Industrial Engineering Program

About Industrial Engineering Program

The Industrial Engineering (IE) Program is housed within the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department (MIE) at the University of Iowa. The program occupies attractive quarters and benefits from modern human factors research and computer-based education laboratories, manufacturing laboratories, and an advanced teaching laboratory. Currently, there are approximately 110 undergraduate and 35 graduate students in the IE Program, of which around 35% are women. A large fraction of recent PhD's from the program have obtained teaching positions at major universities while others have obtained influential industrial positions.

About University of Iowa

The University of Iowa, a Big Ten University, enrolls about 28,000 students and has about 1200 faculty members. The College of Engineering has 80 faculty members and a combined undergraduate and graduate enrollment of 1,500 students. The Engineering College is comparable in size to the other nine colleges on campus, with the exception of the College of Liberal Arts which has an enrollment of 15,000 students. The other colleges include Tippie College of Business, Dentistry, Education, Law, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health and the Graduate College. The Engineering College is well integrated into the university community and capitalizes on its special environment through a multitude of interdisciplinary research efforts and by using the academic richness of the University to enhance undergraduate and graduate curriculum offerings. The Liberal Arts College, which maintains strong programs in the Arts, Humanities, and the Sciences, provides extensive cultural opportunities as well as educational and research support for engineering students. The University of Iowa has one of the nation's largest university-owned teaching hospitals; biomedical engineering and health care research opportunities are available.

About Iowa City

Iowa City, the home of The University of Iowa and the original capitol of the State of Iowa, is located in east-central Iowa, 25 miles south of Iowa's second largest city, Cedar Rapids, and 60 miles west on I-80 of the Quad Cities (Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa and Moline and Rock Island, Illinois). Six air carriers service Cedar Rapids and the Quad Cities. Most of Iowa's industrial, historical and recreational areas are within a two-hour drive from Iowa City. Des Moines, the current State Capitol, is two hours driving time to the west, while Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Louis and Kansas City can all be reached by driving four to six hours. Iowa City, a city of about 50,000 people, is a cultural and medical center. The city's greatest asset, though, is the friendly midwestern people who make this city an ideal place in which to live and study.

Graduate programs leading to both the M.S. and PhD degrees in Industrial Engineering are tailored to meet the needs of the individual. Each student's course of study is based on his or her background, career objectives, and sound academic practice. The curriculum is highly flexible; the goal is academic excellence.

• MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE


• Admissions Criteria

Students from U.S. universities may be admitted from an ABET accredited baccalaureate curricula in any engineering discipline or the mathematical, physical, or computer science disciplines with a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 (based on 4.00) and/or an acceptable score on the Graduate Record Examination (minimum score of 650 Q and 4.5 W). Mathematical background should be essentially equivalent to that of a B.S. in engineering.

Applicants from non-U.S. institutions must meet equivalent conditions for consideration for regular admission. Students with lesser qualifications may be considered for conditional admission. Students from business or social science programs with mathematical preparation similar to the engineering student are considered for either regular or conditional admission. The student on conditional status must achieve regular status within two sessions of initial registration by attaining an acceptable grade point average and/or other specified conditions or be dismissed. Available resources may limit admission.

Entering students need strong verbal and written skills in the English language and a background in computer programming, (e.g., C++, C, VB), probability, statistics, and mathematics equivalent to that required in an accredited undergraduate engineering program. Other background requirements are helpful depending upon the emphasis of the individual's program of study. Students with insufficient background are expected to take additional courses beyond those normally required in a plan of study.



• M.S. Thesis and Non-Thesis Programs

Two M.S. programs are available: a thesis and a non-thesis option. Students considering eventual admission to a PhD program are strongly advised to select the thesis option. Those students receiving research or teaching assistantship support may be required to take the thesis option.

