The Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing recently announced the addition of an industrial engineering undergraduate program, which will welcome its first class in fall 2025. University officials expect the new program to meet the needs of prospective students and local employers and better align the college with national trends in engineering education.
The new program will prepare students to apply scientific and mathematical principles to the design, operation and improvement of integrated systems of people, material, information, and energy. The coursework includes instruction in applied mathematics, physical and social sciences, engineering analysis, systems design, manufacturing, and forecasting.
Prospective students ask about industrial engineering more than any other engineering discipline not currently offered by the university, and there is sustained interest among statewide employers. According to the University of South Carolina Career Center, these companies include Boeing, Michelin, Nephron and Trane have expressed the need for industrial engineers. In addition, an EAB Global analysis of job postings identified industrial engineering openings at many other companies across the nation.
The trend in industrial engineering is not surprising based on recent data published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which estimates that employment is expected to increase by 12% by 2032. Due to a focus on efficiency and system optimization, industrial engineers have a wide range of employment opportunities across various industries such as manufacturing, health care, transportation, business administration, government agencies and consulting firms. Aside from a rewarding career, according to a study by CNBC/Payscale, industrial engineering is the STEM major with the second highest mid-career annual earnings at $202,600.
“At the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, we remain focused on excellence in education, and on scholarship that translates to social mobility and economic impact in our state. This focus has led to the creation of timely degree programs that position our students for success,” says Dean Hossein Haj-Hariri. “Our industrial engineering program is designed to address the significant need for advanced industrial engineers in our state, and one that stands to benefit immensely from the massive wave of onshoring that we are experiencing.”
Mechanical Engineering Professor Thor Wuest joined the faculty in August to direct the new program. Having been involved in the established industrial engineering program at West Virginia University, Wuest was attracted to South Carolina’s strength in the manufacturing industry and the opportunity to build something new and innovative at USC.
“It’s really exciting to build something from scratch in an area with such fast-paced development,” Wuest says. “South Carolina does a great job attracting top-notch manufacturers, and we hope to meet their need for industrial engineers and get our graduates in fulfilling careers.”
Wuest explains that because industrial engineering is one of the most versatile engineering majors, graduates can work in almost any industry to improve the design processes, assembly lines, warehouses, ergonomics, and machine function that drive the economy and allow companies to be competitive in the marketplace.
“Industrial engineers seek continuous improvement,” Wuest says. “Engineers make things, and industrial engineers make things better.”
Applications are currently being accepted for fall 2025, and the college plans to add three new faculty members with experience in both academia and industry to prepare students for their future career. With a new program, prospective students should expect to receive personalized attention and close interaction with faculty members as well as the flexibility to explore their individual interests.
“Students will get to know the faculty well, and we will help them get placed in exciting and fulfilling careers,” Wuest says. “The program is designed to ensure students take all the required core industrial engineering courses, but because we had the opportunity to build the program from scratch, there is also a lot of space for them to explore their own passions, choose exciting electives and make their degree truly their own.”
The program is expected to serve as an area of growth for the university, advancing the employability of undergraduate students and strengthening industry relationships across the state and beyond.
“As a rising, in-demand major, industrial engineers provide timely solutions for our state’s thriving manufacturing sector,” Haj-Hariri says. “Adding this program will improve the academic reputation through increased enrollment and capability of our undergraduates, while strengthening relationships with statewide employers.”