Academics

The undergraduate program is designed to prepare students to become the next generation of global leaders in Industrial Engineering (IE). Our curriculum and expertise within the department provides a unique combination of breadth and depth in fundamental IE areas including data analytics, engineering economics, manufacturing, human factors and ergonomics, service systems, and operations research. Furthermore, students may select between two degree options described below or various available minors to tailor their experience and pursue their career goals. Through a combination of coursework and hands-on experience in our laboratories, we strive to prepare students to solve problems in an effective, efficient, sustainable, and socially responsible manner.

General Option

The general option provides a core set of skills for the modern industrial engineer and then allows students to choose a variety of electives to tailor the degree. This allows students to choose additional elective courses in each of the following areas: manufacturing, human factors, service systems, operations research, data science, other IE technical topics, and non-IE engineering topics for breadth.

See the general option requirements in the Bulletin, and check out our undergraduate handbook for more information.

Service Systems Engineering Option

The service systems engineering option also provides a core set of skills for the modern industrial engineer and then allows for electives that focus on solutions for service industries, including Healthcare, Financial Services, Retail and Supply Chain. Service systems engineering is the study, design, and implementation of new systems that improve the processes and efficiencies of the service sector, in which 80 percent of the U.S. workforce is employed. Students completing this option will gain an understanding of applying industrial engineering and operations research tools for modeling, analysis, design and control of service enterprises, and will be well positioned for job opportunities in service organizations.

See the service systems engineering option requirements in the Bulletin, and check out our undergraduate handbook for more information.

For more information, visit Service Systems Engineering.

Our students leave Penn State as innovators with an eye for discovering new solutions and processes that address ever-evolving industry challenges in a wide variety of sectors including academia, banking, manufacturing, communications, consulting, financial services, healthcare, information technology, and transportation.

Our program boasts more than 8,000 graduates and an active alumni society, many of whom are now world-class leaders in their field and can be found in top positions at Accenture, Bank of America, Caterpillar, Cummins Power, Disney, ExxonMobil, Herren Associates, The Hershey Company, Honda, Intel, John Deere, Kimberly-Clark, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Lockheed Martin, Michelin, and Walmart.

The bachelor of science in Industrial Engineering at University Park is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Industrial and Similarly Named Engineering Programs. See the program objectives and ABET outcomes here.

Many U.S. states and territories require professional licensure/certification to be employed. If you plan to pursue employment in a licensed profession after completing this program, please visit the Professional Licensure/Certification Disclosures by State interactive map.