operations research phd programs ranking

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2024 Best Operations Research Doctor's Degree Schools

College Factual reviewed 13 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for doctor's degree seekers in the field of operations research. Combined, these schools handed out 72 doctor's degrees in operations research to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

• Best Doctor’s Degree Schools List

Choosing a Great Operations Research School for Your Doctor's Degree

Overall Quality Is a Must

The overall quality of a doctor's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Doctor's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Average Early-Career Salaries

Average early-career salary of those graduating with their doctor's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their doctor's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

• Major Focus - How many resources a school devotes to operations research students as compared to other majors.
• Major Demand - The number of operations research students who choose to seek a doctor's degree at the school.
• Educational Resources - The amount of money and other resources allocated to students while they are pursuing their degree. These resources include such things as number of students per instructor and education expenditures per student.
• Student Debt - How easy is it for operations research to pay back their student loans after receiving their doctor's degree.
• Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized operations research related body.

Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for operations research students working on their doctor's degree.

More Ways to Rank Operations Research Schools

When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings , including this Best Operations Research Doctor's Degree Schools list to help you make the college decision.

Best Schools for Doctorate Students to Study Operations Research in the United States

Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a doctor's degree in operations research.

10 Top Schools for a Doctorate in Operations Research

Every student pursuing a degree in a doctor's degree in operations research needs to take a look at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Located in the midsize city of Cambridge, MIT is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population. More information about a doctorate in operations research from Massachusetts Institute of Technology

It is difficult to beat Columbia University in the City of New York if you wish to pursue a doctor's degree in operations research. Located in the city of New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. More information about a doctorate in operations research from Columbia University in the City of New York

It's difficult to beat Princeton University if you wish to pursue a doctor's degree in operations research. Princeton is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the city of Princeton. More information about a doctorate in operations research from Princeton University

Every student pursuing a degree in a doctor's degree in operations research has to take a look at University of California - Berkeley. UC Berkeley is a very large public university located in the midsize city of Berkeley. More information about a doctorate in operations research from University of California - Berkeley

Northwestern is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Evanston. More information about a doctorate in operations research from Northwestern University

Located in the large city of Atlanta, Georgia Tech is a public school with a fairly large student population. More information about a doctorate in operations research from Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus

Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. More information about a doctorate in operations research from Carnegie Mellon University

Harvard is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the medium-sized city of Cambridge. More information about a doctorate in operations research from Harvard University

Cornell is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Ithaca. More information about a doctorate in operations research from Cornell University

Located in the large suburb of Dallas, SMU is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. More information about a doctorate in operations research from Southern Methodist University

Operations Research by Region

View the Best Operations Research Doctor's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.

Other Rankings

Best bachelor's degrees in operations research, best overall in operations research, highest paid grads in operations research, best for veterans in operations research, most popular in operations research, most focused in operations research, best master's degrees in operations research, best value in operations research, best for non-traditional students in operations research, best online in operations research, most popular online in operations research.

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Rankings in Majors Related to Operations Research

One of 41 majors within the Engineering area of study, Operations Research has other similar majors worth exploring.

Operations Research Concentrations

Most popular related majors, notes and references.

• The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System ( IPEDS ) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s ( College Scorecard ). More about our data sources and methodologies .

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Operations Research Center

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Phd in operations research.

MIT’s doctoral degree (PhD) program in operations research (OR) provides you with thorough understanding of the theory of OR while teaching you to how to develop and apply OR methods in practice.

We offer a general degree track as well as three optional degree tracks in operations management , networked systems , and analytics . All doctoral students must complete the general degree track requirements; those who choose an optional degree track will have additional, specialized requirements to fulfill. 

General Degree Track

In addition to the writing competency requirements, our rigorous curriculum includes challenging coursework, action learning, and innovative research.

You’ll take eight graduate-level classes that have been approved by the ORC co-directors, including at least two courses in optimization, at least three in applied probability and statistics, and at least one in OR modeling.

You’ll put OR theory into practice through valuable, hands-on learning experiences, completing one of the following:

• Option 1: Participate in a summer internship, during which you’ll create OR models that address a real-world problem.
• Option 2: Undertake a project with an ORC faculty member, either as part of a supervised research activity or as an extra part of a regular course offering.
• Option 3: Take part in a class, for which you’ll build and implement OR models that have practical applications.

And, you’ll conduct in-depth research on a topic that complements your academic interests and career goals. You’ll write a thesis based on the independent research you conduct under the guidance of our expert faculty.

Qualifying Process and General Examination

All students enrolled in an ORC doctoral program must complete the Qualifying Process and receive a passing score on the General Examination.

• Students must choose one approved course from the three different categories (Optimization, Probability, and Machine Learning/Statistics). 
• Students must satisfactorily complete these three courses with a minimum of 2 As and 1 B or a combined GPA of 4.6 or higher by the end of their third semester at MIT.
• Students are required to register and take for credit the software tools course 15.S60 offered during IAP (January) led by current ORC students.
• During the student’s first summer at MIT (month of August), doctoral students will engage in a Common Experience project where students will work in teams to address an important problem for an organization.   
• General Examination : Students are required to take the General Examination once they have passed the Qualifying Process.  The General Exam is comprised of a research-oriented (RO) paper and an oral presentation of the RO paper and a discussion on a research paper selected by the General Exam Committee.

Upon completion of our doctoral program, you’ll have the specialized knowledge and technical skills to have a positive impact in a variety of fields, including business, education, and research. Many of our graduates have gone on to careers in academia, in the U.S. and abroad, while others have found success in business and industry as researchers and consultants.

  Analytics Track

In addition to the general PhD degree requirements, you will also:

• complete a summer internship with an organization related to analytics for your hands-on learning experience.
• take two specialized courses in analytics; these classes may count toward your eight required graduate-level classes.
• serve as a teaching assistant in courses related to analytics, or an approved equivalent.
• write a thesis on a topic related to analytics; one member of your thesis committee should be among the ORC faculty who specialize in analytics.

Networked Systems Track

• complete a summer internship with an organization related to networked systems for your hands-on learning experience.
• take two specialized courses in networked systems; these classes may count toward your eight required graduate-level classes.
• serve as a teaching assistant in courses related to networked systems, or an approved equivalent.
• write a thesis on a topic related to networked systems; one member of your thesis committee should be among the ORC faculty who specialize in networked systems.

Operations Management Track

• complete a summer internship with an organization related to operations management for your hands-on learning experience.
• take two specialized courses in operations management; these classes may count toward your eight required graduate-level classes. 
• serve as a teaching assistant in two MBA courses related to operations management or assist in one and take another one for credit. At least one of the classes for which you’re a teaching assistant must include recitation.
• write a thesis on a topic related to operations management; one member of your thesis committee should be among the ORC faculty who specialize in operations management.

For more information about our PhD program, please see our General Exam Syllabus .

For more information about ORC course offerings, please go here .

What is Operations Research?

Operations research (OR) is the discipline of applying advanced analytical methods—such as optimization, statistics, machine learning, and probability — to  make better decisions that impact society and the world positively.

The mission of the PhD program is intimately linked to the mission of the ORC.

Phone:  617-253-3601 Email:   [email protected]

Tepper School of Business

Ph.D. Program in Operations Research

The ph.d. program in operations research stresses optimization techniques leading to decision-making algorithms and the development of new models for management science applications..

The Tepper School's doctoral program in operations research (OR) is designed to encourage students to make contributions toward basic scientific knowledge in the area. This knowledge can take several forms including:

• The derivations of fundamental results of an analytical or mathematical nature that lead to the development of algorithms for aiding decision-making
• The development of new analytical models appropriate for management science applications in areas such as Marketing, Operations, and Finance
• Controlled experimentation that leads to empirical results that make efficiency comparisons possible among algorithms

A major goal of the program is to train students to recognize operations research problems in real-world situations, and to give them the opportunity to learn about the deployment of operations research models in one or more of these substantive areas. Towards this goal, the program provides the opportunity to develop knowledge of functional areas of business to which optimization can be applied such as Marketing, Operations and Finance. There is a rich tradition of graduates from the program going on to successful careers in these areas both in academia (in business schools, engineering schools in IE and OR departments as well as in Math and Computer Science departments) and industry. 

