Graduate Program in Industrial and Management Systems Engineering
Make a difference in the world by applying advanced engineering thinking to complex real-world problems. The social justice focus of our graduate programs strives for engineering solutions that are responsive, compatible and sustainable.
HOW TO APPLY
To begin your application, complete this required “Personal Statement” form. Your personal statement is the most important part of your application. It lets us understand your motivation and expectations for graduate school. We want to make sure you are a good fit and will be successful in our graduate program. Here are some tips for writing a good personal statement. NEXT, complete and submit your application through the Graduate School website. Make sure to upload this form to your application.
Program Overview
Degrees Offered
We offer 2 industrial engineering degrees in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering:
- M.S. in Industrial and Management Systems Engineering
- Ph.D. in Engineering, Industrial Engineering Option
Grounded in engineering and the social sciences, our graduate program in Industrial and Management Systems Engineering (IMSE) equips students with traditional and contemporary skills to design, manage, and analyze complex human-centered systems. Graduate students pursue advanced technical topics to design, analyze and manage systems that can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of businesses, non-profit organizations, and governments. Since all these systems involve humans and impact the social and physical environment, these systems are most successful when they combine technical solutions with social responsibility, defined as transparent and ethical behavior that contributes to sustainable development, ensures health and welfare of society, incorporates stakeholder expectations, complies with international laws and norms, and is integrated across all systems that impact society and the environment.
Thus, the vision of the program is to integrate technical depth with social awareness from a multidisciplinary (i.e., systems) point of view.
View the New Social Justice Themed Flyer!
But what is our goal?
In our graduate program, we believe the goal for engineering is social justice, which requires the equitable participation of all groups of people to ensure systems meet their individual and collective needs. Our systems should do more than provide health and safety – they should also inspire joy and pride: “The continuation of life on the planet requires making our world more sustainable, secure, healthy, and joyful.” (NAE Grand Challenges for Engineering) This vision can only be assured with socially responsible engineering practices that:
(1) support individual needs (responsive);
(2) respect community culture (compatible); and
(3) protect the physical and social environments (sustainable).
Accordingly, our IMSE Graduate Program is organized around 3 focus areas related to Social Justice that provide graduates with the knowledge, skills and desire to be socially responsible in the design, management, and analysis of systems:
Inclusive Design
An intentional process to involve all relevant user communities in the design process to create usable and meaningful access to products, services and systems for most people. Can improve quality of life amongst diverse user communities in a way that respects local culture and protects the shared environment.
Topic Leader:
Management Systems
The main focus is about achieving efficiency and effectiveness of an organization’s technical systems in a manner that people want to participate because they see how they add value, feel connected and have opportunities to grow.
Topic Leaders:
Data Analytics
In this area, students learn about selecting and analyzing the appropriate information to process, interpret, organize, structure and display meaningfully to optimize a process or assist in making better informed decisions.
Topic Leaders:
- Faraz Dadgostari
- Ali Yalcin
- Andreas Thorsen (Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship)
Curriculum
The Industrial and Management Systems Engineering (IMSE) Graduate Manual (document under revision) is available for viewing, printing and downloading. Copies can also be requested from Kathy Campbell at kathryn.campbell3@montana.edu or 406-994-6755.
All students (regardless of previous degree) must have a background in mathematics equivalent to M 171 (differential calculus), M 172 (integral calculus), EIND 354 (engineering probability and statistics), and must have some exposure to matrix algebra. In addition, all students must have prior education in computing, including programming in at least one language (e.g., CSCI 127, STAT 408).
