This is a named option within the Industrial Engineering M.S.

The Master of Science in Industrial Engineering research program is designed for students wishing to conduct research during their program.

Fall Deadline December 15
Spring Deadline This program does not admit in the spring.
Summer Deadline December 15
GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) Required.*
English Proficiency Test Every applicant whose native language is not English or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English must provide an English proficiency test score and meet the Graduate School minimum requirements (https://grad.wisc.edu/apply/requirements/#english-proficiency).
Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) n/a
Letters of Recommendation Required 3

NOTE: These admissions requirements are only relevant for the M.S. research program. You can find the admissions requirements for the Human Factors and Health Systems and the Systems Engineering and Analytics programs on their respective pages. 

The UW–Madison graduate program in industrial and systems engineering offers students extraordinary opportunities to pursue a course of study that is customized to the student's interests and ambitions, under the auspices of the foremost experts in their field, in one of the top-ranked industrial and systems engineering departments. 

The flexible graduate curricula enables students to tailor their degree program to suit their particular needs and career objectives. Concentration areas in industrial and systems engineering includes: Decision Sciences and Operations Research, Health Systems Engineering, Human Factors and Ergonomics, Manufacturing, and Product Systems and Quality Engineering. Students also have opportunities to take graduate courses in any other departments at UW–Madison, which has a comprehensive set of top-ranked graduate and professional programs.

APPLICATION DEADLINES:

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Application deadlines are strictly enforced and ALL application materials including transcripts, GRE and TOEFL scores MUST be included and submitted by the application deadline.

*Please note our office does not provide feedback to applications as to their potential for admission—please review both the I SY E department and Graduate School requirements for admission, and if you feel you
meet the necessary criteria for applying, please do so.

  1. Applicants must first meet all of the requirements of the Graduate School. 
  2. Applicants must also meet department specific requirements as outlined below:

Note: Depending on applicant background, applicants may be deficient in up to two prerequisite courses.

APPLICATION STEPS

  1. Fill out an online application through the Graduate School website and pay the application fee.
  2. List three recommenders and their contact information as part of the online application. An email will be sent to the recommender, asking that they submit their letter online using the Graduate School's recommendation form. Applicants can log back into their online application to re-send the email request if the recommender loses the email. Letters of recommendation must be submitted electronically.
  3.  Submit a Statement of Purpose with your online application.
  4. TOEFL Exam Information: Ask ETS to submit your GRE and/or TOEFL scores to the UW–Madison Graduate School (Institution Number 1846). If you have your scores sent to UW–Madison, they will be available online to all the departments to which you have applied. The institution code, therefore, is the only number needed. For more information please visit the Graduate School Requirements page. Please note: Exam information must be valid at the start date of the semester that you are applying for (nonexpired).
  5. GRE Exam Information: The IE graduate program does require the GRE exam be taken by prospective students as part of the application but note there are no specific scoring guidelines for the exam as the GRE is only one part of the consideration for admission into the program. Exam information must be valid at the start date of the semester that you are applying for (nonexpired). Please note: Applicants should plan to take their exam by Dec. 1st to allow scores to be sent and processed. 
  6. Electronically submit one copy of your official transcript with your application. Unofficial copies of transcripts will be accepted for review but official copies are required for admitted students.
NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT SEND MATERIALS/DOCUMENTS TO THE I SY E DEPARTMENT OR GRADUATE SCHOOL UNTIL YOU ARE RECOMMENDED FOR ADMISSIONS. ALL DOCUMENTS SHOULD BE UPLOADED WITH YOUR APPLICATION.

Check out the Admissions FAQ or contact us at iegradadmission@engr.wisc.edu.

Graduate School Resources

Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

Program Resources

Financial Assistance

If you choose to attend UW–Madison and plan to pursue funding on your own, the following sites could be very helpful:

To Apply For Ta or grader position

Application Process:

Teaching assistant and grader positions are appointed each semester. New TAs must submit an application each semester in order to be considered. If you currently are a TA in Industrial and Systems Engineering, you do not need to complete an application each semester.