The M.S. thesis option requires a minimum of 30 semester credits of coursework in l00 or 200 level courses, including a maximum of six semester credit hours of research. The M.S. non-thesis option requires a minimum of 36 semester credits of course work in 100- or 200-level courses, and cannot include any credit hours of research. Both options require at least 21 graduate-level semester credits in Industrial Engineering, including research credits. All graduate students must register for 56:191, Industrial Engineering Graduate Seminar, each semester in which they are enrolled in the university. Seminar credit of 56:191 does not substitute for regular coursework or research semester credit hours.

All Master degree candidates must take at least nine semester credits at the 200 level from the Industrial Engineering curriculum. Also, both M.S. options require at least one 100- or 200-level course from each of three focus areas: Human Factors, Operations Research, and Reliability and Systems Design. The courses in each focus area are shown here. Beyond these specific distribution requirements, the other courses should be selected with consultation with his or her advisor and documented in the student's plan of study. If a student's degree objectives change, a new plan of study must be drafted and agreed upon by the student and advisor. M.S. thesis applicants who wish to pursue a PhD degree at The University of Iowa may wish to select two 200-level courses in each of the focus areas to complete their PhD breadth requirement before entering the PhD program.

In addition to the IE Graduate Program supported by the standard IE Curriculum, a Graduate Program in Wind Power Management is offered based on the Emerging Area Curriculum.



• Combined B.S./M.S. Degree Program: Thesis and Non-Thesis Programs

For IE Majors: A special combined Bachelor of Science/Master of Science (BS/MS) degree program for qualified Industrial Engineering undergraduate students is available to enable a student to complete a Master of Science degree in two or three semesters after completion of the Bachelor of Science degree. Students in the joint degree program are allowed to take up to 12 semester hours (sh) of 100- or 200-level graduate courses and attend one of the program's graduate seminars in place of the undergraduate seminar before the conferral of the Bachelor of Science degree. Of these courses, 6 sh may be counted towards both the B.S. and M.S. degrees. The requirements for admission to the program are: (a) completion of at least 80 sh of credits, (b) a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 or higher, and (c) a letter of application submitted to the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Chairperson. A student in the combined program receives a B.S. degree when all requirements for that degree have been completed, and then becomes a regular M.S. level graduate student in the program. Students in the program may begin working with a faculty member on an M.S. thesis project during the senior year of undergraduate study.

For Non-IE Majors: Undergraduate students in majors other than Industrial Engineering can be admitted for the combined BS/MS degree program. They need to follow the same admission process and criteria as IE majors. In some cases, student may be required to take additional courses to meet the prerequisite requirements for the upper level courses.



• Procedures for M.S. Students

Advising and Plan of Study

Advising The MIE Department Chair or a faculty advisor designate provides entry advising. The MIE Department Chair or Graduate Program Coordinator will assign an advisor during the first regular semester of the student's residence.

Plan of Study The student and the advisor will prepare a plan of study during the semester of assignment of a regular advisor and will submit that plan to the Director of Graduate Study for approval. The Graduate Plan of Study form is available here. It is the student's responsibility to assure that a plan of study is submitted/updated at the beginning of each academic year. When approved, the plan of study will be filed with the student's record. At the beginning of each academic year, the plan of study and students progress will be reviewed by the IE faculty, and students will be given feedback regarding their progress towards their degree objective.


GPA and Comprehensive Examination Requirements

To be eligible for the M.S. degree, the student is required to maintain a grade point average of 3.00 (based on 4.00) on all graduate course work at The University of Iowa and to pass a final comprehensive examination as specified by the student's Examining Committee.

The Examining Committee shall consist of at least three members of the Graduate College faculty. The examination may be composed of both oral and written parts. The purpose of this examination is to assess the adequacy of the student's defense of thesis and/or course preparation. The final plan of study, approved by the Dean of the Graduate College, is a prerequisite to this examination. It is the responsibility of the student to submit an application for degree to the Graduate College by the College deadline. The student should consult with his or her advisor on the composition of the Examining Committee, and the time and place for the examination.





• DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE


• Admissions Criteria

Students from U.S. universities may be admitted from an ABET accredited program in any engineering discipline or curricula from mathematical, physical, or computer sciences with a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.25 (based on 4.00) and/or an acceptable score on the Graduate Record Examination (minimum score of 650 Q and 4.5 W). Those from outside the U.S. must have an equivalent basis as determined by this University.

Reference letters, student research interests, previous graduate study grade point average, and other factors such as faculty availability will be considered in making the admission decision. Students may also be admitted from business or social science programs as determined on an individual basis.

Students with a PhD objective who enter with only a B.S. degree are typically first admitted to the M.S. Thesis Program. Other students with a PhD objective who enter with a higher degree but without evidence of independent research capability (e.g., a thesis) may also be admitted to a M.S. Thesis Program to first complete that requirement. An accepted thesis becomes credited as meeting part of the PhD requirements.



• PhD Program Requirements

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree is given upon demonstration by the student of comprehensive knowledge and scholarly work at the highest level. A series of written and oral examinations is required, as well as written dissertation based upon the results of the original investigation. The PhD degree recognizes a broad academic background with considerable depth in at least one area of specialization and that clearly demonstrates the capability of the student to do high level research. Students without an Industrial Engineering (or closely allied area) M.S. degree will be expected to satisfy the requirements for the M.S. degree in Industrial Engineering prior to being admitted to the PhD program.

The main requirements for the PhD degree in Industrial Engineering are as follows (these requirements are in addition to those of the Graduate College):



1. General Course Work. The graduate work towards a PhD must include at least two semesters of residence and include a minimum of 72 hours of total graduate study including research for the dissertation. Graduate studies towards a M.S. degree are included in the minimum requirements, with a maximum of 36 hours transferred in from a M.S. program in Industrial Engineering (or closely allied area) at a recognized institution. A minimum grade point average of 3.25 (based on 4.00) is required on all graduate work taken at The University of Iowa.
   
   
2. IE Breadth Requirement. Each PhD student must pass at least two 200 level IE formal courses in each of three focus areas: Human Factors, Operations Research, and Reliability and Systems Design. The courses in each focus area are shown on page 12. Continuing M.S. students may already satisfy this requirement in full or in part.
   
   
3. Qualifying Exam. Each student has to satisfy the Qualifying Exam in two of the three focus areas. The requirement can be satisfied for a focus area by:
   
   
   1. Passing a written Qualifying Exam in that focus area. The Qualifying Exam will be held in the first week of the Fall semester each year, or by
   2. Achieving a grade of A- or better in each of two 200 level IE formal courses in that focus area.


4. Focus Area Study. The student will then take at least two further 200 level formal IE courses in one or two focus areas.


5. Comprehensive Examination. The student will then have to demonstrate their capability for creative individual research achievement by completing and defending his or her dissertation research proposal in a Comprehensive Examination conducted by an Examining Committee consisting of at least 5 members of the Graduate College faculty, with at least three faculty who are predominately IE faculty, and with a chair or co-chair of the Examining Committee who is a predominately IE faculty. This examination will only be scheduled after the Qualifying Examination requirement has been satisfied. The Examining Committee shall determine if the student is ready to commence the dissertation research at the current state of preparation. Having satisfactorily completed this examination, the student is accepted as a candidate for the PhD degree.


6. Final Examination. The student then has to complete and defend his or her dissertation in a final examination conducted by the Examining Committee, with a composition as described in the section on the Comprehensive Examination.



• Procedures for Ph.D. Students

Advising and Plan of Study

Advising The MIE Department Chair or a faculty advisor designate provides entry advising. The MIE Department Chair or Graduate Program Coordinator will assign an advisor during the first regular semester of the student's residence. Students are expected to identify an IE faculty member willing to serve as their advisor by the end of the first regular semester of their enrollment.

