Recommended Coursework for Master's Thesis (Research Track) Degree

Listed below are a few suggested Plans of Study (POS) in various areas of specialization for students who do not desire to pursue the more general non-thesis option. These plans are merely guides and should be modified to meet the individual student’s educational goals and objectives. At least six hours of course work should be selected from a related area outside the specific field of industrial engineering specialization.

Human Factors/Cognition & Decision Making

  • IE 533 Industrial Applications of Statistics
  • IE 556 Job Design
  • IE 558 Safety Engineering
  • IE 577 Human Factors in Engineering
  • IE 656 Research Seminar in Human Factors
  •  
  • 1 or more from
  • IE 559 Cognitive Engineering of Interactive Software
  • IE 659 Human Aspects in Computing
  •  
  • 1 or more from
  • STAT 512 Applied Regression Analysis
  • STAT 522 Sampling and Survey Techniquesis
  • STAT 524 Applied Multivariate Analysis

Manufacturing Systems/Next Generation Products & Services

  • IE 570 Manufacturing Process Engineering
  •  
  • 1 or more ;from
  • IE 670 Advanced Topics in Engineering
  •  
  • 1 or more from
  • IE 530 Quality Control
  • IE 532 Reliability
  • IE 533 Industrial Applications of Statistics
  •  
  • 1 or more from
  • IE 535 Linear Programming
  • IE 536 Stochastic Models in Operations Research I
  • IE 580 System Simulation
  • IE 581 Simulation Design and Analysis
  •  
  • 1 or more from
  • IE 582 Advanced Facilities Design
  • IE 538 Design and Evaluation of Material Handling Systems

Production Systems/Complex Systems & Networks

 
  • IE 579 Design and Control of Production and Manufacturing Systems
  • IE 582 Advanced Facilities Design
  • IE 583 Design and Evaluation of Material Handling Systems
  •  
  • 1 or more from
  • IE 632 Scheduling Models
  • IE 674 Computer and Communication Methods for Production Control
  •  
  • 1 or more from
  • IE 545 Engineering Economic Analysis
  • IE 546 Economic Decisions in Engineering
  • IE 566 Production Management Control
  • IE 646 Advanced Design Theory
  •  
  • 1 or more from
  • IE 530 Quality Control
  • IE 535 Linear Programming
  • IE 580 System Simulation
  • IE 581 Simulation Design and Analysis

Operations Research/Computational IE – Optimization Focus

  • IE 535 Linear Programming
  • IE 537 Discrete Optimization Models and Algorithms
  • IE 538 Nonlinear Optimization Algorithms and Models
  • IE 580 System Simulation
  • IE 581 Simulation Design and Analysis
  •  
  • 1 or more from
  • IE 630 Multiple Objective Optimization
  • IE 633 Dynamic Programming
  • IE 634 Integer Programming
  • IE 635 Theoretical Foundations of Optimization
  • IE 639 Combinatorial Optimization
  •  
  • MA 511 Linear Algebra with Applications

Operations Research/Computational IE – Simulation and Stochastic Focus

 
  • IE 536 Stochastic Models in Operations Research I
  • IE 580 System Simulation
  • IE 581 Simulation Design and Analysis
  •  
  • 1 or more from
  • IE 680 Advanced Simulation Design and Analysis
  •  
  • 1 or more from
  • MA 519 (STAT 519) Introduction to Probability
  • STAT 517 Statistical Inference

The remaining courses should be selected to form a cohesive plan of study using the following general guidelines:

  • Additional courses in industrial engineering, as appropriate in the area that the student wants to specialize in, one of which can be a three-credit hour design project (IE 690) if desired.
  • Three related courses: minimum of 6 credit hours, within or outside the field of industrial engineering.
  • Students should try to select 600 level courses wherever possible for their course work in order to attain a high level of expertise in at least one area of industrial engineering.