Industrial Engineering is the study of manufacturing operations, design, practices and techniques. It is the most ubiquitous branch of engineering and plays a major role in the manufacturing and development process of almost every product and every industry. Industrial Engineering involves optimisation of processes in different industries through the integration of various resources such as people, money, knowledge, materials, energy, equipment and information.
Industrial Engineering degrees have gained much popularity as Industrial Engineers work in every sector. Learn more about Industrial Engineering and the best UK universities to study a Masters in Industrial Engineering below.
If you want to study engineering in the UK and need help applying to UK universities, book a free consultation with SI-UK today. Our expert international education consultants assist you in choosing the right university and course to study in the UK and apply hassle free.
Careers in Industrial Engineering
Industrial Engineering degrees are multi-dimensional, interdisciplinary and many times overlap with other engineering specialisations such as manufacturing engineering, product engineering, supply-chain engineering, financial engineering, ergonomics, management science and operations research. Industrial Engineers have interesting career prospects in multiple industries such as finance, marketing, hospitals, banking, information systems and social services. They work diverse roles as Health and Safety Engineers, Management Analysts, Project Managers, Logisticians, Cost Estimators, Quality Control Engineers etc.
Difference between Industrial Engineering and Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering is a field of specialisation focussed on the study of designing and building machines to solve problems of different industries. Whereas Industrial Engineering is closely related to optimization of business solutions to improve profitability and business processes by combining engineering and business principles.
Mechanical and Industrial Engineers have a deep understanding of mathematics and physics and use analytical skills to develop machines and systems. While mechanical engineers specialise in the manufacturing and production of complex machinery using thermodynamics, industrial engineers are responsible for ensuring efficiency in production and designing the workflow for optimisation.
A mechanical engineer designs mechanisms starting with basic physics principle and an industrial engineer seeks to optimise the workflow, minimise wastages and ensure smooth operations for achieving an economical approach for the industrial production. Mechanical Engineering is more about the use of Applied Physics and Industrial Engineering is related more with Applied Statistics, Management and Operations.
Top UK Universities for MSc Industrial Engineering
University of Nottingham
MSc Industrial Engineering and Operations Management at Nottingham University is a 1-year full-time course with focus on Industrial Engineering. Delivered by the Nottingham University Business School, this course explores the decision making skills required to tackle management problems in business, industry and the public sector. It looks at methods, models and techniques that are useful for resolving organisational difficulties combining knowledge and principles of industrial engineering and business management.
Nottingham University is a TEF Gold rated university recognised for excellence in teaching and research. The city of Nottingham is also a great place to study, work and live. Nottingham University Business School is accredited with EQUIS and AMBA and MSc graduates from the Business School have a graduate employment rate of 91.1%.
University of Dundee
Industrial Engineering and Management MSc at the School of Science and Engineering is designed to develop advanced knowledge and experience in engineering and management. Delivered in partnership with the School of Business to prepare students for key roles and responsibilities of leadership and decision making.
Students are encouraged to gain practical experience and valuable industry contacts through a 12 week industrial project. The global research and teaching collaborations provide excellent opportunities for industrial placement and PhD research. This course is multi-disciplinary and opens up a wide rage of career prospects in the field of engineering and business management.
University of Dundee also offers an MSc Industrial Engineering and International Finance. The course helps to develop specialised knowledge and understanding of industry focussed engineering and fundamentals of international finance. Students are trained to combine engineering knowledge with economic strategy for analysing global markets and facilitating informed decision making.
University of Greenwich
MEng Industrial Engineering at the University of Greenwich is a 4-year postgraduate course where students learn about operational analysis, process engineering, design, and manufacturing techniques and practices, with a particular focus on high-value manufacturing. The highly specialised and integrated multi-disciplinary engineering laboratories at the University of Greenwich help students to understand the financial and business challenges for various industrial processes and business operations alongside engineering challenges.
Study Industrial Engineering in the UK
See: Engineering Subject Guide
If you want to get more information about studying a masters in Engineering in the UK, book a free consultation with SI-UK today. Our expert team of international education consultants will help you find the best engineering courses to study in the UK and guide you through the applications.
I sincerely thank SI-UK for getting me accepted to UCL. The MSc in Urban Development and Planning is extremely competitive, but the right guidance provided by SI-UK made my dream of studying at University College London a reality. The services were exceptional from beginning to end. 