Industrial engineering is also known as operations management, management science, systems engineering, or manufacturing engineering; a distinction that seems to depend on the viewpoint or motives of the user. Recruiters or educational establishments use the names to differentiate themselves from others. In healthcare, for example, industrial engineers are more commonly known as management engineers or health systems engineers.

The term "industrial" in industrial engineering can be misleading. While the term originally applied to manufacturing, it has grown to encompass virtually all other industries and services as well. The various topics of concern to industrial engineers include management science, financial engineering, engineering management, supply chain management, process engineering, operations research, systems engineering, ergonomics, value engineering and quality engineering.

Examples of where industrial engineering might be used include designing a new loan system for a bank, streamlining operation and emergency rooms in a hospital, distributing products worldwide (referred to as Supply Chain Management), and shortening lines (or queues) at a bank, hospital, or a theme park. Industrial engineers typically use computer simulation, especially discrete event simulation, for system analysis and evaluation.

History

Industrial engineering courses had been taught by multiple universities in the late 1800s along Europe, especially in developed countries such as Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Spain. In the United States, the first department of industrial engineering was established in 1908 as the Harold and Inge Marcus Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering in Penn State. In India, the first department was established at the National Institute of Industrial Engineering, Mumbai. Industrial Engineering and Management is provided as an Engineering Course at Under-Graduate level by The Vishweshwariah Technological University or VTU, Belaum, India.

The first doctoral degree in industrial engineering was awarded in the 1930s by Cornell University.

Postgraduate curriculum

The usual postgraduate degree earned is the Master of Science in Industrial Engineering/Industrial Engineering & Management/Industrial Engineering & Operations Research. The typical MS in IE/IE&M/IE & OR/Management Sciences curriculum includes :

• Operations research & Optimization techniques
• Engineering economics
• Supply chain management & Logistics
• Systems Simulation & Stochastic systems
• System Dynamics & Policy Planning
• System Analysis & Techniques
• Manufacturing systems/Manufacturing engineering
• Human factors engineering & Ergonomics
• Production planning and control
• Management Sciences
• Computer aided manufacturing
• Facilities design & Work space design
• Statistical process control or Quality control
• Time and motion study
• Operations management
• Corporate planning
• Productivity improvement
• Materials management

Undergraduate curriculum

In the United States, the usual undergraduate degree earned is the Bachelor of Science or B.E. in Industrial Engineering (BSIE). The typical BSIE curriculum includes introductory chemistry, physics, economics, mathematics, statistics, properties of materials, intermediate coursework in mechanical engineering, computer science, sometimes electrical engineering, and additional specialized courses in management, systems theory, and computer science. Industrial Engineering and Management or IEM is provided as an Engineering Course at Under-Graduate level by The Vishweshwariah Technological University or VTU, Belaum, India.

Salaries and workforce statistics

The total number of engineers employed in the U.S. in 2006 was roughly 1.5 million. Of these, 201,000 were industrial engineers (13.3%), the third most popular engineering specialty. The average starting salaries being $55,067 with a bachelor's degree, $64,759 with a master's degree, and $77,364 with a doctorate degree. This places industrial engineering at 7th of 15 among engineering bachelors degrees, 3rd of 10 among masters degrees, and 2nd of 7 among doctorate degrees in average annual salary. The median annual income of industrial engineers in the U.S. workforce is $68,620.

Typically, within a few years after graduation, industrial engineers move to management positions because their work is closely related to management. [Ref: En.Wikipedia]