operations research. Since industrial engineers often make managerial decisions, students also take courses in management and economics and general humanities and social sciences.

Co-op is an important component of the curriculum, and co-op jobs generally increase in responsibility as you gain theoretical and technical knowledge. A sophomore might begin as a computer analyst evaluating the performance of a manufacturing system. By the senior year, students may be designing manufacturing engineering workstations. The experience students gain in the field will enhance their classroom discussions with living examples and augment their résumés with responsible positions.