Thefollowing courses in industrial and management system engineering basics are recommended for graduate students entering the industrial engineering master's program without a previous degree completed in industrial engineering:
- EIND 313 (Work Design and Analysis)
- EGEN 325 (Engineering Economy)
- EIND 364 (Principle of Operations Research I)
Minimum 30 credits (19 formal, graded course credits: 9required, 10elective, 1 seminar, 10 thesis).
|
Required Courses1,2,3,4,5 |
Credit Hours |
|
|
Management Systems Core Course (pick 1) |
3 |
|
|
Inclusive Design Core Course (pick 1) |
3 |
|
|
Data Analytics Core Course (pick 1) |
3 |
|
|
EIND 594 |
Seminar (co-convened with EMEC 594) |
1 |
|
Master's Thesis (minimum of 10 total credits required; take 1-10 credits per term) |
10 |
|
|
Elective Courses within student's emphasis (maximum of 3 cr. of EIND 592 OR 598 – not both), see IMSE approved elective list. Additional electives at discretion of advisor. |
10 |
|
|
Total Credits |
30 |
|
- EIND 575 (Research or Professional Paper / Project) may not be used as part of the Plan A MS Degree. Similarly, any course similar to EIND 575 from other departments also may not be used as part of the Plan A MS Degree.
- A maximum of three credits of EIND 592 OR EIND 598 (not both) may be applied to a Plan A MS Degree electives. EIND 592/598 cannot be substituted for other 500 level requirements (see required core courses).
- It is important for research linked to faculty funded projects that the study develops some additional research question or dataset to demonstrate independence. Moreover, it is necessary for collaborative projects (multiple students) sharing some common content that each student produce a distinct and independent written theses while clearly acknowledging areas of shared effort and collaboration.
- The final graduate plan of study must comply with Graduate School Policy including the requirement that the number of 5xx-level course credits must be equal to two-thirds (2/3) of the total graded coursework, including Thesis Research credits (590).
- In addition, MS degree candidates must also satisfy all Graduate School degree and examination requirement.For Plan A the comprehensive examination is the thesis defense.
Minimum 30 credits (30 formal, graded course credits: 9 required, 21 electives)
|
Required Courses1,2,3 |
Credit Hours |
|
|
Management Systems Core Course (pick 1) |
3 |
|
|
Inclusive Design Core Course (pick 1) |
3 |
|
|
Data Analytics Core Course (pick 1) |
3 |
|
|
Elective Courses within student's emphasis (maximum of 6 cr. of EIND 592, maximum of 3 cr. of EIND 598), see IMSE approved elective list. Additional electives at discretion of advisor. |
21 |
|
|
Total Credits |
30 |
|
The PlanC does not require a professional paper or thesis. Plan C students are likely to either be practicing engineers or continuing students who wish to acquire credits required forprofessional licensure. In the first case, the students have experience in practical engineering and the concepts involved in a capstone experience. In the latter case, all senior engineering students at Montana State University have completed a senior design project that is of the same depth as most professional papers, and this is also true of practically all accredited undergraduate engineering programs. Eliminating the thesis or professional paper requirement provides students the opportunity for more coursework in an area of interest.The Plan C has no comprehensive examination.Because this is a courses-only degree that requires students to maintain a 3.0 GPA, there will be no further proof of proficiency. The intent is to provide education for practicing professionals.
- Students will be supervised by theoption coordinator, not by a three-member committee typical for M.S. degrees.
- A maximum of three credits of EIND 592 OR EIND 598 (not both) may be applied to a Plan A MS Degree electives. EIND 592/598 cannot be substituted for other 500 level requirements (see required core courses).
- The final graduate plan of study must comply with Graduate School Policy including the requirement that the number of 5xx-level course credits must be equal to two-thirds (2/3) of the total graded coursework.
This option allows IMSE and Financial Engineering (EFIN) Undergraduates to enroll in an Accelerated IMSE M.S. program at the same time they are finishing their B.S. Learn about a Accelerated IMSE M.S. Degree here.