Course of Study

The basic operations research courses offered include: linear, nonlinear, integer and dynamic programming; graph theory and network optimization; convex optimization and convex analysis; and stochastic models. Each course is taught by a faculty member who is actively pursuing research in the subject area. Since classes are usually small, students frequently meet informally with their instructors. The third semester competence examination is based on the areas covered in these courses.

The research papers assigned for the first and second summers of graduate study are designed to give students an early introduction to research work. The paper may be done individually or jointly with other students or faculty members. Easy interaction in the Tepper School with researchers in the other areas of business and economics and in such related areas as computer science, machine learning, and statistics encourages the application of operations research in imaginative new directions.

In many cases, work on these papers leads to the work on the Ph.D. dissertation, which can begin as soon as the student has passed the third-semester qualifying examination.

Almost invariably, by the end of their second year, if not earlier, students have already worked on professional problems with some of the faculty. For this reason, student working papers written in collaboration with a faculty member are common.

Our History

Carnegie Mellon has pioneered several important developments in both theoretical and applied operations research. Geometric programming, chance constrained programming, and the applications of linear programming to capital budgeting and cost management were among the accomplishments of the '50s and early '60s. Since 1968, when the doctoral program in operations research was started, the Tepper School has initiated several new developments in integer and nonconvex programming, enumerative methods, cutting plane theory, disjunctive programming, constraint programming, network design, algorithm design, machine learning, data mining, and scheduling models.  

Recently, the group has pioneered advances in Approximation Algorithms for Network Design, as well as theory and applications of Modern Convex Optimization. Examples on the Selected Research Topics page illustrate the basic research currently in progress, and examples of new operations research applications can be found elsewhere on the Doctoral Program website.

Research Topics

• Mixed-Integer Programming
• Convex Optimization
• Benders Decomposition
• Branch and Price
• Approximation and Online Algorithms
• Network Design
• Analytical Models in Marketing and Operations
• Connections with Artificial Intelligence
• Interplay between Estimation and Optimization
• Bayesian Optimization
• Massively Distributed and Parallel Algorithm Design
• Machine Learning
• Cultural Factors
• Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

Many of our students are very active in the Carnegie Mellon INFORMS Student Chapter . To learn about the joint PhD program in Algorithms, Combinatorics and Optimization, please visit the webpage http://aco.math.cmu.edu/

P lease visit our Ph.D. Student Profiles page t o view the profiles of our current doctoral candidates.

Program Details

• Requirements

New Research Interest – Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

Ethics and AI is an emerging research interest among faculty members in Operations Research and Ethics. Research topics include algorithmic bias, models of equity and efficiency, machine ethics, and OR/AI for the common good. Given the importance and timeliness of this topic, Tepper faculty members have submitted a grant proposal to the National Science Foundation to support research in this domain.

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Best Universities for Operations Research in the World

Updated: February 29, 2024

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Below is a list of best universities in the World ranked based on their research performance in Operations Research. A graph of 11.8M citations received by 652K academic papers made by 2,129 universities in the World was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

For Operations Research

2. University of Texas at Austin

3. Stanford University

4. University of California - Berkeley

5. Carnegie Mellon University

6. Delft University of Technology

7. Hong Kong Polytechnic University

8. Georgia Institute of Technology

9. National University of Singapore

10. University of Toronto

11. Cornell University

12. University of Pittsburgh

13. North China Electric Power University

14. University of Tehran

15. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

16. Pennsylvania State University

17. University of Maryland - College Park

18. University of Waterloo

19. University of Hong Kong

20. Tsinghua University

21. Catholic University of Leuven

22. University of Pennsylvania

23. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

24. Purdue University

25. Beijing Jiaotong University

26. Shanghai Jiao Tong University

27. Erasmus University Rotterdam

28. Eindhoven University of Technology

29. Vilnius Gediminas Technical University

30. Columbia University

31. Imperial College London

32. Ohio State University

33. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

34. University of Manchester

35. Texas A&M University - College Station

36. Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

37. Central South University

38. National Chiao Tung University

39. Northwestern University

40. National Technical University of Athens

41. University of Florida

42. Istanbul Technical University

43. Sichuan University

44. University of Southern California

45. Harvard University

46. University of British Columbia

47. Norwegian University of Science and Technology

48. Tongji University

49. University of Washington - Seattle

50. Technical University of Denmark

51. Southeast University

52. University College London

53. Arizona State University - Tempe

54. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

55. Rutgers University - New Brunswick

56. Huazhong University of Science and Technology

57. Paris Dauphine University

58. Iowa State University

59. Iran University of Science and Technology

60. Amirkabir University of Technology

61. University of New South Wales

62. University of Wisconsin - Madison

63. Lancaster University

64. Beihang University

65. University of Montreal

66. University of Warwick

67. City University of Hong Kong

68. Tel Aviv University

69. University of Alberta

70. University of Lisbon

71. University of Sydney

72. Princeton University

73. Polytechnic University of Valencia

74. New York University

75. Duke University

76. Concordia University

77. University of Cambridge

78. Nanyang Technological University

79. Monash University

80. University of Nottingham

81. McMaster University

82. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

83. Laval University

84. Southwest Jiaotong University

85. Tianjin University

86. University of Leeds

87. University of Southampton

88. University at Buffalo

89. Dalian University of Technology

90. Wuhan University of Technology

91. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

92. National Cheng Kung University

93. Zhejiang University

94. University of Arizona

95. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

96. University of Virginia

97. Polytechnic University of Milan

98. McGill University

99. University of California - Los Angeles

100. University of Colorado Boulder

Mathematics subfields in the World

Department of Technology, Operations, and Statistics | Doctoral Program in Operations Management

Doctoral program in operations management.

Overview of the OM Doctoral Program

• Program Requirements
• S ample 5-year Schedule
• Recent Doctoral Courses Offered

Mission To educate and train scholars capable of producing high quality operations management research and to place our graduates as faculty members in top-tier universities. Admissions and performance We enroll an average of two students per year out of many highly qualified applicants. Students admitted typically have GRE scores over 310 with scores in the quantitative section of the GRE exam in the 90th percentile or higher. International students typically have TOEFL scores of 600 or higher. Our students are highly competitive with their peers globally and give talks and invited presentations at national and international conferences. Advising and evaluation The operations management doctoral program coordinator advises all first-year doctoral students. During their first year, students have many opportunities to learn the research interests of departmental faculty by taking classes, attending seminars and enrolling in research practica.  By the beginning of their second year, students will typically have selected an advisor who begins to introduce them to potential research topics. By the middle of their third year, students will have selected a thesis advisor. Each year, every student’s academic progress is reviewed and plans for the following year are considered.  This review includes a formal letter to the student assessing the previous year's work and offering guidance for the following year's work.  All students take a comprehensive written and oral exam during their second year in the program.  Students are expected to defend their thesis proposal by March of their fourth year and students typically defend their completed dissertation at the end of their fourth year or during their fifth year. Research and interaction with faculty Stern's operations management group has historically included faculty with strong operations management and operations research backgrounds. These two disciplines, along with statistics, data science, economics and computer science, continue to have a significant influence on the teaching and research directions of the operations management faculty. In today's business environment, there is a strong interest in using operations to provide a competitive advantage to organizations. Doctoral students in operations management take core courses in optimization theory, stochastic processes, and data science. A wide range of electives based on faculty expertise are offered including inventory theory, game theory, service operations, assortment optimization, supply chain finance and more. Students are also encouraged either to assist faculty members who are actively working with firms or to develop first-hand expertise through individual contacts with industrial organizations. The faculty members focus their research on current and emerging themes in managing operations in today's fast changing economy. They use a combination of analytical, empirical and theory building methodologies to understand: how to design operating systems, contracts and quality systems for the management of decentralized supply chains; best practices in retailing; vehicle routing; call center management; task and workforce scheduling; internet business models and strategies; and how to forecast new product sales. Faculty members hold editorial positions on numerous journals and are active in the major societies such as the Institute for Operations Research and Management Science. As a result of Stern's New York City location, the school and its operations management faculty have strong ties with the world's technology and financial organizations as well as chemical, computer, consumer goods and pharmaceutical companies in the tri-state area. Click on the links on the right to learn how to apply, to attend an information session, and to contact the Stern School Doctoral Office. Wenqiang Xiao Coordinator, Operations Management Doctoral Program TOPS Department

