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Graduate Program Guide

MASTER OF SCIENCE AND DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

IN INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

JANUARY 2009

1. CHAPTER 1 - General Information
   1. Degrees Offered
   2. General Requirements
      1. Course Prerequisites
      2. Other Requirements
      3. Performance
   3. English Requirements for International Students
   4. Assistantships
   5. Advisors
   6. Off-Campus Programs


2. CHAPTER 2 - Master of Science Program
   1. Admission Requirements
   2. Degree Requirements
      1. Thesis Option
      2. Non-thesis Option
   3. Concentration Options
      1. Industrial Systems
         1. Option Foundational Requirements
         2. Program Requirements
      2. Operations Research
         1. Option Foundational Requirements
         2. Program Requirements
      3. Management Systems Engineering
         1. Option Foundational Requirements
         2. Program Requirements
      4. Manufacturing Systems
         1. Option Foundational Requirements
         2. Program Requirements
      5. Human Factors and Ergonomics
         1. Option Foundational Requirements
         2. Program Requirements
      6. Procedure for Thesis Preparation and Oral Thesis Defense
      7. Procedures for the M.S. (Non-thesis Option) Comprehensive Exam


3. CHAPTER 3 - Doctor of Philosophy Program
   1. Program Admission Requirements
   2. Program Foundational Requirements
   3. Program Core Requirements
   4. Procedures for the Doctor of Philosophy Program
   5. Summary of Steps for Completing the Ph.D. Program
   
   
4. Appendix A.
- Graduate Course List

6. Appendix B.
- Comprehensive Examination
1. General Discussion of the Test
2. The Test Itself
3. Specific Rules


7. Appendix C. - Seeking a Thesis or Dissertation Topic


9. Appendix D. - Minors in Industrial Engineering


11. Appendix E. - Guidelines for Selecting Graduate Committees and for Writing Thesis or Dissertation Proposals
    1. Selection of Graduate Committee Members
       1. Master's Program
       2. Doctoral Program
    2. General Guidelines for Writing Thesis or Dissertation Proposals


12. Appendix F. - Important Names and Addresses

This guide is for faculty and students in Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) and is meant to provide information commonly needed by those persons. For any information not found in this guide, consult the Mississippi State University Graduate School Bulletin or any ISE graduate faculty member.

The Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering offers the Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Industrial Engineering. In addition, the Department offers the Master of Science (Industrial Engineering), with both thesis and non-thesis options. The M.S. (Thesis Option) is a research-oriented degree, and serves to prepare students for positions in industry or government or for further graduate study in industrial and systems engineering or related areas. The M.S. (Non-Thesis Option) is designed to prepare students for positions in business and industry that require a graduate education. Major areas of study are: industrial systems, operations research, manufacturing systems, management systems engineering, and human factors and ergonomics.

Course Prerequisites. The student will be required to satisfy all prerequisites for any course he/she takes. Additional prerequisites will depend on the background of the student and the area of specialization selected. Prerequisites may be satisfied by any one of the following means:

	1)  Appearance of an equivalent course on a transcript (transcript credit),
or	2)  Passing the MSU course with a C or better,
or	3)  Demonstrating, by examination, satisfactory competence in the area,
or	4)  By petition based on experience in the subject area. Satisfaction of prerequisites by petition is limited to 6 hours.

Other Requirements. In addition to the above, all graduate school requirements must be met. For example, at least 12 hours of the course work must be at the 8000 (full graduate) level for M.S. (thesis) and at least 15 hours for M.S. (non-thesis). For this purpose, IE 7000 is considered to be full graduate level. See the Graduate School Bulletin for further requirements. The actual courses taken are selected by the student and his/her advisor within the rules of the University and Department, and are subject to approval by the Department and the Graduate School. No ISE graduate student may show ST 8114 or IE 6613 on his/her graduate program.

