College of Engineering

Industrial and Systems Engineering

ise.vt.edu G. Don Taylor, Jr., Head and Charles O. Gordon Professor E.M. Van Aken, Associate Head and Undergraduate Program Director J.A. Camelio, Assistant Head and Graduate Program Director John Grado Professor: J.G. Casali Hal G. Prillaman Professor: M.A. Nussbaum John W. Hancock, Jr. Chair: P.E. Torgersen Paul T. Norton Professor: S.C. Sarin Professors: B.M. Kleiner; T.E. Lockhart; J R. Sturges; K.P. Triantis, E.M. Van Aken Associate Professors: D.R. Bish; E.K. Bish; J.A. Camelio; K.P. Ellis; L.K. Harmon; C.P. Koelling; J.A. Nachlas; R. Pasupathy; H. Rahmandad; J.P. Shewchuk; M.R. Taaffe Assistant Professors: M.J. Agnew; R. Jin; C. Wernz; W. W. Winchester, III Faculty Affiliates1: J. Gabbard; D.Y. Gao; D. Corbett-Young Adjunct Faculty: N. Cherbaka; R. Edmison; B. Fraticelli; J. Godfrey; J. Meredith; L. Travis Professors Emeritus: B.S. Blanchard; M.P. Deisenroth; W.J. Fabrycky; P.T. Kemmerling; K.H. E. Kroemer; H.A. Kurstedt; D. L. Price; J.W. Schmidt, Jr.; H.D. Sherali; H.L. Snyder; W.G. Sullivan; W.W. Wierwille; R.C. Williges Associate Professor Emeritus: P. Ghare; M.L. Spengler Academic Advisors: J. Vest and P. Van Curen 1Faculty with regular appointments in other departments Overview Program Educational Objectives and Student Outcomes Curriculum Program Requirements Undergraduate Course Descriptions

Overview

The Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering advances the discipline and imparts knowledge to students, peers and practitioners. In an environment that fosters leadership, achievement, and diversity, we:

1. Prepare undergraduate and graduate students for life-long success and leadership in the profession, in industry, and in higher education;
2. Conduct and disseminate research that promotes the economic prosperity and well-being of Virginia and the nation; and
3. Provide valuable services to industry, society, and the ISE profession.

Industrial and systems engineering is one of the most diverse fields in engineering. ISE is concerned with the design, improvement, and installation of integrated work systems of people, materials, equipment and technology, processes, information, and capital. The industrial engineer is concerned with creating value and improving performance of integrated systems, whether that involves improving quality and productivity, reducing costs and non-value adding activities, improving customer satisfaction, or improving worker safety.

The applications for industrial engineering capabilities include industry, government, and service organizations. Graduates of the ISE program at Virginia Tech work in manufacturing facilities, distribution warehouses, hospitals, airlines, railroads, banks, amusement parks, the military, federal government, and management consulting firms. The boundaries of where IEs make contributions are limitless. 

The mission of the ISE Undergraduate Program is to prepare industrial and systems engineering students to create value for organizations, the profession, and society. We achieve this mission by recruiting, retaining, and educating high quality and diverse students and by creating a rigorous and collegial environment enabling students to learn industrial engineering methods and tools, built upon a foundation of mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences, and to apply them in any global organizational setting. Students are able to achieve academic and professional success through opportunities to participate in various educational experiences, to develop capabilities as future leaders, and to embark on a lifelong journey of professional development and learning.

Program Educational Objectives and Program Outcomes

The ISE faculty, with input from our external Advisory Board, employers, and students, have defined the following Program Educational Objectives (PEOs) and Program Outcomes for our Undergraduate Program. PEOs are statements that describe the expected accomplishments of ISE graduates within 3-5 years after graduation. Program Outcomes are statements that describe what students are expected to know and be able to do at the time of graduation.

Program Educational Objectives: Within 3-5 years of graduation, ISE alumni will have:

1. Created value by applying the appropriate industrial and systems engineering tools to design/redesign integrated systems/processes, solve problems, and improve organizational outcomes.
2. Provided formal and informal project, administrative, or technical leadership.
3. Pursued professional development through graduate study, professional certification, or continuing education.
4. Communicated effectively using written, oral, and visual media adapted to different audiences and stakeholders.
   
