GRADUATE

STUDY
WE ARE WHOLE-BRAIN THINKERS
SEEING SIMPLICITY IN THE COMPLEX,
THE COMPLEXITY OF THE SIMPLE.

WE ARE WHOLE-BRAIN ENGINEERS,

BIG-PICTURE THINKERS, REAL-TIME

COLLABORATORS, ALL-OUT INNOVATORS.

WE ARE
TAKING THE
WORLD IN
A WHOLE NEW
DIRECTION.
Driving progress through innovation and leadership.
Turning research into patented processes and
life-changing inventions. Bringing products to market
with smart risk-taking and entrepreneurship.

FIND YOUR DIRECTION HERE.

 Empowering students with
advanced analytical and
problem-solving skills

24
MS PROGRAMS
Analysis. Logic. Synthesis. Math. All are elements
of “left-brain” thinking, all critical to engineering
success. To lead today in a world of change,
engineers require more. They need “right-brain”
skills. Intuition. Metaphorical thinking. Creative
problem solving. At Northwestern Engineering,
we celebrate whole-brain thinking and empower
their future opportunities through career-focused
initiatives and cross-school partnerships that
expand their perspectives and strengthen business
management skills.

Graduate students choose from an array of programs

aligned with their career goals and personal
passions. Master’s degree programs, full- and part-
our students to become whole-brain engineers.
time, are designed to meet ever-changing industry
Master’s and PhD students at Northwestern and research environments. Doctoral programs
Engineering build on that philosophy. They conduct allow students to work side-by-side with world-class
interdisciplinary research and collaboration faculty across disciplines researching advanced
with peers and faculty in other highly ranked topics in engineering.

14
departments. They develop leadership skills inside
and outside the classroom and lab. And they expand see areas of graduate study >

Whichever direction our graduate students take, all

PHD PROGRAMS develop the capacity to change the world for the better
and to lead others to do the same.

OVERVIEW
 RESEARCHERS AND COLLABORATORS

> 20
NORTHWESTERN
BREAKING BARRIERS AND CREATING THE FUTURE

Northwestern Engineering’s more than

200 faculty systematically confront
the world’s most pressing and complex
challenges in systems, materials, health and
wellness, energy, and the environment. Our
CENTERS AND INSTITUTES INCLUDE:

• Center for Advanced Regenerative Engineering

• Center for Robotics and Biosystems
• Center for Synthetic Biology
DEPARTMENTS WITH
interdisciplinary collaboration is exemplified • International Institute for Nanotechnology
WHICH WE MAINTAIN by ongoing research initiatives with more
• Materials Research Science and
ONGOING RESEARCH than 20 departments across our extended
Engineering Center
INITIATIVES Northwestern campus and dozens of other
universities and research centers worldwide. • Northwestern-Argonne Institute for
Science and Engineering
While the majority of University research
• Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems
funding comes from government sources,
corporate-sponsored research represents • Northwestern University Transportation Center
a growing opportunity for students to innovate • Segal Design Institute
solutions to current challenges in industry.

CAREER-FOCUSED PROFESSIONALS
PREPARING FOR SUCCESS IN BUSINESS, INDUSTRY, AND ACADEMIA

Northwestern Engineering is committed to For doctoral students, Management for

developing students for successful careers Scientists and Engineers, an eight-week
as leaders and researchers in business, summer course drawn from the Kellogg School
industry, and academia. The Engineering Career of Management core MBA curriculum, equips
Development office identifies and works with researchers with the knowledge they need to
students to secure internship opportunities and advance management and leadership skills.
provides other career advancement services,
including full-time employment after graduation.

