IE Study Abroad
Global Programs for Undergraduates in Industrial Engineering:
Students are encouraged to seek global experiences while at Purdue, and there are many different opportunities available. However, students should exercise caution when pursuing programs due to several factors such as:
- Academic calendar - most countries have a different semester schedule than the U.S. For most programs, the spring semester is the best fit for IE students.
- Language of instruction - while many foreign universities offer courses in English, the selection may be very limited - especially for engineering courses.
- Differences in how IE is taught - IE programs around the world vary greatly in how courses are designed. It can be difficult to find courses that satisfy IE core requirements. Most IE students studying abroad will need to focus on programs that have courses to satisfy elective requirements.
- Academic progress - finding the best fit for a program incorporates elements from point #3 above and where a student is in their academic program at the time they consider study abroad. The earlier you consider study abroad the easier it is to design a program to fit your needs and desires.
- Minors - many students wish to pursue minors while at Purdue, and most minors require students to take courses that satisfy elective requirements. The concern is two-fold: 1. students may require extra classes to complete the minor and satisfy their desire to study abroad, and 2. many minors have restrictions as to how many courses could be taken towards the minor abroad (if this is possible at all).
- Personal interests - students should consider how the program will benefit them, personally and professionally. Length of the program, content, location, and cost should all be considered carefully.
Students interested in potentially studying abroad should contact an IE academic advisor, as well as talk with a Study Abroad Office advisor to consider their options. Students planning on participating in a study abroad will likely have to interact extensively with both the liaison and SA office advisor prior to their program.
Established Programs for IE:
Global Engineering Alliance for Research and Education (GEARE)
The GEARE program is the most unique, comprehensive global program available to IE students. The following experiences are part of the GEARE program:
- Domestic internship
- International internship
- One semester of study abroad at a GEARE partner institution
- Participation in a global design team project (minimum one semester; partnered team of students from GEARE partner institution)
Students who complete the program are eligible to receive the Global Engineering Studies minor. The GEARE program is administered by the Office of Professional Practice. Dr. Brunese serves as the GEARE coordinator for the School of IE, and Morgan Kuryla is the IE program assistant/co-coordinator.
Semester Exchange at Tsinghua University
Students can spend their spring semester of junior year at Tsinghua University. Tsinghua U. is widely considered to be one of the finest universities in mainland China as well as having the top IE program in China. Students pursuing this option will take mostly elective courses in production and logistics system design. More details are contained in the link above.
Semester Exchange at Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Students can spend their spring semester of junior year at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. SJTU is widely considered to be one of the finest universities in mainland China as well as having a high ranking IE program in China. Students pursuing this option will take a mixture of required and elective courses. More details are contained in the link above.
Semester Exchange at Universidad EAFIT
Students can spend either a spring (preferred) or fall semester at Universidad EAFIT in Medellin, Colombia. EAFIT is a private university with a long history of international student exchange and international business partnerships. EAFIT does not have a traditional industrial engineering program, but rather has a focus on production engineering. They offer a wide range of courses in English from many departments, including production engineering. Students pursuing this option will take a mixture of required and elective courses. More details are contained in the link above.
Semester Exchange at KTH - Swedish Royal Institute of Technology
This program specializes on entrepreneurship. Students can spend their spring semester of junior year at KTH - Swedish Royal Institute of Technology. Like Purdue, KTH is consistently ranked near the top 100 universities in the QS rankings. The School of Industrial Engineering and Management at KTH boasts specializations in Energy Technology, Industrial Management, Production Engineering, Machine Design, and Materials Science and Engineering. Students pursuing this option will take technical elective courses.
Semester Exchange at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)
Students can spend their spring semester of junior year at HKUST. HKUST is consistently ranked in the top 100 universities in the QS rankings. The HKUST Industrial Engineering program also boasts considerable expertise in Logistics Management. Students pursuing this option will have multiple plans of study from which they can choose, which mix required courses with electives.
Semester Exchange at Politecnico di Milano (PoliMi)
Students can spend their spring semester of junior year at Politecnico di Milano (PoliMi). The Industrial Engineering program at PoliMi is housed within the School of Management and the Department of Management Engineering. The department focuses on the following areas: economics, management and business organization; political economy (industrial and territorial), and production systems.
Semester Exchange at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
Students can spend either a spring (preferred) or fall semester at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid in Madrid, Spain. UC3M is located on the southern edge of Madrid and is made up of five campuses. Purdue students spend most of their time at Leganes (School of Engineering) and Getafe (School of Law and Social Sciences; School of Humanities, Communication, and Library Sciences). UC3M does not have a traditional industrial engineering program, but they offer a wide range of courses in English from many departments. Students pursuing this option will take a mixture of required and elective courses.
Semester Exchange at National University of Singapore
National University of Singapore (NUS) is consistently ranked in the top 30 universities around the world and among the top of universities in Asia. NUS offers a program in Industrial Systems Engineering and Management, focusing on analytics and decision making, computational modeling, and systems management, and project management. Students pursuing this option will take a mixture of required and elective courses.
Semester Exchange at Nanyang Technological University (Singapore)
Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is a leading institution of higher education in the Asia-Pacific region. NTU is located in the southwestern part of Singapore, approximately 25 kilometers from the city center. The campus is well-equipped with modern facilities for teaching and research. NTU does not have a traditional industrial engineering program, but they offer a wide range of courses in English from many departments. Students pursuing this option will take a mixture of required and elective courses.
Other Programs/Opportunities:
Semester/Year-long/Short-term Study Abroad (SA) Programs
The Purdue Study Abroad Office offers many destinations for Purdue students. Students are encouraged to visit the SA website to find the destination that suits you. While the advising staff has some knowledge of programs and potential locations, the choice of program and country is a very personal decision for a student and students should do their research to see what is offered and how it corresponds to the factors mentioned above.
Recent Semester Exchanges:
Details about each location and program can be found on the Purdue Study Abroad Office website.
IES Vienna (Austria)
University of Queensland (Australia)
Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (Spain)
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Hong Kong)
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (Australia)
CIEE - Barcelona (Spain)
CIEE - Brussels (Belgium)
Recent Short-Term Programs:
Details about each location and program can be found on the Purdue Study Abroad Office website.
UNSW-Energy Tomorrow: An Engineering and Management Perspective (Australia)
Introduction to Machine Learning & Pattern Recognition (Various locations)
Purdue Summer Program in Florence (Italy)
Global Entrepreneurship and Innovation (China)
International Internships
There are opportunities for international internships through the Study Abroad Office as well as the Office of Professional Practice.