Performance. Unsatisfactory performance in the graduate program in Industrial Engineering is defined as any of the following failure to maintain a 3.0 average in the M.S. program or 3.30 average in the Ph.D. program, failure of the preliminary exam (Ph.D. students only), failure of the comprehensive final exam (M.S. non-thesis option only), unsatisfactory evaluation of thesis or dissertation, or a failure of a required component of the program of study. Any one of these will constitute the basis for review for possible dismissal. If the student drops six or more quality points below their required average (3.0 for M.S. or 3.30 for PhD), the graduate coordinator will review the record along with the student's graduate committee and will recommend a final course of action, which will be immediate dismissal or the establishment of a probationary period in which corrective action must take place. Appeal of dismissal can be made by submitting a written appeal statement to the department head. If, upon the student's appeal, the dismissal is upheld by the department head, the student can then submit a written appeal to the dean of the College of Engineering. In calculating deficiencies, all courses on the program of study, including prerequisite courses, will be included. the only exceptions to this are English courses.

All incoming international students must have taken the TOEFL test before applying for admission to MSU. In most cases, a TOEFL score of at least 550 (213 on computerized TOEFL and 79 on internet TOEFL) is required for regular admission into ISE. Exceptions to this policy include those students who have a degree from a university in an English-speaking country. If the student scores 550 or above, no further English as a Second Language (ESL) is required. If they score below 550, they must take English courses as specified in the MSU Graduate School Bulletin.

Note to international graduate students: You must be full time students. This is a requirement of the Immigration Service and is being routinely checked by our Registrar's Office. This requires that you take at least 9 hours per semester, or be taking all of the remaining hours for meeting degree requirements.

It is the goal of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering to provide financial assistance to each graduate student who desires such assistance. However, the financial resources of the department are limited. For this reason, the department has established several guidelines for assistantships. Assistantships are offered on a competitive basis. Generally, those students with the best academic records are given top priority. However, other factors are also considered. These include student motivation, effort, attitude, research aptitude, computer skills, contribution to the department through participation in student organization activities, and English competency.

When a student begins study, the Graduate Coordinator will discuss with the student his/her background, goals and interests, and prerequisites, and will help the student arrive at a schedule for the first semester. Some time during the early part of the semester, the Coordinator will assign the student to a faculty member who will serve as the student's program advisor.

Early in the student's graduate study (first semester for M.S. students; second semester for Ph.D. students), he/she and his/her advisor will structure and place in departmental files a Program of Study (POS). This POS, updated, must be submitted to the Graduate Office during the student's last semester of study. Throughout the student's study, IT IS THE STUDENT'S RESPONSIBILITY to see that he/she meets Graduate School requirements for submission of a program, revisions of the program when necessary, and all other requirements of the Graduate School. It is NOT the responsibility of the advisor. In order to fulfill the program requirements (for example, core courses for options), it is vitally important that care be taken in course scheduling from the very beginning of the student's work at MSU. The faculty advisors will attempt to give assistance in such long-term planning, but the ultimate responsibility still must rest with the student.

If the student writes a thesis as part of his/her graduate program, and the thesis advisor is different from the program advisor, the thesis advisor becomes the program advisor.

Along with other departments in the MSU Bagley College of Engineering, the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering offers an off-campus graduate program. Persons desiring information about off-campus programs should write or call the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. The off-campus student has exactly the same status as on-campus students, and must meet the same degree requirements.

It is necessary that off-campus students apply for admission to the Graduate School. Application forms may be obtained from the Office of Admissions.

Admissions decisions for the M.S. program in ISE are based on several factors, including previous academic performance, standardized test scores, references, and relevant work experience. Typically, entering students should have a 3.00 out of 4.00 grade point average on their B.S. degree. This grade point average is viewed as a guideline, rather than a strict requirement. Students with lower averages may still be eligible for admission based on outstanding qualifications in other areas. Those entering students with a bachelor’s degree from a program that is not accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (EAC/ABET) must submit GRE general-test scores. International students must have a minimum TOEFL score of 550 (213 computer-based test or 80 internet-based test).

