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The world's first undergraduate industrial engineering program maintains a longstanding tradition of delivering a rigorous, technical, hands-on education focused on designing, controlling, and operating manufacturing processes and systems. Its curriculum offers comprehensive training in manufacturing, operations research, and ergonomics through foundational courses in mathematics, physical sciences, engineering sciences, and practical laboratory and industrial work. This establishes a solid groundwork for developing professionally skilled and adaptable industrial engineers, prepared to excel not only in traditional manufacturing settings but also across diverse economic sectors such as financial services, communications, information technology, transportation, healthcare, consulting, and academia.
After finishing the core and fundamental competency courses in the major, students select two technical electives from a departmental list. They must also complete a three-credit capstone design course.
Industrial Engineering is based on engineering sciences, systems analysis, and people management. Industrial engineers are holistic problem-solvers who enhance complex engineering systems and processes. They integrate people, machinery, materials, information, energy, and financial resources to boost efficiency, performance, quality, and safety while cutting costs and minimizing waste. As stated by the Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers, Industrial Engineers "aim to eliminate waste of time, money, materials, energy, and other resources." This broad and flexible discipline equips students for careers in all economic sectors.
The majority of Penn State’s applications come from traditional, first-year students. The following types of students are considered first-year applicants (or freshman applicants, as some refer to them): Current high school student in his or her senior year; Student who has earned a high school diploma or a GED and has no post-secondary coursework; Student who has attempted 17 or fewer credits (semester hours) of college coursework at a regionally accredited college/university before attending Penn State; Current high school student who may have enrolled in another institution(s) before graduating from high school (dual enrollment); Student who may have attended Penn State on a nondegree basis.
English Language Proficiency
The following are ways in which you can satisfy the language proficiency requirement: TOEFL: A minimum TOEFL score of 80 on the Internet-based TOEFL or 550 on the old paper exam and a minimum of 20 in each section of the new paper exam (code #2660); IELTS: A minimum IELTS score of 6.5 on the academic test.