The number of positions is limited, and the application process is highly competitive. Priority is given to those with current positions who are in good standing and would like to continue teaching. Only after these positions are filled do we look at other applicants. The number of new positions available each semester is generally low, especially in the spring. While this should not deter you from applying, please keep it in mind when planning for the semester.

The department will consider graduate students from other departments only when there are no qualified applicants from the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering.

Expected timing for appointments:

Appointments for teaching assistants are generally made in August for the fall semester and in early December for the spring semester. Grader appointments are appointed along a similar timeline, but often a few weeks later.

Once hired:

Students hired into a TA position are required to attend the New Educator Orientation (NAO) training in late August. For more details, please see this website.

Speaking requirements for international students:

All international students applying for teaching assistant positions must meet the UW–Madison Graduate School’s requirement for spoken English BEFORE they can be considered as a TA. This requirement can be fulfilled in two ways:

  1. Pass the SPEAK—you can register for the SPEAK test through Aaron Webster in Room 3107 ME, aaron.webster@wisc.edu.
  2. Receive a 26 or higher on the speaking portion of the TOEFL test (or equivalent). Provide a copy of your score to Aaron Webster in Room 3107 ME, aaron.webster@wisc.edu
On This Page

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.

Named OPtion Requirements

MODE OF INSTRUCTION

Face to Face Evening/Weekend Online Hybrid Accelerated
Yes No No No No

Mode of Instruction Definitions

CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Credit Requirement 30 credits
Minimum Residence Credit Requirement 16 credits
Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement Half of degree coursework (15 credits out of 30 total credits) must be completed graduate-level coursework; courses with the Graduate Level Coursework attribute are identified and searchable in the university's Course Guide (https://registrar.wisc.edu/course-guide/).
Overall Graduate GPA Requirement 3.00 GPA required.
Other Grade Requirements Grades of C and D received by a candidate in any graduate course will not be counted as credit toward the degree. These grades will be counted in the graduate GPA.
Assessments and Examinations None.
Language Requirements No language requirements.

Required Courses

Students may choose to specialize in one of the below research areas. The program recommends working with your faculty advisors to answer any questions and to form a plan of study (Course Planning Grid MS Research).

Decision Science/Operations Research Area1

Highly Recommended Courses:

I SY E 516 Introduction to Decision Analysis3
I SY E/​COMP SCI/​E C E  524 Introduction to Optimization3
I SY E/​COMP SCI/​MATH/​STAT  525 Linear Optimization3
I SY E 620 Simulation Modeling and Analysis3
I SY E 624 Stochastic Modeling Techniques3

 Other Suggested Courses:

I SY E 412 Fundamentals of Industrial Data Analytics3
I SY E/​COMP SCI/​MATH  425 Introduction to Combinatorial Optimization3
I SY E/​M E  512 Inspection, Quality Control and Reliability3
I SY E 517 Decision Making in Health Care3
I SY E 575 Introduction to Quality Engineering3
I SY E 603 Special Topics in Engineering Analytics and Operations Research1-3
I SY E 612 Information Sensing and Analysis for Manufacturing Processes3
I SY E 604 Special Topics in Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management1-3
I SY E/​MATH/​OTM/​STAT  632 Introduction to Stochastic Processes3
I SY E 645 Engineering Models for Supply Chains3

Health Systems Engineering Research Area1

Highly Recommended Courses: 

I SY E 417 Health Systems Engineering3
I SY E 517 Decision Making in Health Care3
I SY E/​MED PHYS  559 Patient Safety and Error Reduction in Healthcare2
I SY E 606 Special Topics in Healthcare Systems Engineering1-3
I SY E/​POP HLTH  703 Quality of Health Care: Evaluation and Assurance1-3

Other Suggested Courses:  