Each Masters degree program must meet each of the following requirements:

1. No program can contain more than 9 hours of courses that are required in the Bachelor's degree curriculum.
2. No program can contain more than 6 hours of Directed Individual Study (IE 7000).

Thesis Option. There is a minimum requirement of 24 semester hours of courses plus 6 thesis hours for the MS (thesis option). The hours actually required of any student are a function of his/her background and goals. Each thesis option program will contain at least twelve hours of the course work (in addition to thesis credit hours) at the 8000 (full graduate) level. For this purpose, IE 7000 counts as an 8000 (full graduate) level course. See the section below describing the Concentration Options for details of prerequisites and recommended courses. The thesis option student must pass an oral examination covering the thesis.

Non-thesis Option. There is a minimum requirement of 33 course hours for the MS (non-thesis option). The hours actually required of any one student are a function of his/her background and interests. Each non-thesis option program will contain at least 15 hours of the course work at the 8000 level. For this purpose, IE 7000 counts as an 8000 (full graduate) level course. Prerequisite hours and additional course requirements will be determined individually for each student depending on his/her background and goals. See the section below describing the Concentration Options for details of prerequisites and recommended courses.

Additionally, the non-thesis option student must pass a written and oral comprehensive examination on industrial and systems engineering. See the Graduate Catalog for a general description of this requirement, and see Appendix B for a detailed description and comments about the comprehensive exam and preparation for it.

For both the thesis and non-thesis options, the following concentration options are available:

1. Industrial Systems
2. Operations Research
3. Management Systems Engineering
4. Manufacturing Systems
5. Human Factors and Ergonomics

1. With the consent and advice of the major professor, the student selects a tentative thesis topic. See Appendix C for detailed guidelines for selection of a thesis topic.
2. The student and major professor tentatively identify committee members. (See Appendix E).
3. The student prepares a typed thesis proposal outlining the proposed work. The proposal is expected to review the state of the art, and should clearly indicate that a substantial literature search has been completed. The proposal will not be considered complete without a list of relavent, reviewed references. See Appendix E for guidelines on writing the proposal.
4. The major professor approves the proposal and copies are submitted to the tentative committee members.
5. A proposal meeting is held. The student presents his/her proposal (~30 minutes or less) and answers questions. The tentative committee decides if the topic is or is not suitable and makes suggestions on scope, solutions, etc. If the decision is favorable, the tentative committee becomes the thesis committee. The student must submit a Proposal Notification Form to the Graduate Coordinator upon successful completion of the proposal meeting. This form is available from the Graduate Secretary.
6. The major professor guides and corrects the thesis research and initial thesis writing. Other committee members are also available for guidance and advice. The major professor may schedule a committee meeting for progress review when research is well underway. The student should become thoroughly familiar with the Graduate School Thesis and Dissertation Guide, and should adhere strictly to the specified format when writing the thesis.
7. The major professor approves draft of the thesis, and student submits copies to the committee members. The student schedules the oral thesis defense with the committee members. Copies of the thesis must be submitted to the committee members at least one week prior to the scheduled oral date. No oral will be scheduled during dead days or the final examination period.
8. Committee members read draft and submit suggestions for changes and/or additions to the student.
   
   Note: With the permission of the committee, the student may take the oral, based on the draft version of the thesis, which is originally submitted to the committee.
9. In consultation with the major professor, the student makes the changes and/or additions required by the committee.
10. A copy of the thesis (unbound) is submitted to the Library for format approval.
11. The committee members are supplied a printed copy of the thesis (bound or unbound).
12. The oral begins with a presentation by the student (15-30 minutes) of the thesis work, followed by questions on the thesis.
13. The student leaves the room, the committee decides on a pass, fail, or retest, and the student is informed. It is the firm policy of this department that students who do not perform well on the oral will not be passed. The committee will have the option of failing these students or requiring a retest. In the case of a retest, the student must again appear for an oral questioning not sooner than two weeks following the original oral. This procedure may be repeated at the option of the committee.
14. The final thesis is submitted electronically to the Library.

