Industrial Engineering BS

Industrial engineers (IEs) apply knowledge from the mathematical, physical, information and human sciences to study, design and improve systems and manufacturing industries. A BS degree in industrial engineering from UB leads to careers in industries such as airline operations, automotive manufacturing, health services, military operations, and financial services.

At UB, students are taught by award-winning faculty and participate in cutting-edge research in areas such as smart manufacturing, human-computer interaction, design for disabled individuals, manufacturing, hazardous materials routing, aviation safety and security, and data mining.

IEs solve modern management problems, using sophisticated quantitative analysis. With the rapid infusion of computer technology into manufacturing processes and service systems, coupled with the demand for higher product quality in a competitive marketplace, IEs are an essential and valued part of many organizations.

The curriculum is designed to meet several educational objectives. These broad statements describe what we expect our graduates to achieve within a few years of graduation. Our program objectives are to prepare students academically and professionally so that soon after graduation ISE graduates will have:

1. Met the expectations of employers of industrial engineers.
2. Undertaken informal or formal leadership roles in their professional activities.
3. Stayed current by pursuing professional development activities such as graduate study and continuing education.

In addition, the curriculum provides opportunities for students to develop the following knowledge, skills, and behaviors by the time of graduation:

(a) an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics and science.

(b) an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data

(c) an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability

(d) an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams

(e) an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems

(f) an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility

(g) an ability to communicate effectively

(h) the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context

(i) a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning

(j) a knowledge of contemporary issues

(k) an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice

The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences offers nine engineering programs leading to the degree of bachelor of science (BS) degree: aerospace, biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, industrial, and mechanical engineering.

Five combined BS/MBA programs are offered in conjunction with the School of Management. BA, BS, and BS/MS degrees in computer science are offered through the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. A BS degree in engineering physics is offered jointly with the Department of Physics.

Students may pursue minors in computer science, electrical engineering, and manufacturing, as well as a certificate in data-intensive computing.

The curricula allow students flexibility in their programs of study and encourages interaction between students and faculty. The undergraduate educational experience prepares students for professional practice and advanced study. Special programs including our experiential learning program, undergraduate research, and internship opportunities provide professional development skills and experiences and facilitate placement of our graduates in high-quality engineering positions.

The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences occupies six buildings on UB's north campus: Bell, Bonner, Davis, Furnas, Jarvis and Ketter Hall. Barbara and Jack Davis Hall is the newest building, which opened in 2011 and features an environmentally friendly design and construction.

Together, these buildings form an outstanding educational and research facility, comprising 275,000 square feet of laboratory and office space.

The ISE department has two teaching laboratories which allow students to obtain relevant experiences in analysis and design of modern work systems and processes, and collaborative use of current ISE software tools: (1) Work Systems Simulation Laboratory (427/428 Bell Hall), which supports a number of current manufacturing and healthcare equipment such as work simulation, patient care/health systems tasks, light manufacturing cells, robotic assembly, quality inspection, 3D printing, and digital and additive manufacturing. (2) Collaborative Learning Laboratory (216 Bell Hall), which contains space for computer supported group work.

In surveys of our graduating seniors, interactions with faculty are consistently cited as one of the best aspects of the department. Undergraduate IE students at UB have access to award-winning faculty who maintain high standards in teaching and research activities in diverse expertise areas (Human Factors, Operations Research, and Production Systems). The Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering has 19 full-time faculty, and other affiliated or adjunct faculty, all holding Ph.D. degrees. Adjunct faculty and teaching assistants teach about 2 courses per year. Teaching assistants also assist in grading and leading recitation sessions. Class sizes in IE are small (often less than 40 students) insuring personal connections between students and faculty. In addition to teaching undergraduate courses, our faculty regularly engage undergraduate students in ongoing engineering research.

Please visit our department website for additional information about our faculty.

Career Choices:

• Ergonomist
• Facilities designer
• Human-computer interface designer
• Industrial Engineer
• Logistics analyst
• Manufacturing or operations manager
• Manufacturing systems engineer
• Operations analyst
• Process engineer
• Quality assurance specialist
• Safety engineer
• Space planner

Work settings include:

Manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, banking/finance, social services, construction, facilities design, government, military, and educational systems.

What percentage of graduates goes on to find related employment?

A survey of our alumni indicated that 100% of those responding have had, or currently hold, positions related to industrial engineering.

Salary Information

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, the median annual wage for industrial engineers was $81,490 in May 2014. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $52,510, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $123,400.

Students obtain academic advice and guidance from the academic advisors in the SEAS Office of Undergraduate Education (410 Bonner Hall) and from faculty advisors in their program of study. The Office of Undergraduate Education advises all students throughout their first two years of study. In the junior and senior years, students seek advisement primarily from departmental faculty advisors.