Back-to-Top

Program Requirements Doctoral students in operations management are expected to achieve expertise in the areas of operations management and operations research. All students in the NYU Stern doctoral program must demonstrate competence in probability, statistics and microeconomics either through courses taken in a prior degree program or by taking a similar course offered at NYU. As part of the operations management doctoral curriculum, students must also take 3 methodological core courses in the areas of optimization, stochastic processes and data science.  After completing their course requirements, students may enroll in elective courses relevant to their chosen field of research. Recent PhD electives offered by the operations management group include

• Pricing in the Sharing Economy
• Stochastic Inventory Theory
• Supply Chain Finance
• Service Operations Management
• Game Theory
• Choice Models in Operations
• Applied Game Theory

In addition to required coursework, doctoral students must complete 5 research practica prior to graduation. Each research practicum is a 1 credit course graded Pass or Fail in which students work closely with a faculty member to conduct joint research. By working closely with faculty members, students are expected to develop their own independent research skills. After their core coursework is complete, students are required to take written and oral comprehensive exams before October 1st of their third year. Students must also complete a teaching practicum in their third year of studies during which they assist a faculty member in their class preparation. Students are expected to complete their thesis proposal by March of their 4th year and the doctoral program concludes with the proposal, writing and defense of a dissertation. All students are required to complete the doctoral program within six years, however most students graduate within 5 years. A sample 5-year schedule is given below.

Sample 5-year Schedule

Recent Doctoral Courses Offered OPMG-GB.3321.P1 Stochastic Processes OPMG-GB.3392.P1 Pricing in the Sharing Economy OPMG-GB.4317.01 Stochastic Inventory Theory OPMG-GB.4334.01 Convex Optimization OPMG-GB.4313.20 Supply Chain Finance OPMG-GB.4331.20 Service Operations Management OPMG-GB.4306.01 Dynamic Programming OPMG-GB.4321.20 Choice Models in Operations OPMG-GB.4330.01 Linear Programming OPMG-GB.4340.02 Applied Game Theory

Questions about the PhD Program in Operations Management?

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Best Operations Research colleges in the U.S. 2024

Best operations research colleges in the u.s. for 2024.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers 2 Operations Research degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 23 Operations Research students graduated with students earning 17 Doctoral degrees, and 6 Master's degrees.

Cornell University offers 3 Operations Research degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 228 Operations Research students graduated with students earning 144 Master's degrees, 80 Bachelor's degrees, and 4 Doctoral degrees.

Northwestern University offers 2 Operations Research degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 5 Operations Research students graduated with students earning 4 Doctoral degrees, and 1 Master's degree.

University of California-Berkeley offers 3 Operations Research degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 261 Operations Research students graduated with students earning 186 Master's degrees, 71 Bachelor's degrees, and 4 Doctoral degrees.

Columbia University in the City of New York offers 4 Operations Research degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 376 Operations Research students graduated with students earning 281 Master's degrees, 73 Bachelor's degrees, 12 Doctoral degrees, and 10 Certificates.

Rice University offers 2 Operations Research degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 10 Operations Research students graduated with students earning 9 Master's degrees, and 1 Bachelor's degree.

Carnegie Mellon University offers 3 Operations Research degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 9 Operations Research students graduated with students earning 8 Doctoral degrees, and 1 Master's degree.

University of Southern California offers 1 Operations Research degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 10 Operations Research students graduated with students earning 10 Master's degrees.

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus offers 2 Operations Research degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 51 Operations Research students graduated with students earning 33 Master's degrees, and 18 Doctoral degrees.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers 1 Operations Research degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 22 Operations Research students graduated with students earning 22 Master's degrees.

Find local colleges with Operations Research majors in the U.S.

List of all operations research colleges in the u.s..

Doctor of Operations Research Programs in America

1-15 of 15 results

MIT Sloan School of Management

Cambridge, MA •

Massachusetts Institute of Technology •

Graduate School

• • Rating 4.9 out of 5   10 reviews

Master's Student: I am an incoming MBA student to MIT Sloan. The application and enrollment process has been incredibly informative. I’ve been able to network with numerous current students and have worked on mapping out my future career post-MBA. I am excited for my 2 years at MIT Sloan! ... Read 10 reviews

Massachusetts Institute of Technology ,

Graduate School ,

CAMBRIDGE, MA ,

10 Niche users give it an average review of 4.9 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I am an incoming MBA student to MIT Sloan. The application and enrollment process has been incredibly informative. I’ve been able to network with numerous current students and have worked on mapping... .

Read 10 reviews.

Princeton University

Princeton, NJ •

• • Rating 4.33 out of 5   3 reviews

Master's Student: The best part of the Princeton University mechanical engineering graduate degree is the excellent faculty that teach the courses. They are incredibly knowledgeable and also very willing to help students in office hours or in sponsorship of projects. The worst part of the Princeton University mechanical engineering graduate degree is the lack of structure for the graduate research program which can leave you feeling unsure on the direction of your research. ... Read 3 reviews

PRINCETON, NJ ,

3 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The best part of the Princeton University mechanical engineering graduate degree is the excellent faculty that teach the courses. They are incredibly knowledgeable and also very willing to help... .

Read 3 reviews.

Cornell Tech

New York, NY •

Cornell University •

• • Rating 4.25 out of 5   4 reviews

Current Master's student: Cornell Tech has a fantastic campus, the programs here are very industry-friendly and the professors are very experienced. ... Read 4 reviews

Cornell University ,

NEW YORK, NY ,

4 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars.

Featured Review: Current Master's student says Cornell Tech has a fantastic campus, the programs here are very industry-friendly and the professors are very experienced. .

Read 4 reviews.

College of Engineering - Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA •

Carnegie Mellon University •

• • Rating 4.8 out of 5   5 reviews

Alum: If you are interested in research, CMU Engineering is an excellent option with newly built state of the art laboratories. There isn't much individual attention though, so be prepared to find opportunities yourself. ... Read 5 reviews

Blue checkmark.

Carnegie Mellon University ,

PITTSBURGH, PA ,

5 Niche users give it an average review of 4.8 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says If you are interested in research, CMU Engineering is an excellent option with newly built state of the art laboratories. There isn't much individual attention though, so be prepared to find... .

Read 5 reviews.

Georgia Tech College of Engineering

Atlanta, GA •

Georgia Institute of Technology •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   1 review

Master's Student: The best part is sitting through top professors of the world’s lecture! The worst part is the time of classes! They are offered in the middle of the day! ... Read 1 review

Georgia Institute of Technology ,

ATLANTA, GA ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The best part is sitting through top professors of the world’s lecture! The worst part is the time of classes! They are offered in the middle of the day! .

Read 1 reviews.

UC Berkeley College of Engineering

Berkeley, CA •

University of California - Berkeley •

Master's Student: It seems like a really cool program. I hope to recive some financial aid so that I can attend. The staff has been kind and helpful. ... Read 1 review

University of California - Berkeley ,

BERKELEY, CA ,

Featured Review: Master's Student says It seems like a really cool program. I hope to recive some financial aid so that I can attend. The staff has been kind and helpful. .

