PhD in Industrial Engineering

The Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences (IEMS) at Northwestern University pioneers data science for better decision-making through algorithms, computation, and mathematical modeling. To achieve this, we couple an engineering systems approach with optimization, simulation, and statistical machine learning to discover impactful solutions to societal challenges.

Our PhD program is designed for analytically talented students interested in developing tools to create societal change through solving problems in business, manufacturing, healthcare, public policy and the service sector.

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Consistently ranked in the top 5 programs in the nation

according to US News and World Report.

World-renowned faculty

Many have been honored by leading professional societies, including INFORMS, IIE, and ASA, and sit on editorial boards of flagship journals in their fields.

Meet our faculty >

other departments with which we actively collaborate

across five Northwestern schools, including the Kellogg School of Management and the Feinberg School of Medicine

Our PhD Program aims to produce researchers who combine strength in core operations research methodologies (e.g., optimization, stochastic modeling and simulation, statistics, and decision analysis) with the ability to apply them to yield  practical benefits in solving real-world problems.

Our areas of research specialization include:

Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Systems

Stochastic Analysis & Simulation

Optimization

Energy and Sustainability

Logistics & Operations

Healthcare Engineering

Applied Statistics & Statistical Learning

Computational Social Science

Explore our research

A professor and student collaborating on research

Collaborate with researchers across Northwestern

Our department collaborates closely with research centers across Northwestern. These multidisciplinary centers serve as focal points for research, teaching, and outreach.

Work on research funded by the government and industry

Our research is supported by grants from the Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, the National Security Agency, the National Institutes of Health, the Office of Naval Research, and many industrial corporate sponsors.

Current projects cover a spectrum of theory, computation, and applications, often integrating these aspects within individual studies.

Network with classmates from diverse academic backgrounds

Although many of our PhD students have a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, the majority do not. The program attracts students with backgrounds in applied mathematics, computer science, economics, finance, mathematics, physics, statistics, and most engineering disciplines, ranging from automation and control to systems engineering.

Our location close to Chicago provides PhD students with a multitude of research and internship opportunities, including in the transportation, healthcare, and financial industries, to name a few.

Through our innovative curriculum, we educate future leaders and foster a strong community among faculty, staff, students, and alumni.

Students typically complete the program in 4-5 years.

Coursework

Fifteen one-credit courses must be taken for a letter grade, including eight core courses in industrial engineering and management sciences that provide fundamental knowledge.

Majors and Minors

In addition to core coursework, PhD students also complete one three-course major and one two-course minor chosen from the following areas: analytics (minor only), applied statistics and statistical learning, financial engineering, healthcare engineering, logistics and operations, management science, optimization, and stochastic analysis and simulation.

Interdisciplinary Learning

Students may also opt to take some courses offered by another Northwestern school in areas such as mathematics, economics, finance, marketing, or social sciences. Some students then write a thesis jointly advised by an IEMS faculty member and a faculty member from another department.

Teaching

All Northwestern PhD students serve in an instructional capacity for at least one academic quarter. Our PhD students usually fulfill this requirement by serving as teaching assistants in IEMS courses.

Dissertation

The degree is awarded following an oral final examination and submission of the completed dissertation.

Yian YinPhD ’22

What Students Are Saying

“The curriculum and mentorship in the program helped me develop a strong analytical mindset, enabling me to abstract and solve real-world problems using advanced mathematical frameworks — something I consider one of my unique strengths as a computational social scientist.”

Learn more about Yian Yin

Our PhD graduates go on to academic positions in engineering, business, and applied mathematics at top schools or into a variety of corporate research and development positions at well-known companies.

In addition, our students also benefit from professional development opportunities including seminars, internships, and travel grants to conferences and workshops. Students also have access to extensive career placement resources via both Northwestern Engineering Career Development and Northwestern Career Advancement.