I SY E 412 Fundamentals of Industrial Data Analytics3
I SY E/​M E  513 Analysis of Capital Investments3
I SY E 515 Engineering Management of Continuous Process Improvement3
I SY E 516 Introduction to Decision Analysis3
I SY E 575 Introduction to Quality Engineering3
I SY E/​PHARMACY  608 Safety and Quality in the Medication Use System3
I SY E 601 Special Topics in Industrial Engineering1-3
I SY E 602 Special Topics in Human Factors 23
I SY E 603 Special Topics in Engineering Analytics and Operations Research1-3
I SY E 615 Production Systems Control3
I SY E/​B M I  617 Health Information Systems3
I SY E 620 Simulation Modeling and Analysis3
I SY E 624 Stochastic Modeling Techniques3
I SY E/​M E  643 Performance Analysis of Manufacturing Systems3
I SY E/​PSYCH  652 Sociotechnical Systems3
I SY E/​PSYCH  653 Organization and Job Design3
I SY E/​M H R  729 Behavioral Analysis of Management Decision Making3
I SY E 555 Human Performance and Accident Causation3
I SY E/​POP HLTH  875 Cost Effectiveness Analysis in Health and Healthcare3
B M I/​COMP SCI  576 Introduction to Bioinformatics3
B M I 773 Clinical Research Informatics3
B M I/​COMP SCI  776 Advanced Bioinformatics3
OTM 753 Healthcare Operations Management3
ED PSYCH 711 Current Topics in Educational Psychology1-3
NURSING 761 Health Program Planning, Evaluation, and Quality Improvement3
POP HLTH/​SOC  797 Introduction to Epidemiology3
POP HLTH 876 Measuring Health Outcomes3
PSYCH 610 Design and Analysis of Psychological Experiments I4
PSYCH 710 Design and Analysis of Psychological Experiments II4
STAT/​F&W ECOL/​HORT  571 Statistical Methods for Bioscience I4
STAT/​B M I  641 Statistical Methods for Clinical Trials3

Human Factors and Ergonomics Research Area1

I SY E/​COMP SCI/​DS  518 Wearable Technology3
I SY E/​PSYCH  549 Human Factors Engineering3
I SY E 552 Human Factors Engineering Design and Evaluation3
I SY E 555 Human Performance and Accident Causation3
I SY E/​MED PHYS  559 Patient Safety and Error Reduction in Healthcare2
I SY E/​B M E  564 Occupational Ergonomics and Biomechanics3
I SY E 601 Special Topics in Industrial Engineering 21-3
I SY E 602 Special Topics in Human Factors3
I SY E/​PSYCH  652 Sociotechnical Systems3
I SY E/​PSYCH  653 Organization and Job Design3
I SY E/​B M E  662 Design and Human Disability and Aging3
I SY E 699 Advanced Independent Study1-5
I SY E/​PSYCH  854 Special Topics in Organization Design1-3
I SY E/​PSYCH  859 Special Topics in Human Factors Engineering1-3
I SY E 961 Graduate Seminar in Industrial Engineering1-3
CIV ENGR 679 Special Topics in Transportation and City Planning3

Various courses count as "Tools and Methods." The HFE faculty group updates the list of "Tools and Methods" courses and advisors decide which set of courses are appropriate for each student. The following are categories of "Tools and Methods": Research Methods, Statistics, Qualitative Research, Biomechanics Methods, and Psychology. Students can work with their faculty advisor for non-I SY E course work.

Manufacturing and Production Systems Research Area1

I SY E 412 Fundamentals of Industrial Data Analytics3
I SY E 415 Introduction to Manufacturing Systems, Design and Analysis3
I SY E/​M E  510 Facilities Planning3
I SY E/​M E  512 Inspection, Quality Control and Reliability3
I SY E/​M E  513 Analysis of Capital Investments3
I SY E 515 Engineering Management of Continuous Process Improvement3
I SY E 575 Introduction to Quality Engineering3
I SY E 601 Special Topics in Industrial Engineering 21-3
I SY E 603 Special Topics in Engineering Analytics and Operations Research1-3
I SY E 604 Special Topics in Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management1-3
I SY E 605 Computer Integrated Manufacturing3
I SY E 612 Information Sensing and Analysis for Manufacturing Processes3
I SY E 615 Production Systems Control3
I SY E/​M E  641 Design and Analysis of Manufacturing Systems3
I SY E/​M E  643 Performance Analysis of Manufacturing Systems3
I SY E 645 Engineering Models for Supply Chains3
STAT/​M E  424 Statistical Experimental Design3