1. The student must pass a comprehensive written and oral examination. This exam is intended to show: l) the candidate's thorough familiarity with the literature in his/her chosen area of concentration; 2) knowledge of the relationship of the area of concentration to mathematics, management and other related subjects; and 3) the level of general knowledge and training, including the use of oral and written English. See Appendix B for complete details on the examination.
2. The student must schedule this examination with the Graduate Coordinator.
3. The oral examination will be limited to subjects covered on the written examination.
4. The written examination will be given once per semester (twice per year only) to all students hoping to graduate that semester (or prior to the next Examination). The examination will be in one four-hour session, and will be open book, open notes. The students may not loan or borrow materials during the examination.
5. The committee will determine whether the student passes or fails the final examination.

Admissions decisions for the Ph.D. program in ISE are based on several factors, including previous academic performance, standardized test scores, references, and relevant work experience. Typically, entering students with M.S. degrees should have a 3.50 out of 4.00 grade point average on their M.S. work, while students entering with B.S. degrees only are generally expected to have a 3.50 out of 4.00 on their last two years of their undergraduate program. These grade point averages are viewed as guidelines, rather than strict requirements. Students with lower averages may still be eligible for admission based on outstanding qualifications in other areas. Those entering students with a bachelor’s degree from a program that is not accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (EAC/ABET) must submit GRE general-test scores. International students must have a minimum TOEFL score of 550 (213 computer-based test or 80 internet-based test).

The Department offers the Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering, with a concentration in industrial engineering. It is the guiding philosophy of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering that a student who receives a doctorate through this department will be an Industrial Engineer. This means that all students will satisfy at least the foundational courses listed below. (NOTE: These requirements must be satisfied prior to completing the program, but do not have to be met prior to entering the program).

1. MA 1713, 1723, 2733, 2743: Calculus I, II, III, IV
2. Computer programming proficiency
3. IE 3124: Industrial Ergonomics
4. IE 3913: Engineering Economy I
5. IE 4333: Production Control Systems I
6. IE 4613: Engineering Statistics I
7. IE 89xx: ISE Research Design

A doctoral program in Industrial and Systems Engineering should contain, as a minimum, 48 hours of formal course work at the 6000-level or higher (beyond the bachelor's degree), and 20 hours of dissertation credit. At least 24 hours of course work should be at the full graduate level (8000-level, or IE 7000). The student's program should include:

1. At least 30 hours of course work in Industrial and Systems Engineering (including courses from at least two different areas of ISE)
2. At least 6 hours of course work in a discipline other than ISE; At least 20 hours of dissertation credit (IE 9000);
3. Other work specified by the student's committee.
4. As part of their program, all ISE Ph.D. students will be required to take IE 6623: Engineering Statistics II, and IE 6773: System Simulation I.

The student bears the basic responsibility for the progress of his/her program, including submission of proper forms, timing of examinations, preparation of examinations, insuring the meeting of deadlines, and completion of all requirements.

1. By consultation with the student and the affected faculty member(s), the ISE Graduate Coordinator assigns the student to a major professor, who will act as academic advisor to the student until a dissertation advisor is identified.
2. The student and major professor arrive at a mutually satisfactory tentative program and committee, calling upon the other faculty members and the Graduate Coordinator for assistance as appropriate. (See Guidelines for Selecting Graduate Committees and for Writing Thesis or Dissertation Proposals).
3. During the second semester of enrollment, the committee meets to approve the student's program of study.
4. All ISE doctoral students must take IE 89xx (ISE Research Design) no later than their third semester of full time Ph.D. study. Students who possess a thesis-option M.S. degree may be exempt from this requirement.
5. When the student has completed, or is within six hours of completing, his/her course work and has identified a tentative area for research, he/she must pass a preliminary examination. This examination will be both written and oral, and is designed to determine the student's ability to perform scholarly work in Industrial and Systems Engineering and to indicate the possible need for further course work or other necessary preparation for conducting the dissertation research. The subject areas covered by the examinations will be selected by the committee. All portions of the written exam must be completed within a time frame specified by the committee, not to exceed two months. The oral examination will follow the written examination, and will be used to clarify answers on the written examination, further investigate the student's knowledge, and discuss test results.
6. When course work is essentially completed, the student must select and have approved a dissertation topic. As soon as the dissertation advisor is identified, this faculty member becomes the student’s major professor. The procedure requires the following three steps:
   
