Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Management

The MSEM faculty is committed to providing a supportive student-centered environment for its majors, who must all meet with their assigned faculty advisors for academic advisement. Call (818) 677-2167 for information about any undergraduate or graduate programs.

More than two-thirds of all engineering professionals invest a significant portion of their careers in managing and administering a wide range of technical engineering and research projects and budgets. As the engineering profession evolves, an increasing need has emerged for entry-level engineering professionals who have both a broad engineering background and the knowledge and ability to interface between the business and technical functions of organizations. Undergraduate engineering majors learn engineering fundamentals, together with the art and science of planning, organizing, allocating resources, and directing and controlling activities in technological environments.

Manufacturing Systems Engineering is a growing discipline area in the engineering profession. Four of the seven technology areas that have been identified for rapid development by the National Science Foundation—advanced manufacturing technologies, advanced materials and processing, biotechnology and healthcare delivery systems—are particularly well-suited for the talents of the manufacturing systems engineer. Employment opportunities abound in the metropolitan Los Angeles area, the leading manufacturing region in the United States.

On the job, manufacturing systems engineers and engineering managers develop new facilities, create computer models and images of products and processes, manage the production process, conduct productivity studies, test products and evaluate materials, troubleshoot on the factory floor and work hand in hand with design engineers. Because their background is broad and the types of work are so varied, these engineers find opportunities in fields besides manufacturing, applying their skills and knowledge in such diverse environments as hospitals, entertainment firms and consulting firms. Many manufacturing systems engineers are noted for starting their own companies or for pursuing engineering management career paths in large companies.

Although most graduates are employed in private industry, others pursue careers with government agencies or educational institutions. The bachelor’s degree can be used as a stepping stone to graduate work in engineering, law, business or even medicine. Many Manufacturing Systems Engineering graduates return to CSUN to earn their M.S. degree in the Engineering Management, Manufacturing Systems Engineering or Materials Engineering programs.

The B.S. in Manufacturing Systems Engineering and the B.S. in Engineering Management programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. Please note that the B.S. in Engineering Management Technology program is not accredited by ABET and is instead accredited through CSUN’s regional accreditor, WSCUC.

Honors Cooperative Internship Program

The college offers an opportunity for highly qualified students to work in local industry throughout an entire calendar year. Students work full time during the summer and half time during the academic year. Students receive 6 units of academic credit in conjunction with this experience. The program is open to undergraduates who are nearing their senior year and have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. Graduate students who want to participate must have a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA. Applicants are matched to employer-supplied job descriptions and scheduled for interviews with prospective employers. The competitive nature of the program usually generates more applicants than available positions. The application period begins in early March, and the period of employment is typically from July 1 through June 30.

• ASM International (formerly the American Society for Metals International)
• ASEM
• ASQ (American Society for Quality)
• Honors Co-op Program
• National Society for Black Engineers (NSBE)
• Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE)
• Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
• Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME)
• Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
• Tau Beta Pi

Community Relations and Department Industrial Liaison Council

The MSEM department maintains strong relations with the community and continuously reviews its programs with students, alumni and employers of graduates. The Department Industrial Liaison Council consists of members in the professional community to ensure that the department receives a breadth of information on future engineering trends that would affect MSEM programs.