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Lyle School of Engineering

Dallas, TX •

Southern Methodist University •

Southern Methodist University ,

DALLAS, TX ,

Weatherhead School of Management

Cleveland, OH •

Case Western Reserve University •

• • Rating 2.8 out of 5   5 reviews

Current Master's student: My time so far at the Weatherhead School of Management has been challenging, yet it has also been extremely rewarding and has opened up so many doors for me in terms of networking and expanding my intellectual world. I would highly recommend the Weatherhead School's online MBA in Healthcare Management because it is giving me the tools to succeed both through a traditional MBA curriculum and through courses that will help me to be successful in Healthcare Management simultaneously. ... Read 5 reviews

Case Western Reserve University ,

CLEVELAND, OH ,

5 Niche users give it an average review of 2.8 stars.

Featured Review: Current Master's student says My time so far at the Weatherhead School of Management has been challenging, yet it has also been extremely rewarding and has opened up so many doors for me in terms of networking and expanding my... .

Colorado School of Mines

Golden, CO •

• • Rating 4.3 out of 5   10 reviews

Master's Student: Some classes were better than others. There were many professors that wanted to see you succeed and were willing to work with you, and then there were some that would not work with you. Overall, I did enjoy my time here at Mines, but not because of the school, but because of the relationships I made with those around me. This school is hard and requires a tough mindset to keep pushing through. ... Read 10 reviews

GOLDEN, CO ,

10 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says Some classes were better than others. There were many professors that wanted to see you succeed and were willing to work with you, and then there were some that would not work with you. Overall, I... .

NC State College of Sciences

Raleigh, NC •

North Carolina State University •

North Carolina State University ,

RALEIGH, NC ,

Rutgers Business School - New Brunswick

Piscataway, NJ •

Rutgers University - New Brunswick •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   3 reviews

Master's Student: Rutgers University is an outstanding school who are truly invested in the success of their students. They are present in their students' academic journeys. ... Read 3 reviews

Rutgers University - New Brunswick ,

PISCATAWAY, NJ ,

3 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

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PhD Program

Fellowships for year one, guaranteed funding until completion..

Ranked Industrial Engineering Graduate Program by the U.S. News & World Report (2023)

Ranked Public University by the Wall Street Journal (2022)

University of Michigan Industrial and Operations Engineering (U-M IOE) PhD students have fellowships for year one, guaranteed funding until completion and can access more than a dozen graduate student certificate programs across campus.

Our PhD students have extensive interdisciplinary opportunities available on campus. Take classes and work with faculty from different engineering departments, Michigan Medicine, and U-M schools and colleges such as the Stephen M. Ross School of Business and the School of Public Health.

Sign-up for our virtual grad school webinar on Nov. 10, 2023 to learn more about our program before you apply.

PHD STUDENT NEWS

Celebrating the IOE graduate class of 2024

This spring 58 students graduated from the U-M IOE PhD and master’s program. Many of whom were honored with awards. 

University of Michigan IOE PhD Student Yifan Li honored with teaching awards

Yifan Li has been honored with the 2024 Richard and Eleanor Towner Prize for Distinguished Academic Achievement, the Distinguished Leadership Award from the College of Engineering and the Rackham Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) Award

IOE PhD student Jianhao Ma awarded a Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship

The Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship supports PhD students who have achieved candidacy and are actively working on dissertation research and writing

Students celebrated at U-M IOE Graduation Reception

On Thursday, April 7, 2023 students, faculty, and staff from the Univerisity of Michigan Industrial and Operations Engineering (U-M IOE) Department came together to celebrate the accomplishments of their graduating graduate students at the Michigan League. This spring 67 students graduated from the U-M IOE PhD and master’s program. Many of whom were honored with awards. 

Jacqueline Hannan awarded an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship to further neonatal ventilation research

U-M IOE PhD student Jacqueline Hannan has been awarded a Graduate Research Fellowship from the NSF. The purpose of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is to ensure the quality, vitality, and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States.

U-M IOE hosts its second annual Graduate School Workshop

The workshop is part of a multi-year diversity, equity and inclusion initiative to broaden participation in the field of industrial engineering.

University of Michigan Student Chapter selected as a winner of the INFORMS 2021 Student Chapter Annual Award (Summa cum laude)

The purpose of these awards is to recognize the achievements of student chapters. Please join us in congratulating our students on this well-deserved recognition!

New workshop promotes graduate school in industrial engineering for underrepresented groups in STEM fields

The IOE department started a new initiative to broaden participation in industrial engineering by underrepresented groups, including traditionally underrepresented minorities, women, and first-generation students. A recent IOE graduate school workshop offered by the department was part of the launch of this new multi-year diversity, equity and inclusion initiative.

Kati Moug receives 2021 Generation Google Scholarship

U-M IOE PhD student, Kati Moug, has received a 2021 Generation Google Scholarship in recognition of academic performance, leadership, and a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

IOE graduate students receive NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

U-M IOE graduate students, Lauren Czerniak and Leena Ghrayeb honored as recipients of the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF GRFP).

Nadine Sarter receives FAA funding for research on pilots’ role in risk mitigation

U-M IOE professor, Nadine Sarter has received funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for research on the role flight crews play in aviation safety.

U-M INFORMS Student Chapter and Wesley J. Marrero awarded at INFORMS Annual Meeting

At the recent INFORMS Annual Meeting, the U-M INFORMS student chapter and U-M IOE PhD student, Wesley J. Marrero, were recognized for their work in operations research and the management sciences.

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Operations management.

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All our faculty are research-active and work with PhD students. Our joint expertise spans modeling, optimization, data analysis, prediction and prescription, and empirical research methods. We have published scholarly articles in, and serve on the editorial boards of, leading journals, such as Management Science , Manufacturing & Service Operations Management , Mathematics of Operations Research , and Operations Research . Our work has also appeared in practitioner-oriented articles, such as Harvard Business Review and Supply Chain Management. Individual faculty have also taken on leadership roles in professional organizations, such as the Manufacturing and Service Operations Management Society and the Applied Probability Society. Our faculty have also written three textbooks on operations management, supply chain management, and operations strategy that are used in universities around the world.

What We Are Looking for in Applicants

Our current PhD students come from the fields of engineering, computer science, mathematics, operations research and statistics. A master’s degree is not required, but about half of our matriculating students do have a graduate degree. Strong quantitative skills are needed for the type of research our students do. Recommended coursework includes calculus, linear algebra, optimization, probability and statistics. Our training and coursework are grounded in operations research and economics; therefore, an interest in economics is expected. Prior research experience is not required.

Program Requirements

In years one and two, students take 3 to 4 courses each quarter (fall, winter, spring). The first-year curriculum allows students to build a solid base in operations research as well as microeconomics, econometrics, stochastic modeling and optimization.

In their second year, course registration is more flexible as students transition from coursework to independent research. These courses include operations management doctoral courses offered that year and courses in other fields, such as economics, engineering, and quantitative marketing, or even an MBA course if relevant.

Preliminary Exam

Students will take a comprehensive preliminary exam at the end of their first year. This oral exam tests students ability to understand material from their first year of study and measures the student’s knowledge of the field as a whole.

Qualifying Exam and Candidacy

At the end of year two, students are required to write a research paper that demonstrates competency in operations research. Upon successfully passing this qualifying exam and maintaining a 3.0 (B) grade point average in coursework, the student is admitted to candidacy.

Research, Proposal & Dissertation

The main activity in the third year and afterward is research toward a thesis, under the direction of one or more faculty advisors. A thesis proposal must be presented to the department by the end of year three, prior to the beginning of fall classes. In their final year in the program, each candidate must complete a dissertation demonstrating original and significant research and pass a final oral examination on the dissertation.

Teaching Requirement

To promote engagement with faculty and integration with the intellectual life of the department, students serve as research and teaching assistants during years two, three, and four, including summers. Research assistantships (RAs) are an excellent lead-in to research; teaching assistantships (TAs) prepare students for teaching after obtaining the PhD.

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Best Production-Operations MBA Programs

Ranked in 2024, part of Best Business Schools

Production and operations management involves lessons

Production and operations management involves lessons in supply chain management, quality control and manufacturing. Graduates may become managers or consultants. These are the top business schools for production/operations MBAs. Read the methodology »

For full rankings, GMAT scores and employment data, sign up for the U.S. News Business School Compass .

