The program leading to the PhD is designed to develop the student’s ability to pursue independent and original research in industrial engineering and relevant fields and to teach both oral and written communication of the results of research to the scientific community and a variety of stakeholders.

Concentrations (Optional)

Energy Science and Engineering
Engineering Management

Campus Code

Knoxville Campus
UTSI Campus
Distance Education

Admissions Standards/Procedures

• Applicants must first submit a formal Graduate Application for Admission. In addition to the minimum requirements of the Graduate Council, the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering requires
  • Three rating forms or letters of reference
  • GRE scores
• The Departmental Graduate Committee sets any prerequisite courses or other measures that apply to the particular situation of the applicant. The department and the Office of Graduate Admissions must be notified of any change in the entering date after admission has been granted.
• Admission to the PhD program requires an undergraduate degree and academic background that meets the admission criteria for the master’s program in industrial engineering or a master’s degree in industrial engineering (or a closely related field), and previous academic performance that clearly demonstrates the capacity to do original research and technical investigative work with potential for a successful scholarly career.
• The Engineering Management Concentration has an additional admission requirement of two years of relevant experience as a practicing engineer or scientist. This concentration is fully supported off-campus, utilizing electronic media for interactive distance teaching methods.

Credit Hours Required

• A minimum of 72 graduate credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree, exclusive of credit for the master’s thesis including
  • A minimum of 36 graduate credit hours of course work beyond the bachelor’s degree and 24-36 credit hours of doctoral research and dissertation work.
  • For a master’s program completed at another institution or in another field, the requirement may exceed the 36 credit hours of course work (other than research and dissertation) dependent on the previous program of study.

Required Courses

• IE 600  (24 to 36 credit hours)

Additional Course Requirements

• Concentration Course Requirements
  • Energy Science and Engineering
    • Core Curriculum: ESE 511  and ESE 512   (6 credit hours)
    • Knowledge Breadth Curriculum (3 credit hours): select two courses from the three following areas
      • Political, social, legal, ethical, and security issues related to energy (e.g.,  POLS, PHYS, ESE)
      • Entrepreneurship, leadership, and management (e.g., IE, ME, MGT, ESE)
      • Additional courses may be selected in consultation with the Bredesen Center’s Director
    • Knowledge Specialization Curriculum for Domain Science (15 credit hours) select five courses from participating departments to support one of the following research areas as defined in the Bredesen Center Graduate Student Handbook:
      • Bioenergy and biofuels (e.g., EEB, MICR, BCMB, CBE, LFSC, PLSC)
      • Cross-cutting energy sciences (e.g., MICR, ECE, CHEM, PHYS, MATH, STAT)
      • Distributed energy and grid management (e.g., ECE)
      • Energy conversion and storage (e.g., CBE, CHEM, ME, MSE, PHYS)
      • Energy materials (e.g., MSE, PHYS)
      • Environmental and climate sciences related to energy (e.g., GEOL, MICR, BCMB, EEB, ESS, FORS, GEOL, LFSC, MICR, PLSC, ENVE, FWF)
      • Nuclear energy (e.g., NE, CHEM, ME, PHYS)
      • Renewable energy (MATH, CBE, ENVE, ME, STAT)
      • Transportation sciences (e.g., CBE, CE, ECE,  ME)
      • Additional courses may be selected in consultation with the major professor or research advisor
  • Engineering Management
    • Courses selected in consultation with the major professor and guidance committee.
• Additional detail about the program may be found in the department’s graduate handbook.

Non-Course Requirements

• The student’s dissertation committee should include at least two ISE tenure-track or tenured faculty members and at least one member out of the ISE department.
• The student needs to satisfactorily pass a comprehensive examination administered by the student’s dissertation committee.
  • The exam results are reported to the graduate director and filed in the department.
  • The comprehensive exam is given when the student is ready to apply for admission to candidacy.
  • A student may apply for admission to candidacy after successfully defending the dissertation proposal.
  • The comprehensive examination consists of both written and oral parts.
  • The student must demonstrate a mastery of the dissertation area, ability to think analytically and creatively, skill in using academic resources, and ability to complete the dissertation satisfactorily.
  • A minimum of 6 months must separate the comprehensive examination and the dissertation defense.
• The student needs a successful public defense of the dissertation to receive the degree.