University of Southern California

Viterbi School of Engineering

Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering

Undergraduate Degree Requirements

Undergraduate Education Program Mission

The mission of the Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering undergraduate programs is to:

  • Provide students: the skills and knowledge to obtain employment and achieve leadership with the industrial and systems engineering profession or to proceed with graduate education; the intellectual resources to continue life-long learning; and the knowledge of professional ethics and critical reasoning skills necessary for contributing to society.
  • Provide employers of industrial and systems engineering professionals with candidates who are technically competent, business aware, collaborative, able to communicate effectively, and ethically grounded.
  • Maintain and enhance the reputation of the Epstein department within the engineering, business and academic communities.

Undergraduate Education Program Objectives

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering programs are prepared to achieve any of the following accomplishments:

  • Obtain employment in an organization that values people who demonstrate both technical competence and business awareness.
  • Pursue graduate or professional education.
  • Assume a leadership role in their employment organization or community.
  • Utilize critical reasoning, collaboration and creativity to contribute to society.

Undergraduate Education Program Outcomes

Industrial and systems engineering provides an education that blends information technology, engineering and management, with a strong emphasis on people skills, problem-solving skills and communication skills. Our program prepares students for successful careers by teaching students to:

  • Describe the essential components and inter-connective relationships within complex systems.
  • Design and execute experiments and create mathematical, numerical, heuristic and other objective models.
  • Synthesize inventive and innovative solutions for creation and improvement of products, processes and systems.
  • Generate and validate solutions to a problem.
  • Work with others in a collaborative environment and contribute to the success of an organization.
  • Clearly articulate and communicate findings.
  • Understand contemporary developments in the field.
  • Describe the principles for managing and operating production systems within their area of emphasis.

For additional information, visit usc.edu/dept/ise.

The Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering. Additionally, information systems engineering exists as an emphasis within this industrial and systems engineering program major. An area of emphasis appears in parentheses after the primary major name on the transcript.

Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering

The requirement for the degree is 128 units. A cumulative grade point average of C (2.0) is required for all upper division courses applied towards the major, regardless of the department in which the courses are taken. See the common requirements for undergraduate degrees.

Composition/Writing Requirement UNITS
WRIT 140* Writing and Critical Reasoning 4
WRIT 340 Advanced Writing 3
General Education units
General education* + 20
Pre-Major Requirements UNITS
Math Requirement
MATH 125 Calculus I 4
MATH 126 Calculus II 4
MATH 225 Linear Algebra and Linear Differential Equations 4
MATH 226 Calculus III 4
Physics Requirement
PHYS 151L** Fundamentals of Physics I: Mechanics and Thermodynamics 4
PHYS 152L Fundamentals of Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism 4
Chemistry Elective
CHEM 105aL General Chemistry, or
CHEM 115aL Advanced General Chemistry, or
MASC 110L Materials Science 4
Economics Requirement
ECON 203 Principles of Microeconomics 4
major requirements UNITS
Business
ACCT 410x Accounting for Non-Business Majors 4
Engineering
ENGR 102 Engineering Freshman Academy 2
Electrical Engineering
AME 341a Mechnoptonics Laboratory I, or 3
EE 326L*** Essentials of Electrical Engineering 4
Computer Science
CSCI 101L Fundamentals of Computer Programming 3
ISE 382 Database Systems: Concepts, Design and Implementation 3
Industrial and Systems Engineering
ISE 105 Introduction to Industrial and Systems Engineering 2
ISE 220 Probability Concepts in Engineering 3
ISE 225 Engineering Statistics I 3
ISE 232L Manufacturing Processes 3
ISE 310L Production I: Facilities and Logistics 4
ISE 330 Introduction to Operations Research I 3
ISE 331 Introduction to Operations Research II 3
ISE 370L Human Factors in Work Design 4
ISE 410 Production II: Planning and Scheduling 3
ISE 426 Statistical Quality Control 3
ISE 435 Discrete Systems Simulation 3
ISE 440 Work, Technology, and Organization 3
ISE 460 Engineering Economy 3
ISE 495abx Senior Design Project 2-2
Major Electives units
Approved engineering electives*** 3
Free electives 7
Total units: 128

*GE Category VI is taken concurrently with WRIT 140.

**GE Category III is fulfilled by PHYS/CHEM requirement.

***Students selecting EE 326 are only required to complete 2 units of approved engineering elective.

+The university allows engineering majors to replace the GE Category IV with a second course in Categories I, II or VI.

Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering
Emphasis in Information Systems Engineering

The requirement for the degree with an emphasis in information systems engineering is 128 units. A cumulative grade point average of C (2.0) is required for all upper division courses applied towards the major, regardless of the department in which the courses are taken. Students must choose either the computer science track or the information and operations management track. See the common requirements for undergraduate degrees.

During the freshman year, students in either track enroll in a common set of required courses. By the sophomore year, students enroll in required and elective courses for one track or the other.

