Best Graduate Programs in Industrial Engineering - Updated 2021

The Master of Science in Industrial Engineering is a 30-credit program for students with an undergraduate engineering degree who want to enhance their training in special fields, such as scheduling, production planning, inventory control, and industrial economics.

Consistently ranked in the top 5 industrial engineering programs in the nation, the PhD program in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences at Northwestern is renowned for the quality of its faculty, their research, and the varied applications this research has throughout all areas of industry. Join world-renowned faculty in researching analytical tools and strategies applied in manufacturing, finance, public policy, and the service sector. Prospective PhD students can learn more about PhD curriculum and focus areas and job placement after graduation. We do not offer a terminal master's program; however, prospective master’s students can look at the Master of Science in Analytics program and the Master of Engineering Management program.

The MIE degree is a non-thesis master degree. For general university requirements, please see Non-Thesis Master Degrees. For additional requirements, regulations, and procedures for all graduate programs, please see All Graduate Students. A minimum of 11 courses (31 credit hours) to satisfy degree requirements.

The MS in Industrial & Systems Engineering (MSISE) program is designed for engineers and related technical professionals aspiring to achieve the highest levels of responsibility and leadership in the workplace. As an MSISE student, you will be broadly educated in all aspects of technical enterprises. The MSISE program is excellent preparation for industrial engineering program graduates who want to acquire substantial depth with respect to industrial engineering methods and the theory of the firm.

The dual MBA/MSE in Industrial and Systems Engineering has been developed to meet the need for professionals who have expertise in both engineering and management. It is open to students who have completed a bachelor of science degree in engineering, a physical science, computer science, or applied mathematics. The program is offered jointly by the College of Business and the College of Engineering and Computer Science. It allows students to receive both the MBA and MSE-ISE simultaneously upon completion of the required 57-66 credit hours.

A Master of Science in Industrial Engineering will prepare you with expertise in engineering and business, enabling you to work in fields ranging from healthcare and retail to manufacturing and technology. This degree helps students approach problems with business acumen and technical skills, providing them with a multi dimensional view of the task at hand. Industrial Engineers complete their programs well versed in the theories and practical application of lean manufacturing, target costing, and design for manufacturability.

Industrial Engineering Chain Engineering Track (Ph.D.). Industrial Engineering focuses on the design and analysis of manufacturing, distribution, and transportation systems. Students take fundamental coursework in optimization, stochastics, and statistics in order to build a firm base from which to deal with the myriad of issues that arise in settings involving modern chain systems modeling and analysis: production and inventory systems, vehicle routing and scheduling, warehousing, and logistics. Industrial Engineering Chain Engineering Track (Ph.D.) Course Description and Catalog.

Industrial and Systems Engineering is distinctive because its tools can be applied to any business in any setting, from production to services, in either the private or public sector. Industrial and systems engineers design, improve, and optimize processes, systems, or the products and services themselves. In today’s competitive marketplace where continuous improvement and cost containment are paramount to survival, this is an extremely critical role. That is why our graduates are so sought-after.

This video outlines requirements for the online Master Degree. The MS Industrial Engineering degree is offered online. Students pursue a non-thesis option in the program. Degree requirements are the same for online and on-campus students.

The Master of Science in Industrial Engineering seeks to train engineers to use a variety of mathematical and computer methods to study, improve, and optimize processes in a wide range of manufacturing and service settings. Join us for a graduate application workshop this spring. The College of Engineering Graduate Cooperative Education Program (co-op) is one option for experiential learning and is available on a competitive basis to selected students.