Program Name

Doctor of Philosophy Program in Industrial and System Engineering (Ph.D. Industrial and Systems Engineering)

About the Department

Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering The pioneering force in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering education across Southern Thailand — bridging engineering precision with strategic management since 1973. Our faculty, state-of-the-art laboratories, and industry-integrated research programs provide students with a truly transformative educational experience. Active Research Clusters: Small-scale Palm Oil Processing Industry, Precision Metal Cutting & Machining, Logistics Engineering & Supply Chain Systems, Smart Manufacturing, Advanced Materials Forming and Testing, Advanced OR Techniques. Industry & Community Services: ISO 9002 & ISO 14000 Quality Training, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM & PM), Quality Control (QC) & 5S Implementation, Strategic Management Consulting, Smart Industry Reskill/Upskill, Industrial Robots

50+ Years of Engineering Excellence

• 1973 Bachelor of Engineering in Industrial Engineering
• 1997 Bachelor of Engineering in Manufacturing Engineering
• 1999 Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering
• 2000 ISO 9002 Certification for teaching quality and educational service
• 2005 Master of Engineering in Industrial and Systems Engineering and Master of Industrial Management
• 2010 Doctor of Philosophy in Industrial and Systems Engineering
• 2013 Master of Engineering in Logistics and Supply Chain Engineering

Vision

To be a world-class center of excellence — shaping innovative engineers, advancing impactful research, and delivering technologies that matter to industries, communities, and the world.

Mission

1. We cultivate well-rounded industrial engineers equipped with deep professional expertise, strong management and teamwork capabilities, sharp analytical and problem-solving skills, and a bold creative and innovative mindset — all grounded in unwavering professional ethics and integrity
2. We build and disseminate new bodies of knowledge through technology-appropriate research and targeted technology transfer — starting with the growth and transformation of local industries in Southern Thailand and scaling our impact to the international arena.
3. We continuously integrate interdisciplinary knowledge and monitor the frontier of emerging technologies — actively incorporating the latest advancements into our curriculum design and technology transfer programs to ensure our graduates are always equipped for the challenges of today.
4. We are committed to evolving the department into a recognized international center for engineering learning, academic knowledge dissemination, and ongoing technology transfer — building sustainable global partnerships and amplifying our research presence across borders.

Program Educational Objective

Upon completion of the Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering & Systems, graduates will have demonstrated five hallmark qualities that define a well-rounded, globally competitive, and socially responsible doctoral engineer.

1. Graduates will exhibit the highest standards of scholarly and research excellence in Industrial Engineering and modern systems — contributing original, rigorous work that advances the frontiers of the discipline
2. Graduates will generate novel bodies of knowledge that directly address complex industrial challenges or pioneer groundbreaking innovations — always anchored in the principles of sustainable development and long-term societal impact.
3. Graduates will consistently uphold the highest moral and ethical standards across all academic and professional endeavors — taking full responsibility for the integrity, impact, and implications of their research and practice.
4. Graduates will demonstrate adaptive leadership capabilities alongside an ability to work effectively within diverse, multidisciplinary teams — driving collaborative research and project environments toward meaningful outcomes.
5. Graduates will be proficient in leveraging cutting-edge digital tools and modern communication platforms to conduct advanced data analysis, visualize complex findings, and present research outcomes with clarity, precision, and maximum impact.

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

Upon successful completion of this program, doctoral graduates will have demonstrated the ability to pioneer technological advancements, generate commercially viable innovations, communicate scholarly work in English at an international standard, and lead with both academic vision and professional integrity.

1. Propose and articulate advanced development pathways for production systems and product design using cutting-edge technologies — fully aligned with modern IE & Systems engineering principles and sustainable organizational development frameworks.
2. Critically analyze complex operational datasets essential to managing production systems and product development pipelines — applying advanced big data analytics and just-in-time manufacturing technologies with doctoral-level rigor.
3. Produce original, research-driven new knowledge and deployable innovations in Industrial Engineering & Systems — with tangible commercial applicability and measurable real-world industrial impact, delivered through a rigorous research process.
4. Present and disseminate academic and technical knowledge in English with precision, contextual accuracy, and professional confidence — in formats ranging from scholarly publications to international conference presentations.
5. Consistently act with the highest levels of academic and professional responsibility — demonstrating sound ethical judgment at every stage of research and practice, while nurturing a deep sense of public consciousness and societal obligation.
6. Demonstrate the hallmark qualities of a doctoral thought leader — driving innovation in both academic and professional arenas, inspiring peers and industry partners, and setting the intellectual agenda for the future of Industrial Engineering & Systems.

Catalog Description

You can check up for detail here

Study Plans

Plan 1.1	Dissertation 48 Credits
Plan 1.2	Dissertation 72 Credits

You can check up for more detail here

Thesis advisor specialization

Prof. Dr. Thanate Ratanawilai (thanate.r@psu.ac.th)	Advanced Bio-Composites Engineering, Mechanics of Wood-Polymer Systems, Additive Manufacturing with Sustainable Materials, Circular Economy
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nikorn Sirivongpaisal (nikorn.s@psu.ac.th)	Intelligent Operations Management and System Simulation, Healthcare Systems Engineering & Logistics, Digital Twin & Virtual Prototyping
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sakesun Suthammanon (suseksan@eng.psu.ac.th)	Strategic Project & Supply Chain Management, Hybrid Decision Analytics, Public Service Systems Engineering
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Supapan Chaiprapat (supapan.s@psu.ac.th)	Digital Factory & Smart Automation, Human-Machine Interaction in Industry 4.0, Occupational Ergonomics & Risk Modeling
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wanatchapong Kongkaew (wanatchapong.k@psu.ac.th)	Meta-heuristics & Evolutionary Algorithms, Decision Making under Uncertainty, Healthcare Logistics & Humanitarian Operations
Asst. Prof. Dr. Chukree Deasa (chukree.d@psu.ac.th)	Digital Design & Additive Manufacturing, Manufacturing Digitalization, Computational Thermal & Fluid Engineering
Asst. Prof. Dr. Kunlapat Thongkaew (kunlapat.t@psu.ac.th)	Advanced Machining & Material Processing, Automated Production Systems, Concurrent Engineering & Cost Analytics
Asst. Prof. Dr. Runchana Sinthavalai (runchana.s@psu.ac.th)	Integrated Quality & Design Methodology, Industrial Strategic Development, Digital & Intelligent Manufacturing
Asst. Prof. Dr. Sirirat Pungchompoo (sirirat.pu@psu.ac.th)	Bio-Process Optimization, Engineering Feasibility & Resource Analysis, Healthcare Operations & Telehealth Integration
Dr. Dollaya Buakom (dollaya.b@psu.ac.th)	Data-Driven Maintenance & Industry 4.0, Integrated Design & Decision Analytics, Healthcare Digital Twin Architecture
Dr. Sirirat Suwatcharachaitiwong (sirirat.su@psu.ac.th)	Service Systems Engineering & Analytics, Smart & Predictive Maintenance, Integrated Facility & Logistics Optimization
Dr. Suriya Jirasatitsin (suriya.j@psu.ac.th)	Smart Manufacturing & Industry 4.0 Architecture, Cognitive Systems & Intelligent Optimization, Integrated Systems Engineering & Human Experience

Thesis topics

1. New Techniques in Budget Planning for Autonomous University
2. The development of ergonomic risk assessment tools for harvesting on high
3. Advance welding repair technique for aluminum application in the rail industry
4. Toy Children Products from Recycle Polypropylene and Rubberwood Flour Composites
5. Solving Inventory Problems Under Uncertainty Using Adaptive Fuzzy Modeling Based on the Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm
6. Development of a Non-Destructive Ovarian Maturity Classification System for Mud Crabs to Improve Feeding Strategies
7. Estimation of demographic attributes from hand anthropometric data for Thais
8. Design of Roof Insulator Composite Panels from Polyurethane Foam and Seashell Wastes
9. Design and Development for Wood-plastic composites for single-screw extrusion 3D printing
10. Intelligent Process Monitoring System for Halal-HACCP Compliance in Poultry Slaughterhouses

Student Admissions

Plan 1.1 (Master's Degree Entry Pathway)

• Hold a Master's degree or equivalent in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline from a recognized institution. and
• Must meet the English proficiency requirements as stipulated by the Graduate School's official announcement on English language standards for doctoral program applicants. and/or
• In addition to the core requirements above, applicants must satisfy at least one of the following criteria:
  1. Hold a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or above from the Master's degree program.
  2. Demonstrate research experience in a relevant field, evidenced by at least one publication in a TCI-indexed journal or a publication of equivalent or higher international standing (e.g., Scopus, ISI).
  3. Possess other qualifications deemed acceptable at the discretion of the Program Management Committee on a case-by-case basis.

Plan 1.2 (Direct Bachelor's Entry Pathway)

• Hold a Bachelor's degree or equivalent with an excellent academic record in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline from a recognized institution.
• Must meet the English proficiency requirements as stipulated by the Graduate School's official announcement on English language standards for doctoral program applicants.
• In addition to the core requirements above, applicants must satisfy at least one of the following criteria:
  1. Hold a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or above from the Bachelor's degree program.
  2. Rank within the Top 33% of the graduating class, supported by an official letter of confirmation from the department, program, or university registrar's office.
  3. Possess other qualifications deemed acceptable at the discretion of the Program Management Committee on a case-by-case basis.

Graduation Criteria

1. Candidates must successfully pass a Qualifying Examination (QE) to gain formal candidacy status and eligibility to commence their doctoral thesis. Upon completion of the thesis, candidates must defend their work before a thesis committee in a final oral defense, conducted as an open public examination — welcoming observers from the wider academic community and
2. The thesis, or a portion thereof, must be published or formally accepted for publication in qualified international journals as defined by the Higher Education Standards Committee at least 2 articles or
3. The thesis, or a portion thereof, must be published or formally accepted for publication in qualified international journals as defined by the Higher Education Standards Committee at least 1 articles and plus at least 1 piece of innovation output, creative work with commercial/social/economic applicability, or a registered patent
4. Where the thesis output constitutes an innovation or creative work, the thesis must undergo a rigorous evaluation by an independent expert panel comprising at least 3 external specialists in the same or closely related field — individuals of recognized authority, expertise, and professional standing, formally endorsed by the University Council.
5. Prior to graduation, all doctoral candidates must pass or receive an exemption from the Graduate School's Foreign Language Proficiency Assessment
6. Candidates must also satisfy any additional graduation conditions as formally announced and updated by Prince of Songkla University

Fee and Scholarship

• 30,000 THB (Thai Student)
• 60,000 THB (International Student)

Financial supports are available for both Thai and International students. Please contact the program chair for more details.

Contact Person

Dr. Suriya Jirasatitsin Program Chair

Email: suriya.j@psu.ac.th