Last Updated: 09/19/2025 | All information is accurate and still up-to-date

As an MIMSE student, you must complete six credit hours of project research (IMS 675) as part of your degree requirements. This research is supervised by your graduate committee chair, who is a faculty member. The project aligns with your interests and may be completed through an IMSE Program/Industry internship, faculty research support, or to address an industry need.

As an MIMSE student, you must complete six credit hours of project research through the IMS 675 course. Your graduate committee chair will guide and support your research work. Because the project connects to your interests, you stay engaged and learn skills that matter to your goals. You can complete the research in several ways, depending on what works best for you. For example, you might do it through an IMSE internship or while supporting faculty research projects.

In some cases, you may work on a real challenge faced by an industry partner. This gives you a chance to apply what you’ve learned in a real-world setting. As a result, you gain practical experience while also meeting your degree requirements. In addition, you build strong connections with professionals and researchers during your project.

No matter the path, your project helps prepare you for future career success.
It also shows your ability to solve problems, work with others and meet real industry needs.

You will document your project results by writing a formal technical report. This report shows what you did, how you did it and what you learned. During your final oral exam, you will present and defend your project and report. You will do this in front of your graduate committee.

Although this may feel challenging, your earlier work helps you prepare with confidence. Your committee will ask questions to test your understanding and review your process. Once your committee accepts your report, you will submit it to IMSE. There, it becomes part of the permanent record and is shared with others.

In fact, the public can access your work. Because of this, your research continues to make an impact even after you graduate. This final step highlights your ability to think clearly, solve problems and share your ideas. It also shows how much you have grown as a skilled professional in the field.

IMSE Industrial Affiliates

At IMSE, you take part in a multi-disciplinary approach to research, outreach, applications and education in manufacturing. Because this approach brings many fields together, you gain a broad and useful skill set. IMSE also helps move new technology from the lab into real companies. This work makes a direct impact on how those companies operate every day.

As you explore the program, you’ll see strong ties to major names in manufacturing and technology. These include many top companies that support IMSE as sponsors or industry partners. Their involvement shows how important IMSE is to the field of modern manufacturing. In fact, this strong connection gives you valuable access to real tools and real-world problems.

As a result, you don’t just learn—you help solve challenges that matter. This means your work makes a difference while also preparing you for your future career. Through IMSE, you grow as both a student and a future leader in manufacturing systems engineering.