Industrial Engineering (BS)
Ranked in the top 15, the Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) offers an undergraduate program leading to a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering.
What is Industrial & Systems Engineering?
Industrial engineers are problem solvers! We analyze processes and ask, “how can we make these processes faster, better, and cheaper?” ISEs play a pivotal role in end-to-end business operations from product development to product and service delivery. It is this holistic view that makes ISE unique. We rely heavily on gathering and evaluating data to help make decisions that are based on statistical and engineering methods. Here are some of the tasks that ISEs lead in industry:
- Assess the feasibility of manufacturing a new product with existing technologies, resources, and capacity or develop new ways to make products, including automation
- Create and monitor quality plans that ensure that faulty products will not be shipped to the customer.
- Determine improved methods of scheduling patients for surgery that decreases patient wait time and surgeon’s overtime.
- Model a retail chain’s inventory and supply chain methods to improve on-time deliveries.
- Develop computer simulation models to design and control large complex manufacturing, supply chain, or service delivery systems.
- Design controls in an airplane cockpit that are human-centered.
As you can see ISEs enjoy the freedom to explore almost any industry. The career paths that you can take with ISE are virtually limitless! Discover more about a career in ISE!
Program Educational Objectives
The program educational objectives of the ISE department are to produce graduates capable of world-class performance in the following areas:
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Applying the discipline’s body of knowledge to the design and management of systems, products and processes.
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Optimizing performance including the analysis of multiple constraints and conflicting objectives while evaluating the importance of time, cost, and quality.
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Leading and collaborating on teams in the workplace while assessing the economic, societal, and ethical impacts to customers and communities.
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Communicating effectively with all stakeholders to ensure meaningful and sustainable solutions.
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Adapting to changes in technology and our global society through continuous learning.
Curriculum
Throughout the curriculum, students will develop a breadth of knowledge in all of the ISE focus areas, resulting in a broad base of knowledge and skills. There is a pervasive thread throughout the curriculum on the measurement, design, and continuous improvement of production and service systems. The result is a data-driven, efficiency-focused engineer who is highly attractive in many industry segments. Our courses are designed to be hands-on, whether that is in our state-of-the-art laboratories or using the latest software applications to solve real problems. The senior design capstone course is designed to give students an opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom to solve an industry-sponsored project. In addition to ISE courses, students take a wide variety of science, engineering, math, and statistics courses to form a well-rounded education.
The Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET: https://www.abet.org.
Admissions and Certification of Minor
The minor must be completed no later than the semester in which the student expects to graduate from his or her degree program. Documentation for certification of the minor can be found online.
The form should be completed no later than during the registration period for the student’s final semester at NC State and submitted to Registration & Records for processing.
For more information contact:
Kanton Reynolds, Ph.D.
kreynolds@ncsu.edu
919.515.0605
Health Systems Engineering Specialization
This program is designed to provide you with a learning experience in preparation for a career in the healthcare field. After successful completion of the program, your Health Systems Engineering Specialization will make you more marketable for a future career in the healthcare industry.
Requirements
- A minimum GPA of 3.3
- Your resume (maximum of 2 pages)
- A brief statement of why you are interested in a career in healthcare (no more than 1 page, please)
- One ISE faculty recommendation
- An unofficial transcript
- All materials should be submitted to healthsystems@ncsu.edu by the deadlines listed below:
- Undergraduates – October 1st * (Must be eligible to graduate by Spring semester of the following year)
- Graduate Students – December 20th
For more information contact:
Corey Kiassat, Ph.D.
ackiassa@ncsu.edu
Accelerated Baccalaureate/Masters (ABM) Program
This program will allow exceptional undergraduate students to complete both undergraduate and graduate degrees at an accelerated pace. The student is allowed up to 12 credit hours to be counted towards both the undergraduate and graduate degrees.
For more information contact:
Kanton Reynolds, Ph.D.
kreynolds@ncsu.edu
919.515.0605
Requirements
- Students must have completed a minimum of 75 credit hours and up to a maximum of 96 credit hours by the end of the current semester (includes transfer credits).
- Students must have earned a GPA of at least 3.5 overall with a 3.5 (or higher) for all Industrial Engineering courses.
- Students must have satisfied all prerequisite requirements for 400-level courses.
- A letter of recommendation from the undergraduate teaching adviser identifying the applicant as a participant in the ABM program should accompany the application as well as the course numbers and titles of the 12 credit hours to be used for both the bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.
For more information about this department, including contact information, visit the department website.