5. Worked effectively in cross-functional team environments comprised of members with varying organizational backgrounds, positions, and geographic locations.
   
6. Served the profession, community, and society.
   

Student Outcomes: At the time of graduation, ISE students will have the:

1. Ability to apply computational and industrial engineering tools and techniques encompassing manufacturing systems, operations research, human factors and ergonomics, and management systems.
2. Ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, statistics, and physical and social sciences to IE problems.
3. Ability to identify, formulate, and solve structured and unstructured IE problems.
4. Ability to model, analyze, and evaluate work systems and processes, using appropriate experimental design, measurement tools/techniques, and data.
5. Ability to generate and evaluate alternatives to design an integrated work system or process through a systems perspective.
6. Ability to evaluate the impact of IE solutions in the broader context of the organization and society, with an appreciation of different cultures and perspectives.
7. Knowledge of the role of industrial engineers in contemporary issues.
8. Ability to communicate effectively to a variety of audiences and using written, oral, and visual media.
9. Understanding of professionalism, good citizenship, and ethical behavior.
10. Ability to work collaboratively in multi-disciplinary teams.
11. Understanding of the need for continued professional development and ability to engage in life-long learning.

The Industrial and Systems Engineering program at Virginia Tech is accredited is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

Curriculum

The ISE curriculum explicitly encompasses coursework useful in addressing not only the technical elements of work systems, but also the organizational, economic, and human elements. Our aim is to provide graduates with the knowledge and capabilities to enable them to successfully pursue careers in industrial engineering or, if qualified, to continue on to graduate study.

ISE emphasizes instruction in fundamental engineering principles based on the physical sciences, engineering sciences, mathematics, and statistics. These principles are applied in practical design experiences throughout the undergraduate curriculum.

Course work in the physical and chemical sciences and mathematics provides a solid background for basic engineering science courses, which in turn support more focused courses in industrial engineering, covering topics in operations research, manufacturing systems engineering, human factors engineering and ergonomics, and management systems engineering. In all these areas, analysis and design activities are supported by modern computing and software tools taught in the curriculum.

Students gain valuable hands-on, laboratory experience in manufacturing processes, work methods, computer simulation, and human factors engineering. State-of-the-art laboratory facilities associated with the undergraduate curriculum include the ISE Computer Laboratory, which contains computers and printers to support the needs and requirements of ISE students that are not available through access to personal computers or in other laboratories; the Senior Design Center, with computer support and other resource material for student design projects; the Harris Manufacturing Processes Laboratories, which contain robotics and automation equipment, machining equipment, conventional and numerically controlled machine tools, and welding and foundry facilities; the Human Factors Work Measurement and Methods Engineering Laboratory, which is equipped and used for in-class exercises and experiments in work measurement, motion economy and time study, psychophysics, human audition and vision, and work station design.

The capstone course in the ISE Undergraduate Program is a two-semester class, ISE 4005-6 Project Management & System Design (also referred to as “Senior Design”), where students work in project teams with an external company sponsor to solve a real-world problem. This experience provides ISE students with actual project experience that develops technical and professional skills, such as teamwork, communication, project management, and life-long learning skills, in addition to developing capabilities in applying IE tool and techniques. Student project teams present their project findings at our annual Senior Design Symposium attended by company sponsors and the ISE Advisory Board.

The course work totals 136 hours and includes 21 credit hours of electives and 13 credit hours of Curriculum for Liberal Education Area electives, providing students with the opportunity to explore other areas of engineering, as well as cultural, societal and creative experiences, which makes for a well-rounded, diverse, and globally-aware engineer.

The ISE program also provides students with the opportunity to pursue minors, such as a Business Minor, Green Engineering Minor, or Math Minor. More specific information about minors available to ISE students can be found in the ISE Undergraduate Student Handbook, posted on the ISE web site. Students and employers alike are seeing the benefits of these minors for adding value to the ISE major.

