UCLA Samueli School of Engineering's Industrial Engineering Program: An Overview

The UCLA Samueli School of Engineering offers a comprehensive suite of industrial engineering programs designed to equip students with the technical expertise and leadership skills necessary to thrive in today's rapidly evolving technological landscape. These programs cater to a diverse range of interests and career aspirations, from technical management to specialized research. The UCLA General Catalog is published annually in PDF and HTML formats. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information presented in the UCLA General Catalog. However, all courses, course descriptions, instructor designations, curricular degree requirements, and fees described herein are subject to change or deletion without notice. Consult this Catalog for the most current, officially approved courses and curricula. Other information about UCLA may be found in materials produced by the schools of Arts and Architecture; Dentistry; Education and Information Studies; Engineering and Applied Science; Law; Management; Medicine; Music; Nursing; Public Affairs; Public Health; and Theater, Film, and Television.

Master of Engineering (MEng) Program

UCLA Samueli's one-year, self-supporting Master of Engineering degree is designed to develop future engineering leaders. This full-time, on-campus program addresses the needs of both students and industry and is tailored for those who wish to pursue technical management positions, combining a high-tech skill set with management savvy. The application window for the Fall 2026-27 Master of Engineering (MEng) program cohort has closed. This full-time, on-campus program is designed for those who wish to pursue technical management positions, combining a high-tech skill set with management savvy.

Key Features

One Year, Full-Time, On-Campus: The program's intensive format allows students to quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to advance their careers.
Focus on Technical Management: The curriculum is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to lead and manage engineering teams and projects.
Industry Connections: Industry-sponsored capstone projects enhance connections and networking opportunities vital to career development. The project will involve students working in teams to conduct hands-on design, fabrication, and testing.
Interdisciplinary Approach: The program integrates faculty expertise from various departments, including Computer Science, Computational Medicine, and Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) Online Program

UCLA Samueli's MS in Engineering Online Program provides employed engineers a pathway to continue their technical education and earn their degree part-time in about two years. The primary purpose of the Master of Science in Engineering online degree programs is to enable employed engineers and computer scientists to augment their technical education beyond the Bachelor of Science degree and to enhance their value to the technical organizations in which they are employed. The training and education that the programs offer are of significant importance and usefulness to engineers, their employers, California, and the nation. Students are able to design programs that best meet their professional and academic goals. The majority of courses are equivalent to those offered on-campus and are delivered asynchronously by the same engineering faculty. Additionally, there is no "online" designation on the diploma or transcript.

Program Structure

The programs consist of nine courses that make up a program of study. At least five courses must be at the 200 level, and one must be a directed study course. The programs are structured in a manner that allows employed engineers/computer scientists to complete the requirements at a part-time pace (e.g., one 100/200-level course per term).

Key Benefits

Flexibility: The online format allows employed engineers to pursue their degree without interrupting their careers.
Accessibility: All Internet-available lecturers are offered 24/7, with a weekly homeroom time to enhance the taped lectures and promote class interaction.
Reputation: Students receive the same high-quality education as on-campus students, with no "online" designation on their diploma or transcript.
Customizable: Students are able to design programs that best meet their professional and academic goals.

Admissions & Enrollment

Application Deadline: May 15 (for both domestic and international students)
Notification of Admissions: On a rolling basis beginning Feb. 1
Same admissions standards are used for all online programs: Yes
Sometimes denies admittance to qualified applicants: Yes
Admits applicants living abroad: Yes
Average undergraduate GPA: 3.5
Entrants providing undergraduate GPA: 100%
Average GRE score breakdown: 157 verbal, 160 quantitative, 4.5 analytical writing
Entrants providing GRE scores: 1%
Standardized test policy: GRE required with exceptions
Letters of recommendation: 3 Letters of recommendation from professional contacts
Engineering-related work experience requirement: Yes, with exceptions
Engineering-related undergraduate degree requirement: Yes, always
Engineering-related undergraduate course work requirement: Yes, always
TOEFL iBT Test required for international students: Require
Minimum TOEFL iBT Test score required: 87
Duolingo English Test required for international students: N/A
Minimum Duolingo English Test score required: N/A
IELTS required for international students: Require
Minimum IELTS score required: 7

Admissions Factors

Academic factors:

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- Undergraduate institution: Very Important
- Undergraduate GPA: Very Important
- Undergraduate field of study: Important
- Recommendation(s): Very Important
- Standardized test scores: Considered
Non-academic factors:
- Application essay: Important
- Work experience: Very Important
- Character/personal qualities: Not Considered
- First-generation college student: Considered
- Alumni/alumnae relations: Considered
- Geographical residence: Not Considered
- Applicant's interest level: Very Important

Program Offerings

Online master's in engineering degree programs: 11
Concentrations with highest demand: Aerospace / Aeronautical / Astronautical, Computer Science, Electrical / Electronic / Communications, Engineering Management, Mechanical
Concentrations offered: Aerospace / Aeronautical / Astronautical, Civil, Computer Science, Electrical / Electronic / Communications, Engineering Management, Environmental / Environmental Health, Industrial / Manufacturing, Materials, Mechanical
Credit-granting courses: 96
Instructional faculty who teach courses accessible online: 75 full-time; 15 part-time
Instructional faculty with Ph.D.