Plans of Study The student and the advisor will prepare a plan of study during the semester of assignment of a regular advisor and will submit that plan to the Director of Graduate Study for approval. The Graduate Plan of Study form is available here. It is the student's responsibility to assure that a plan of study is submitted/updated at the beginning of each academic year. When approved, the plan of study will be filed with the student's record. At the beginning of each academic year, the plan of study and students progress will be reviewed by the IE faculty, and students will be given feedback regarding their progress towards their degree objective.


Requirements for Admission to PhD Degree Candidacy

There are three principal requirements for admission to PhD degree candidacy in addition to those of the Graduate College. The first is a minimum grade point average of 3.25 (based on 4.00) on all graduate work taken at The University of Iowa. A second requirement is an adequate demonstration of the capability for creative individual research achievement (typically a dissertation research proposal). The third requirement is successful completion of a comprehensive examination given by the Examining Committee. This examination will be scheduled with the approval of his or her advisor and the Chair of the IE Program or the Graduate Coordinator when the plan of study is essentially completed. The Examining Committee shall determine the composition of this examination, including both written and oral parts, and shall determine if the student is ready to commence the dissertation research at the current state of preparation.


Publication Expectations for PhD Dissertation Research

An integral part of the PhD process is publication in peer reviewed journals. To support this aim, each candidate should work with his or her advisor to prepare a publication plan after the first semester and update this plan regularly. The publication plan should contain the title of each paper, a brief summary of each paper, a description of how each paper relates to the PhD dissertation, the expected completion date, and the journals to which the papers will be submitted.

A candidate is expected to work with his or her advisor to submit at least one paper to reputable peer-reviewed Engineering journals before the dissertation research proposal defense. These papers should form an integral part of the dissertation research proposal. A candidate should submit the papers and evidence of submission to members of the Examining Committee prior to the dissertation research proposal defense. A candidate is also encouraged to provide copies of all reviews received and communications from the editors of the journals.

At the time of the Final Examination of the PhD program, the candidate should have submitted at least 3 papers to reputable peer-reviewed journals, with the goal that at least one of these papers should be accepted for publication. These papers should form an integral part of the dissertation research. The candidate should submit the papers and evidence of submission to members of the committee prior to the Final Examination. The candidate is encouraged to provide copies of reviews received and communications from the editors of the journals.

The quality of the papers is paramount in demonstrating satisfactory publication progress and the number of papers submitted and/or accepted is a secondary consideration. The number and timing of publications are expectations and the Committee may take other factors, such as unusual time delays in journal review processes, paper quality, and journal quality into account. However, it is the responsibility of each candidate to demonstrate overall compliance with these expectations.

To ensure that the student complies with these expectations, the Industrial Engineering faculty will review progress of each candidate at the beginning of each semester.

Requirements and Procedure

Requirements

The minimum requirements for admission into the Industrial Engineering graduate program are:

• Minimum GPA 3.0 on a 4.0
  
• 3 letters of recommendation (cover form)
  
• Official transcripts
  
• Statement of purpose
  
• GRE scores: 500V; 650Q; 4.5AW   *NEW GRE Scale scores: 153V; 163Q; 4.5AW
  
• TOEFL scores (international students only): 600 (equivalent to 250 computer based; 100 internet-based version)
  
  

Recommenders please email cover form and recommendation letter to:

ind-engineering@uiowa.edu (pdf format)

Applicants please email your Statement of Purpose to: ind-engineering@uiowa.edu
(pdf format)

  

Official transcripts should be mailed to:

The University of Iowa
Graduate Admissions
107 Calvin Hall
Iowa City, IA  52242-1320

Some of the above requirements can be waived in select cases when other components of the application are particularly outstanding. Satisfaction of the above requirements does not guarantee admission. Students can be accepted with a BS or BA degree in engineering, physics, mathematics, psychology, and other science areas. At a minimum, students with non-engineering bachelors degrees are expected to have a good knowledge of calculus. Preliminary coursework may be required for students without an industrial engineering bachelors degree.

