Systems & Decision Sciences Major

Systems & Decision Sciences Major

Systems & Decision Sciences

Major

The systems and decision sciences major centers on the design, management, and decision analysis of tangible and abstract systems in accordance with performance requirements, budget, and schedules. The program combines elements of traditional engineering, systems engineering, finance, decision analysis, and organizational management into a single major.

Offered by the Department of Systems Engineering.

The Systems and Decisions Sciences program reflects the overwhelming need for West Point graduates who are ready to lead multidisciplinary teams. Our leaders will perform systems thinking, systems design and modeling, and systems decision-making to address complex, ill-defined problems characterized by global, political, social, military, economic, and technological challenges. The program trades depth in traditional engineering disciplines for a blended skill set that well arms leaders and managers.

Cadets who major in systems and decision sciences will learn the methods, processes, and tools needed to understand and conduct meaningful decision analysis in support of complex systems. This major will produce graduates with technical management skills and engineering depth to prepare them for future academic and professional opportunities in a world increasingly dominated by technological change. The systems and decision sciences major also:

  • Develops the technical, business, communication and leadership skills necessary to manage complex processes found in the military and private sector.
  • Provides the foundation for advanced degrees in business, operations research, systems engineering, information systems management, engineering management, network systems management and more.
  • This major offers an honors track. 

To learn more about this area of study, visit the Department of Systems Engineering.

The Systems and Decision Science (SDS) major affords cadets the opportunity to study a core set of systems modeling and decision analysis tools and couple that with a diverse and flexible set of courses in tracks focused on enterprise or defense systems or unique, cadet-designed tracks.

This major offers an honors track.

Required Courses

Every SDS cadet takes seven required courses that provide them skills in modeling, analyzing, and making decisions to improve complex systems. These seven courses:

  • EM381 ENGINEERING ECONOMY
  • EM384 ANYL METH FOR ENGR MANAGEMENT 
  • EM411 PROJECT MANAGEMENT
  • SE301 FNDTN ENGIN DSGN & SYS MGMT
  • SE370 COMPUTER AIDED SYSTEMS ENG
  • SE385 DECISION ANALYSIS
  • SM484 SYSTEM DYNAMICS SIMULATION

Every SDS cadet will conclude their studies with a year-long, immersive capstone with a real-world client to apply their skills on a project of importance to the Army. 

  • SE402/403Systems Design and Management I & II

Tracks

Every SDS cadet picks one of 10 tracks that focus on their area of interest. They generally reflect cadet interest in complex enterprises such as businesses or finance or complex social systems such as international affairs or defense systems. Cadets can opt to design a specialized student-designed track upon consultation with their advisor.

  • Personnel Management
  • Project Management
  • Logistics Management
  • Financial Systems
  • Management Science
  • International Affairs
  • Defense Systems
  • Cyber Security
  • Mathematical Modeling
  • Student Designed

To learn more, view the full Systems and Decision Sciences Major Curriculum.

Cadets in this majors can apply to participate in a summer Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD) program, USMA-run academic enrichment experience. Past experiences have included work with The Army Science Board, the Environmental Protection Agency, Raytheon, Boeing, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Research and Analysis Command (TRAC), and NATO. These opportunities allow cadets to travel around the world to place like France, Australia, Nicaragua, Germany, Honduras, Washington, D.C., Monterey, C.A., and Maui, H.I. Cadets can also apply to the Alpha Pi Mu - Industrial Engineering Honor Society, or the Tau Beta Pi - National Engineering Honor Society. Enrollment affords a membership opportunity with the Project Management Institute (PMI).

Other Honor Societies:
Golden Key - International Honour Society
Phi Kappa Phi - Oldest and Largest Collegiate Honor Society

To learn more about enrichment for this area of study, visit the Department of Systems Engineering, the System Design and Analysis Center or the Operations Research Center.