For departmental faculty advising, contact ISE Department.

SEAS Office of Undergraduate Education

410 Bonner Hall

North Campus, Buffalo, NY 14260-1900

Phone: 716.645.2774

Web Address: http://www.eng.buffalo.edu/undergrad/

The Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Jun Zhuang, or Academic Coordinator Noelle Matthews can answer questions about the programs.

There are many scholarships, fellowships and other funding opportunities available for students accepted into the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. These include recruitment scholarships and annual scholarships/awards for current students. There are both merit and need-based scholarships.

Please refer to the websites for the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Fellowships and Scholarships Office for more information.

School of Engineering and Applied Sciences students have numerous opportunities to participate in research, experiential learning programs, student clubs and organizations, and extracurricular activities that complement and enhance their educational experience.

Students are encouraged to work with faculty on independent study or participate in ongoing research involving studies of systems, humans, and their interaction. Students may receive academic credit or in some cases may be paid as research assistants. Recently, undergraduates have participated in projects involving aviation safety and security, production systems, and human decision-making. 

Students have the flexibility to take technical electives from a broad range of disciplines including behavioral sciences, engineering, mathematics, computer science, and management. IE undergraduates complete a faculty supervised internship project at a local company during their senior year. Companies have included General Motors, Cameron, and Catholic Health Systems.

Engineering today is a global profession. Students can pursue educational opportunities in other countries while maintaining their course of study and timeline to graduation. A summer Engineering Study Abroad Program provides students with the opportunity to travel with a UB faculty member to Troyes, France. UB is also a member of Global E, an exchange program for engineering students. All programs are run by UB Study Abroad Programs.

View UB Study Abroad Programs

Students may earn academic credits during their study abroad experience to be used toward technical electives.

Please refer to the website for the Study Abroad office for more information on programs.

The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences is home to more than thirty engineering clubs and organizations. These clubs focus on many different facets of the engineering field and allow students to gain hands on experience of the material they learn in the classroom. In addition to networking with professors and professionals, engineering clubs actively carry out research projects, conduct valuable experiments, compete in competitions throughout the nation, and participate in community events. The engineering clubs participate in the National Engineers Week in February of each year, where each club competes in events such as a paper bridge competition, rocket launches, Battle Bots and more. Student club members also attend both regional and national conferences.

• Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE)
• Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
• Society of Manufacturing Engineering (SME)
• American Society for Quality (ASQ)
• INFORMS
• Alpha Pi Mu
• Omega Rho
• Tau Beta Pi

See the UB Student Association.

School of Engineering and Applied Sciences students regularly receive accolades for their research activities, participation in national competitions, design projects, internships and more. They participate in the Chi Epsilon and Tau Beta Pi honor societies, and are frequent recipients of nationally-competitive scholarships and awards.

View School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Honors and Awards

The department annually awards the Frederick Thomas Scholarship and the Thomas-Karwan Scholarship to outstanding undergraduate students; students are also eligible for a number of other School of Engineering scholarships.

Admission to UB is highly competitive. For the 2016 incoming freshman class, UB reported an average ACT score of 24-30 and an average SAT (CR+M) score of 1100-1300. 90 percent of admitted students are in the top 50 percent of their class.

Admission to UB is based on a holistic review. We consider high school average, class rank, SAT (critical reading and math) or ACT scores, and strength of the high school academic record. A personal essay, recommendations, documented creative talent, demonstrated leadership, community service and special circumstances are also considered.

The following is not required for admission, but is suggested as adequate preparation for university-level coursework:

• Four years of English (with a substantial writing component)
• Four years of social studies
• Three years of college-preparatory science
• Three years of a second language
• Three years of college-preparatory mathematics

Visit Undergraduate Admissions to learn more.

The UB Office of Admissions coordinates the review of freshman applicants with the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Academic performance, high school grades, exam scores, and other factors are considered in the freshman admission process.

View the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Freshmen Admission Policy

Admission of transfer students is granted on the basis of previous college academic performance. Transfer students must complete the University at Buffalo transfer application process, submit all transcripts to the UB Office of Admissions, and complete the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Supplemental Application by the relevant deadlines.

View the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Transfer Admission Policy

Current UB students not enrolled in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences are eligible for acceptance to an engineering or computer science degree program if they meet the admission criteria.

View the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Current Student Admission Policy

Students seeking an undergraduate degree from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 in technical classes (engineering, math, and science classes). To maintain academic standards and determine eligibility for continued enrollment, the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences reviews the academic records of all students in an approved undergraduate SEAS major. This academic review is conducted at the end of each fall and spring semester.

