The M.S. Non-Thesis option prepares students for higher-level professional careers in industrial and systems engineering. Students learn advanced industrial and systems engineering techniques and study engineering management practices exclusively through coursework. A non-thesis degree is often considered a “terminal” degree and, in general, will not qualify the student for admission into a Ph.D. program. Students are encouraged to apply for the M.S. Thesis Option if they are considering a doctoral degree.
The following requirements are the School of Industrial Engineering Requirements. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of all Graduate College requirements and deadlines listed on the Graduate Bulletin.
The Graduate Liaison serves as the academic advisor for each non-thesis student unless a student is assigned another ISE faculty member to direct the program of study.
The advisor will work with the student to develop the Plan of Study.
The student shall meet with the advisor for advising prior to registration each semester.
The Plan of Study for the Master of Science in Industrial & Systems Engineering identifies the coursework that will be completed to fulfill degree requirements.
The Plan of Study allows the degree program to be tailored to the needs and interests of the individual student. However, certain basic requirements must be satisfied as described below.
Coursework requirements for the degree that are listed below represent a minimum level of preparation. Computational skills and oral and written English communication skills are assumed. The Graduate Liaison may determine that additional courses are required to redress deficiencies in the student’s background. These courses will be listed on the Plan of Study but not on the Program of Graduate Work.
When appropriate, the Plan of Study may include courses that have been approved for transfer from other institutions or courses already completed at The University of Oklahoma if the advisor believes they are applicable to the student’s graduate program.
The student should begin developing a Plan of Study in conjunction with the Graduate Liaison during the first semester of graduate study.
The Plan of Study must be approved by the Graduate Liaison and submitted to the Graduate Student Services Coordinator no later than the second semester of graduate study.
If changes later become necessary, the student must obtain approval from the Graduate Liaison and file an amended Plan of Study.
In the semester prior to the semester of graduation, the student must obtain signature approval by the Graduate Liaison and submit the Program of Graduate Work/Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate Student Services Coordinator according to the following deadlines:
• Mid-March for graduation in the Fall semester
• Mid-September for graduation in the Spring semester
• Mid-February for graduation in the Summer semester
Only those graduate-level courses needed to complete the requirements of the degree should be listed on the Program of Graduate Work form.
A student can initiate the steps to schedule the Comprehensive Examination only after he or she has been admitted to candidacy by the Graduate Dean.
All non-thesis master's students are required to complete three Comprehensive Examinations in fulfillment of the degree requirements.
The Comprehensive Exams are held during the final semester of enrollment in the master’s program. During this semester the student must be in good academic standing and be enrolled in a minimum of two credit hours, but the Comprehensive Exams do not require enrollment in an additional course.
Prior to the semester of graduation, the student must inform the Graduate Student Services Coordinator that he or she wishes to schedule their Comprehensive Examinations.
The School of Industrial & Systems Engineering will appoint an examination committee for each graduating student. The committee will consist of a chair and two additional ISE faculty members. All graduating students will complete three one-hour subject examinations.
Upon completion of the examinations the committee will determine whether the work is satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
If the examinations are graded as unsatisfactory the student may, at the discretion of the committee, repeat the examinations once in the following semester. The comprehensive examinations may not be taken a third time, nor may they be taken twice in the same semester.
The student must file an Application for Graduation with the Graduate College according to the following deadlines:
• Submit by October 1 for Fall graduation
• Submit by March 1 for Spring graduation
• Submit by July 1 for Summer graduation
