“THE MERGER IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR TWO WORTHY PROGRAMS— INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING AND GENERAL ENGINEERING—TO RECEIVE THE NATIONAL RECOGNITION THEY DESERVE AND ESTABLISH THEMSELVES AS MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING’S WORLD-CLASS INSTITUTION. THIS IS A GREAT MOVE FOR EVERYONE.”

– FREDERICK V. CHIN, BSIE ‘75,
UNIVERSAL CHEMICALS AND COATING

Over the past several years, a spontaneous alignment has evolved between Industrial Engineering and General Engineering at the College of Engineering. General Engineering has gravitated toward industry and enterprise, hiring new faculty from industrial engineering backgrounds and developing its business side with new M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Systems and Entrepreneurial Engineering.

Meanwhile, the Industrial Engineering program has historically produced strong faculty, research and graduates focused on enhancing the operations of industrial systems through engineering—making it the perfect partner for a GE program with a growing emphasis on enterprise.

The Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering merges the resources and traditions of excellence of the existing GE and IE programs. Its name effectively communicates the new department’s business-focused identity while giving its component programs increased visibility within the common categories used to rank engineering schools nationwide.

In repeated polling of graduating GE students over the years, many have suggested a change in the department’s name. After all, the term “general engineering” has never effectively conveyed the department’s unique areas of excellence—from its integrated technical and business knowledge to its real-world industrial project training and world-class research reputation—to the outside world.

The reorganization of IE empowers it to achieve national impact, giving it the critical mass it needs to attain the top-five ranking expected of all programs within the College of Engineering. At the same time, the IESE Department reflects and further encourages collaboration between industrial engineering and the enterprise side of the GE program.

Under IESE, courses and curricula won’t change, nor will the titles on the diplomas of current students or alumni of the GE and IE programs. The new department was created to expand and advance the prestigious legacies of both programs—not to dismantle them. In that spirit, gifts received will be examined carefully to ensure that their use is consistent with donor intentions. Our vision for the Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering is strategic, yet bold. Achieving it will not be possible without the continued support of our distinguished alumni.

“THE MERGER WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND NATIONAL STANDING IN THE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS OFFERED BY THE GENERAL ENGINEERING AND INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING PROGRAMS.”

– JEFFREY M. MORRIS, BSGE ’70,
TELEPHONE PRODUCTS, INC.

“IE has allowed me, as a student, to think more globally and not focus merely on small, detailed tasks. Through the new IESE department, IE will be able to further bridge the gap between engineering and business, providing a unique education that will enable students to gain more recognition when applying for internships and entry-level positions after graduation.”

– COURTNEY CRUMP, BSIE ’07

The degree programs available through the new Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering will remain the same as those presently offered by the General Engineering Department and the Industrial Engineering program, with courses, curricula and program titles remaining intact. No immediate impact on class size, teaching loads or student-faculty ratio is envisioned. Below are the complete degree program offerings of the new IESE Department.

“THE GE DEPARTMENT HAS PROVIDED ME WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF TECHNICAL SKILLS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE ABILITY TO APPLY THEM TO THE PROBLEM AT HAND. I HAVE ALSO FOUND GREAT VALUE IN THE WAY THE DEPARTMENT INTERACTS WITH OTHER ENGINEERING DEPARTMENTS AND PROGRAMS–THIS MERGER WITH IE WILL MAKE THOSE INTERACTIONS EVEN MORE REGULAR AND REWARDING.”

– ALLISON JONES, BSGE ’06

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

• The General Engineering undergraduate program offers a broad background in control systems, decision making, mechanics and structures to support a systems approach to engineering that is honed by solving real-world problems.
• The Industrial Engineering undergraduate program focuses on operations research, optimization, supply chain management and production management with the goal of creating and managing systems that integrate people, materials and energy in productive ways.

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

• The Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Systems and Entrepreneurial Engineering develops dual competency in both traditional engineering and in the business side of engineering. It offers an approach to systems engineering, engineering design and entrepreneurial engineering that crosses disciplinary lines, with a focus on how to best manage interfaces between engineering, science, mathematics and business at the systems level.
• The joint Master of Science in Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering and Master of Business Administration degree program allows students to earn both graduate degrees simultaneously.
• The Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Industrial Engineering offers advanced studies that focus on operations research, optimization, supply chain management, financial engineering and production management with the goal of creating and managing systems that integrate people, materials and energy in productive ways.

“The merger creating IESE establishes a unique department with a clear and promising graduate focus, while maintaining the excellence of the constituent undergraduate programs.”

– DR. ROLAND L. RUHL, PRESIDENT,
RUHL FORENSICS