Master your degree in Industrial Engineering with 3 specialized tracks

By admin | December 12, 2022 | Comments 0 Comment

The University of Louisville’s J.B. Speed School of Engineering offers a master’s degree program in Industrial Engineering with the option to choose from 3 focus areas: Data Analytics & Operations Research, Logistics & Supply Chain, and Human Factors. The MS in Industrial Engineering is a 30-credit hour (10 courses) program that requires 2 core courses (6 credit hours) and 8 courses in an area of focus or across multiple areas for degree completion. The program is taught 100% online by the same professors who teach on campus, affording our students the flexibility to earn their degree, on their schedule, by professors who are experts in the field of industrial engineering. The program is arranged in a unique 8-week course format, allowing the student the flexibility they need to earn their master’s degree while continuing to work and take care of their family.

Many students are able to complete the program and earn their master’s degree in as little as 1.5-2 years. Students entering the program have the option to choose from 3 specialized areas or to customize their coursework by selecting courses from across all the available options. The information below will break down the 3 focus areas and highlight the courses students can take:

Data Analytics & Operations Research Track

IE 515 Operations Research Methods

Formulation and solution of basic models in operations research. Topics to be covered include applications of linear, integer, and nonlinear programming; transportation and assignment problems, and network flows models.

IE 541 Simulation

The use of discrete event simulation to analyze systems. Topics include Monte Carlo techniques, sampling from and identifying stochastic distributions, estimating performance measures from simulation outputs, validation methods, and SIMIO simulation language.

IE 561 Decision Support System in Excel

This course teaches the fundamentals of computer programming using Excel’s macro language, Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), as the language of instruction. The course starts by teaching students to simplify and extend code generated by Excels macro recorder and then builds on that base toward developing applications that analyze information and enhance decision making. This course also provides an introduction to the concepts and methods of Decision Science, which involves the application of mathematical modeling and analysis to management problems. It also provides a foundation for modeling with VBA in Excel.

Logistics & Supply Chain Track

IE 515 Operations Research MethodsFormulation and solution of basic models in operations research. Topics to be covered include applications of linear, integer, and nonlinear programming; transportation and assignment problems, and network flows models.

IE 621 Facility Planning

Design and layout of industrial facilities, facility location, space requirements, flow charts, relationship diagrams, material handling, quantitative layout techniques, production line balancing, and computer programs for layout planning.

IE 625 Production and Inventory ControlTopics include the context of inventory management and production planning decisions, economic order quantities, heuristics and models for probabilistic and time-varying demand patterns, coordinated replenishment systems, and aggregate planning.

Human Factors Track

IE 580 Introduction to Human Factors Engineering and Ergonomics

The main goal of this course is to introduce students to the study of human cognitive and physical abilities and limitations, and the application of that knowledge to engineering design. This course will demonstrate how the application of human factors and ergonomics principles can improve the design of systems involving the interaction of humans with tools, technology, and the work environment.

IE 581 Advanced Topics in Human Factors Engineering

The main goal of this course is to learn and apply advanced methods in human factors engineering, as well as newer models, theories, and frameworks related to the field.

IE 585 Usability Engineering

This course exposes students to the constructs of usability, usefulness, user-centered design, and user experience (UX) and their relation to engineering design. The course covers an interactive evaluation-centered user experience (UX) lifecycle as a template intended to be instantiated in many different ways to match the constraints of a particular development project. The UX lifecycle, sketching, conceptual design, and formative UX evaluation.

For students who choose the general study path, the 8 courses may consist of 1-2 courses in each of the focus areas listed above in addition to other electives. Regardless of which area of study you choose, students will work with the MSIE Program Director to develop a Plan of Study (PoS) upon admission, which may be revised as the student progresses throughout the program.

If you are ready to take the next step in earning your master’s degree in Industrial Engineering, complete your application today. UofL offers 6 convenient start terms throughout the academic year. Click here to learn more.

Graduate Certificate in Six Sigma Now Offered at the University of Louisville 100% Online

By admin | August 25, 2022 | Comments 0 Comment

The University of Louisville in conjunction with the J.B. Speed School of Engineering is proud to announce the launch of the Six Sigma Certificate program. The Certificate is offered in a 4-course, 9-credit hour format and is available 100% online. The program is designed for professionals who are ready to advance their career as industry leaders through proven techniques and expertise in process improvement. Once graduates have completed the 4-course program, they will be ready to take their Six Sigma Black Belt examination (for an additional fee) through the Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers (IISE).

