Colleges and universities generally include similar basic or core courses in their online degree programs in industrial engineering. However, not all programs require students to take these core courses. Read on to find out more.
Online Industrial Engineering Degree Programs
Industrial engineering deals with the improvement of processes and systems, ranging from equipment lines to human workflow. Degree programs in the subject typically cover project management, scheduling, process flow and systems control. Both bachelor's and master's degree programs are available in the field.
Since most online degree programs in industrial engineering are master's programs, schools that offer them generally require students to have a bachelor's degree in engineering. Others only require a bachelor's degree along with the math and engineering skills needed for the program. Some schools have core course requirements for their industrial engineering online degree programs. Others offer students a range of 'core courses' from which to choose. Students choose classes from a list of beneficial courses, thus creating their own core requirements.
<h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutIndustrialEngineeringMasterSDegreePrograms">Important Facts About Industrial Engineering Master's Degree Programs</h3><p></p><table border="1"><tr><td> Prerequisites </td><td> Aside from a bachelor's degree, specific coursework in calculus, probability and/or statistics may be required</td></tr>
<tr><td> Specializations </td><td> International logistics, semiconductor manufacturing</td></tr>
<tr><td> Possible Careers </td><td> Manufacturing supervisor, industrial engineer, sales engineer, among others</td></tr>
<tr><td> Continuing Education </td><td> Graduates of these programs may go on to pursue doctoral education for teaching or research positions</td></tr>
<tr><td> Median Salary (May 2022) </td><td> $95,300 (for all industrial engineers)*</td></tr>
<tr><td> Job Growth (2021-2031) </td><td> 10% (for all industrial engineers)*</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---CoreRequiredCourses">Core Required Courses</h3><p>Core required courses vary according to the program. Some schools feel that students need a comprehensive view of industrial engineering, while other schools don't. Since most students who enter a graduate program have previously earned an engineering degree, an online degree program focuses on aspects of the industry that an undergraduate engineering degree doesn't cover. Students learn skills that they can apply to any industry that seeks qualified personnel to create, build, manage and maintain industrial and manufacturing systems. Core classes include:
</p><ul><li>Management of control systems
</li><li>Applications and methods of simulation
</li><li>Production scheduling
</li><li>Planning and project management
</li></ul><h3 id="section---CommonCourses">Common Courses</h3><p>Some core courses are common to most industrial engineering programs, whether they are offered online or in person. These courses allow students to integrate their prior knowledge with the skills that they need to work in industrial engineering. Common courses include:
</p><ul><li>Production and inventory control systems
</li><li>Safety or safe practices
</li><li>Economics of manufacturing
</li><li>Quality control and maintenance
</li><li>Human impact on engineering</li></ul>
