Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering

Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering

Overview

Industrial engineering involves the design and analysis of systems that include people, equipment, and materials and their interactions and performance in the workplace. An industrial engineer collects this information and evaluates alternatives to make decisions that best advance the goals of the enterprise.

Innovative Curriculum

The program in industrial engineering offers students a base of traditional engineering courses, such as work design, human-machine systems, probability, statistics, and engineering economy, while emphasizing such contemporary areas as simulation modeling, engineering database systems, quality assurance, logistics and supply chain management, operations research, and facilities planning. Students integrate the knowledge acquired in these courses in a two-semester capstone design project.

Industrial engineers work in manufacturing firms, hospitals, banks, public utilities, transportation, government agencies, insurance companies, and construction firms. Among the projects they undertake are design and implementation of a computer-integrated supply chain or manufacturing system; facilities planning for a variety of industries; design of a robotics system in a manufacturing environment; long-range corporate planning; development and implementation of a quality-control system; simulation analyses to improve processes and make operational decisions; design of healthcare operations to enhance patient safety; and improve efficiency, productivity, and development of computer systems for information control.

Students have the option of selecting from several minors to complement their degree and personalize their path. Students can select from minors in the department, in other engineering departments, or from across the university.

The Accelerated Master’s Degree PlusOne program allows current undergraduate students to accelerate the attainment of the master’s degree by applying graduate credits taken as an undergraduate toward both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. Current students apply to enroll in the PlusOne program. Students attain their bachelor’s degree followed by a PlusOne year to complete the master’s degree.

Students currently earning a BS in Industrial Engineering can select from the below MS degree PlusOne pathways.

BS in Industrial Engineering PlusOne Pathways Additional Prerequisites
PlusOne in Bioengineering
PlusOne in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Concentration in Water, Environmental, Coastal Systems CIVE 2331, CIVE 2334, CIVE 2340
PlusOne in Civil Engineering, Concentration in Construction Management
PlusOne in Civil Engineering, Concentration in Structures
PlusOne in Civil Engineering, Concentration in Transportation
PlusOne in Cyber-Physical Systems
PlusOne in Data Analytics Engineering
PlusOne in Data Architecture and Management
PlusOne in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concentration in Communication, Control, Signal Processing EECE 2150, EECE 2412, EECE 2413, EECE 2520, EECE 3468*
*May be replaced with another probability course
PlusOne in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concentration in Computer Networks and Security EECE 2150, EECE 2160, EECE 2412, EECE 2413, and two of the following: EECE 2322 (with EECE 2323), EECE 2540, or EECE 2560
PlusOne in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concentration in Computer Systems and Software EECE 2150, EECE 2160, EECE 2412, EECE 2413, and two of the following: EECE 2322 (with EECE 2323), EECE 2540, or EECE 2560
PlusOne in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concentration in Computer Vision, Machine Learning, Algorithms EECE 2150, EECE 2160, EECE 2412, EECE 2413, and two of the following: EECE 2322 (with EECE 2323), EECE 2540, or EECE 2560
PlusOne in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concentration in Electromagnetics, Plasma, Optics EECE 2150, EECE 2160, EECE 2412, EECE 2413, EECE 2530, EECE 2531
PlusOne in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concentration in Microsystems, Materials, Devices EECE 2150, EECE 2412, EECE 2413, and one of the following: EECE 3393, EECE 3410, or EECE 4524 (with EECE 4525)
PlusOne in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concentration in Power Systems EECE 2150, EECE 2412, EECE 2413, EECE 2520
PlusOne in Energy Systems
PlusOne in Engineering & Public Policy
PlusOne in Engineering Management
PlusOne in Human Factors
PlusOne in Industrial Engineering
PlusOne in Information Systems
PlusOne in Mechanical Engineering, General Concentration ME 2355
PlusOne in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Concentration ME 2340, ME 2341
PlusOne in Mechanical Engineering, Mechanics Concentration ME 3455, ME 2355
PlusOne in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Concentration ME 3455, ME 4555
PlusOne in Mechanical Engineering, Thermofluids Concentration ME 3475
PlusOne in Operations Research
PlusOne in Robotics, Mechanical Engineering Concentration
PlusOne in Software Engineering Systems
PlusOne in Telecommunication Networks

The Bachelor of Science Program in Industrial Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.