What is Six Sigma?

Six Sigma is a widely used methodology that helps organizations improve their business processes. The Certificate program allows graduates to gain the necessary skills and knowledge to help improve and perfect both internal and external business procedures through proven industry techniques. The knowledge students gain will inevitably help their companies grow and enhance their employers bottom-line.

What courses are offered?

The Certificate program courses are offered in an 8-week term format. Students are admitted on a rolling basis with six start dates available throughout the year. The courses offered for this program include:

EM 613 Operations Management
Concepts in: strategic planning, quality management, operations research, facility design, supply chain and logistics, forecasting, inventory control, resource planning, and scheduling. Emphasis is placed on appropriate analytical and computer-based techniques.

EM 661 Engineering Statistics II
The principles and techniques of advanced statistics, including multiple linear regression, multi-factor analysis of variance, experimental design, nonparametric statistics, and quality control.

EM 684 Applications for Process Improvement I
In this course, students will learn the process improvement methodologies of six sigma. Emphasis will be placed on the quantitative and qualitative tools covered in EM 613 (IE 240 equivalent) and EM 661 (IE 563 equivalent) and how to use these tools within framework of the DMAIIC process of six sigma. Students will compete the Define Phase of DMAIIC.

EM 685 Applications for Process Improvement II
In this course, students will apply the tools learned in EM 684 to complete a project. Students entering the class will have already completed the Define phase of DMAIIC and in this class, will complete Measure, Analyze, Improve, Implement, and Control. At the end of the class, students have the option of taking an exam (for an additional fee) to obtain their Six Sigma Black Belt Certification.

Why choose this Certificate?

Students who are accepted and decide to enroll in the Six Sigma Certificate program at the University of Louisville have the opportunity to maximize their earning potential and become leaders in their industry. According to the Six Sigma official site, professionals with a certification can earn over $107,000 annually and are among the highest-paid professionals globally (sixsigmaofficial.com).

Students enrolled in this program will have the opportunity to learn from faculty leaders with distinguished academic credentials who are experts in their field. Graduate students who are enrolled in the Master’s of Engineering in Engineering Management will also have the ability apply the 9-credit hours from the Certificate toward their 30-credit hours.

Are you ready to take the next steps in advancing your career and mastering the process of improvement? Start your application today, click here to learn more.

Fall ’20 Newsletter: Online Engineering Management Program

By admin | November 30, 2020

Six Sigma Certification Now Available!

Letter from Dr. Elizabeth Gentry, MEEM Program Director

As we near the end of 2020, I know a lot of us are looking forward to 2021! I hope you are doing well! In the engineering management program, we are excited about the six sigma black belt certification program. The first group of students will be taking EM 684 and EM 686, Process Improvement Applications I and II, this spring and then test for their six sigma black belt in partnership with the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE).

Best wishes,
Dr. Elizabeth Gentry
Director, Engineering Management Program

“I want to get my Six Sigma Black Belt beuse it is an applicable certification that is highly recognized in the field which I work. Iuse Six Sigma tools at work every single day and this certification will only expand my expertise.”

– Rae Mills
Current EM Student
Quality Improvement Consultant, St. Elizabeth Healthcare

Student Spotlight

Hope Ferdinando – 2020 Louisville Chapter ASQ Leadership Award

I am currently a Staff Advanced Quality Engineer with Stryker Corporation in their spine division which designs and manufactures various implants and surgical instrumentation for spinal surgeries. My primary function is to provide QA support on new product development projects and complaint investigations on existing products.

So far, I have taken 6 EM courses which all have helped me tremendously at work especially when investigating product quality issues. The EM program at UofL goes beyond explaining the body of knowledge. The EM courses teach you about various tools & techniques and how to apply them in real world applications. At the end of each course, I feel that I am equipped with new powerful tools to help me perform better at work and grow in my career. I have used these tools to investigate supplier quality issues with surgical instruments that could result in a product recall. This requires me to gather information and analyze the data immediately.

The most invaluable tool was Minitab which I learned how to use from the engineering statistics and quality management courses. My teammates and upper management were so impressed with the data analysis from Minitab. I received so many compliments on the data visualization. They were amazed to see complex data being displayed in an easy to understand format. I have also used tools from the decision & risk analysis class which has helped me to reduce the scope of the investigation by assessing the risks to the impacted product lots. In many cases I have been able to avoid recalls and only perform field corrections or limit the recalls to specific lot/serial numbers.

