Master's in Industrial Engineering Accelerated Requirements

Undergraduate students may count up to 12 (but no less than six) credit hours of 5000 level courses taken during their undergraduate studies at WMU toward a master’s degree in industrial engineering within 30 months of completing their bachelor’s degree in industrial and entrepreneurial engineering. Students may choose to pursue a master’s degree in industrial engineering under either the thesis option or the non-thesis option.

This program will allow an undergraduate student majoring in industrial and entrepreneurial engineering at WMU to complete an accelerated master’s in industrial engineering by completing 146 to 152 combined graduate and undergraduate credit hours. The total credit hours will depend on the number of 5000 level courses taken during their undergraduate studies. 

Criteria for Admission to the Accelerated Master’s Degree Program

Permission to pursue the accelerated master’s degree program does not guarantee admission to the Graduate College. Admission is contingent on meeting the following eligibility requirements at the time of entering the graduate program:

  1. Students must have junior standing and a minimum of 15 IEEEM credit hours.
  2. Students must have a minimum accumulated grade point average GPA of 3.5 at WMU.
  3. Exceptions can be approved by the IE accelerated master's committee upon written request by the applicant.

Application to the Accelerated Master’s Degree Program

A prospective student, who meets the eligibility requirements, must set up a meeting with the IEE undergraduate advisor and IE graduate advisor to develop the accelerated degree program planning form for the bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.

Before admission to the accelerated master’s degree program can be finalized, students must submit the standard application for admission to the Office of Admissions including:

  1. An application
  2. Application fee
  3. A copy of all transcripts
  4. GRE scores
  5. An accelerated degree program planning form, signed by the prospective student, the undergraduate advisor and the graduate advisor.

The accelerated degree program planning form for the master’s degree must clearly indicate:

  1. The 5000 level courses (a maximum of 12 credit hours) that will be counted towards the accelerated master’s degree.
  2. The graduation date for the master’s degree that meets the time limit (i.e. obtaining the master’s degree in industrial engineering within 30 months of completing the bachelor’s degree). Any changes to the program form must be submitted, in writing, and approved by the graduate advisor.

Requirement for Participation and Graduation

  1. Students must complete the bachelor’s degree prior to entering the master’s program. Students may not elect to by-pass the bachelor’s degree.
  2. Students will only be allowed to count a maximum of 12, 5000 level credits taken during their undergraduate studies toward their master’s degree.
  3. Students must receive a grade of “B” or better in the 5000 level courses taken during their undergraduate studies. Courses with a grade of “CB” or below cannot be counted toward their master’s degree.
  4. No more than 12 hours of work may be counted towards the requirements for both the bachelor’s and master’s degree.
  5. Students must complete the master’s degree within 30 months from the completion of the bachelor’s degree. If the master’s program is not completed within these time limits, none of the 5000 level courses used for the bachelor’s degree may count towards the master’s degree.