Degrees and Requirements

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For PhD Students

The ISE PhD degree program prepares students to be research leaders in academic and applied laboratory or industry settings. Our students work with internationally recognized faculty in areas of operations research, production systems, manufacturing, and human factors. The program combines rigorous coursework with supervised research experiences culminating in a significant, independent research project (the PhD dissertation). By the end of the degree program, students have become independent scholars, presenting and publishing their work in peer-reviewed conferences and journals.

Our faculty have expertise in the following areas, which serve to focus student coursework and research: 

Significant PhD milestones include completion of a qualifying ("B") exam, formation of an advisory committee, completion of an advanced research ("A") exam, completion and defense of a dissertation proposal, and final dissertation defense. Department degree requirements (which are in addition to the degree requirements specified by the UB Graduate School and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Graduate Student Policies) are as follows:

For Master of Science and Master of Engineering Students

The MS IE and ME degrees provide advanced study beyond the baccalaureate degree for those with initial degrees in IE as well as for those from other disciplines who wish to enter the field. Students admitted to the MS IE program who choose an all course option may select from a variety of broad courses in Industrial Engineering, while students who wish to pursue independent research do so in the areas of human factors, operations research, or production systems/manufacturing (see descriptions below). 

In addition to the degree requirements specified by the UB Graduate School and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, specific program and degree requirements for MS/ME students are as follows: