Global executive track Ph.D. program

The Industrial Engineering Global Executive Track PhD program at Wayne State prepares executives to create social, intellectual, and economic value for their organizations and society at large. As a learning partner, you'll obtain immediate value from the program so you can apply research knowledge to your work within your first year while completing significant, high-quality research relevant to your organization.

Bridging the gap between the academic and business worlds.

Mission and goals

To provide opportunities for working executives to combine real-world experience with academic skills to create a new class of technical leaders who embrace integrative thinking, are globally aware, and are capable of producing sustainable value to any organization throughout the world.

Minimal disruption to work & a hassle-free process

Students in the GET PhD program can earn the degree with minimal disruption to their work schedules. The class cycle starts in December with an orientation session and then classes begin in January, although flexibility is allowed for students who may need prerequisite classes or want to start with a class in May or September. Classes meet at length on a limited frequency with some meeting once per month and some twice per month. Fully online options are also available.

Our staff coordinate course registrations, purchase and deliver parking passes, cater meals during class days, and take care of routine enrollment chores so that students can focus on their jobs and studies.

Innovative curricula

An industry advisory board helps keep our curriculum relevant to industry needs. The program offers two non-traditional pathways to a PhD in Engineering while meeting the needs of working executives.

• The management concentration is for executives, managers, and consultants who want to broaden their global technical leadership skills and work on important strategic leadership issues.
• The technical concentration is for technical leaders and consultants who want to deepen specific domain knowledge and work on specific research customized to their problem of practice.

In both concentrations, candidates complete the PhD Qualifying Exams by developing and defending two high-quality teaching case studies along with teaching notes based on their rich technical and management experience. Both concentrations also require the candidates to publish dissertation research results in high quality academic journals and present the findings at professional conferences.

Each program journey offers an Industrial and Systems Engineering core curriculum, with additional courses in global business and leadership. In addition to the course curriculum, we offer personalized advising, and individual projects that address your business challenges. The program can also be completed fully online through synchronous online classes, which allows flexibility of location as well as the full experience of rich interaction with your fellow program candidates.

Learn more about our innovative program curriculum.

Unique academic experience with real world application

The WSU Global Executive Track PhD program is an intense program that minimizes time out of the workplace. Our course meetings occur only a couple of times per month, primarily in the evenings and on weekends to avoid work conflicts. Online access is available for all courses and the degree can be completed totally online. Students begin the program in January and move through the program as a cohort, however we do offer flexibility in admissions to complete prerequisite courses.

The Global Executive Track PhD comes with a great support system. GET Students are busy people who don’t want to hassle with administrative tasks, coordinate on campus parking, pay attention to deadlines, or worry about getting food between work and class. Our concierge like staff manage these tasks so that students can focus on their jobs and studies.

Ideal candidates

Filled with talented leaders who want to do more than simply earn a credential that can carry them higher in industry, the WSU GET PhD is for ambitious people. It is for those who have a resume full of accomplishments to prove that their success isn’t dependent upon a degree. It is for driven learners who want an educational experience that will challenge and invigorate them – and take their thinking to a whole new level.

Although somewhat flexible, our ideal candidates:

• Hold a bachelor's degree in engineering and a master's in industrial engineering, operations research, engineering management, or business administration.
• Have at least 10 years of technical experience including at least five years of leadership experience.
• Are dedicated to creative leadership, continuing intellectual development, creating a collaborative learning experience, and enhancing one's organization and community.
• Demonstrate leadership in initiatives with complex, cross-organizational impact.
• Are committed to completing a rigorous four-year doctoral program requiring, in addition to class time, at least 15 hours of study per week.

Students come from richly diverse academic and professional backgrounds. Many have worked in large corporations as well as small family-owned businesses. The average age of a WSU Global Executive Track PhD student is 44, but classmates range in age from 31-62. About 80 percent of WSU’s GET students have Engineering degrees such as Industrial, Mechanical, Electrical, Biomedical, Chemical, and Computer Science. Other students can have backgrounds in domains such as Business Administration, International Relations, Healthcare, and Statistics.

Meet our Global Executive Track (GET) PhD students.

A history rooted in excellence

The College of Engineering at Wayne State University has been a strong innovator and advocate for practitioner-focused academic degrees. Launched in 2008, the Industrial Engineering: Global Executive Track PhD program is one of a kind. The program is formatted to allow students to continue working while they pursue their studies. In fact, the expectation is that they will remain employed in a position that allows them to apply what they are learning while they complete the program.

Tuition and financial aid

The Global Executive Track (GET) PhD program is a premium program that provides students with administration and support services. Because of these additional services, the cost of the GET PhD is higher than that of a traditional PhD program.

The GET PhD program offers flexible tuition payment in installments. Tuition covers most reading materials, supplies, software, meals, and parking. The program requires 60 credits for completion, with up to 12 credits transferable from other relevant graduate programs. In 2024, tuition rates were $1,849.70 per credit for in-state students and $2,778.82 per credit for out-of-state students. However, out-of-state students may qualify for in-state tuition by enrolling in the online option. Both in-state and online students attend the same classes with the same instructors in a synchronous format, with online students participating virtually. Tuition rates are subject to change; for the latest information, please visit the tuition rate website.

The Post 9-11 GI Bill covers a large amount of tuition and program fees. Veterans, active-duty service persons, members of the Selected Reserve, and dependents of veterans are eligible for benefits. The Office of Military and Veterans Academic Success Excellence (OMVAE) can help you explore this option.

Graduate students are eligible for Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans and a limited number of Graduate Scholarships are available through our University and non-University organizations to help offset educational expenses.

Learn more about our scholarships and financial aid.

Additionally, many employers offer tuition assistance or tuition reimbursement programs. Seeking research & development grants from employers to fund research efforts important to the employer is another option for funding tuition. We strongly recommend students investigate these opportunities before applying for federal tuition assistance.

Admissions

Apply online with the following: 

1. Official Transcripts (sealed, one for each institution attended)
2. Two Recommendation Letters
3. Supporting Documents: Professional resume, a statement of purpose
4. Citation of any publications / conference presentations

When completing the online application:

• Choose program: Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering
• Domestic students, select Major: Industrial GET (IEG)
• International students, select Industrial GET Online (IEGO)

A personal interview is required and is typically scheduled with a Program Co-Director once the above items have been submitted.

All foreign transcripts require a course-by-course evaluation from a foreign transcript evaluation service.

Application deadline

Because the Global Executive Track PhD Program is a cohort-based program, new students can join the program every January. We do allow rolling admissions to allow students early admission to take any pre-requisite courses as needed throughout the year.

Early application is strongly encouraged; while applications are accepted year-round, applications should be received no later than November 1 for those who wish to start in January to allow time for admission processing.

Contacts

Dr. Ratna Babu Chinnam
GET Program Director and Chair of the Industrial & Systems Engineering Department
313-577-4846

Dr. Nancy Philippart
GET Program Co-Director

Andrea Jarvis
GET Program Manager