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This archived information is dated to the 2010-11 academic year only and may no longer be current.
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Explore Degrees Archive, 2010-11
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Bachelor of Science in Management Science and Engineering
The program leading to the B.S. degree in Management Science and Engineering (MS&E) is outlined in the School of Engineering section of this bulletin; more information is contained in the School of Engineering's Handbook for Undergraduate Engineering Programs. Students are encouraged to plan their academic programs as early as possible, ideally in the freshman or sophomore year. Students should not wait until they are declaring a major to consult with the department's student services staff. This is particularly important for students who would like to study overseas or pursue another major or minor.
The undergraduate curriculum in Management Science and Engineering provides students training in the fundamentals of engineering systems analysis to prepare them to plan, design, and implement complex economic and technological management systems where a scientific or engineering background is necessary or desirable. Graduates are prepared for work in a variety of career paths, including facilities and process management, investment banking, management consulting, or graduate study in industrial engineering, operations research, economics, public policy, medicine, law, or business.
The educational objectives of the undergraduate degree program are:
- Principles and Skills—provide students with a basic understanding of management science and engineering principles, including analytical problem solving and communications skills.
- Preparation for Practice—prepare students for practice in a field that sees rapid changes in tools, problems, and opportunities.
- Preparation for Continued Growth—prepare students for graduate study and self development over an entire career.
- Preparation for Service—develop in students the awareness, background, and skills necessary to become responsible citizens, employees, and leaders.
In particular, the department wants to help students develop:
- an ability to apply knowledge of math, science, and engineering
- an ability to design and conduct experiments
- an ability to design a system or components to meet desired needs
- an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
- an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice
- an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
- an ability to communicate effectively
- a recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in life-long learning
- background necessary for admission to top professional graduate engineering or business programs
- an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
- the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context
- a knowledge of contemporary issues pertinent to the field of management science and engineering.
The program builds on the foundational courses for engineering, including calculus, engineering fundamentals, and physics or chemistry.
The department core, taken for all concentrations, includes courses in computer science, deterministic optimization, information, organization theory, a senior project, and finance or production. Through the core, students in the program are exposed to the breadth of faculty interests, and are in a good position to choose a concentration during the junior year.
The five concentrations are designed to allow a student to explore one area of the department in greater depth.
- Financial and Decision Engineering: focuses on the design and analysis of financial and strategic plans. It features accounting, decision analysis, economics, finance, investment science, and stochastic models.
- Operations Research: provides a more mathematical program, based on algorithms, theory, and applications in economics and operations.
- Organization, Technology, and Entrepreneurship: focuses on understanding and design of organizations, particularly technology-based issues. It features courses on innovation, product development, entrepreneurship, work and manufacturing systems, information systems, and human-computer interaction.
- Production and Operations Management: focuses on the design and analysis of manufacturing, production, and service systems.
- Policy and Strategy: focuses on the design and analysis of public policies and corporate strategies, especially those with technology-based issues. It features a core in microeconomics and modeling approaches, and policy-focused courses in topics such as national security, energy and environment, and health care, and strategy-focused courses in topics such as entrepreneurship, innovation, and product development.
Students interested in a minor should see the "Minor in MS&E" section of this bulletin.
MS&E also participates with the departments of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Statistics in a program leading to a B.S. in Mathematical and Computational Science. See the "Mathematical and Computational Science" section of this bulletin.
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