ENTREPRENEURS AND INNOVATORS

CHANGING THE WORLD FOR THE BETTER EVERY DAY

Northwestern Engineering students and faculty drive progress through innovation and leadership,
turning research into patented processes and life-changing inventions, bringing products to market
NUVENTION COURSES
through smart risk-taking and entrepreneurship. These endeavors typically account for a majority of
These courses are designed the University’s inventions and faculty startups.
as a visionary academic
partnership created to expand ENTREPRENEURSHIP RESOURCES
upon Northwestern’s excellence • The Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and • The Innovation and New Ventures Office
in interdisciplinary study and to Innovation provides incubators, mentorships, (INVO) advises faculty and students on the
foster a sense of collaboration and seminars and encourages the ongoing development of research with commercial
throughout the University. development of new, interdisciplinary curricula. potential and conducts seminars and
educational programs on entrepreneurship
• NUvention courses engage interdisciplinary
and innovation.
teams from across the University in the
entire innovation and entrepreneurial life • The Garage is an entrepreneurship space
cycle, including the process of transforming for Northwestern students to experiment,
innovations into viable businesses. collaborate, and build their ideas.

OVERVIEW
A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF LEADERS
GAINING EXPERIENCE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOMS AND LAB

The McCormick Graduate Leadership Council These groups include:

(MGLC) helps solidify a graduate student
• Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA)
community among the nine departments within
• Chinese Students and Scholars
Northwestern Engineering by organizing social,
Association (CSSA)
academic, and professional activities, and
facilitating communication with administration. • Graduate Student Association for Latino
and Spanish Activities (G-SALSA)
In addition to MGLC, students can also
• Indian Graduate Student and Scholars
participate in the Graduate Student Association,
Association (IGSSA)
department-centered student groups, and other
student associations that promote interactions • International Society for Optics and

among graduate students, provide academic and Photonics (SPIE)

social programs, and serve as student advocates. • Queer Pride Graduate Student
Association (QPGSA)

• Society of Women Engineers (GradSWE)

• Women in Science and Engineering

Research

OVERVIEW
 COLLEAGUES, FRIENDS, AND FAMILIES

12
MILES
LIVING AND LEARNING IN ONE OF THE WORLD’ S
MOST DYNAMIC METROPOLITAN AREAS

Stretching along the shore of spectacular Lake

Michigan, Northwestern’s Evanston campus
provides an environment conducive to serious
shuttle, Northwestern students have easy
access to a variety of professional sports,
music, art, and cultural diversity that the
scholarship and rich in rewarding opportunities nation’s third-largest city offers.
FROM DOWNTOWN
for every lifestyle. Evanston boasts the amenities
CHICAGO Northwestern’s location also means
of a big city in a manageable suburban setting.
unsurpassed access to major corporations,
With Northwestern’s downtown Chicago campus research centers, and other organizations eager
only 12 miles away and readily accessible to engage Northwestern Engineering students in
by public transportation or the intercampus experiential learning, internships, and careers.

OVERVIEW
 PHD IN

INDUSTRIAL
ENGINEERING &
MANAGEMENT
SCIENCES
 Leading innovation in optimization,
QUICK FACTS

DEGREE EARNED
statistical learning, and stochastic
PhD in Industrial Engineering
models for better decision making
LOCATION
The Department of Industrial Engineering and personalized mentorship, the department educates
Evanston, IL
Management Sciences (IEMS) at Northwestern future leaders and fosters a strong community
Easy access to Chicago’s
transportation, healthcare, University pioneers data science for better decision among faculty, staff, students, and alumni.
and financial industries making through algorithms, computation, and
This program has three major components:
mathematical modeling. IEMS at the McCormick
School of Engineering couples an engineering • COURSEWORK includes a common core of
TIMING
systems approach with optimization, simulation, eight courses in optimization, statistics and
4-5 years
and statistical machine learning to address societal statistical learning, stochastics, simulation,
challenges with impactful outcomes. and economics and decision analysis, as well as
two required courses in IEMS application areas.
The PhD program is designed for analytically
talented students interested in creating tools to • RESEARCH includes training in core
solve problems in business, industry, services, methodologies of operations research
government, and creating societal change. (optimization, stochastic modeling and
simulation, statistics, and decision analysis)
Established in 1958, the department bridges
and how to apply them to solve problems.
engineering and management. It consistently ranks
among the top industrial engineering departments • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT includes
in the country. Faculty conduct highly collaborative seminars, internships, and travel grants to
research into pioneering data science for better conferences and workshops. Students have
decision making. Through innovative curriculum and full access to Northwestern’s extensive career
placement resources.

