IE Undergraduate Academics

Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering (BSIE)

Industrial engineers design and improve the systems that make organizations work - integrating people, materials, information, equipment, and energy to solve complex problems across every sector of the economy. The discipline draws on mathematics, physical and social sciences, and engineering analysis to optimize how systems perform.

The BSIE program is flexible and can accommodate a range of academic interests, including technical electives from other departments and programs across the University. Discuss your options with your faculty advisor or the undergraduate program director.

The Industrial Engineering program at the University of Pittsburgh is one of the five oldest in the nation and consistently ranks among the top 20 undergraduate programs. The curriculum is predominantly quantitative, emphasizing mathematical and computer modeling approaches to problem-solving, with a multidisciplinary focus that prepares graduates to work across industries - from manufacturing and healthcare to finance, energy, logistics, and consulting.

Students choose five technical electives, which may include courses from other engineering departments, the sciences, mathematics, economics, business, computer science, or information science, along with six humanities and social science electives. The program culminates in a capstone design course where small teams complete a term-long project in an industry or institutional setting.

Beyond the classroom, IE students have access to a strong cooperative education (co-op) program and study abroad opportunities that bring a global perspective to engineering practice.