4221 Fitts-Woolard Hall
919.515.2362
Plan Requirements
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| CH 101 & CH 102 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science and General Chemistry Laboratory 1 | 4 |
| E 101 | Introduction to Engineering & Problem Solving | 1 |
| E 115 | Introduction to Computing Environments | 1 |
| ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research 2 | 4 |
| MA 141 | Calculus I 1 | 4 |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| PY 205 & PY 206 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists I and Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory 1 | 4 |
| MA 241 | Calculus II 1 | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | ||
| Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
| Fundamentals of Economics | ||
| E 102 | Engineering in the 21st Century | 2 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ISE 135 | Computer-Based Modeling for Industrial Engineering 3 | 3 |
| MA 242 | Calculus III | 4 |
| MSE 200 or MSE 201 | Mechanical Properties of Structural Materials or Structure and Properties of Engineering Materials | 3 |
| PY 208 & PY 209 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists II and Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory | 4 |
| ST 371 | Introduction to Probability and Distribution Theory 2 | 3 |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ECE 331 | Principles of Electrical Engineering | 3 |
| ISE 215 | Foundations of Design & 3D Modeling for Engineers | 1 |
| ISE 216 | Product Development and Rapid Prototyping | 3 |
| MA 303 | Linear Analysis 1, 4 | 3 |
| ST 372 | Introduction to Statistical Inference and Regression | 3 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ISE 311 | Engineering Economic Analysis | 3 |
| ISE 315 | Introduction to Computer-Aided Manufacturing | 1 |
| ISE 316 | Manufacturing Engineering I - Processes | 3 |
| CE 214 | Engineering Mechanics-Statics | 3 |
| ISE 361 | Deterministic Models in Industrial Engineering | 3 |
| Ethics Electives | ||
| Hours | 13 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Engineering Sciences Elective | 3 | |
| ISE 352 or ISE 443 | Fundamentals of Human-Machine Systems Design or Quality Design and Control | 3 |
| ISE 362 | Stochastic Models in Industrial Engineering | 3 |
| ISE 443 | Quality Design and Control | 3 |
| Technical Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ISE 408 | Design and Control of Production and Service Systems or Introduction to Simulation or Modeling and Analysis of Supply Chains | 3 |
| ISE 398 | Lean Six Sigma for Industrial Engineering | 1 |
| ISE 441 | Introduction to Simulation or Design and Control of Production and Service Systems or Modeling and Analysis of Supply Chains | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Healthcare Systems Performance Improvement I | ||
| Modeling and Analysis of Supply Chains | ||
| ENG 331 | Communication for Engineering and Technology | 3 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ISE 498 or ISE 521 | Senior Design Project or Healthcare Systems Performance Improvement II | 3 |
| Technical Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 104 | |
- 1
A grade of C or higher is required.
- 2
A grade of C- or higher is required.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GEP Courses | ||
| GEP Humanities | 6 | |
| GEP Social Sciences | 3 | |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2 | |
| GEP US Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | 3 | |
| GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 3 | |
| GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement) | ||
| World Language Proficiency (verify requirement) | ||
| Total Hours | 17 | |
Engineering Sciences Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CE 225 | Mechanics of Solids | 3 |
| CE 282 | Hydraulics | 3 |
| MAE 201 | Thermal-Fluid Sciences | 3 |
| MAE 208 | Engineering Dynamics | 3 |
| MAE 214 | Solid Mechanics | 3 |
| MAE 308 | Fluid Mechanics | 3 |
| MSE 355 | Electrical, Magnetic and Optical Properties of Materials | 3 |
Ethics Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| IDS 201 | Environmental Ethics | 3 |
| IDS 303 | Humans and the Environment | 3 |
| NR 303 | Humans and the Environment | 3 |
| PHI 214 | Issues in Business Ethics | 3 |
| PHI/STS 325 | Bio-Medical Ethics | 3 |
| STS 214 | Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society | 3 |
| STS 302 | Contemporary Science, Technology and Human Values | 3 |
| STS 304 | Ethical Dimensions of Progress | 3 |
| STS 322 | Technological Catastrophes | 3 |
Technical Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BEC 475/575 | Global Regulatory Affairs for Medical Products | 3 |
| E 304 | Introduction to Nano Science and Technology | 3 |
| ECE/MAE 482 | Engineering Entrepreneurship Senior Design I | 3 |
| ID 240 | Human-Centered Design | 3 |
| ISE 411/511 | Supply Chain Economics and Decision Making | 3 |
| ISE 413/513 | Humanitarian Logistics | 3 |
| ISE 416 | Manufacturing Engineering II - Automation | 3 |
| ISE 417 | Database Applications in Industrial & Systems Engineering | 3 |
| ISE 425/525/OR 525 | Medical Decision Making | 3 |
| ISE 433/533/OR 533 | Service Systems Engineering | 3 |
| ISE 435/535 | Python Programming for Industrial & Systems Engineers | 3 |
| ISE 437 | Data Analytics for Industrial Engineering | 3 |
| ISE 447/547 | Applications of Data Science in Healthcare | 3 |
| ISE 452 | Advanced Human-Machine Systems Design | 3 |
| ISE 489 | Special Topics in Industrial and Systems Engineering | 3 |
| ISE 495 | Project Work in Industrial Engineering | 1-3 |
| ISE 519 | Database Applications in Industrial and Systems Engineering | 3 |
| ISE 520 | Healthcare Systems Performance Improvement I | 3 |
| ISE 553 | Modeling and Analysis of Supply Chains | 3 |
| ISE 540 | Human Factors In Systems Design | 3 |
| ISE 541 | Occupational Safety Engineering | 3 |
| ISE 544 | Occupational Biomechanics | 3 |
| ISE 552 | Design and Control of Production and Service Systems | 3 |