Specialized Programs of Study

UCLA Samueli offers a variety of specialized programs within its industrial engineering curriculum, catering to specific areas of interest and industry demands. These programs provide in-depth knowledge and skills in areas such as:

Aerospace Engineering

The objective of this program is to provide students with a broad knowledge of major technical areas of aerospace engineering in order to fulfill the current and future needs of the aerospace industry. The major technical areas of this program include aerodynamics and computational fluid dynamics (CFD), propulsion, systems and control, and structures and dynamics.

Computer Networking

Three undergraduate elective courses complement the basic background of the undergraduate computer science degree with concepts in security, sensors, and wireless communications. The graduate courses expose students to key applications and research areas in the network and distributed systems field. Two required graduate courses cover the Internet and emerging sensor embedded systems.

Electronic Materials

The electronic materials program provides students with a knowledge set that is highly relevant to the semiconductor industry. The program has four essential attributes: theoretical background, applied knowledge, exposure to theoretical approaches, and introduction to the emerging field of microelectronics, namely organic electronics.

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Integrated Circuits

The integrated circuits program includes analog integrated circuit (IC) design, design and modeling of VLSI circuits and systems, RF circuit and system design, signaling and synchronization, VLSI signal processing, and communication system design.

Manufacturing and Design

An advanced program of study that covers fundamental and applied topics in modern manufacturing and mechanical design. The program includes finite element methods in design, mechanics of intelligent materials systems, nano- and micro-manufacturing, material processing, rapid prototyping, composites manufacturing, design with composites, digital control, design of power transmission systems, design of high-temperature components, and design of smart grids.

Materials Engineering

Materials engineering is concerned with the design, fabrication, and testing of engineering materials that must simultaneously fulfill dimensional properties, quality control, and economic requirements.

Mechanical Engineering

The objective of this program is to provide students with a broad knowledge of the major areas of mechanical engineering in order to fulfill the current and future needs of the industry. The major areas include control, dynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, mechanical design, mechanical systems, microâ and nanoelectromechanical systems, robotics, structural and solid mechanics, and thermodynamics. Undergraduate and graduate courses cover a wide range of fundamental concepts and advanced knowledge base in each of these areas.

Signal Processing and Communications

The program provides training in a set of related topics in signal processing and communications.

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Mechanics of Structures

The main objective of the mechanics of structures program is to provide students with the opportunity to develop the knowledge required for the analysis and synthesis of modern engineered structures. These concepts are then applied in solving industry-relevant problems in a number of graduate-level courses.

Systems Engineering

Systems engineering brings an integrated interdisciplinary approach to the development of complex engineered systems. The program at UCLA sets itself apart from others by combining the core elements of systems engineering (fundamentals of systems, model-based systems, project management, safety and reliability, and systems architecture) with disciplinary graduate-level engineering courses.

Other Programs and Focus Areas

Data Science: The exponential growth of data generated by machines and humans present unprecedented challenges and opportunities. From the analysis of this big data, businesses can learn key insights about their customers to make informed business decisions. Scientists can discover previously unknown patterns hidden deep inside the mountains of data.
Engineering Management: The engineering management program focuses on providing entering and current engineering management personnel an opportunity to expand their business-related knowledge base and skills to enhance employment performance to the benefit of both the employee and employer.
Water Sustainability: Plentiful high-quality water is fundamental for society. However, drought, climate change, contamination, and growing populations pose challenges for water sustainability. Engineers are needed worldwide to find novel solutions in providing access to clean water.
High-Performance Circuits in AI, Communication, and Emerging Technologies: This course addresses the growing demand for high-performance circuits in AI, communication, and emerging technologies. Area Director: Prof. Mani Srivastava. Integrate faculty expertise from Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Circuits and Embedded Systems: Area Director: Prof. Guy Van den Broeck. Integrate faculty expertise from Computer Science, Computational Medicine, and Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Cyber-Physical Systems: Area Director: Prof. T-C. Tsao. Integrate faculty expertise from Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science.
Micro and Nano Technology: Area Director: Associate Prof. Liang Gao. Integrate faculty expertise from Bioengineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Computational Medicine, the School of Dentistry and the David Geffen School of Medicine. Focus on improving human health and longevity by translating discoveries in biomedical sciences into disease therapies.
Scalable Analytics: Area Director: Prof. Eleazar Eskin. Integrate faculty expertise from Computer Science, Bioengineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computational Medicine and the David Geffen School of Medicine.
Smart Systems: Area Director: Prof. Jenn-Ming Yang. Integrate faculty expertise from Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Advanced Network Technologies: Area Director: Prof. C. K. Ken Yang. Integrate faculty expertise from Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science and Computational Medicine.

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