Contact: Phil Hearn
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State's industrial engineering department is being renamed the department of industrial and systems engineering to better reflect modern program trends within the profession.
Department head Royce Bowden said industrial engineers design, improve and install systems of people, materials, information, equipment and energy. He said the name change reflects an expanded focus on systems engineering that already is a part of the MSU program's modern curriculum.
"The industrial engineering profession has evolved to include systems science and engineering methodologies," the professor added.
While the state College Board approved the change earlier this year, Bowden emphasized the department's curriculum will not be altered and majors will not have to worry about rescheduling courses.
"I believe the new name more accurately reflects current trends in the industrial engineering profession and will assist us in attracting additional students to this important engineering discipline," said Kirk Schulz, dean of MSU's Bagley College of Engineering.
Graduates of the industrial and systems engineering program, and similar programs, routinely are hired by a variety of organizations beyond traditional industrial enterprises, including amusement parks, health care facilities, airlines, banks, insurance companies and governments, Bowden noted.
For more information, contact Julie Lemons at (662) 325-8098 or jlemons@engr.msstate.edu.