<p>I realize soliciting advice from the internet is a folly venture, but my internet lurking hasn't netted an answer yet, so here goes.</p>
<p>Bullet-point background (can elaborate if need be):
-Older student (28, married, newborn)
-Wife has good job with a defense contractor (you may assume the ability to relocate anywhere near major cities and military installations; this eliminates schools such as VATech)
-Currently an Maryland resident
-Transferring out of community college (Montgomery College)
-Couple more courses to finish AS in Materials Science & Engineering (4.0 GPA so far)
-5 years managerial experience in operations/production (Last project was for two years @ CSC, department functional manager ~120 people/6 supervisors), PMP training (though not enough years experience with the HS diploma to qualify for the cert)</p>
<p>Obviously staying where we are while I finish a BS at local state school, such as College Park, would be preferable. However, there are a few things to consider:
-I would like to finish out my BS in Industrial Engineering (I know it's not "real" engineering, feel free to judge). I took an operations research math course at Carnegie Mellon and absolutely fell in love with the real world applications of optimization.
-The only school in the area that offers an Industrial Engineering BS program is Morgan State University (an HBCU - btw I'm white) -- to my astonishment, it is ABET accredited.</p>
<p>I am basically looking at two options:
Option 1: Finish my BS in MatSci at UMCP, get a more "traditional" engineering job and possibly pick up an IE degree or MBA in operations later?
Option 2: Look out of state for a decent IE program.</p>
<p>I do enjoy the applied aspects of materials engineering (think of companies like Alcoa, US Steel, Applied Materials, Scaled Composites, etc.) and perhaps it would be best to prove that I'm just as smart and capable as any "down in the trenches/cubicles" engineer. But in the end I know what my unique strengths are, and I'm fairly confident that an IE background will accomplish what I want to do long term.</p>
<p>Another option in Maryland is to do applied math at UMBC, which offers several courses in linear programming, optimization, operations research, etc. (Math 381, 452, 476, 482, 483, 484, 495, and statistics courses).</p>
<p>I agree with UCBAlumus, you can do applied math which would definitely prepare you for IE at the undergrad level. The unique thing about IE is that it is VERY closely associated with systems engineering and there is a TON of options for systems engineering (since many departments are called Industrial & Systems Engineering) at the graduate level.</p>
<p>One option would be to do applied math at UMBC (like suggested) and do the masters in systems engineering at UMBC (or UMCP) right after which is just 30 credits and can be done online at either school.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about majoring in applied math. It is a GREAT major for the local area and great preparation for a graduate IE-SysE program because many graduate IE-SysE programs are open to math, stats as well as IE majors.</p>
<p>@ first reply
I wasn’t surprised by “a” school’s engineering program being ABET accredited, I was surprised that MSU has ABET accredited engineering programs given that it is so horribly ranked (ranked at all?) and poorly funded relative to other state schools offering engineering degrees (UMBC, UMCP).</p>
<p>Yes that was an elitist statement, it was meant to be - I was/still am looking for someone to defend MSU’s IE program.</p>
<p>@ follow up posts
Thanks for the advice on applied mathematics as an alternative pathway, it is an intriguing idea. Now I have more research to conduct!</p>
<p>Throwing this out there, George Mason University, does have a Systems Engineering undergrad program that is very similar to IE programs I’ve been looking at (has courses in OR/stochastic modeling, etc). The school seems to have decent name recognition regionally (which is good considering the heavy hitter companies around the DMV area) and is at least ranked (110th). Any advocates?</p>
<p>As long as you are planning to stay in the DMV area, George Mason is a great choice. GMU has a very well respected “name” in the DMV area. As you may already know, much of the systems engineering work is concentrated with the federal contracting “beltway bandits”, so you may want to also position yourself to doing cleared work and obtaining a security clearance.</p>