See online MBA rankings.

Here are the Best Production-Operations MBA Programs

Massachusetts institute of technology (sloan), carnegie mellon university (tepper), purdue university--main campus (daniels), university of michigan--ann arbor (ross), stanford university, university of pennsylvania (wharton), georgia institute of technology (scheller), ohio state university (fisher), michigan state university (broad).

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Cambridge , MA

• # 1 in Production / Operations
• # 5 in Best Business Schools

N/A TUITION AND FEES

817 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Sloan School of Management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan) offers these departments and... Read More »

Business school

Tuition and fees, enrollment (full-time), average gmat (full-time).

Pittsburgh , PA

• # 2 in Production / Operations
• # 16 in Best Business Schools  (tie)

$75,712 total program (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

359 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper) offers these departments and concentrations... Read More »

$75,712 total program (full-time)

West Lafayette , IN

• # 3 in Production / Operations  (tie)
• Unranked in Best Business Schools

0 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business at Purdue University--Main Campus (Daniels) offers these departments... Read More »

Ann Arbor , MI

• # 12 in Best Business Schools  (tie)

$70,392 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

$75,392 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

734 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at University of Michigan--Ann Arbor (Ross) offers these departments and... Read More »

$70,392 per year (in-state, full-time)

$75,392 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

Stanford , CA

• # 5 in Production / Operations
• # 1 in Best Business Schools  (tie)

$79,860 per year (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

873 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Graduate School of Business at Stanford University offers these departments and concentrations: accounting... Read More »

$79,860 per year (full-time)

Philadelphia , PA

• # 6 in Production / Operations

$79,800 per year (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

1,754 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) offers these departments and concentrations: accounting... Read More »

$79,800 per year (full-time)

Atlanta , GA

• # 7 in Production / Operations
• # 25 in Best Business Schools

$29,508 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

$40,752 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

145 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Scheller College of Business at Georgia Institute of Technology (Scheller) offers these departments and... Read More »

$29,508 per year (in-state, full-time)

$40,752 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

Columbus , OH

• # 8 in Production / Operations
• # 30 in Best Business Schools  (tie)

$30,231 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

$57,960 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

98 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Max M. Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University (Fisher) offers these departments and concentrations... Read More »

$30,231 per year (in-state, full-time)

$57,960 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

East Lansing , MI

• # 9 in Production / Operations  (tie)
• # 41 in Best Business Schools  (tie)

$34,420 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

$54,616 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

126 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Eli Broad Graduate School of Management at Michigan State University (Broad) offers these departments and... Read More »

$34,420 per year (in-state, full-time)

$54,616 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

Pennsylvania State University--University Park (Smeal)

University Park , PA

The Smeal College of Business at Pennsylvania State University--University Park (Smeal) offers these departments and... Read More »

Arizona State University (W.P. Carey)

• # 11 in Production / Operations  (tie)
• # 32 in Best Business Schools  (tie)

$29,376 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

$51,290 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

115 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University (W.P. Carey) offers these departments and... Read More »

$29,376 per year (in-state, full-time)

$51,290 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

Columbia University

New York , NY

$84,496 per year (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

1,512 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Columbia Business School at Columbia University offers these departments and concentrations: accounting, business... Read More »

$84,496 per year (full-time)

See all 36 Ranked Schools

Get the U.S. News Grad Schools School Compass and start finding the grad schools school that's right for you. You'll have access to expanded data including GMAT scores, financial aid information, graduate salary and employment statistics and more!

More Schools in this List (Alphabetical)

Cornell University (Johnson)

Ithaca , NY

• in Production / Operations
• # 15 in Best Business Schools

$79,910 per year (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

577 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University (Johnson) offers these departments and... Read More »

$79,910 per year (full-time)

Duke University (Fuqua)

Durham , NC

$75,000 per year (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

787 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University (Fuqua) offers these departments and concentrations: accounting... Read More »

$75,000 per year (full-time)

Harvard University

Allston , MA

• # 6 in Best Business Schools

$74,910 per year (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

1,953 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Business School at Harvard University offers these departments and concentrations: accounting, business analytics... Read More »

$74,910 per year (full-time)

Indiana University (Kelley)

Bloomington , IN

• # 20 in Best Business Schools  (tie)

$28,992 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

$54,602 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

219 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Kelley School of Business at Indiana University (Kelley) offers these departments and concentrations: accounting... Read More »

$28,992 per year (in-state, full-time)

$54,602 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

10 Best Operational Research Master Degrees

Ready to find your ideal master's program.

www.mastersprogramsguide.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Like a lot of areas of study, “operations research” is a term that’s a bit confusing to decode. Despite sounding vague, operational research is hugely important for modern-day life.

So what is operations research? It uses advanced analytical methods to help businesses make smarter decisions. Getting a Master of Science in Operations Research is a smart choice. Both for you and for your career, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a major with a high salary and excellent job growth.

Just about every industry and every sector relies on operations research. That’s one reason why earning an operations research masters is a great choice. An operations research master’s degree will provide you with the skills you need to work in a variety of industries. From air travel to telecommunications. Banking to manufacturing. Government agencies. Consulting. Whatever it is, you’ll have the skills you need. The list goes on and on! Businesses need skilled people like you to crunch data and make smart decisions.

Are you looking for a Master of Science in a growing career field?

Operations research is just about everywhere, and its reach will only expand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , there were 109,700 operations research analyst jobs in the U.S. in 2018. There will likely be about 28,100 more by 2028. That’s a job growth rate of 26% ! This is more than five times the national average for all occupations.

The bulk of these jobs are in California, Texas, and Virginia. Virginia has the most operations research analysts. This is not surprising, considering its proximity to Washington, DC). 

What will you learn in an operations research graduate program? The curriculum of the many operation research programs in the United States varies by school. There is a strong tradition of success. MIT’s operations research masters degree goes back 60 years, as does Carnegie Mellon’s.

Operations research masters programs today take advantage of new technology. This is technology that’s essential for solving complex problems. Coursework builds upon highly technical fields like:

• mathematics
• probability

Often, you’ll take courses with long, intimidating names, such as:

• Discrete Probability and Stochastic Processes (MIT)
• Integer Programming and Combinatorial Optimization (Kansas State)
• Algorithmic Methods in Nonlinear Programming (North Carolina State)
• Optimization Theory and Algorithms: Numerical Optimization (USC)

See Also: 10 Best Master’s in Industrial Engineering

OUR RANKING CRITERIA 

What are the best master’s degrees in operations research .

We know that you have educational goals that you’re itching to pursue, but you may not know where to start. The editors of Master’s Programs Guide utilize a unique ranking  methodology  based on the following five aspects:

25% Overall Degree Affordability:  Average cost of undergraduate and graduate tuition per school

25% Graduation Rate:  Number of students who start at the university and actually finish there

20% Earnings Potential:  Average mid-career salary of school alumni

20% Selectivity:  The number of students who apply versus the number who actually get accepted

10% Online Graduate Offerings:  The number of programs offered online in each department

At Master’s Programs Guide, we strive to do our best to guide you and your family toward a fruitful academic career. The pursuit of knowledge is a noble one, and we want to help you reach your goals.

Check out our operations research graduate programs rankings to get started!

See Also: 50 Best Online Masters of Engineering Management

#1. PURDUE UNIVERSITY

Master of engineering with a specialization in operations research.

West Lafayette, IN is about 70 miles northwest of Indianapolis. It is here that you will find Purdue University. This school is one of the Midwest’s most esteemed universities. U.S. News & World Report ranks it at No. 57 among National Universities. More specific to its operations research program, it is also ranked No. 8 in Best Engineering Schools for graduate studies. You’ll also find one of the best master’s degrees in operations research here.

Purdue’s College of Engineering has 14 individual departments. These range from Aeronautics and Astronautics to Nuclear Engineering. The masters degree operations research is found in the School of Industrial Engineering. Operations research is one of the four specializations offered in the school. You can choose from a long list of graduate courses . Classes include:

• Stochastic Models in Operations Research I
• Nonlinear Optimization Algorithms and Models

Almost as long is a list of Purdue’s research in operations research with 16 research faculty. This research underscores the rigor of Purdue’s program.

Students are encouraged to apply with backgrounds in:

• engineering

There’s no set GPA or specific undergraduate major listed on the program website. A GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale is recommended. Some “recommended” prerequisites include mathematics through:

• Multivariate calculus
• Differential equations
• Linear algebra

Applicants with skills in computer programming are also preferred.

Don’t have those courses on your transcript? That’s okay. You can take most of them at Purdue as part of the masters degree operations research curriculum. Only some graduate-level courses can be taken at the same time as the prerequisites. They also won’t count toward the master’s degree. The graduate-level classes aren’t offered every year, either. You will need to plan accordingly.

Prospective students need to submit GRE scores, a statement of purpose, and recommendation letters. You’ll also need a résumé, an optional “ diversity essay ,” and transcripts. The operations research program offers both thesis and non-thesis options. Each of these requires 30 graduate credit hours with21 credit hours of coursework. You will be able to customize your plan of study. You must maintain a 3.0 to earn a degree.

At $11,693, Purdue’s program is the least expensive of the schools on this list, making it extra attractive for that No. 1 spot. 

See Also: Best Online Cybersecurity Master’s Degree

#2. KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY

Master of science in operations research.

The Master of Science in Operations Research is available online. It is one of the best master’s degrees in operations research. It’s offered by the Kansas State Global Campus. This is an interdisciplinary program at heart. It focuses on applied mathematics and business decision-making.

In this program, you will develop a mathematical model of a real-world problem. Over the course of your studies, you’ll work to solve that problem.

You must have a bachelor’s with a 3.0 GPA for this graduate degree. Bachelor’s degrees must be in majors like:

• Industrial Engineering
• Engineering
• Mathematics

You must also have an advanced mathematical background. You may also need to have some experience in computer programming.

You will need at least a 159 on the GRE, a statement of objectives, three professional/academic references. Of course, you’ll also need unofficial transcripts from each college attended. You will need 30 credit hours to complete the graduate degree.

This is a coursework program, so there’s no thesis. Timing is everything. That’s because the eight-core courses are offered once every two years. Master’s students only need to take three of them to earn their nine hours of core credits. The school encourages prospective students to take all six core classes. The core courses are divided into three sections:

• continuous optimization
• discrete optimization
• stochastic processes

Sounds easy enough! You will work with a team of advisors to plan out your courses. You’ll culminate your experience with a master’s presentation to test how well you grasped the information you learned in your courses. This presentation will also help you to get a jump start on your career!

The program is entirely online. Prospective students who live within 250 miles of Manhattan, KS will need to travel to the campus for the final experience. Everyone else can request a conference call. Online class formats vary. They generally include:

• Chat discussions

You will need to find a proctor via a local library or university for your exams.

At $18,002, Kansas State offers one of the least expensive programs. It also offers scholarships just for distance learners. All of that makes K State tough to beat.

See Also: Top 50 Best Masters Degree Programs

#3. NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY

Operations research goes back more than 60 years at NC State. This is when it began as an introductory course. After that, it became a minor for statistics and electrical engineering majors. By 1970, it was an independent major. Today, operations research remains an interdisciplinary major. NC State’s College of Engineering and College of Sciences share it.

That makes sense. The program’s website notes that operations research is, by its nature, interdisciplinary. The Master of Science pulls from:

• Mathematical Sciences
• The Physical Sciences

Because it draws from those worlds, operations research is also quite versatile. NC State aims to make its graduates just as versatile as their field of study.

Don’t come to Raleigh – home to the university – without some serious math in your background, though. To get into NC State’s MS in operations research program, prospective students need an undergraduate degree in a related field. The school doesn’t specify a base GPA or GRE score for admission to the graduate degree. Applicants also need an official transcript from all colleges they have attended.

The school is one of the cheapest on this list, coming in at $14,771 per year. Students must complete 31 credit hours. 15 should be in core courses, three to six from a master’s research thesis, and a one-credit seminar. You can earn another nine credits by choosing three courses in a “minor field of study.” Need more to reach the 31-credit threshold? You can draw from a long list of OR coursework.

NC State’s demanding program produces strong results. The site lists 39 publications from its students and faculty in 2016. These are centered around hot-button topics. These include Augmented Immersed Finite Element Methods for Some Elliptic Partial Differential Equations.

NC State also has a dedicated Military operations research group. This helps prospective students prepare for a career in the military. They do this by studying real-world issues. Examples of issues include veterans’ health care and expeditionary military logistics and risk analysis. People interested in military OR won’t have to go far to practice it, either. Seventy miles south of Raleigh is Fort Bragg. This is the largest military base in the world.

#4. GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Operations research is an interdisciplinary field with a wide variety of applications. No two students will have the same career goals. Georgia Tech makes it easy by designing its curriculum around one common goal. This goal is to help students use their advanced skills to make an immediate impact in industry and government. Headquartered in Atlanta, the school dates to 1885. This is when it opened to help industrialize and modernize the post-Civil War South. 

Thinking ahead has long been part of Georgia Tech’s mission. The Master of Science in Operations Research program follows suit. This is one reason why it’s one of the best master’s degrees around. The curriculum focuses on deterministic and stochastic operations research. The goal of the program is to provide a training in the basics and technical applications of operational research. They can go out and make an immediate impact. It may be surprising that Georgia Tech isn’t especially rigorous with its admissions prerequisites. A background in operations research is not required. Applicants should have a bachelor’s in either:

Applicants need to take the GRE, but the specifics end there – no degree rules, no set scores. You will need a personal statement and some letters of reference. At $16,950 per academic year, Georgia Tech falls below the average costs of other programs on this list. The program lasts around 12-15 months. Low-key requirements + cheapish tuition = yes. Also yes: not having to write a thesis or complete a final project.

Georgia Tech describes its coursework as “ rigorous ,” so it won’t be a cakewalk. The school generally limits the program to 20 students, so admission is competitive. Thirty credit hours are required for a master’s. Students can focus on specific applications. These include:

• Optimization
• Stochastics
• Computational Science
• Other Electives

If this all sounds great except for the “living in Atlanta” part, don’t fret. Georgia Tech’s MS in operations research program can be taken online . 

#5. CORNELL UNIVERSITY

Master of engineering in operations research and information engineering.

Cornell University is an Ivy League school in Ithaca, NY. Its Cornell Tech campus lies on Roosevelt Island, near Manhattan. (It’s the place with the c o ol tram .) The difference between the locales speaks to their differing missions. Cornell’s campus in Ithaca is home to a storied university full of tradition that dates back to 1865.

Cornell Tech’s sleek and energy-efficient campus is part of NYC’s tech hub. The school has a year-long ME ORIE program. The Master of Science provides students with skills in data analytics and mathematical modeling. Their skills help them to turn data into effective business decisions. It’s ideal for students who want to work at major tech companies or startup ventures.

To be eligible for admission, you must have a passion for data, business, and analytics. You’ll also need courses in:

• Probability and statistics
• Programming

You may have to complete a test to gauge your skills in programming and advanced mathematics. Otherwise, no specific academic background is needed. You will also need to provide a resume and GRE scores. You may have to record an interview, too.

This program has a number of merit-based scholarships for the top students. An example is the WiTNY fellowship for women.

The most interesting part of Cornell’s operations research program? The Studio courses. Students take these each semester. These courses allow you to take real-world classes in other departments. In the Product Studio, students develop a new tech product or service based on a challenge. These are organized with tech companies like Uber or Robin Hood. You will graduate with real, marketable experience. You will also have a portfolio of completed projects that will help you land jobs.

You will take courses over a period of two semesters. You will be able to choose from two concentrations. These include operations analytics or data science. You can use those choices to guide your course selections. After the two semesters, you can travel to the main campus in Ithaca if you’d like to take more classes. Here, you can continue to build skills in engineering and operations research math.