   1. The student prepares a formal dissertation proposal outlining the proposed work. The proposal is expected to review the state of the art, and should clearly indicate that a substantial literature search has been completed. See “Appendix E: Guidelines for Selecting Graduate Committees and for Writing Thesis or Dissertation Proposals” for proposal writing guidelines.
   2. The major professor approves the proposal and copies are submitted to the committee members.
   3. A proposal meeting is held. The student presents his/her proposal and answer questions. The committee decides if the topic is or is not suitable and makes suggestions on scope, solutions, etc.
7. The student should become thoroughly familiar with the Graduate School Thesis and Dissertation Guide, and should adhere strictly to the specified format when writing the dissertation. Upon completion of the dissertation and its review by the committee, the final oral examination is held. The examination is essentially restricted to defense of the dissertation, but the student must expect and be able to answer questions that test his/her fitness to do research in the area of the dissertation.

1. Gain admission.
2. Have a temporary advisor assigned.
3. Have major professor and committee approved.
4. Develop Program of Study and have it approved.
5. Complete IE 89xx (ISE Research Design), unless student has been granted a waiver from this requirement.
6. Identify dissertation topic.
7. Change major professor (if required) to dissertation director.
8. Pass preliminary examination.
9. Prepare dissertation proposal.
10. Have dissertation topic approved.
11. Pass final oral examination.
12. Fulfill all course requirements.

Course prerequisites are noted in parentheses.

Human Factors/Ergonomics

1. IE 6113 Human Factors Engineering
2. IE 6123 Psychology of Human-Computer Interaction (PSY 3713 or CS 4663/6663
   or IE 4113/6113 or consent of instructor).
3. IE 6173 Occupational Safety Engineering.
4. IE 8153 Cognitive Engineering.

Manufacturing:

1. IE 6193 Automotive Engineering.
2. IE 6333 Production Control Systems I (IE 4613/6613).>
3. IE 6353 Materials Handling.
4. IE 6373 Automation.
5. IE 8333 Production Control Systems II(IE 4333/6333).
6. IE 8353 Manufacturing Systems Modeling (IE 4733 and IE 4773).

Management Systems Engineering

1. IE 6513 Engineering Administration.
2. IE 6533 Project Management (IE 4613/6613).
3. IE 6543 Logistics Engineering (IE 4613/6613).
4. IE 6553 Engineering Law& Ethics.
5. IE 8333 Production Control Systems II(IE 4333/6333).
6. IE 6573 Process Improvement Engineering. IE 8583 Enterprise Systems
   Engineering (consent of instructors).

Operations Research

1. IE 6713 Operations Research I (IE 4613/6613).
2. IE 6733 Linear Programming I (CSE 1213 and MA 3113).
3. IE 6743 Engineering Design Optimization.
4. IE 6753 Systems Engineering and Analysis (Grade of C or better in IE 3913 and
   grade of C or better in IE 4613/6613).
5. IE 6773 Systems Simulation I (Grade of C or better in IE 4934 or equivalent
programming course and grade of C or better in IE 4613/6613).
6. IE 8723 Operations Research II (IE 4713/6713).
7. IE 8733 Decision Theory (IE 4613/6613).
8. IE 8743 Nonlinear Programming I (IE 4733/6733 or MA 4733/6733).
9. IE 8753 Network Flows and Dynamic Programming (MA 2733 and IE 4613).
10. IE 8773 Systems Simulation II (IE 4773/6773).
11. IE 8793 Heuristics in Optimization.