View the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Academic Review Policy

Advisement tools available for our students:

• Course Flowsheets: These interactive online flowsheets will highlight pre-requisite and co-requisite courses to help identify which courses must be completed. See the Course Prerequisite Policy for details.
• Changing Majors within the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences: Students may change majors and minors within the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences if they meet the relevant criteria. Students should submit the Major/Minor Change Application before the appropriate deadline. View School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Major/Minor Change Information.
• UB Curriculum Pathway Selection: Pathways are a central component of the UB Curriculum. Students are required to complete both a Global and Thematic pathway. Each pathway requires a minimum of 9 credit hours, typically satisfied by completing three courses of three or more credit hours. View Pathway Information for Engineering and Computer Science Students.

Transfer students must first apply to the university and meet the university transfer admission requirements. SUNY Seamless Transfer is a SUNY-wide program intended to make transferring to UB and other SUNY Schools simple and efficient. Information about the Transfer Path for this major can be found on the SUNY website. Students are encouraged to contact their academic advisor or department to discuss how their coursework will apply to their degree.

Transfer students who have completed an engineering science program at a community college or the first three years of a 3+2 program at a four-year college can typically expect to enter the third year of an engineering program at the University at Buffalo. Graduates of technology programs receive limited transfer credit and can expect three to four years of study at the university to complete the requirements.

View the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Transfer Admission Policy

Students seeking an undergraduate engineering degree from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences must complete 30 undergraduate credit hours of junior/senior level courses required in their major at the University at Buffalo.

Please see the School of Engineering and Applied Science admissions policies listed above.

• Basic science elective (CHE 108, PHY 207/PHY 257, BIO 200 or BIO 201)
• CHE 107 General Chemistry for Engineers
• EAS 199 Engineering Principles
• EAS 202 Engineering Impact on Society
• EAS 207 Statics
• EAS 230 Engineering Computations or EAS 240 Introduction to Programming for Engineers
• EAS 305 Applied Probability
• EAS 360 STEM Communications
• IE 306 Statistical Methods for Engineering
• IE 320 Engineering Economy
• IE 322 Analytics and Computing for Industrial Engineers
• IE 323 Ergonomics
• IE 326 Planning for Production
• IE 327 Facilities Design
• IE 373 Introduction to Operations Research: Deterministic Models
• IE 374 Introduction to Operations Research: Probabilistic Models
• IE 408 Quality Assurance
• IE 420 Industrial and Systems Laboratory
• IE 477 Digital Simulation
• IE 494 Senior Capstone Industry Project
• MTH 141 College Calculus I
• MTH 142 College Calculus II
• MTH 241 College Calculus III
• MTH 306 Introduction to Differential Equations
• PHY 107 General Physics I
• PHY 108 General Physics II
• One engineering science elective; must be chosen from EAS 208, EAS 209, EE 200, EE 202, MAE 204
• Six technical electives (four must be IE courses including one of either IE 441 or IE 435 or IE 436; other choices are restricted to those approved by the department).

Other technical electives (TEs) may be drawn from courses at the 400-level with the prefix of IE, or courses at the 300/400-level with the following prefix (note exceptions below):

• BE
• CE
• CIE
• CSE
• EAS
• EE
• IE
• MAE
• MTH
• PHY

The following courses are excluded because they substantively duplicate coursework required for the IE degree or are otherwise inconsistent with the objective of the elective requirement

• Courses numbered 495-499
• Special topics courses
• CE 327 Chemical Engineering Lab I: Probability, Statistics, & Data Analysis
• CIE 308 Engineering Statistics
• EE 305 Applied Probability
• MTH 337 Scientific and Math Computations
• MTH 411 Probability Theory

Technical electives may also be selected from the list below. ** (Note: Limited space may be available for non-majors in many of the following courses.)

Electives

• CHE 319 Physical Chemistry
• CHE 321 Inorganic Chemistry I
• CSE 116 Intro to CS Majors 2
• CSE 241 Digital Systems
• CSE 250 Data Structures
• ECO 405 Microeconomic Theory
• ECO 406 Topics in Microeconomics
• ECO 407 Macroeconomic Theory
• MGA 201 Intro to Financial Accounting
• MGA 202 Intro to Management Accounting
• PSY 333 Psy of Work & Organizs
• PSY 341 Cognitive Psychology
• PSY 342 Intro Cognitive Science
• PSY 343 Sensory Proces & Perceptn

**Additional 300- and 400-level courses in management, economics, and psychology may also be acceptable; please see the ISE department for additional information and explicit permission to use the course for a technical elective.

See Baccalaureate Degree Requirements for UB Curriculum and remaining university requirements.

View the curricular plan for the Industrial Engineering BS (PDF) which is a recommended sequence of courses to help achieve this degree in four years.

* See the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Academic Requirements section.