Minimum 30 credits (26 formal, graded course credits: 9 required, 17 elective, 4 project)
|
Required Courses |
Credit Hours |
|
|
Management Systems Core Course (pick 1) |
3 |
|
|
Inclusive Design Core Course (pick 1) |
3 |
|
|
Data Analytics Core Course (pick 1) |
3 |
|
|
Research Project (maximum of 4 credits required, take 1-4 per term) |
4 |
|
|
Elective Courses within student's emphasis (maximum of 3 cr. of EIND 592 OR 598 – not both), see IMSE approved elective list. Additional electives at discretion of advisor. |
17 |
|
|
Total Credits |
30 |
|
The Plan B option substitutes a submitted journal paper or conference presentation (4 credits EIND 575) and additional coursework in lieu of the 10 thesis credits. This option is reserved for students enroute to a PhD only.
- maximum of three credits of EIND 592 OR EIND 598 (not both) may be applied to a Plan A MS Degree electives. EIND 592/598 cannot be substituted for other 500 level requirements (see required core courses).
- It is important for research linked to faculty funded projects that the study develops some additional research question or dataset to demonstrate independence. Moreover, it is necessary for collaborative projects (multiple students) sharing some common content that each student produce a distinct and independent written paper while clearly acknowledging areas of shared effort and collaboration.
- The final graduate plan of study must comply with Graduate School Policy including the requirement that the number of 5xx-level course credits must be equal to two-thirds (2/3) of the total graded coursework.
- In addition, MS degree candidates must also satisfy all Graduate School degree and examination requirement.For Plan B, the comprehensive exam is the PhD qualifying exam.
Minimum 60 credits (23 credits 5xx-level / 6xx-level) + (19 credits from MS elective course list) + (18 credits dissertation).
Up to 24 graded credits from a prior M.S. degree may be applied toward the following PHD credit requirements under the following conditions:
- be graded course credits (e.g., not M.S. thesis or independent study credits);
- have a grade of B or higher (or equivalent); and
- Be approved by the student’s graduate committee.
The application of MS graded course credits cannot replace the requirements for EGEN 694 and ENGR 610, nor the requirement to complete a minimum of 13 additional graded course credits at Montana State University as part of the current PHD degree.
|
Requirement
|
Courses
|
Credits
|
|---|---|---|
|
Research methods
|
ENGR 610
|
3 |
|
PhD seminar
|
2
|
|
|
Advanced math
|
3
|
|
|
Numerical methods |
3
|
|
|
Data analytics sub-area
|
covered by Advanced Math requirement
|
-
|
|
Inclusive design sub-area
|
6
|
|
|
Management systems sub-area
|
6
|
|
|
Additional courses
|
*Elective Courses (see MS elective table)
|
19
|
|
Dissertation
|
EIND 690
|
18
|
|
TOTAL
|
|
60
|
NOTE: EIND 490, EIND 492, EIND 499, EIND 575, EIND 590, and EIND 598 cannot be used towards the PhD course requirements. EIND 592 may be substituted only for one EIND 4XX level course. Double counting is not allowed; that is, each course can be applied only to fulfill one requirement. The final graduate plan of study must comply with Graduate School Policy, including the requirement that the number of 5xx-level/6xxx-level course credits must be equal to two-thirds (2/3) of the total graded coursework, including Research credits (590) or Professional Paper/Project credits (575).
In addition, PHD degree candidates must also satisfy all Graduate School degree and examination requirement.
Funding Opportunities
Teaching and research assistantships are available on a competitive basis. Teaching assistantships (GTAs) involve assisting professors with the conduct of their classes, including preparation and grading. Research assistantships (GRAs) provide the opportunity to work on a research grant or industry sponsored project under the direction of a faculty member. All applicants will be considered for potential financial assistance and notified in their acceptance letter.
NOTE: If you are not a Montana resident, you may be eligible for 150% of in-state tuition under the WRGP-WICHE program.
Life in Bozeman
Known for its high quality of life and regularly featured on national "Best Places" lists, Bozeman combines a vibrant downtown, walkable and bikeable neighborhoods, and easy access to nearby mountains and rivers. Learn more.
For questions, contact Kathy Campbell, kathryn.campbell3@montana.edu, 406-994-6755.