Operations Research Major

Operations Research Major

Operations Research

Major

Operations research is a scientific approach to decision-making with a focus on how to best design and operate systems, usually under conditions requiring the allocation of scarce resources.

Operations research applies quantitative methods to decision-making. The operations research curriculum offers a combination of mathematical optimization, statistics, systems engineering, engineering management, computer science, and economics. This broad foundation of problem-solving skills and knowledge afford an adept perspective when confronting the challenging and complex problems that face military, government, and industry leaders. 

Graduates of the operations research program at West Point are well prepared to tackle some of the Army's most challenging problems and to pursue graduate study in support of the operations research career field. 

The military specifically uses operations research at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels. The applications cover a full spectrum of military activities including national policy analysis, resource allocation, force composition and modernization, logistics, human resources, battle planning, and maintenance and replenishment. 

The major offers an honors option.

 

To learn more about this area of study, visit the Department of Mathematical Sciences.

Required Courses

MA371 LINEAR ALGEBRA 

MA376 APPLIED STATISTICS 

MA381 NONLINEAR OPTIMIZATION 

MA476 MATHEMATICAL STATISTICS 

MA477 THEORY & APPL OF DATA SCIENCE 

MA481 LINEAR OPTIMIZATION 

MA486 MATHEMATICAL COMPUTATION 

SE385 DECISION ANALYSIS

 

Sample Electives

EM381 ENGINEERING ECONOMY 

EM411 PROJECT MANAGEMENT 

EM420 PRODUCTION OPERATIONS MGMT 

EM482 SUPPLY CHAIN ENG & INFO MGMT 

SE370 COMPUTER AIDED SYSTEMS ENG

SE489 AD IND STY IN SYS ENG/ENG MGMT

CS393 DATABASE SYSTEMS  

CS486 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 

CY300 PROGRAMMING FUNDAMENTALS 

MA388 SABERMETRICS 

MA478 GENERALIZED LINEAR MODELS 

SE370 COMPUTER AIDED SYSTEMS ENG

CS384 DATA STRUCTURES 

CS393 DATABASE SYSTEMS 

CS486 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE  

CY300 PROGRAMMING FUNDAMENTALS 

CY460 CYBER POLICY, STRATEGY, & OPNS 

MA372 INTRODUCTION TO DISCRETE MATH 

MA394 FUNDAMENTALS/NETWORK SCIENCE 

MA461 GRAPH THEORY AND NETWORK

CY300 PROGRAMMING FUNDAMENTALS 

SE485 COMBAT MODELING 

SM484 SYSTEM DYNAMICS SIMULATION

EM381 ENGINEERING ECONOMY 

MG410 MANAGERIAL FINANCE 

SS368 ECONOMETRICS I 

SS382 MICROECONOMICS 

SS388 MACROECONOMICS 

SS469 ECONOMETRICS II

 

This major offers an honors track. 

 

To learn more, view the full Operations Research Major Curriculum.

Cadets who choose this major have the opportunity to publish in journals like Mathematica Militaris, become a member of the Pi Mu Epsilon Mathematics Honor Society, Alpha Zeta Chapter, and work with the mathematical science center as they conduct summer internships/research at various laboratories and agencies. 

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 Mathematical Sciences or the Mathematical Sciences Center.