PHD INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING & MANAGEMENT SCIENCES

CAREER PATHS CURRICULUM view more online >

Many PhD graduates receive

In addition to core courses, PhD students also complete one three-course major and one two-course
academic positions in engineering,
minor. Majors and minors may be chosen from the following areas:
business, and applied mathematics
at top schools. Others accept • Analytics (minor only) • Logistics and Operations
corporate research and
• Applied Statistics and Statistical Learning • Management Science
development positions.
• Financial Engineering • Optimization
• Healthcare Engineering • Stochastic Analysis and Simulation

WHERE REQUIRED COURSEWORK TEACHING

GRADUATES LAND Fifteen one-credit courses must be taken The Graduate School requires that all PhD
for a letter grade. In addition to core and applied students serve in an instructional capacity for
• Amazon
courses, a three-course major and a two-course at least one academic quarter. For IEMS PhD
• Cornell
minor must be completed. students, this requirement is usually fulfilled
• Georgia Tech
through service as a teaching assistant in an
• Google Students may request a waiver of the
IEMS course.
• New York Yankees requirement that a course be taken for their
• Penn State PhD, justified by graduate-level coursework
DISSERTATION
• Salesforce previously done at another institution.
The degree is awarded following an oral final
• Twitter examination and submission of the completed
• University of California, Berkeley dissertation.
• University of Texas at Austin

PHD INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING & MANAGEMENT SCIENCES

RESEARCH CENTERS AREAS OF RESEARCH EXCELLENCE
• Center for Deep Learning
FOUNDATIONS APPLICATIONS
• Center for Engineering and Health
• Applied Statistics and Statistical Learning • Financial Engineering
• Center for Optimization and
Statistical Learning • Optimization • Healthcare Engineering
• Stochastic Analysis and Simulation • Logistics and Operations
• Management Science

FACULTY meet our faculty >

Faculty members are world-renowned in their School of Medicine. Many have been honored
areas of research. Many collaborate with with awards and fellowships from leading
partners within the University, including from professional societies, including INFORMS,
the Kellogg School of Management, and Feinberg IIE, and ASA.

As director of graduate studies, I manage our PhD education and maintain

its high quality with the goal of training independent and innovative
thinkers who are ready to push the boundaries of the knowledge in the field
of industrial engineering and management sciences.”
SEYED IRAVANI
Professor

PHD INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING & MANAGEMENT SCIENCES

TIMELINE ADMISSIONS
APPLICATION OPENS Applications and all supplemental materials for Northwestern Engineering’s Admissions
September admission are submitted through The Graduate instructions and the department’s Admissions
School’s online application system. Please view FAQ page for more information.
SUBMIT APPLICATION
December 7

RECEIVE DECISION
March–April

VISIT DAYS
APPLICATION CHECKLIST
Scheduled after decisions
ONLINE APPLICATION FORM
ACCEPT OFFER
April 15 UNOFFICIAL ACADEMIC TRANSCRIPTS

PROGRAM BEGINS AT LEAST TWO LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

September
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

TOEFL SCORES/IELTS SCORES (if applicable)

START YOUR RÉSUMÉ OR CV

APPLICATION >
WRITING SAMPLES (optional)

DIVERSITY STATEMENT (optional)

FELLOWSHIP OFFER LETTER (optional)

APPLICATION FEE

PLEASE DO NOT SEND HARD COPIES OF MATERIALS.

LEARN MORE FINANCIAL AID

MORE INFO A typical financial aid offer provides tuition and circumstances, Northwestern Engineering
stipend for five years, with possible extension provides opportunities for access to a variety of
iems.northwestern.edu
beyond five years. federal and private loan and funding options.
QUESTIONS To ensure our graduate students can fund their The Evanston Office of Graduate Financial Aid
gcoord@iems.northwestern.edu education regardless of personal financial assists with these funding processes.

gradfinaid@northwestern.edu >

view funding resources >

PHD INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING & MANAGEMENT SCIENCES