The entire program costs around $28,890. This is expensive, but not the most expensive on this list. This is surprising, especially given that Cornell is an Ivy League Institution. It’s one of the best master’s degrees you’ll find.

See Also: 10 Online Master’s in Computer Engineering

#6. CARNEGIE MELLON

Master of business administration with operations research concentration.

You’ll find another top operations research graduate program at Carnegie Mellon. The Tepper School of Business plays host to the operations research Master of Science. It’s one of the best master’s degrees around. Carnegie Mellon’s business school debuted in Pittsburgh. The Tepper School of Business does not play by the rules. It offers a revolutionary, one-of-a-kind curriculum.

Tepper’s OR program draws from that history. You’ll tackle complex business problems and develop unique solutions for them. The operations research program is an area of concentration within the MBA program. Carnegie Mellon offers four operations research-specific courses. These include Applications of Operations Research and The Art and Science of Predictions. It also has a project credit in business analytics.

Though you will take fewer courses in mathematics in this Master of Science, it’s still quite rigorous. Analytics plays a big part in Carnegie Mellon’s curriculum. The school’s devotion to analytics and leadership sets its MBA program apart from all others. You’ll graduate with an understanding of analytics that goes beyond mathematical modeling. You’ll also receive a well-rounded business education here.

The school operates on what it calls a “mini-semester” system or the quarter system. The academic year includes four quarters that last 6.5 weeks each. This doubles the number of courses in a semester so you can graduate faster. The program lasts two years for full-time students.

Tepper also offers part-time and hybrid programs. These are half online, half on-campus. They are meant for working professionals. Students need 192 units to graduate. The coursework allows for a lot of electives and immersion workshops. There are also plenty of built-in networking opportunities. These can help fuel your job growth. It finishes up with a capstone project. This comes in three forms. There is a Study Abroad option. This is a four-week trip to Germany, Hong Kong, or Mainland China. It concludes with a summary presentation. You can also do a Management Game. This is a computer simulation of a multinational company. There is also Strategic Management of the Enterprise. This consists of consulting for real companies.

The program costs $14,760 per academic year. Carnegie Mellon has flexible admissions prerequisites that make it easy to apply. No piece of the application is more important than others. You’ll need to submit a resume and GMAT or GRE scores. You’ll also need an essay and a professional letter of recommendation. Unofficial transcripts and an on-campus interview are also required. Carnegie Mellon accepts students from any educational background.

#7. UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Master of science in operations research engineering.

The University of Southern California has racked up plenty of awards. U.S. News & World Report ranks it No. 22 among National Universities and No. 9 in Best Engineering Schools (where its operations research program lives). It takes first place for Best Online Graduate Computer Information Technology Programs. It’s located near downtown Los Angeles in beautiful Southern California. You will be able to enjoy beautiful weather year-round. There are also plenty of local recreational activities. USC’s campus is close to LA’s large Exposition Park. This is home to many attractions. These include the city’s natural history museum and the LA Memorial Coliseum. You can even visit the brand new Banc of California Stadium. None of that will help you in your studies, but they’re things to consider nonetheless!

The Operations Research Engineering Master of Science at USC is one of the best. It trains students to solve key business problems with mathematics and computers.You will need to complete 21 credits in those required courses. You’ll also take six credit hours of electives. You’ll also take three computer science electives. This will help you earn the 30 credits needed for a master’s. There’s no thesis or capstone project. You’ll move toward job growth in other ways, like networking.

To apply, you will need an undergraduate degree in engineering, mathematics, or science. You should also submit GRE scores and a resume. Submit a personal statement and three letters of recommendation, too.

This program is one of the most expensive on this list. That said, private universities aren’t known for their low prices. You don’t have to battle Los Angeles traffic. You can still benefit from this top-notch (albeit expensive) program. There’s an online version of the program via DEN@Viterbi, the online learning portal. You can also choose a hybrid online/on-campus degree if you can’t decide which fits you best.

See Also: 10 Affordable Online Master’s in Material Science & Engineering

#8. SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY

Master of science with a major in operations research.

Located in Dallas, TX, SMU offers a master of science in operations research. This program has plenty of opportunities for individualization. You can pursue pathways in areas like:

• management consulting
• telecommunications

If price connotes quality, then SMU is the best. At $38,562, it is the most expensive program on our list. It’s well above the average cost of the other schools. Fortunately, there are plenty of financial aid opportunities available. Students should have bachelor’s degrees in:

• Computer science
• A similar technical field

You also need to take six credit hours of calculus and three of linear algebra. You will also need three credits of computer programming e.

The Lyle School of Engineering is home to the operations research program. This degree requires 30 credit hours of study. These credits include core courses like Analytics for Decision Support and Optimization Models for Decision Support. You’ll also be able to take nine hours of a concentration. As mentioned earlier, SMU offers countless options for concentrations. You’ll need advisor approval before studies begin. Options include:

• Engineering management
• Telecommunications
• Another engineering discipline

Not sure what that would entail? The operations research page has sample course schedules for these disciplines. Each of them includes five courses. Expect a fairly small class size. The Lyle School of Engineering’s website notes that it has an 11:1 student to faculty ratio.

Faculty here stay busy outside of the classroom, too. The school receives some of the largest research awards in the nation on a “per faculty basis.” You could study areas like network design or network management. These are two areas that directly impact day-to-day life. Life on campus at SMU is also pretty nice. The campus spreads across a couple of hundred acres in north-central Dallas. This offers a good mix of urban space with greenery. One word of caution. The summers are hot! You can beat the heat by checking out the famous George W. Bush Presidential Library. This is located on SMU’s campus.

#9. JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

Master of science in engineering management.

Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins University was the nation’s first research university. It is in Baltimore, MD. At first, it only offered graduate programs. Undergraduate degrees didn’t arrive until later. The school has been prestigious since its very beginning. In U.S. News & World Report ’s 2020 rankings, Johns Hopkins placed No. 10 for National Universities and No. 23 for Most Innovative Schools. It’s ranked No. 19 for Best Value Schools. It has a cost of $27,868 per academic year for its OR program. It costs more than the average for this list. It still is affordable for a private school. The graduate program in engineering took No. 17 for Best Engineering Schools. As you can see, Johns Hopkins has always offered quality programs – and that probably won’t change any time soon. 

The Master of Science in Engineering Management is offered by the Whiting School of Engineering. You’ll take five advanced courses along with a suite of management classes that you’ll take with a cohort. The cohort model is a major feature of Whiting’s approach. You’ll start building a professional network rights away in this graduate degree. You’ll also take many courses in entrepreneurship.

This is a flexible program. It allows for lots of electives and course substitutions. You can even join the Home2Homewood program. This allows you to take several online courses before you have to head to Baltimore to complete the rest of your classes.

This program even includes an Immersion Experience. Also known as the Practice of Consulting, this project will allow you to head abroad. You may visit sites like Israel, Honduras, Panama, and New Zealand. You’ll work with a team to solve a client problem. This experience occurs during the fall and spring semesters. It provides students with an excellent real-world look at the work they’ve tackled in class.

To apply, students should have bachelor’s degrees in science or engineering. Plan on submitting the GRE. You will also need:

• Letters of recommendation
• A statement of purpose
• Unofficial transcripts

#10. MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Master of operations research.

Some schools offer operations research as a specialization of a larger degree. Others bump it up to degree status, usually as part of the engineering department. MIT took things one step further. It constructed a massive building just for that purpose. It’s fittingly called the Operations Research Center . The Operations Research Center started in 1953 and developed the first-of-its-kind OR curriculum. This was back when applying scientific methods to decision-making and business problems was a revolutionary idea. The primary goal of this program is collaborative investigation.

Students don’t have to have bachelor’s degrees in specific fields to apply. That said, MIT is known for having a competitive admissions process. You will need to submit the GRE a statement of objectives and three letters of recommendation. Transcripts are required. The operations research program only accepts around 40 students each year. This is from a large pool of hundreds of applicants.

