Ohio State's major began in 1925. Although the earliest industrial engineering applications were in manufacturing, the discipline has not been bound by its roots. Furthermore, as the technology of an industry becomes more sophisticated, the industrial engineers who inform and guide the managers of these organizations often are called upon to become managers themselves. In short, industrial engineers are systems integrators and productivity enhancers. For many students, industrial engineering provides the perfect blend of technical skills and people orientation.
Industrial engineers are systems people.
They work in teams with other engineering specialists and business specialists to design and improve the systems which produce our goods and services. The IE addresses the overall system performance, responsiveness to customer needs, and the quality of the products or services produced by the company. They are also the specialists who ensure that people can safely perform their required tasks in the workplace environment. In this context, IEs match the workplace to the needs and capabilities of the people who work there. This includes consideration of people's ability to safely and productively work with computers and other automated systems in industries, offices, and service industries such as health care and retailing.