Requirements for the MSIE Degree
The Master of Science in Industrial Engineering program is very flexible and requires 30 to 31 credits of graduate study. It may be obtained with or without a thesis option. With either option, the student is required to take three core courses (IE 2001 , IE 2005 , and IE 2006 ) that count for 9 credits, and at least two courses from the elective core (currently IE 2003 , IE 2004 , IE 2007 , IE 2100 ) that count for an additional 6 credits. In addition, students who do not have an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering are required to take IE 2000 (1 credit) in their first term.
- With the non-thesis option, the remaining 15 credits may be freely chosen from the elective core or other departmental graduate courses based on the student’s individual interests and the approval of his or her academic advisor. With the permission of the advisor, the student may also take up to 6 of the 15 credits from other relevant graduate offerings outside the department.
- With the thesis option, 9 of the 15 remaining credits may be freely chosen from the elective core or other departmental graduate offerings. In addition, the student must complete a 6 to 8-credit thesis. With this option, out-of-department electives are generally not permitted.
In both cases, students who have already taken one or more of the core courses as undergraduates or as part of another graduate program are encouraged to skip such courses and substitute them with more advanced course work in the same area.
Normally the program can be completed in three terms of full-time study or two to three years of part-time study. Many graduate courses are offered in the evening for the convenience of working professionals. Courses are also offered over the summer term. Information regarding the MS program can be obtained by going to: http://www.engineering.pitt.edu/industrial/graduate/
