Undergraduate Program

Program Objectives

Penn State University Industrial Engineering graduates are expected to:

Use their industrial engineering knowledge to understand, analyze, and design manufacturing and service processes, systems and work environments.
Collect, analyze, and interpret data to make sound managerial decisions through modeling and quantitative analysis, as well as the use of information systems.
Present work and ideas effectively through oral and written communications and demonstrate independent learning.
Perform in a professional and ethical manner as part of a diverse team in a global society.

Undergraduates are encouraged to gain additional practical experience through interaction with industry prior to graduation

Penn State's Industrial Engineering undergraduate program is ranked among the top five in the United States. As the first established IE program in the world, it has a long tradition of providing a strong, technical, hands-on education in the design, control, and operation of manufacturing processes and systems.

The curriculum provides a broad-based education in manufacturing, operations research, robotics/automation, quality control, and ergonomics through a base of mathematics, physical and engineering sciences, and laboratory and industrial experiences. It builds a strong foundation for the development of a professionally competent and versatile industrial engineer, able to function in a traditional manufacturing environment as well as in a much broader, global economy, including careers in financial services, communications, information technology, transportation, health care, consulting or academia.