Introduction
This is a joint academic program between Western Washington University (WWU) and Washington State community colleges, culminating in a baccalaureate degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering. Students complete the first two years of the program (typically 90–92 credits) at a partner community college, earning an Associate of Science - Transfer, Track 2 (AS-T2). The final two years of the program at WWU allow students to complete the requirements for a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering, preparing them for professional careers in manufacturing, logistics, operations, and systems optimization.
Why Consider a Industrial and Systems Engineering Major?
Industrial and Systems Engineering professionals are in high demand as organizations increasingly seek to improve efficiency, productivity, and safety in complex systems. This applied program is designed to provide students with the opportunity to advance their education from an associate degree to a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering. Graduates of the program will be prepared for professional roles such as process improvement analyst, operations engineer, quality engineer, supply chain planner, and industrial systems designer.
Student Outcomes
The Industrial and Systems Engineering on the Peninsula (ISEP) curriculum is designed to meet requirements set forth by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) as a central goal. Each student completing the ISEP degree will demonstrate mastery of the following competencies as established by ABET:
- an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
- an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
- an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
- an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
- an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
- an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
- an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
Student Resources
Website: Engineering and Design
Contact information:
Degree Works: Current students should also log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.
Career Services Center: Connect major to a career
Sample Careers: Industrial Engineer, Process Engineer, Production Manager, Quality Engineer / Quality Assurance Specialist, Lean Manufacturing Specialist, Industrial Safety Engineer, Supply Chain Analyst, Logistics Coordinator, Operations Manager, Procurement / Sourcing Analyst, Management Consultant, Business Process Engineer, Project Manager, Continuous Improvement Manager, Systems Analyst, Automation Engineer, Healthcare Systems Engineer, Sustainability Analyst / Engineer, and Ergonomics / Human Factors Engineer
How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process):
Category of Major : Major with minimum requirements
Preadmission Requirements
To be eligible for admission to the Industrial and Systems Engineering program at Western Washington University, students must complete a designated Associate of Science for Transfer (AS-T2) in Engineering or an equivalent degree from a community college that has an active articulation agreement with WWU. Students should check with a Program Advisor for the most up-to-date list of accepted degrees and partner colleges.
Required Courses at the Community College (90 credits minimum):
1. College-level communication skills composition course (5 credits)
2. College-level mathematics calculus sequence (25 credits).
- Calculus I (5 credits)
- Calculus II (5 credits)
- Calculus III (5 credits)
- Elementary Linear Algebra (5 credits)
- Differential Equations (5 credits)
3. Humanities and Social Sciences (minimum 15 credits)
- Minimum 5 credits in Humanities
- Minimum 5 credits in Social Sciences
- An additional 5 credits in either Humanities or Social Sciences
- An Economics course is recommended
4. Science Required Courses (minimum of 20 credits)
- Calculus-based Physics I (5-6 credits)
- Calculus-based Physics II (5-6 credits)
- Calculus-based Physics III (5-6 credits)
- Chemistry with laboratory (5-6 credits)
5. Engineering Required Courses (15 credits)
Students must select engineering courses totaling 15 credits from the list below:
- Statics (5 credits)
- Mechanics of Materials (5 credits)
- Dynamics (5 credits)
- Computer Programming (5 credits)
- Engineering Graphics with CAD (5 credits)
- Introduction to Design (5 credits)
- Electrical Circuits I (5 credits)
- Materials Science (5 credits)
- Thermodynamics (5 credits)
6. Additional elective courses (minimum of 10 credits).
Students must select elective courses totaling at least 10 credits from the list below (Courses may not be double-counted to simultaneously fulfill the Engineering Required Courses and the Additional Elective Courses).
- Calculus IV (Advanced or Multivariable Calculus) (5 credits)
- Statistics (5 credits)
- Applied Numerical Methods (5 credits)
- Biology for Science Majors I + lab (5 credits)
- General Chemistry II + lab (5 credits)
- General Chemistry III + lab
- Organic Chemistry I + lab
- Organic Chemistry II + lab
- Statics (5 credits)
- Mechanics of Materials (5 credits)
- Dynamics (5 credits)
- Electrical Circuits I
- Electrical Circuits II
- Digital Logic (5 credits)
- Microprocessors
- Signals & Systems
- Computer Programming (5 credits)
- Chemical Process, Principles and Calculations
- Technical Writing (5 credits)
- Biochemistry
- Engineering Graphics (with CAD) (5 credits)
- Introduction to Design (5 credits)
- Electrical Circuits (5 credits)
- Materials Science (5 credits)
- Thermodynamics (5 credits)
- Other additional courses may be considered with advisor’s approval.
Admission to the major
Admission to the Industrial and Systems Engineering on the Peninsula (ISEP) major occurs after successful completion of an approved Associate of Science for Transfer (AS-T2) degree or an equivalent articulated program at a partnering community college. Because this is a cohort-based 2+2 program, students typically apply to the major during their final quarter at the community college.
To be admitted, students must:
Complete the AS-T2 degree (or equivalent articulated program) with a minimum of 90 transferable credits, including all required mathematics, science, and engineering support courses listed under “Preadmission Requirements.”
Earn a cumulative transfer GPA of 2.5 or higher, with a grade of C– or better in all required mathematics, science, and engineering courses.
Submit a formal application to the program as directed by WWU admissions.
Note: This program follows WWU Hybrid Modality. Face-to-face meeting times are commonly offered on Friday evenings and during the weekends.
Admission priority is given to students completing the AS-T2 degree through partner community colleges with active articulation agreements. Students transferring from other institutions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for equivalency and cohort placement.
Grade Requirements
A grade of C- or better is required for a student’s major or minor courses, and supporting courses for majors and minors.
