Overview
Master's Program
The Master's degree program in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Seoul National University is a short-term (typically 4 semesters) graduate program suitable for students seeking employment in industry or research institutions. Some graduates of the Master's program continue their studies in the doctoral program, delving into specialized academic fields. During the first three semesters of the Master's program, students take coursework, and in the final semester, they write a Master's thesis and graduate.
The Master's program in Industrial Engineering at Seoul National University serves both as a foundation for practical applications in industrial engineering and as an introductory pathway to doctoral studies. It offers a wide range of courses, including Management Science & Optimization, Data Science & Information System, Production System & Service Science, Logistics & Supply Chain System, Human Factors Engineering, and Technology Management & Economic and Financial System. Master's students build a strong foundation in designing and managing integrated business systems by learning scientific theories and practical techniques, conducting related research, and applying their knowledge. Additionally, students gain research and practical experience by participating in various projects, such as national research initiatives and industry-academia collaboration projects.
Doctoral Program
Since producing its first doctoral graduate in 1982, the Department of Industrial Engineering at Seoul National University has awarded a total of 186 doctoral degrees over the past 35 years. These graduates have made significant contributions as industrial engineers in domestic and international universities, research institutions, and companies, earning recognition for their expertise across various fields of society.
The doctoral program offers specialized fields of study, such as Management Science & Optimization, Data Science & Information System, Production System & Service Science, Logistics & Supply Chain System, Human Factors Engineering, and Technology Management & Economic and Financial System. While each specialized field has unique characteristics in its area of application, they all share the fundamental nature of industrial engineering: analyzing and modeling individual systems using mathematical and scientific methods to derive optimized solutions for real-world problems. The Department of Industrial Engineering at Seoul National University strives to nurture doctoral graduates with system-level analytical skills and rational decision-making abilities, enabling them to lead smart innovation in diverse societal domains through continuous educational and research advancements.
Integrated Master's and Doctoral Program
The Department of Industrial Engineering at Seoul National University offers an integrated Master's and Doctoral program to facilitate the early training of outstanding industrial engineering professionals. Unlike the doctoral program, which requires applicants to hold a Master's degree, the integrated program provides bachelor's degree holders with a faster pathway to earning a PhD. Students in the integrated program begin as Master's students for the first three semesters and transition to doctoral status from the fourth semester. If a student decides not to pursue the doctoral program, they can fulfill the requirements for a Master's degree (e.g., passing the thesis qualification exam and completing a Master's thesis) and graduate with a Master's degree.
This program is designed to produce experts capable of addressing complex industrial challenges and contributing significantly to the field of industrial engineering at an accelerated pace.