Graduate Application Procedure

Information regarding the procedure for applying for graduate studies can be obtained from the website of the Graduate Admissions Office.

Financial Support

Most Industrial Engineering graduate students receive financial support through a combination of research and teaching assistantships and fellowships. Decisions about research and teaching assistantships are made by the individual faculty members. Questions about availability of financial support should be addressed to faculty in your primary area of study. Awards and reappointments are highly competitive and are based upon the student's academic record, prior performance, the ability to serve, and upon an assessment of the candidate's potential contribution to the research and teaching goals of the program.

Financial support is available through research and teaching assistantships on either a semester or academic year basis. Stipends currently are approximately $21,000 (half time or 20 hours per week) for an academic year of graduate study. Other levels of support are also possible. If an award is made, nonresident students usually also qualify for resident tuition fees, and this is worth approximately $8,300 per academic year. Normally stipends are not immediately awarded to overseas applicants, but, after admission and enrollment, an application can be made. Preference for graduate student support is given to PhD students.

Visits / Questions

We are always happy to arrange a campus visit for prospective graduate students. Please call Andrea Flaherty at 319-335-5668 to set up your visit. Questions about the graduate application process should also be addressed to Andrea at the above address. Other questions should be addressed to the Department Chair.

 

 

Students in the M.S. program shall be placed on academic probation if, after completing nine semester hours of graduate work, their cumulative GPA on graduate work done at The University of Iowa falls below 3.00. The corresponding minimum requirements on cumulative course work taken in the PhD program are 3.00 after the first 12 hours and 3.25 after 24 hours have been completed. Students who have not been removed from probation after one semester may be denied permission to reregister. Each year the advisor shall certify that each student is making satisfactory progress towards degree objectives. Students who have not completed their program requirements (i.e., within 2 years after MS admission, and 3.5 years after PhD admission) will be reviewed by the departmental faculty. Decisions for continued funding and other measures such as denial of privileges to register for coursework will rest with the departmental faculty. If progress is deemed unsatisfactory the student shall be notified in writing by the program coordinator. The notification shall specify in what way(s) the student is failing make satisfactory progress towards degree objectives. The student shall be provided with a reasonable amount of time to resolve the unsatisfactory performance before dismissal. If conditions such as conditional admission or probation are imposed, the program coordinator shall give, at the time of its imposition, a written explanation of this status and its time limits. A student who is denied re-registration shall be notified of this fact in writing with reasons for the action provided. The procedure for academic dismissal is described here.

Since integrity is critical to graduate studies, students may also be denied re-registration or be dismissed directly for less than fully professional conduct. Reasons for such dismissal may include violation of University or Program rules, cheating on assignments or examinations, plagiarism, falsification of admission records, or other forms of dishonesty. The student is also subject to the more general provisions of the University's current Policies and Regulations Affecting Students document, a copy of which may be obtained at each registration. Should a student feel dismissal to be unfair he or she may seek program faculty review of this dismissal. The detailed procedure for academic dismissal is available from the program office upon request.

The student should consult with the Graduate College document "Requirements for Graduate Theses" and the advisor on matters pertaining to thesis format and detail. All committee members have the privilege of examining corrected drafts as well as earlier drafts before the thesis is accepted and submitted to the Graduate College. It is the student's responsibility to submit the thesis or dissertation to the Examining Committee at least two weeks prior to the final examination. In addition to Graduate College requirements, the student is required to prepare one bound copy of the approved thesis for the Industrial Engineering Program and other copies as required by the Examining Committee.

The University of Iowa does not discriminate in its educational programs and activities on the basis of race, national origin, color, religion, sex, age, or disability. The University also affirms its commitment to providing equal opportunities and equal access to University facilities without reference to affectional or associational preference. For additional information on nondiscrimination policies, contact the Coordinator of Title IX and Section 504 in the Office of Affirmative Action, telephone (319) 335-0705, 202 Jessup Hall, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1316.