Engineering Statistics

1. IE 6613 Engineering Statistics I (MA 1723). – This course is not available for
   graduate credit for ISE graduate students.
2. IE 6623 Engineering Statistics II (grade of C or better in IE 4613/6613).
3. IE 6653 Industrial Quality Control I (IE 4613/6613).
4. IE 6673 Reliability Engineering (IE 4613/ 6613).
5. IE 6923 Six Sigma Methods and Project (IE 4623/6623).

General

1. IE 6934 Information Systems for Industrial Engineering.
2. IE 6990 Special Topics in Industrial Engineering.
3. IE 8913 Engineering Economy II (IE 3913 and IE 4613/6613).
4. IE 8990 Special Topics in Industrial Engineering.
5. IE 89xx Dissertation Research/Dissertation.

General Discussion of the Test:

The graduate catalog states, "Non-thesis degree candidates must take a written or oral comprehensive examination or both, and must register for this examination with the Coordinator of Graduate Study for the major department. This examination should show three things: ((1)) the candidate's thorough familiarity with the literature in the field of major interest; (2) the relation of the special subject to allied subjects; and (3) the level of general knowledge and training, including the use of oral and written English."

In accord with this requirement, the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering requires that non-thesis degree candidates must pass a written examination that will be given once per semester (twice per year only) to all students hoping to graduate prior to the next examination. The examination will be on one four-hour session, and will be open book, open notes. The students may not loan or borrow materials during the examination.

The questions will be reasonable. The faculty will write this exam, and they know what questions you should be able to answer and which you shouldn't. The faculty wants you to pass this exam. However, you should not take this mean that you will pass regardless of your performance. It is the firm policy of the faculty that students who fail the exam will be failed on the exam. Typical exam questions will be those you saw on hour exams and final exams during the courses in question.

In addition, note that you are expected to be familiar with the literature of your area of concentration. This means that you should know the names of the major journals that publish material in ISE-related areas and know something about the general types of articles published in each of these (highly mathematical and/or theoretical, very low level and applied, a mix, etc.).

The graduate students taking this examination should not fear this examination, but should rather have a healthy respect for it. This means that they should expect to pass it. After all, having spent a year or more studying industrial and systems engineering at the graduate level, having paid attention in classes, having done extra reports and projects for graduate credit, having made B's or better in your classes, each graduate student should have confidence that he/she has knowledge of his/her field at the Master's level.

On the other hand, the healthy respect means that the student should expect to prepare for this test, rather than walk in cold. After all, nobody has all of the facts he/she has ever learned at his/her fingertips, and a thorough review is necessary in order to proceed with the test at the necessary pace.

The Test Itself: The comprehensive examination is composed of two parts of four questions each. These two parts are the basic and advanced portions of the exam. Each part of the exam is expected to take two hours, and each question is expected to take about 30 minutes to properly answer. The basic part is to cover four of the following: (1) Systems Simulation I, (2) Linear Programming, (3) Industrial Ergonomics, (4) Engineering Economy I, (5) Production Control Systems I, and (6) Engineering Statistics I. The student is allowed to select the four basic areas to be covered. The second part is to cover four 8000-level IE courses taken during the Master's program. These will be selected by the student, subject to the approval of the Graduate Coordinator.

Specific Rules:

1. The student's committee is named by the major professor in consultation with the student. This should be done prior to the written examination.
2. The examining faculty will be named by the Graduate Coordinator.
3. The advisor and the major professor will be the same person. The student may request that the Graduate Coordinator assign a different advisor at any time.
4. The examining faculty may attend the oral examination and participate in the questioning of the student, but will not vote on the results of the comprehensive examination. Attendance of the examining faculty is not expected unless requested by the major professor.
5. The comprehensive examination is to be treated as a whole, and the determination of whether the student passes or fails will be based on all eight parts of the exam, and both the written and oral.
6. The examining faculty should each meet with the student and discuss the results of the written examination with the student. These meetings should take place prior to the oral, but only at the initiative of the student. The student should be given a copy of the graded exam. At the option of the individual examining faculty member, the student may be supplied with a list of reference work that he/she should (student's option) complete prior to the oral.
7. The oral examination is to be scheduled as soon after the written examination as the student requests, but not sooner than one week. Scheduling is subject to faculty availability. It is the responsibility of the student to schedule this examination and to determine which faculty members intend to be present.
8. The student's committee may either pass the student, recess the oral, or fail the student. In case of a disagreement, the decision within the committee will be by majority vote, with the major professor casting a second vote in the case of a tie. If a student fails the comprehensive examination, the student may re-take this examination the following semester. Only one re-take is allowed.

1. First consider the area of ISE that you find most interesting. All of the graduate courses you have taken, are taking, or will take, offer possibilities for theses. So to find a topic you will find interesting and enjoyable to work on, pick the area you most like.
2. Check the journals of the area in which you are interested. Try to pick specific subject matter in the area, such as scheduling in Production Control, and look through the journal articles published in this subject. Often, authors point out unanswered questions in their articles. An unanswered question is a potential topic. Also, a thesis can often be an extension of an article. If he/she makes restricting assumptions in his/her solution, you may be able to relax those assumptions as the basis for your research. If you do not know what the journals are for your area, ask a professor who normally teaches in that area.
3. After completing the above process (both steps), visit with a professor who normally teaches in your area of interest. Take with you a list of literature reviewed, as well as any ideas you may have come across for possible topics. Sometimes, he/she will have a topic in mind for a thesis or dissertation, and is waiting for a graduate student to express an interest. But you can't count on this! You have the responsibility for identifying a topic, and the professor's job is to provide you advice while you are determining a topic.

During this process, keep the following in mind:

1. Your must find the topic.
2. No professor is required to direct your thesis or dissertation. It is solely his/her decision. Often, a professor may already have commitments, which will not allow him/her to take on another thesis advisee.
3. You are responsible for your thesis and its progress. The professor will not (and should not) do your research, will not write your thesis, will not take the responsibility for your mistakes, nor is he/she responsible for seeing that you finish by the date you desire.
4. The date of completion is a function of how many hours you work on your thesis, the quality of work you do on your thesis, and how well your research goes. Research has unknowns. That's why it is research, and your advisor cannot determine how long it will take you to finish.

The Industrial and Systems Engineering Department requires nine hours of IE graduate courses for a minor at the M.S. or Ph.D. level. The specific courses for the minor are to be approved by the ISE Graduate Coordinator and the student’s ISE minor professor.

The Graduate Faculty of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering views the selection of a graduate committee as being among the most important decisions in a graduate student’s career. The Major Professor is expected to provide a significant level of advice to the student in this matter. Although the Faculty recognizes that it is generally desirable for the student to be well-acquainted with the committee members (e.g., through having taken courses from them), the most important consideration in the selection should be the technical assistance that the faculty members can provide during the course of the student’s research. When seeking the Graduate Coordinator’s approval when the committee is formed, the student should be prepared to justify the selection of each of the committee members.

Master's Program: “Each student’s program of study is directed by a committee of Graduate Faculty. A graduate committee at the master’s level must consist of at least three members, all of whom must be appointed members of the Graduate Faculty. The committee is composed of the major professor and two committee members, one of whom may be a minor professor. The major professor and at least one-half of the graduate committee must hold academic appointment and must be MSU employees; exceptions to this rule can be approved by the appropriate dean. When the major professor is not an MSU employee, the majority of the graduate committee must hold academic appointment and must be MSU employees (per Graduate Council, February 2005).” MSU Graduate Guide page 59 (http://www.msstate.edu/dept/grad/bulletin_current.pdf). “If a minor is chosen, the student’s graduate committee must include a representative from the minor field and the graduate coordinator from the minor field must sign approval of course work.” MSU Graduate Guide page 53 (http://www.msstate.edu/dept/grad/bulletin_current.pdf).