Many ISE students seek to participate in Undergraduate Research to satisfy elective requirements in the curriculum. The opportunity to work more closely, in some cases on a one-on-one basis, with our outstanding faculty can provide more in-depth development of ISE capabilities and a more enriching educational experience.

The department participates in the Cooperative Education Program, in which qualified students may alternate semesters of study with semesters of professional co-op employment or internships. Students are encouraged to pursue these experiences before they graduate to make them more competitive in the work force. Students are also encouraged to participate in career fairs and job interviews on and off campus.

The ISE department also provides students with many significant scholarship opportunities at the undergraduate and graduate levels to encourage and acknowledge high academic performance and achievements.

Graduate programs leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. are offered (see Graduate Catalog). The graduate programs include concentrations in manufacturing systems engineering, human factors engineering and ergonomics, operations research, management systems engineering, and general IE. The ISE Department also coordinates on- and off-campus master's degree programs in systems engineering (M.S.) and engineering administration (M.E.A.).

Program Requirements

The required classes for the ISE undergraduate degree are shown below for each year. These requirements are based on the ISE 2014 Checksheet for students graduating in 2014.

First Year
First Semester
ENGL 1105: English I	3
CHEM 1035: General Chemistry	3
CHEM 1045: General Chemistry Lab	1
MATH 1114: Linear Algebra	2
MATH 1205: Calculus I	3
ENGE 1024: Engineering Exploration	2
Elective	3
Credits	17
Second Semester
ENGL 1106: English II	3
PHYS 2305: Foundations of Phys I w/lab	4
MATH 1206: Calculus II	3
MATH 1224 Vector Geometry	2
ENGE 1104: Exploration Digital Future or ENGE 1114: Exploration Engineering Design	2
Elective(s)	3
Credits	17
Second Year
First Semester
PHYS 2306: Foundations of Phys II w/Lab	4
MATH 2224: Multivariable Calculus	3
ISE 2014: Engineering Economy	2
ENGE 2314: Eng. Problem Solving w/ C++ or CS 1044 Intro to Programming in C	2
ENGE 2344: Computer-Aided Drafting	1
ESM 2104: Statics	3
Credits	15
Second Semester
MATH 2214: Differential Equations	3
STAT 4105: Theoretical Statistics	3
ISE 2204: Manufacturing Processes	2
ISE 2214: Manufacturing Processes Lab	1
ISE 2404: Deterministic Operations Research	3
ESM 2304: Dynamics	3
MSE 2034: Materials Engineering	3
Credits	18
Third Year
First Semester
STAT 4706: Statistics for Engineers	3
ISE 3014: Work Measurement and Methods Engr	3
ISE 3414: Probabilistic Operations Research	3
ISE 3614: Intro to Human Factors Engineering	3
ECE 3054: Electrical Theory	3
Elective	1
Credits	16
Second Semester
ISE 3214: Facility Planning and Material Handling	3
ISE 3424: Discrete-Event Computer Simulation	3
ISE 3624: Industrial Ergonomics	3
ISE 3024: Data Mgt for Industrial Engineers	3
Electives	6
Credits	18
Fourth Year
First Semester
ISE 4005: Project Management and Sys. Design	3
ISE 4204: Prod. Planning and Inventory Control	3
ISE 4404: Statistical Quality Control	3
Electives	9
Credits	18
Second Semester
ISE 4006: Project Management and Sys. Design	2
ISE 4304: Global Issues in Indus. Mgt.	3
Electives	12
Credits	17

Notes:
a) These program requirements are based on the ISE 2014 Checksheet;
b) A grade of C- or better must be obtained in core ISE, STAT, and MATH courses that are prerequisites for more advanced ISE courses (see Catalog descriptions for specific prerequisite requirements for each course);
c) Electives must be taken to satisfy the 13 credit hours of Curriculum for Liberal Education Area requirements, 6 credit hours of Free Electives, 9 credit hours of Technical Electives, and 6 credit hours of ISE Technical Electives – students should refer to the ISE Undergraduate Student Handbook and ISE 2013 Checksheet for specific requirements in each Elective area;
d) For more information about the ISE curriculum and requirements, contact the ISE Academic Advising office at 540/231-6388 or the ISE department at 540/231-6656.