Industrial Engineering

Educational Objectives

Graduates of the BSIE major will:

• Implement effective solutions which successfully integrate people, materials, information, equipment, capital, and energy
• Effectively collaborate and communicate in individual and team settings
• Successfully apply contemporary tools, knowledge, experience, and critical thinking to effectively solve engineering problems
• Continually increase knowledge and experience throughout their career
• Contribute as well-informed, ethical, and dependable members of society

Student Outcomes

The program has documented student outcomes that support the program educational objectives. Attainment of these outcomes prepares graduates to enter the professional practice of engineering. Student outcomes are listed below:

1. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
2. an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
3. an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
4. an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
5. an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
6. an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
7. an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Enrollment

Bachelor's Degrees Awarded

Industrial engineering offers a versatile career in virtually any industry. Our graduates have been hired at Disney World®, General Dynamics, Hazen Paper, Johnson & Johnson, LEGO Systems, Lowes Distribution Center, Northeast Utilities, Pratt & Whitney, Smith & Wesson, Stanley Black & Decker, Synergy Investments, and UTC Aerospace Systems. Other students head directly to graduate school, including Carnegie Mellon University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Purdue University, Quinnipiac University, University of Alabama, and Western New England University.

Internships
Students are encouraged to take on internships to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world industry. Recent internship sites include Bozzuto’s Inc., Disney World®, General Dynamics, ISO New England, Sikorsky, and UTC Aerospace Systems.

Engineering Abroad
The College of Engineering has a global vision for engineering education. As such, students have a variety of opportunities to study abroad with the University.

Our students participate in research projects with faculty and collaborate on projects within their majors and beyond. They also have opportunities to travel regionally and nationally to present their design projects and research papers at professional conferences.

Recent examples of research include:

• Work with the Center for Advanced Training Research and Naturalistic Studies (ATRANS). Their research involves the development and testing of advanced hazard perception training for teens using an iPad-based driving simulator
• Work with the Center for Global Health Engineering to create sustainable healthcare solutions for developing countries
• Work with professors to test and analyze different lithium ion batteries in order to determine how their capacity for energy changes over time

There are several student competitions each year that allow you to present your hard work and compete with students from other schools. Entries include design projects, academic papers, and research conducted with faculty members. Students also enter their entrepreneurial inventions in the Entrepreneurial Spirit Awards to vie for prize money to fund their own business or product or incubate their newest ideas through the Western Mass Innovation Jam.

Our students have also competed in and won awards in regional, national, and international design competitions, such as the Institute of Industrial Engineers International Student Simulation Competition.

The Industrial Engineering Laboratory is equipped with over $8 million worth of commercial edition software. This includes the Dessault Systems PLM product that was used to design and evaluate the Boeing 787. Other software packages include Flexsim, MINITAB, CPLEX, LINDO, ARENA, SAP, CATIA, and eVSM.

Industrial Engineering students may have interests in: Institute of Industrial Engineers, American Society of Engineering Management, National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Women Engineers, or the FIRST® Robotics Club. Many of our students also participate in varsity and intramural sports, special interest groups, and student government.

The personal attention you'll receive from our faculty is unparalleled. They will become your mentors, learning partners, and colleagues during the four years of your education. Not only will you work with them in the classroom, but you'll also have the opportunity to collaborate with faculty on research and development projects. Our interests span the breadth of Industrial Engineering in areas such as supply chain management, discrete event systems, quality, reliability, global health, human factors, and risk management.

Program leading to BS in Industrial Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.