Experiential Learning

Experiential learning is the heart of a Northeastern education, combining rigorous coursework with hands-on experience in the classroom, in the lab, and in the field—locally and abroad. With our signature cooperative education (co-op) program, students typically gain six months of work experience integrated as part of the educational program. Both five-year, three-co-op and four-year, two-co-op program options are available.

Co-op jobs generally increase in level of responsibility as students gain theoretical and technical knowledge through their academic work. A sophomore might begin as a computer/data analyst evaluating the performance of a manufacturing system and progress to designing manufacturing engineering workstations by the senior year. There are a variety of co-op employment opportunities ranging from small local firms, to consulting firms, large global companies as well as hospitals and healthcare facilities, and government and banking offices.

Sharon Melul Steinfeld, BS, Industrial Engineering and MS, Engineering Management, completed co-ops at Hasbro as a project engineer on the Transformer toy line, and at PriceWaterhouseCoopers as a management consultant for company mergers. Sharon got a full time job offer 18 months before graduating and contributes this to her co-op opportunities.

Program Contacts


Beverly Kris Jaeger-Helton
Beverly Kris Jaeger-Helton
Teaching Professor and Director of Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Curriculum,  Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

Biomechanics and Mechanobiology, Motor Control, Healthcare Systems, Human Factors Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Logistics and Operations Research, Business, Data Management and Statistics, Engineering Training and Education, Safety Management, Information Processing, Cognition/Cognitive Psychology, Human Performance Engineering, Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing, Process Control

Faculty Advising

For support with questions about career opportunities in industrial engineering and in selecting technical electives, contact a faculty advisor in your area of interest.

IE Area IE Faculty Advisor
Data Analytics Sagar Kamarthi
Healthcare Systems Jacqueline Griffin
Human Factors Beverly Kris Jaeger-Helton
Logistics & Supply Chain Management Mehdi Behroozi
Manufacturing Xiaoning “Sarah” Jin
Operations Research Kayse Lee Maass
Process Improvement (Lean & Six Sigma) Hugh McManus
Quality Assurance and Reliability Dayna Martinez
Systems Engineering Babak Heydari

Academic Advising

For support with academic questions, contact the academic advisor assigned to this program.

Admissions & Aid

Ready to take the next step? Review Degree Requirements to see courses needed to complete this degree. Then, explore ways to pay for your education. Finally, review Admissions Information to see our deadlines and gather the materials you need to Apply.

Student News

Northeastern Nominates 6 COE Students for Prestigious Knight-Hennessy Scholarship

Alex Bender, E’20, MS’20, Matthew Coughlin, E’25, Maya De Los Santos, E’25, Jose Meza Llamosas, E’25, Dominic Pizzarella, E’25, and Daniel Sneyers Pont, E’21, MS’21, were six of eight nominated by Northeastern for the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship, which develops a community of future global leaders to address complex challenges through collaboration and innovation.

11 COE Fall 2024 Huntington 100 Recipients

Eleven College of Engineering students were selected as fall 2024 members of the Northeastern University Huntington 100, which is a group of students selected for their outstanding achievements that align with  the university’s mission, ideals, values, and academic plan. 

Northeastern Team Places Third at Disney’s Annual Industrial Engineering Case Competition

Industrial engineering students Brendan Wang, E’27, Aiden Yee, E’27, and Mandy Hui, E’27, and Kaley Yang, DMSB’27, won third place at the annual Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Industrial Engineering Case Competition.

Building a Formula One Racetrack in Singapore on Co-op

Industrial engineering student Fernando Alfaro, E’26, is completing a co-op in Singapore with the engineering firm AtkinsRealis, where he serves as a project manager for the construction and dismantling of the Formula 1 racetrack used in the Singapore Grand Prix.

Professional Licensure: If looking for information on obtaining Professional Licensure, visit the Professional Licensure Disclosure Page or contact the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, Susan Freeman, at s.freeman@northeastern.edu.