Doctoral Program: “Each student’s program of study is directed by a committee of graduate faculty. The graduate committee will be composed of the major professor as chairman who must be a full member of the graduate faculty and from the major field, the minor professor (if applicable), and at least three other members, two of whom are from the student’s major field of interest. The committee is composed of five members if the student has a minor, four members if there is no minor. All committee members must be members of the graduate faculty. The major professor and at least one-half of the graduate committee must hold academic appointment and must be MSU employees; exceptions to this rule can be approved by the appropriate dean. When the major professor is not an MSU employee but is an adjunct faculty member, the majority of the graduate committee must hold academic appointment and must be employees (per Graduate Council, February 2005). A program of study form and a committee request form must be submitted to the Office of the Graduate School when the student submits an announcement of the comprehensive/preliminary examination. If applicable, change(s) to the program should be submitted at this time.” MSU Graduate Guide page 62 (http://www.msstate.edu/dept/grad/bulletin_current.pdf).

The thesis/dissertation proposal should ordinarily contain at least the following topics:

1. Introduction (including an establishment of the need for the research)
2. Literature review
3. Detailed problem statement
4. Tasks to be completed, and expected methods
5. Timetable for tasks

Note that the thesis/dissertation proposal is not an additional requirement in itself, but that it represents the initial work on the actual thesis/dissertation. That is, the proposal serves not just to organize and plan the work that is to be done, but it becomes the first one or two chapters of the thesis/dissertation itself. Also, it serves as an agreement between the student and the committee in that, if the proposal is approved, the thesis/dissertation is completed when the tasks outlined in the proposal have all been satisfactorily accomplished.

Office of Admissions P.O. Box G 160 Allen Hall Mississippi State, MS 39762 Phone: (662) 325-7400 Fax: (662) 325-1967
Housing and Residence Life Mail Stop 9502 Herbert Hall Mississippi State, MS 39762 Phone: (662) 325-3555 housing@affairs.msstate.edu
Assistantships Contact the ISE Department Head (see address below) for information.
International Admissions and Services Mail Stop 9742 Floor 1 Montgomery Hall Mississippi State, MS 39762 Phone: (662) 325-8929 Fax: (662) 325-8583
Bagley College of Engineering Dr. Sarah A. Rajala, Dean Mail Stop 9544 250 Mc Cain Building Mississippi State, MS 39762 Phone: (662) 325-2270
Industrial and Systems Engineering Department Dr. Royce O. Bowden, Department Head Dr. John M. Usher, Graduate Coordinator Mr. Larry G. Dalton, Asst. Graduate Coordinator (Distance Program) Mail Stop 9542 260 Mc Cain Building Mississippi State, MS 39762 Phone: (662) 325-3865 Fax: (662) 325-7618

NOTE: All faculty members in the department can be reached at the departmental address shown on the previous page.

Dr. Kari Babski-Reeves, Assistant Professor
Phone: (662) 325-1677

Dr. Royce O. Bowden, Jr., Professor and Head of the Department
Phone: (662) 325-7623

Dr. Stanley F. Bullington, Professor
Phone: (662) 325-7621

Dr. Burak Eksioglu, Assistant Professor
Phone: (662) 325-7625

Dr. Sandra Eksioglu, Assistant Professor
Phone: (662) 325-9220

Dr. Mingzhou Jin, Associate Professor
Phone: (662) 325-3923

Dr. Allen G. Greenwood, Professor
Phone: (662) 325-7216

Dr. Joe Jordan, Director and Assistant Research Professor of Industrial Outreach Service
Phone: (662) 325-0513

Dr. Lesley Strawderman, Assistant Professor
Phone: (662) 325-7214

Dr. John M. Usher, Professor and Departmental Graduate Coordinator
Phone: (662) 325-7624

Dr. Clayton Walden, Director and Research Professor of CAVS Extension
Phone: (662) 407-2713