The Industrial & Systems Engineering Concentration
Methodist University’s Engineering Program offers a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. The current concentration is in Industrial & Systems Engineering. The curriculum is designed where the first two years of the program are common for most engineering fields. This allows students to take foundational engineering courses in the Engineering Core that will prepare students majoring in other programs such as math, chemistry, or computer science to pursue an engineering graduate degree. The last two years of the curriculum focuses on the industrial & systems engineering discipline.
What is Industrial & Systems Engineering?
Industrial & systems engineering is a versatile field that explores ways to design, improve, and install systems of all types that are productive, efficient, and safe. Industrial & systems engineering considers all aspects of a system including the people, materials, information, and energy to solve complex problems faced by essentially any organization worldwide. Combining math, physical sciences, social sciences, and business with engineering principles, industrial & systems engineering is multi-disciplinary and approaches solutions from all angles.
Therefore, industrial & systems engineers tend to be creative problem solvers that have the skills to examine the big picture and how everything within a system fits together. Here are a few ways industrial & systems engineers have impacted the world:
- Advancing technology to keep manufacturing workers safer
- Building medical devices to diagnose and treat diseases and injuries
- Coordinating disaster relief efforts to reach the neediest people
- Assembling and testing a laboratory for the International Space Station
- Working behind the scenes creating and improving rides and attractions at amusement parks
Industrial & systems engineering is one of the most flexible engineering disciplines as you can apply the skills you obtain to almost all (if not all) industries and be able to work in varying capacities. Industrial & systems engineers are in demand by manufacturing, service (including health care), environmental, and recreational industries to help save money while also increasing safety, productivity, and quality. As an industrial & systems engineer, you will be able to demonstrate your problem-solving skills working for just about any company. The possibilities are almost endless with the ability to enter a field that you love and presents new opportunities each day.
- A variety of companies continue to seek new ways to contain costs and improve efficiency.
- 25% of the workforce is over 55, indicating higher turnover in the coming years.
- Within 10 years, it is predicted that every hospital will employ at least one industrial engineer.
Examples of industries and companies that employee industrial & systems engineers:
