Skip to main content
Penn State Behrend
Hotline Contact Us Visit Us Apply Now
  • Academics
    • Majors and Minors
    • Graduate Programs
    • Open Lab Learning
    • Research Opportunities
    • Black School of Business
    • School of Engineering
    • School of Humanities and Social Sciences
    • School of Science
    • Nursing Program
  • Admissions
    • About Penn State Behrend
    • First-Year Students
    • Transfer Students
    • International Students
    • Change of Campus Students
    • Adult Learners
    • Graduate Students
    • Applying to Behrend
    • Tuition and Financial Aid
  • Student Life
    • Commuter Life
    • Residence Life
    • Dining on Campus
    • Athletics and Recreation
    • Clubs and Activities
    • Equity and Diversity
    • Student Services
    • Safety on Campus
  • Information For
    • Future Students
    • Current Students
    • Faculty & Staff
    • Alumni
    • Donors & Friends
    • Business & Community Partners
    • Visitors
Full site navigation menu

This dialog contains the full navigation menu for this site.

Penn State Behrend
Enter the terms you wish to search for.
Search type:
Hotline Contact Us Visit Us Apply Now
  • This is Penn State Behrend
    • About Penn State Behrend
    • Behrend as an Open Lab
    • Behrend: A Best Value
    • Vision of a Behrend Graduate
    • College Calendars
    • College Leadership
    • People and Departments
    • Visit Behrend
    • Give to Behrend
  • Academics
    • Majors and Minors
    • Exploratory (Undeclared)
    • Adult Learner Programs
    • Graduate Programs
    • Academic Advising
    • Career Services
    • College Registrar
  • Admissions and Aid
    • Penn State Behrend At A Glance
    • Undergraduate Admissions
    • Graduate Admissions
    • Visiting Behrend
    • Applying to Behrend
    • Tuition and Financial Aid
  • Student Life
    • On-Campus Housing
    • Off-Campus Housing
    • Commuter Resources
    • Dining on Campus
    • Fitness and Recreation
    • Student Activities
    • Safety on Campus
  • Athletics
  • Research and Outreach
    • Research
    • Faculty Research
    • Student Research
    • Outreach
    • Community and Workforce Programs
    • James R. Meehl Innovation Commons
    • Knowledge Park
    • K-12 Education Outreach
    • Pennsylvania Sea Grant

Find Information For:

  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Faculty & Staff
  • Alumni
  • Donors & Friends
  • Business & Community Partners
  • Visitors

Helpful Links

  • Campus Map
  • Virtual Campus Tour
  • Directions to Campus
  • Parking on Campus
  • Safety on Campus
  • Behrend Blog
  • Calendars
  • Directories

Connect With Us

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • instagram
  • youtube
  1. Home
  2. Black School of Business
  3. Research & Outreach
  4. Business Partner Engagement

IBE Employer Sheet

Students and Faculty Having a Discussion at a Table

>> Download IBE Employer Sheet (PDF)

Why hire a Penn State Behrend Interdisciplinary Business with Engineering Studies graduate?

Penn State Behrend’s Interdisciplinary Business with Engineering Studies major (IBE) is one of a handful of undergraduate business and engineering programs nationwide and the only one offered at Penn State. Students combine their interests in business and engineering, choosing a disciplinary module in operations and supply chain management, technical sales, accounting/finance, energy finance, new product development, materials and mechanical systems, industrial engineering, or biomedical engineering. Our graduates, many of whom graduate with a secondary degree in Project and Supply Chain Management, International Business, or Management Information Systems, are sought after for internships and have an extremely high job placement rate with competitive starting salaries.

More Than Just a Degree

IBE students complete an industry-sponsored capstone project experience during their senior year. Students are assigned to a cross-functional team with consideration of their discipline modules. Each team is paired with a corporate sponsor and works with faculty from the Black School of Business and School of Engineering to develop a new product or service opportunity. 

Students’ hands-on experience begins with concept development and product design, including prototype development and manufacturing process design. All of the elements of new product introduction are studied and applied to their projects.
At the close of the project, the student team will present the corporate sponsor and the Penn State Behrend community with a comprehensive plan to bring the product or process to market within their firm.

What do our students study?

  • Strategic management
  • Cross-functional collaboration
  • Engineering design
  • Feasibility analysis
  • New product or service launch
  • Electrical circuits and analysis
  • Digital electronic circuitry
  • Graphics and solid modeling
  • Supply chain management
  • Thermodynamics
  • Project management

Who hires our graduates?

  • Bechtel Plant
  • Machinery Inc.
  • Volvo Group
  • Donnelly Mechanical
  • TechnipFMC
  • Harris Corporation
  • ExxonMobil
  • Barrington Research
  • Logistics Plus
  • Wabtec
  • British Petroleum
  • Tenneco
  • Covestro

Our students can fill these positions within your company:

  • Technical sales representative
  • New business development specialist
  • Technical support specialist
  • Brand manager
  • Project manager
  • Production planner
  • Operations analyst
  • Purchasing agent
  • Operations manager
  • Plant accountant


Perspectives on the IBE Program

Bill Staniszewski

Photo of Bill Staniszewski

2017 Graduate, Interdisciplinary Business with Engineering Studies; Project Manager, Tessy Plastics

During our IBE capstone project, we worked with industry partners to solve problems that exist outside of the classroom. One of the most valuable lessons I learned was from Dr. Diane Parente: “In order to get your recommendations accepted in industry, you need relevant experience, or data to back up what you’re suggesting.” As a recent graduate without experience, I was able to quickly and concisely compile and present data. This is a valuable skill that has allowed me to advance quickly in my career and effectively support the teams I have the privilege of working with.

Ed Crow

Photo of Ed Crow

Senior Research and Development Engineer, Penn State Applied Research Lab

The projects we mentor are highly experimental where teams get their hands dirty developing solutions to military and commercial challenges. IBE capstone projects help prepare graduates ready for tasking, so that when they are newly hired in industry, they are able to make positive contributions on the job with a much shorter learning curve than their peers. This provides employers with a greater return on their investment and the new graduate with a great advantage as they begin their careers.

Mary Jo Ingalls

Photo of Mary Jo Ingalls

Continuous Improvement Manager, Erie Insurance Group

Erie Insurance is committed to helping students learn and grow by offering challenging opportunities for students to gain relevant and true business experience through real-world capstone projects. Collaboration through the projects brings a more inclusive view and outcome to our business along with building experience. At Erie Insurance, we believe that when each of us contributes to our community partners, the value returned helps support our ability to grow our talent and our business. Behrend and their students are our partners in being better together.

Ready to learn more?

If you’re ready to learn more about our IBE graduates, please contact:
Penn State Behrend
Black School of Business
5101 Jordan Road | Erie, PA 16563

814-898-6107 | [email protected]
behrend.psu.edu/ibe
facebook.com/behrendbusiness
linkedin.com/company/behrendbusiness

Penn State Behrend Black School of Business

AACSB Accredited

Business Partner Engagement

  • Accounting Employer Sheet
  • Business Economics Employer Sheet
  • Finance Employer Sheet
  • IBE Employer Sheet
  • Marketing Employer Sheet
  • MIS Employer Sheet
  • PSCM Employer Sheet
Pennsylvania map showing Penn State's campuses with Penn State Behrend highlighted

Penn State Behrend

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, offers the learning opportunities of a major research university in a welcoming, student-centered campus environment.
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • instagram
  • youtube
Contact Us Visit Us Apply Now
  • This is Penn State Behrend
    • Behrend At A Glance
    • Vision of a Behrend Graduate
    • College Calendars
    • College History
    • College Leadership
    • College Strategy
    • Employment
    • People and Departments
  • Academics
    • Majors and Minors
    • Graduate Programs
    • Bookstore
    • Career Services
    • College Registrar
    • Exploratory and Pre-Major Advising
    • Learning Resource Center
    • Lilley Library
    • Student Success
    • Study Abroad
  • Admissions
    • Undergraduate
    • Graduate
    • Adult Learners
    • Change of Campus Students
    • International Students
    • Transfer Students
    • Veterans
  • Research/Outreach
    • Research
    • Faculty Research
    • Student Research
    • Outreach
    • Community and Workforce Programs
    • James R. Meehl Innovation Commons
    • Knowledge Park
    • Pennsylvania Sea Grant
    • Plastics Training Academy
    • WPSE Radio
    • Yahn Planetarium
    • Youth Outreach
  • Student Life
    • Dining on Campus
    • Housing and Residence Life
    • Commuter Student Resources
    • International Student Services
    • Equity and Diversity
    • Athletics and Intramurals
    • Student Leadership and Involvement
    • Student Services
  • Academic Schools
    • Black School of Business
    • School of Engineering
    • School of Humanities and Social Sciences
    • School of Science
    • Nursing Program
  • Tuition and Financial Aid
    • Tuition and Costs
    • Financial Aid
    • Aid Opportunities and Deadlines
    • Financial Literacy
    • Grants
    • Scholarships
    • Veterans Benefits
  • Helpful Links
    • Campus Map
    • Virtual Tour
    • Directions
    • Parking
    • Safety
    • Behrend Blog
    • Calendars
    • People and Departments
    • COVID-19 Information
Penn State University
4701 College Drive, Erie, PA 16563 814-898-6000

Footer Legal Menu

  • Privacy
  • Non-discrimination
  • Equal Opportunity
  • Accessibility
  • Copyright
  • Map
  • Website Feedback
  • The Pennsylvania State University © 2023
  • We Are Penn State