Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering
Each IMSE faculty member is dedicated to helping graduate students succeed through regular interaction with a major professor and the rest of the IMSE faculty. A family atmosphere facilitates development of lifelong friendships and professional networks.
IMSE faculty members publish, on average, three journal papers and two papers in refereed conference proceedings each year. Graduate students are challenged to publish their work and are offered assistance for travel to professional conferences to present it.
Contact K-State IMSE at imse@k-state.edu for answers to questions and information on how its programs can help attain career goals.
Degrees
Doctor of Philosophy
The doctorate program in industrial engineering is a research-oriented curriculum designed to prepare students for advanced industrial research and university positions in industrial and manufacturing systems engineering. Graduates find success in leading major industrial and academic institutions around the world.
Master of Science in Industrial Engineering
This program teaches students the mathematical, scientific and analytical skills to solve complex business problems in manufacturing, health care, transportation, financial organizations, communications, government, military and many other organizations.
Master of Science in Operations Research
The operations research program teaches students to model problems mathematically and develop analytical solutions using methods derived from mathematical programming, statistics, probability theory, simulation, computer science and graph theory. The MSOR program is offered both on campus and via distance education.
Professional Master of Engineering Management
The MEM degree will equip practicing engineers with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively manage other engineers and technical resources to accomplish complex technical tasks. This online program is designed to be a part-time venture and typically requires two to four years to complete.
Research areas
Advanced manufacturing
IMSE researchers work to develop and improve advanced manufacturing processes and systems. Key manufacturing research topics focus on processing difficult-to-machine materials, additive manufacturing and energy manufacturing. Research strengths are in laser micromachining, ultrasonic machining, machining of semiconductor wafers and 3D printing of advanced materials. Key manufacturing systems research focuses on multivariate statistical process control.
Operations research
Research teams work to develop both theoretical foundations and modern applications of operations research. Key fundamental research is conducted in discrete optimization, mathematical programming, dynamic systems modeling and optimization. Key applications are health systems modeling, humanitarian logistics, pattern recognition and scheduling.
Systems engineering
IMSE researchers work to optimize a variety of complex systems generally defined as regularly interacting, interrelated or interdependent groups of items or elements that form a complex whole. K-State has concentrated systems engineering efforts in humanitarian logistics, health care operations, transportation engineering, quality production systems, and product and technology development.
Application process
Admission requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, mathematics or statistics with a strong background in applied math
- GPA of 3.0 or above on last 60 hours of courses
- Official GRE scores, unless applicant will have graduated from an ABET-accredited program
- International students must meet university English proficiency requirements.
- All application materials can be submitted online.
International student requirements
| Test | Minimum score |
| TOEFL iBT (internet-based test) | 79 |
| TOEFL (PBT) | 550 |
| IELTS academic test | 6.5 |
| Pearson Test of English (PTE) | 58 |
International applicant deadlines
- Jan. 8 for fall (August) enrollment
- Aug. 1 for spring (January) enrollment
- Dec. 1 for summer (June) enrollment
Financial assistance
The Carl R. Ice College of Engineering offers competitive graduate research assistantships (GRAs) and graduate teaching assistantships (GTAs), providing stipend and tuition support. Competitive research grants and contracts support GRAs, and the college supports GTAs.
Several graduate student scholarships are available through the college. Graduate students are also eligible for philanthropic and nationally funded graduate fellowships.
English language program (ELP)
Kansas State University offers English language graduate support courses. ELP academic advisers help students admitted to study in a degree program make the transition from the ELP into their academic departments.