Quality Engineering Research Area1

I SY E 412 Fundamentals of Industrial Data Analytics3
I SY E 417 Health Systems Engineering3
I SY E/​M E  512 Inspection, Quality Control and Reliability3
I SY E/​M E  513 Analysis of Capital Investments3
I SY E 515 Engineering Management of Continuous Process Improvement3
I SY E 520 Quality Assurance Systems3
I SY E 575 Introduction to Quality Engineering3
I SY E 601 Special Topics in Industrial Engineering 21-3
I SY E 612 Information Sensing and Analysis for Manufacturing Processes3
I SY E 620 Simulation Modeling and Analysis3
I SY E/​M E  641 Design and Analysis of Manufacturing Systems3
I SY E/​PSYCH  652 Sociotechnical Systems3
I SY E/​PSYCH  653 Organization and Job Design3
I SY E/​PSYCH  854 Special Topics in Organization Design1-3
M H R 700 Organizational Behavior3
OTM 758 Managing Technological and Organizational Change3
OTM 770 Sustainable Approaches to System Improvement4
STAT 333 Applied Regression Analysis3
STAT 349 Introduction to Time Series3
STAT 411 An Introduction to Sample Survey Theory and Methods3
STAT 421 Applied Categorical Data Analysis3
STAT 701 Applied Time Series Analysis, Forecasting and Control I3
STAT/​MATH  803 Experimental Design I3
STAT 849 Theory and Application of Regression and Analysis of Variance I3

Graduate School Policies

The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.

Named Option-Specific Policies

Prior Coursework

Graduate Work from Other Institutions

Not allowed for graduate residence credit requirement but allowed for graduate degree credit requirement and graduate coursework (50%) requirement. Coursework earned five or more years prior to admission to a master’s degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.

UW–Madison Undergraduate

Not allowed for graduate residence credit requirement for master's thesis option or the Ph.D. track but allowed up to 6 credits numbered 300 level or above toward the graduate degree credit requirement for master's course option tracks but not toward the 50% graduate coursework except for 700 level or above courses. Coursework earned five or more years prior to admission to a master’s degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.

UW–Madison University Special

Allowed up to 15 credits numbered 300 or above toward graduate residence credit requirement and graduate degree credit requirement. If the courses were numbered 700 or above they may count toward the minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement. Coursework earned five or more years prior to admission to a master’s degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.

Probation

The Graduate School regularly reviews the record of any student who earned grades of BC, C, D, F, or Incomplete in a graduate course (300 or above), or grade of U in research credits. This review could result in academic probation with a hold on future enrollment or in being suspended from the Graduate School.

ADVISOR / COMMITTEE

Per Graduate School policy, every graduate student MUST have a faculty advisor. A faculty advisor provides the graduate student with academic guidance regarding their course selection and research oversight in their thesis or project. Graduate students should always seek advice from their advisor and other faculty in their interest area prior to enrolling for courses.

CREDITS PER TERM ALLOWED

Enrollment of 12 credits or less recommended.  (Full time status considered 8-12 credits).

Time Constraints

Master’s degree students who have been absent for five or more consecutive years lose all credits that they have earned before their absence. Individual programs may count the coursework students completed prior to their absence for meeting program requirements; that coursework may not count toward Graduate School credit requirements.

Grievances and Appeals

These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:

Grievance Procedures: Industrial and Systems Engineering

If a graduate student feels unfairly treated or aggrieved by faculty, staff, or another student, the University offers several avenues to resolve the grievance. Student’s concerns about unfair treatment are best handled directly with the person responsible for the objectionable action. If the student is uncomfortable making direct contact with the individual(s) involved, they should contact the advisor or the person in charge of the unit where the action occurred (program or department chair, section chair, lab manager, etc). Many departments and schools/colleges have established specific procedures for handling such situations; check their web pages and published handbooks for information. If such procedures exist at the local level, these should be investigated first. For more information, see the College of Engineering Policies and Procedures. The Assistant Dean for Graduate Affairs provides overall leadership for graduate education in the College of Engineering (CoE), and is a point of contact for graduate students who have concerns about education, mentoring, research, or other difficulties.

