Industrial & Systems Engineering vs Engineering Management

<p>So I was just wondering what the difference is. If I had to take a guess I'd say the Industrial & Systems engineering is an actual engineering degree which can be ABET accredited and is more technical and math oriented while Engineering Management is more business oriented and isn't an actual engineering degree. Am I correct? I'm just wondering how similar they are and if the jobs prospects are better for one or the other. I'd imagine the Industrial Engineering is a better degree, but it seems like more colleges offer engineering management.</p>

<p>Edit: Also Operations Management is another one that sounds similar. It also seems more business oriented like Engineering Management.</p>

<p>Edit2: And Operations research seems more like a science than engineering. Like Physics/Applied Math is related to Mechanical engineering. </p>

<p>If someone could just explain the differences that would help me out a lot.</p>

<p>I might be wrong (as to what your reffering too) but I know a lot of schools offer engineering management onto the original engineering degree. Ex. Your taking chemical eng while doing courses in engineering management. I think it results in a five year degree instead of four years.</p>

<p>You know that saying about some majors are better taken at the graduate level instead of the undergraduate level? Well Engineering Management falls into that category. Let me explain…</p>

<p>Engineering Management (and to a certain extent, Systems Engineering) focuses on producing or managing an engineering product from a higher level. Job opportunities in those areas are usually reserved for experience engineers so that is why those majors are better suited for graduate degree-seeking students…especially experienced ones. </p>

<p>The Engineering Management (and to a certain extent, Systems Engineering) major allows the experienced engineer to take some of the business/management, leadership and high-level design/architecture courses along with a 3 to 4 course technical specialization.</p>

<p>Doing an Engineering Management at the undergraduate level does not give one the depth of any engineering area…which is needed to at least start off an engineering career.</p>

<p>Of course all of this is just my $0.05</p>

<p>Yea that’s what I figured.</p>

<p>I think I’ll just major in industrial engineering for undergrad. After I get some experience I’ll either go to grad for an operations research type degree or get an mba depending on if I like the more technical or business side of things more.</p>