Common Minors for ISE Students

What is a minor?

A minor is a group of courses, fewer than the number required for a major (typically 18-22 credits), for students to take who wish to develop expertise or pursue an interest in a subject in addition to their major. Minors are optional but can help students stand out. With over 130 options, students can customize their education towards their desired area of study. A list of all available minors can be found on the University Registrar website. Several popular minors for industrial and systems engineering students to pursue are the Business Minor, Green Engineering Minor, and a newly created Finance Minor. Other minors that can be taken include, but are not limited to, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science, Economics, Language (Spanish, French, etc.), Psychology, and Statistics.

Business

A Business Minor enhances a student’s skill set in order to pursue a position in management or leadership. A broader understanding of business concepts will benefit ISE graduates when entering the business world. Based on an agreement between the College of Business and industrial and systems engineering, several classes which fulfill ISE major requirements also fulfill Business Minor requirements. Students may also select ECON 2005-2006 to fulfill both Business Minor and CLE/Pathways requirements. With proper planning, an ISE student can complete the Business Minor requirements by a purposeful selection of elective courses and taking 15 credits above and beyond BSISE requirements. Interested students can obtain the application/checksheet from here.

Green Engineering

A Green Engineering Minor is desirable for ISE majors because it provides a basic understanding of environmental issues when it comes to manufacturing and industrial systems. With this understanding, industrial and systems engineers are able to make these systems more efficient and environmentally friendly. An increasing emphasis on making processes and systems more “green” has motivated companies to recruit industrial and systems engineering graduates with a Green Engineering Minor. With proper planning, students may complete the Green Engineering Minor requirements by taking no additional course requirements.

Required Minor Core courses can satisfy 6 credits of Technical Elective credits for students majoring in industrial and systems engineering, and the Engineering Elective courses include required industrial and systems engineering courses. The Interdisciplinary Elective Course List requires 6 credits; there are several classes that double-count for CLE Area 2 and/or Area 7 credit, or Pathways 2 & 7 credit. Refer to the Green Engineering Minor Checksheet which can be found here. Contact an industrial and systems engineering academic advisor for more information.

Finance

A Finance Minor is a good choice for students planning to pursue a career in financial data analytics, portfolio analytics, risk management modeling & analysis, etc. This minor can be especially useful for students who want to earn a master's degree in Financial Engineering. Industrial and systems engineering students may substitute ISE 2024, ISE 3004, and STAT 4706 for 3 out of the 9 courses required for this minor. The Finance Minor checksheet can be found on the ISE Undergraduate Programs website here.