Composition/Writing Requirement UNITS
WRIT 140 Writing and Critical Reasoning 4
WRIT 340 Advanced Writing 3
General Education units
General education* + 20
Pre-Major Requirements UNITS
Math Requirement
MATH 125 Calculus I 4
MATH 126 Calculus II 4
MATH 226 Calculus III 4
MATH 225 Linear Algebra and Linear Differential Equations 4
Physics Requirement
PHYS 151 Fundamentals of Physics I: Mechanics and Thermodynamics 4
PHYS 152 Fundamentals of Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism 4
Chemistry Elective
CHEM 105aL General Chemistry, or
CHEM 115aL Advanced General Chemistry, or
MASC 110L Materials Science 4
Engineering
ENGR 102 Engineering Freshman Academy 2
Computer Science Track UNITS
Computer Science
CSCI 101L Fundamentals of Computer Programming 3
CSCI 102L Data Structures 3
CSCI 200L Object-Oriented Programming 3
CSCI 201L Principles of Software Development 3
Industrial and Systems Engineering
ISE 105 Introduction to Industrial and Systems Engineering 2
ISE 220 Probability Concepts in Engineering 3
ISE 225 Engineering Statistics I 3
ISE 310L Production I: Facilities and Logistics 4
ISE 330 Introduction to Operations Research: Deterministic Models 3
ISE 382 Database Systems: Concepts, Design and Implementation 3
ISE 410 Production II: Planning and Scheduling 3
ISE 435 Discrete Systems Simulation 3
ISE 440 Work, Technology, and Organization 3
ISE 460 Engineering Economy 3
ISE 470 Human/Computer Interface Design 3
ISE 495abx Senior Design Project 2-2
Electives**
Computer science elective 3
Information technology program/information and operations management electives 6
Approved engineering elective 3
Free electives 9
Information and Operations Management Track UNITS
Business
IOM 431 Managing the Digital Revolution for Your Business 4
IOM 433 Business Information Systems Analysis and Design 4
IOM 435 Business Database Systems 4
Computer Science
CSCI 101L Fundamentals of Computer Programming 3
ITP 482 Engineering Database Applications 3
Industrial and Systems Engineering
ISE 105 Introduction to Industrial and Systems Engineering 2
ISE 220 Probability Concepts in Engineering 3
ISE 225 Engineering Statistics I 3
ISE 310L Production I: Facilities and Logistics 4
ISE 330 Introduction to Operations Research: Deterministic Models 3
ISE 410 Production II: Planning and Scheduling 3
ISE 435 Discrete Systems Simulation 3
ISE 440 Work, Technology, and Organization 3
ISE 460 Engineering Economy 3
ISE 470 Human/Computer Interface Design 3
ISE 495abx Senior Design Project 2-2
Electives**
Information technology program/information and operations management electives 6
Approved engineering elective 3
Free electives 10
Total units: 128

*GE Category III is fulfilled by PHYS/CHEM requirement.

**Electives in the CSCI/ITP/IOM or approved engineering electives lists are geared so that students can take courses in an area of interest. Courses not listed may be petitioned for approval through the department.

+The university allows engineering majors to replace the GE Category IV with a second course in Categories I, II or VI.

Computer Science Electives: CSCI 351, CSCI 377, CSCI 485, EE 450

ITP/IOM Electives: ITP 215Lx, ITP 320Lx, ITP 321x, ITP 325x, ITP 454x, ITP 457x, ITP 486, ITP 487, IOM 428

Approved Engineering Electives: Any of the courses listed below that are not specifically required in a student’s program may be selected to satisfy the approved engineering elective requirement. Substitutions of a graduate level ISE course will be considered upon petition.

AME 341a, AME 341B, CE 408, CE 460, CE 471, ISE 331, ISE 426, ISE 470, ITP 482L.

Minor in Engineering Management

This minor is designed to provide students who have a sound foundation in mathematics and the sciences with tools and skills for managerial analysis and problem solving.

Science and technology are driving significant portions of American and global economies. Individuals, companies and governments are demanding products, services and systems, which grow more complicated every day. Suppliers are forced by competition to provide goods and services efficiently and economically.

Scientists and engineers are trained in scientific and technical subjects which form an excellent base for building complex, technical products, services and systems. But more and more, scientists and engineers are managing the financial, material and human resources required to turn abstract ideas into physical and virtual reality, often without any formal management training. This minor provides that training, a complement to any science or technology degree.

Application Procedures

Applicants must be upper division students in good standing and complete the Change/Addition of Major, Minor or Degree Objective form. The minor is not open to industrial and systems engineering majors.

Prerequisites Units
ISE 220 Probability Concepts in Engineering (or equivalent) 3
ISE 225 Engineering Statistics I (or equivalent) 3
MATH 125 Calculus I 4
MATH 126 Calculus II 4
MATH 225 Linear Algebra and Linear Differential Equations (or equivalent) 4
MATH 226 Calculus III 4
Required Courses Units
BUAD 301 Technical Entrepreneurship 3
ISE 330 Introduction to Operations Research: Deterministic Models 3
ISE 370L Human Factors in Work Design 4
ISE 440 Work, Technology, and Organization 3
ISE 460 Engineering Economy 3

Minor in Engineering Technology Commercialization

See listing in the Special Educational Opportunities section.