Industrial and Systems Engineering BS/BA

Industrial & Systems Engineering (ISyE) applies basic engineering skills from mathematics and the physical sciences, specialized analysis techniques and an understanding of how people interact with machines and each other to design and evaluate the performance of systems in industry and in the service sector. Examples of the types of systems that may be analyzed by ISyEs include health care delivery systems, product distribution systems and manufacturing systems. The factor that most distinguishes ISyE from other engineering disciplines is the attention devoted to human involvement in the systems being analyzed.

Educational Objectives

The ISyE program seeks to develop graduates who:

• Have established careers in industrial and systems engineering in industry, service, consulting, or government organizations.

• Design, develop and implement sustainable, value-added improvements to integrated industrial and service systems to achieve organizational goals.

• Collaborate and communicate effectively with others as members or leaders of engineering or multidisciplinary teams.

• Continue to develop skills in engineering, business, management, leadership, or other industrial and systems engineering related fields.

To achieve these objectives, the ISyE program has been designed to ensure that graduates have achieved the following outcomes, including the ability to:

• identify, formulate and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science and mathematics

• apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental and economic factors

• communicate effectively with a range of audiences

• recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental and societal contexts

• function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks and meet objectives

• develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions

• acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Coursework in the ISyE program emphasizes the process of developing analytical models for systems and using computer-based techniques to explore ways in which the systems can be made to function more efficiently. The upper-division ISyE courses emphasize the general principles of designing and evaluating systems and the application of these principles to many different types of systems.

The ISyE major student is expected to be involved in professional aspects of the field. Since the engineering profession places a high value on professional society involvement, students enrolled in the Industrial & Systems Engineering major are expected to be active student members of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE).

Industrial & Systems Engineering Advisory Board

The Industrial & Systems Engineering Advisory Board (ISyEAB) was organized in Summer 2001 to represent the interests of the Industrial & Systems Engineering industry and alumni to the industrial and systems engineering program. The board, composed of representatives from companies such as Northrop Grumman, General Atomics, SPAWAR Systems Center, Solar Turbines, NuVasive, Alphatec Spine, and Viasat, serves to expand the level and role of industry affiliates in the continued development of the program and in the promotion of cooperative programs and relations with industry and the San Diego community.