Industrial Engineering Program

Industrial Engineers are concerned with the design, implementation, and improvement of integrated systems of people, materials, equipment and energy. A major distinction between industrial engineering and other branches of engineering is that the industrial engineer must consider not only the action of machines that are governed by physical laws but also the behavior of people in organizations. Industrial engineering is often called the people-oriented engineering discipline, and its applications are widely expected in industrial, manufacturing, service, commercial and governmental activities.

Educational Objectives:

The educational objectives of the Industrial Engineering program at the University of Miami are:

1. Provide students with the fundamentals of mathematics, science, and methods of engineering analysis and design.

2. Involve the students in open-ended, individual and multidisciplinary team projects; train them to design, develop, implement, and improve integrated systems; effectively present their ideas and designs; and “sell” their solutions, utilizing written, oral and electronic media.

3. Make students aware of contemporary issues including the fast pace of technological change, global competitiveness, and the importance of engaging in life-long learning, with special emphasis given to ethical, environmental, and societal responsibilities
    

Outcomes:

Students who qualify for graduation in the Industrial Engineering program will have demonstrated the following:

1. an ability to acquire and apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering

2. an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as analyze and interpret data

3. an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs

4. an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams

5. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems

6. an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility

7. an ability to communicate effectively

8. the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal text

9. a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning

10. a knowledge of contemporary issues

11. an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice
     

The curriculum includes required courses in mathematics and the physical sciences that ensure a firm scientific background while advanced departmental courses provide specialization. Required courses in the humanities and social sciences give students the social, ethical and ecological awareness needed in their profession. The courses are designed with the prerequisite structure in mind so that students have to draw from previously acquired knowledge to successfully complete upper level course requirements.

The engineering design experience is interwoven in the curriculum throughout the students’ four years of study. Starting with IEN 111 Introduction to Engineering I and IEN 112 Introduction to Engineering, an introduction to Engineering graphics, Auto CAD, Excel, and C are given. The students then move on to take IEN 301 Methods Analysis where they perform work measurement projects in industry, write reports, and make oral presentations to management. In IEN 306 Manufacturing Processes I the students are introduced to the principles of metal cutting, metal forming, and metrology. Students take IEN 360 Productivity Engineering, IEN 361 Industrial Cost Analysis and IEN 380 Engineering Economy where they become aware of the impact of productivity on the economic and social well-being of industry and countries. The students are also introduced to basic models of decision making such as the formulation and evaluation of an economic strategy. In IEN 360 Productivity Engineering students design a productivity measurement and evaluation project. Cost accounting principles are also covered in the this course. IEN 406 Computer-Aided Manufacturing introduces the students to product design in manufacturing and modern concepts of CAD/CAM/Automation. IEN 465 Production and Inventory Control provides a thorough treatment of modern inventory management policies. In IEN 557 Ergonomics and Human Factors Engineering both laboratory projects and real-world projects are designed, discussed, and conducted. Industry based projects are embedded into several other courses such as IEN 512 Statistical Quality Control and Quality Management, IEN 547 Computer Simulation Systems, and IEN 568 Materials Handling and Facilities Planning. IEN 494 Senior Project is a capstone project course where the students pool all of their knowledge and previous design experience into one major project integrating all components of the curriculum together. These projects are usually industry-based. Students prepare written and oral presentations. These presentations are made before top management or engineers of the organization where the projects were conducted in the presence of the faculty representatives from the department.

Real world projects are an integral part of most junior and senior level courses. In these courses, communication is emphasized through requirements for oral presentation and written technical reports. This experience provides the graduates with valuable industrial experience and communications skills while studying at the University of Miami. Our state-of-the-art teaching laboratories meet current program needs and are constantly kept up to date. Equipment and experiments are geared to provide instruction in the areas of production system design, work methods and measurement, human factors engineering, manufacturing processes, computer applications in industrial engineering and operations research.

Real world projects are an integral part of most junior and senior level courses. In these courses, communication is emphasized through requirements for oral presentation and written technical reports. This experience provides the graduates with valuable industrial experience and communications skills while studying at the University of Miami. Our state-of-the-art teaching laboratories meet current program needs and are constantly kept up to date. Equipment and experiments are geared to provide instruction in the areas of production system design, work methods and measurement, human factors engineering, manufacturing processes, computer applications in industrial engineering and operations research.