| MSE 445/545 | Ceramic Processing | 3 |
| MSE 565 | Introduction to Nanomaterials | 3 |
| PSE 476 | Environmental Life Cycle Analysis | 3 |
| PSY 340 | Human Factors Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 400 | Perception | 3 |
| PSY 420 | Cognitive Processes | 3 |
| ST 430 | Introduction to Regression Analysis | 3 |
| ST 431 | Introduction to Experimental Design | 3 |
| ST 432 | Introduction to Survey Sampling | 3 |
| TE 301 | Engineering Textile Structures I: Linear Assemblies | 3 |
| TE 302 | Textile Manufacturing Processes and Systems II | 4 |
| TE/TMS 565 | Textile Composites | 3 |
Industrial Engineering (BS) (14IEBS)
Semester Sequence
This is a sample.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| CH 101 & CH 102 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science or Physics for Engineers and Scientists I and Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory | 4 |
| E 101 | Introduction to Engineering & Problem Solving | 1 |
| E 115 | Introduction to Computing Environments | 1 |
| ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 |
| MA 141 | Calculus I | 4 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| EC 205 | Fundamentals of Economics or Principles of Microeconomics or Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics or Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | 3 |
| MA 241 | Calculus II | 4 |
| PY 205 & PY 206 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists I and Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory | 4 |
| E 102 | Engineering in the 21st Century | 2 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ISE 135 | Computer-Based Modeling for Industrial Engineering | 3 |
| MA 242 | Calculus III | 4 |
| MSE 200 or MSE 201 | Mechanical Properties of Structural Materials or Structure and Properties of Engineering Materials | 3 |
| PY 208 & PY 209 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists II and Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory | 4 |
| ST 371 | Introduction to Probability and Distribution Theory 2 | 3 |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ECE 331 | Principles of Electrical Engineering | 3 |
| ISE 215 | Foundations of Design & 3D Modeling for Engineers | 1 |
| ISE 216 | Product Development and Rapid Prototyping | 3 |
| MA 303 | Linear Analysis | 3 |
| ST 372 | Introduction to Statistical Inference and Regression | 3 |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ISE 311 | Engineering Economic Analysis | 3 |
| ISE 316 | Manufacturing Engineering I - Processes | 3 |
| ISE 315 | Introduction to Computer-Aided Manufacturing | 1 |
| CE 214 or MAE 206 | Engineering Mechanics-Statics or Engineering Statics | 3 |
| Ethics | Verify | |
| ISE 361 | Deterministic Models in Industrial Engineering | 3 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Engineering Science Elective | 3 | |
| ISE 352 or ISE 443 | Fundamentals of Human-Machine Systems Design or Quality Design and Control | 3 |
| ISE 362 | Stochastic Models in Industrial Engineering | 3 |
| ISE 443 | Quality Design and Control | 3 |
| Technical Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| ISE 408 | Design and Control of Production and Service Systems or Introduction to Simulation or Modeling and Analysis of Supply Chains | 3 |
| ISE 441 | Introduction to Simulation or Design and Control of Production and Service Systems or Modeling and Analysis of Supply Chains | 3 |
| ISE 398 | Lean Six Sigma for Industrial Engineering | 1 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Healthcare Systems Performance Improvement I | ||
| ISE 453 | Modeling and Analysis of Supply Chains | 3 |
| ENG 331 | Communication for Engineering and Technology | 3 |
| Hours | 19 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ISE 498 or ISE 521 | Senior Design Project (CP) or Healthcare Systems Performance Improvement II | 3 |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| Technical Elective | 3 | |
| Technical Elective | 3 | |
| 3 | ||
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 127 | |
Career Opportunities
Industrial and Systems engineers can be found everywhere! According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, ISEs will be highly sought after in the coming decade. This is not surprising given the cost and efficiency pressure on both manufacturing and service sectors. Industrial engineers are hired by virtually all segments of industry.
Industrial Engineers may work in hospitals and healthcare consulting firms to make healthcare delivery more cost effective as well as in high tech manufacturing industries. Another area in which ISEs play a pivotal role, is in successful integration of global business partners. As companies continue to seek a global presence, industrial engineers will be involved in the design of new supply chain networks or qualification of manufacturing processes/facilities.
Given the level of impact made by ISEs in industry today it is not surprising that our current job placement rate is among the highest in the College of Engineering, above 90% within 3 months of graduation. Many ISEs rise to the management ranks throughout the career and there have been several ISEs who have become CEOs: Tim Cook (Apple Inc.), Mike Duke (Walmart) & Charles Holliday (Dupont) to name a few.
Career Titles
- Airport Engineer
- Cost Estimator
- Energy Engineer
- Engineering Professor
- Factory Layout Engineer
- Industrial Designer
- Industrial Engineer
- Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians
- Manufacturing Engineers
- Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and Technicians
- Product Safety Engineer
- Quality Control Managers
- Solar Energy Systems Engineers
- Transportation Engineer
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Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers
Human Factors and Ergonomic Society
Society for Health Systems
Association for Supply Chain Management
Institute for Operations Research & the Management Sciences
National Society of Professional Engineers