Master of Science in Computational Decision Sciences and Operations Research
Collaborative program with the Department of Computer Science
The purpose of this program is to provide students with theoretical skills and knowledge of applications in the areas of optimization, game theory, and machine learning to enable them to contribute towards making business decisions more efficient, or alternatively, to enable them to pursue research in these areas.
Admission Requirements
Students with bachelor of science degrees in mathematics, computer science, industrial engineering, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering, and business, or related areas, with a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 3.0/4.0, will be considered. Prospective students should have knowledge of linear algebra, discrete mathematics, probability and statistics, and programming.
All applications will be considered on an individual basis and strong applicants without an adequate background might be admitted with a requirement to take additional prerequisite courses. A statement of objectives and a curriculum vitae must be submitted. Two letters of recommendation are required. GRE scores must meet Illinois Institute of Technology institutional requirements.
Curriculum
Coursework includes 12 credit hours of required core courses and 20 credit hours of elective courses. Up to 12 credit hours of 400-level coursework may be included in the program with adviser approval. A student may, with permission of a thesis adviser, include in his or her program a thesis of up to five credit hours consisting of a combination of CS 591 and/or MATH 591. The thesis option requires a written thesis and an oral defense of the thesis. Thesis format and deadlines are set by the Graduate College.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | (12) | |
| CS 430 | Introduction to Algorithms | 3 |
| or CS 535 | Dsgn and Anlys of Algorithms | |
| MATH 481 | Intro to Stochastic Processes | 3 |
| or MATH 564 | Applied Statistics | |
| or MATH 565 | Monte Carlo Methods in Fin | |
| CS 539 | Game Theory: Algorithms & Apps | 3 |
| or CS 583 | Probabilistic Graphical Models | |
| or MBA 505 | Microeconomics and Game Theory | |
| or MATH 522 | Mathematical Modeling | |
| CS 538 | Combinatorial Optimization | 3 |
| or MATH 535 | Optimization I | |
| Computing Sciences Electives | (3) | |
| Select a minimum of one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Data Mining | 3 | |
| Database Organization | 3 | |
| Data Integration Warehousing | 3 | |
| Advanced Data Mining | 3 | |
| Advanced Database Organization | 3 | |
| Information Retrieval | 3 | |
| Machine Learning | 3 | |
| Topics in Computer Science | 3-12 | |
| Reading and Special Problems | 1-20 | |
| Applied Math Electives | (3) | |
| Select a minimum of one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Intro to Mathematical Finance | 3 | |
| Mathematical Modeling | 3 | |
| Discrete Applied Mathematics I | 3 | |
| Discrete Applied Math II | 3 | |
| Statistical Learning | 3 | |
| Bayesian Computational Stats | 3 | |
| Reading and Special Projects | 1-20 | |
| Business and Application Electives | (3) | |
| Select a minimum of one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Fundamentals of Innovative Bus | 3 | |
| Algorithms in Transportation | 3 | |
| Analytics for Decision Making | 3 | |
| Operations & Tech Management | 3 | |
| Supply Chain Management | 3 | |
| Math for Mgmt Science I | 3 | |
| Math for Mgmt Science II | 3 | |
| Research | (0-5) | |
| Select zero to five credit hours | 0-5 | |
| Reseach and Thesis M.S. | 1-5 | |
or MATH 591 | Research and Thesis M.S. | |
| Additional Computational Decision Science and Operations Research Electives | (6-11) | |
| Select 6-11 credit hours 1 | 6-11 | |
Minimum degree credits required: 32
| 1 | Courses listed under core courses may be used as an elective if it is not used to fulfill a core requirement. Note: CS 538 and MATH 535 cannot both be taken for credit. A maximum of five credit hours of CS 597 or MATH 597 may be used towards the elective requirement. |