The biggest win for me is that I can share what I have learned from the EM program and mentor the junior quality engineers on my team. We are now better at approaching investigations now that we are equipped with tools to drill down deep to the root causes which then helps us to come up with corrective action to address these quality issues.

Ready to get started?

Spring Term 1 starts January 11
Spring Term 2 starts March 2

Career Coaching

The JB Speed School of Engineering at the University of Louisville offers a one stop shop for all students in terms of their professional plans. Our staff can provide career coaching in terms of resume and cover letter preparation, practice interviews (in person or over the phone), LinkedIn profile reviews, graduate school applications, and salary negotiation.

Students that are taking online courses are also eligible for these services. In addition, we can provide information on relocating, new graduate salary statistics for UofL engineering students (mostly local offers), and job search strategies.

If you have any interest in utilizing these services, please reach out to Mary Andrade.

Mary Andrade
Engineering Career Services
Associate Director mary.andrade@louisville.edu
502-852-3196

Know someone who’d excel at the online Engineering Management program?

We’re always looking for new engineers who we can help take their career to the next level. Refer a friend by emailing elizabeth.gentry@louisville.edu and receive a small prize.

Read about other faculty and students in previous editions of the MEEM newsletter.

Engineer the future: new programs in Materials & Energy Sciences and AI for Medicine

By admin | August 10, 2020

UofL is proud to announce the launch of two new online engineering programs. Both programs prepare engineers to advance the future of their industry – be that renewable energy or healthcare.

Read on for details on the newly launched Master of Science in Materials and Energy Science & Engineering and Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence in Medicine.

M.S. in Materials and Energy Sciences & Engineering

Meeting the rising energy demand is one of our greatest challenges, affecting quality of life, education and commerce across the globe.

Gain the knowledge and expertise to better address this challenge and influence the quality of life worldwide with UofL’s online Master of Science in Materials and Energy Science & Engineering.

Discover the power of advanced materials and renewables.

This multidisciplinary program delivers in-depth knowledge in areas such as materials chemistry and physics, processing, energy conversion and storage, and systems-level engineering.

“Materials and energy scientists and engineers receive the gratification that comes from working toward addressing the most important challenges of this century. Professionals in this area choose this field not only because of the growing job market and potential compensation, but to be of service to society by applying their engineering knowledge and skills to meet advanced materials challenges and energy challenges faced worldwide. The new M.S. in Materials and Energy Science & Engineering is a multidisciplinary program that prepares graduates for careers in a semiconductor manufacturing industry that targets improving our quality of life.”

Dr. Mahendra Sunkara, Program Director
Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research
M.S. in Materials and Energy Science & Engineering

You can complete the 30 required courses in as little as 1 year – or enroll part-time and move at a pace that better suits your life.

If you’re ready to discover, implement and advance new energy sources for society, learn more at the MESE program page.

Taught in part by researchers at the Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research.

Grad Certificate: AI in Medicine

The volume of biomedical and patient data is continuously increasing, the variety of diseases is broader than ever and standard methods of assessment are becoming insufficient.

Enhance your ability to effectively analyze medical problems and interpret complex data with UofL’s online Artificial Intelligence in Medicine Certificate.

Innovate through AI-powered solutions.

This highly-specialized expertise allows you to effectively analyze biomedical data, improve patient care and advance your career.

“Biomedical data are now available in an overwhelming volume, and the potential benefits gained by using advanced technologies to manage and analyze these data are exponential. The primary goal of UofL’s AI in Medicine certificate is to prepare medical professionals and engineers to effectively use these technologies, and to improve patient care as a result.”

Hermann Frieboes, Ph.D.
Program Director

The certificate is comprised of 5 graduate courses (15 credit hours), which students can complete in just 2 semesters.

If you’re interested in advancing medicine through advanced technologies, or know someone who might be, learn more at the certificate program page.

UofL Online Programs

The University of Louisville offers degrees and certificate programs 100% online, delivering quality online education to non-traditional students and professionals who need alternative learning delivery methods and want to earn a college degree or certificate to start or advance their career — from wherever and whenever it’s most convenient for them. Read more about our programs in our featured blog posts.

Category: Engineering Programs