Procedures for handling graduate student grievances against ISyE faculty, staff, or students:

  1. The student is encouraged to speak first with the person toward whom the grievance is directed to see if a situation can be resolved at this level.

  2. Should a satisfactory resolution not be achieved, the student should contact the Associate Chair for Graduate Affairs, to discuss the grievance. The Associate Chair will facilitate problem resolution through informal channels and facilitate any complaints or issues of students. The first attempt is to help students informally address the grievance prior to any formal complaint. Students are also encouraged to talk with their faculty advisors regarding concerns or difficulties, if necessary. University resources for sexual harassment, discrimination, disability accommodations, and other related concerns can be found on the UW Office of Compliance website.

  3. If the issue is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, the student can submit the grievance to the Department Chair. The grievance should be submit in writing, within 60 calendar days of the alleged unfair treatment.

  4. On receipt of a written complaint, the Department Chair will form a faculty committee that will review the complaint and gather further information as necessary from the filer of the complaint and other parties involved (including the party toward whom the complaint is directed).

  5. The faculty committee will determine a decision regarding the grievance. The Department Chair will report on the action taken by the committee in writing to both the student and the party toward whom the complaint was directed within 15 working days from the date the complaint was received. 

  6. At this point, if either party (the student or the person toward whom the grievance is directed) is unsatisfied with the decision of the faculty committee, the party may file a written appeal to the College of Engineering Assistant Dean for Graduate Affairs. Either party has 10 working days to file a written appeal to the School/College.

  7. Documentation of the grievance will be stored for at least 7 years. Significant grievances that set a precedent will be stored indefinitely.

The Graduate School has procedures for students wishing to appeal a grievance decision made at the school/college level. These policies are described in the Graduate School Academic Policies and Procedures - Grievances & Appeals.

Other

n/a

Graduate School Resources

Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career. 

Program Resources

THE INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

An Individual Development Plan helps with self-assessment, planning, and communication:

  • An IDP can help you communicate your professional development and career planning needs and intentions to others including your mentor, which can lead to helpful advice and resources.
  • You can use the IDP to make sure you and your mentor’s expectations are clearly outlined and in agreement so that there are no big surprises, particularly at the end of your training.
  • The current job market is challenging and research has shown that individuals who perform structured career planning achieve greater career success and satisfaction.

The onus to engage in the IDP process is on you – although your mentor, PI, or others may encourage and support you in doing so. The IDP itself remains private to you, and you choose which parts to share with which mentors. Through the IDP process, you may decide to identify various mentors to whom you can go for expertise and advice. 

ENGINEERING CAREER SERVICES  

Julie Rae, Assistant Director for Graduate Student Career Services

GRADUATE students in all Engineering programs

Employer Recruitment List for Industrial Engineering Students:  https://ecs.wiscweb.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/86/2017/03/IE-Employer-Recruitment-List-17-18.pdf

UW WRITING CENTER

Location: 6171 Helen C. White Hall

Tel: (608) 263-1992

The UW Writing Center provides free of charge face-to-face and online consultations that focus on a number of different writing scenarios (i.e. drafts of course papers, resumes, reports, application essays, cover letters, theses, etc). Writing Center instructors will not edit or proofread papers. Instead, their goal is to teach students to edit and proofread on their own in order to become a better, more confident writer.

Professors

Jeffrey Linderoth (Chair)
Oguzhan Alagoz
Laura Albert
Vicki M. Bier
Pascale Carayon
John D. Lee
Jingshan Li
James Luedtke
Robert Radwin
Leyuan Shi
Raj Veeramani
Shiyu Zhou

Associate Professors

Alberto Del Pia
Kaibo Liu
Douglas A. Wiegmann

Assistant Professors

Justin J. Boutilier
Carla Michini
Yonatan Mintz
Xin Wang
Nicole Werner
Gabriel Zayas-Caban

Faculty Associates

Terry Mann
Hannah Silber
Amanda G. Smith
Tina Xu

Undergraduate Advisors

Stacy Harnett
Francisca Jofre
Maria Zarzalejo Camejo

See also Industrial and Systems Engineering Faculty Directory.