I am an upcoming sophomore in college currently pursuing a mechanical engineering degree. I am starting to think that industrial engineering may fit my interests more, though. Unfortunately, the college I attend does not have an industrial engineering degree. I am contemplating transferring, but I am reluctant to leave the school I love. Is it possible to work in an industrial engineering position as a mechanical engineer? Or should I try to transfer, or get my Masters in industrial engineering to assure that I get a position I want?
If you stay at your current school, would you be able to take upper level technical electives in probability, statistics, optimization, risk/decision analysis, and/or operations research (in the math or statistics department or perhaps other engineering departments)?
There is definitely probability and statistics in the math department. There is operations management in the business department. The principles of finance course in the business department covers some concepts relating to risk/decision analysis.
What school do you go to?
I will let the real experts advise you but there seems to be a lot of overlap with something like supply chain and industrial engineering. I know several engineers that actually do industrial engineering work without a degree in industrial per se. There seems to be a lot of overlap. Just go to something like Indeed and do some industrial engineering searches and you will see what I mean. Like to hear what the engineers here have to say.
I attend a small college in Holland, MI - Hope College
I know Hope College. (I was accepted there in 1980). Their course catalog would be s broader than STEM-centric schools that many of us here are familiar with. Check with your adviser - he/she could probably offer some good advise appropriate for your campus options.