The silver lining is that the school only costs $18,971 per academic year. This is a bargain when compared to other prestigious schools of this caliber. U.S. News & World Report ranks it No. 4 in Best Value Schools. That’s low for MIT. It ranks No. 3 in national universities, and No. 1 for Best Engineering Schools for graduate degrees. 

MIT’s vaunted graduate degree emphasizes practical applications of operations research. This is done through coursework and research. The two-year program requires 66 credit units for completion. 42 of these must come from advanced subjects . You’ll take classes in topics such as optimization techniques and probabilistic modeling. You will also take classes that relate to your individual interests.

The coursework is separated into eight groups. These groups include:

• Machine Learning
• Operations Management

You’ll complete a final thesis based on independent research before you graduate.

See Also: 10 Affordable Online Master’s in Mechanical Engineering

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a master’s in operations research.

An operations research masters degree is a program that will teach you how to use mathematical and analytical methods. These methods can help businesses develop better management techniques. You’ll be able to help organizations improve their efficiency and make more money.

This program usually comes with optional concentrations. These might include fields like:

• supply chain management
• stochastic models

What can you do with a masters operations research degree?

Businesses have more data than ever before at their fingertips. Knowing how to use it is where the operation research analyst comes in. This is the most common job enjoyed by a person with a Master of Science in operations research. This is a growing field. It is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the fourth Best Business Job in the country.

Operations research emerged as a major discipline during World War II. There was a need for analysts who could plan efficient supply routes and processes. The military continues to use the work of operations research analysts to this day. People with degrees in operations research now work in a variety of diverse fields. You could find work in logistics, manufacturing, and more.

No matter where you find work, you will likely be a high-level decision maker. Getting a master’s degree will only make this process easier. You’ll know how to use statistics and data tools. Your skills can help businesses draw conclusions from available information. You’ll also have the leadership skills necessary to manage a team.

Are operations research masters programs worth it?

Bachelor’s degree is the typical education needed to get an entry-level job in this field. Many employers prefer to hire applicants with master’s degrees. This is especially true now, in our increasingly competitive work environment.

A Master of Science in Operations Research will provide you with the necessary prerequisite training. You’ll also gain access to industry certifications and on-the-job experience. These can help you move in a more specialized or leadership-focused direction.

How can I get financial aid and scholarships for a master’s in operations research? 

Earning a master’s degree is expensive. There’s no question about it! The good news is that there are ways you can make your degree more affordable. You don’t have to be an analyst to figure them out! One of the best ways to find an affordable program is to take a look at these operations research masters programs rankings next. Consider which is the most affordable for you and go from there.

Look to government scholarships and grants first. Although many of these awards tend to be reserved for undergraduate students there is a select amount of aid set aside for graduate students.

Check with your university. Your department may have funds set aside for top students. You can also check with private organizations and institutes. from the Department of Defense are all excellent places to look. Excellent places to look are:

• The Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences
• SMART Program
• The Information Assurance Scholarship Program from the Department of Defense

As a very last resort, you can always lean on student loans to help pay for the difference. Keep in mind that you will have to pay these back – plus interest.

How much can I make with a master’s in operations research?

You’ll earn a respectable salary with a master’s in operations research. The average salary is around $86,200 per year. Workers in the federal government earn the highest wages overall. A master’s degree will qualify you for the top wages.

The future looks bright for individuals with master’s in operations research. These fields are expected to grow by about 25% through the next decade. That’s according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is due in part to the fact that jobs for operations research analysts are available in countless industries. You could work in:

• finance and insurance
• manufacturing
• professional services
• federal government

IF YOU ENJOYED THAT THEN CHECK OUT OUR ARTICLES ON THE BEST ONLINE MASTER’S PROGRAMS IN ECONOMICS & 35 BEST ONLINE MASTER OF MATHEMATICS DEGREE PROGRAMS !

Michael Templeton Managing Editor

Kacey Reynolds Schedler Contributing Editor

The Ohio State University

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ISE Graduate Handbook 2024-2025: Appendix B Operations Research Qualifying Exam

This section outlines the policies and guidelines for the PhD qualifying exam for PhD students in the Operations Research program. Exceptions are described at the end of the section for students who needed to retake the old format, i.e., written qualifying exam.

The goal of this oral exam is to ensure PhD students have:

• Sufficient core background in Operations Research in order to make good progress towards the Candidacy Examination.
• Some preliminary experience with an ISE faculty research advisor, demonstrating a basic ability to identify and explore a research area.

The exam material is based on all courses listed as Fundamentals for Ph.D. Students in the OR grad curriculum sheet .

Exam timeline and scheduling

Scheduling timeline

Students must take their qualifying exam before the end of the 1st semester of their 2nd year in the PhD program . For students starting in Autumn, this is the autumn semester of their second year in the program. For students starting in Spring, this is the spring semester of their second year in the program. It is suggested that the exam is scheduled during the 2nd semester of the 1st year, if possible, for timely progress. Exceptions will be considered on an individual basis.

Two qualifying exam attempts are allowed. If asked to retake the exam, the second attempt must be scheduled in the semester following the first attempt. Failure to schedule the exam according to this timeline will be counted as a failure. Students are allowed to take their exams ahead of this timeline with their advisor’s approval.

Exams can take place at any time during the year subject to the approval of the Qualifying exam committee.

All PhD students, who have not passed the exam by the 2nd week of the 3rd semester, should file an application to graduate for an MS degree with the graduate school prior to the deadline in their third semester (3rd Friday), assuming they will have completed the 30 credit hours required for a MS degree at the end the third semester. This will allow them to receive a MS degree that semester, assuming they complete the MS degree requirements, even if they don’t pass the exam. Students entering with a MS degree, which is supplying 30 credit hours towards their PhD degree, will need to cancel their application to graduate when passing the exam so that their prior MS degree will still count towards their PhD credits hours

Scheduling procedure

Students should fill out the “ISE OR Request for the PhD Qualifying Exam” form by the third Friday of the semester in which their exam is to be scheduled. This form, along with the student’s advising report, should be emailed to the ISE graduate program coordinator. The advising report 24 should show that the student has already taken, or is currently taking, all the OR PhD required courses (see also the “Results” section below for more information).

Exam format and guidelines

Oral exam committee members

The Qualifying exam committee will consist of three ISE OR faculty members. The student’s advisor will be on the committee. One of the other two members will come from the “Probabilistic” area and the other will come from the “Deterministic” area. Both will be selected by a person designated by the OR faculty. These committee nominees will be to the Graduate Studies Chair for final approval. Currently, the person designated by the OR faculty is the liaison between the department chair and the OR faculty. If there is some faculty member who is considered unacceptable to the student or advisor, this fact along with justification should be communicated to the designated OR faculty member who is making the selections.

Oral examination procedures

The exam will be a 90-minute oral exam. It consists of a 10-minute presentation by the student, followed by 80 minutes of questions/answers from the committee.

The 10-minute presentation will be an uninterrupted presentation on a research problem chosen by the student and their advisor. The student may present their ongoing research work, if any. Alternatively, the student will start working on a research problem with their advisor at the beginning of the semester in which they are taking the oral exam, and present their progress (e.g., problem statement, brief literature review, and/or a proposed solution approach) during the 10- minute presentation.

The presentation will be followed by 20 minutes of questions by each committee member, followed by a second round of questions by any committee member. These will be on fundamental knowledge and basics from the ISE OR coursework and will cover all the three main areas (i.e., Statistics, Stochastics, and Optimization). The questions need not be on or related to the presentation.

Upon completion of the oral exam, each committee member will provide one of the following three scores:

• 2 (pass): Student shows good knowledge of fundamental concepts covered in the ISE OR coursework, as well as ability to apply this knowledge and propose solutions to (openended) research problems.
• 1 (marginal): Student shows overall knowledge of fundamental concepts from coursework and some ability to solve research problems. However, student has difficulty when solving questions posed from coursework and/or extending this knowledge to propose solutions to research problems.
• 0 (fail): Student has difficulty in recalling fundamental concepts and/or answering questions from the ISE OR coursework and/or approaching research problems.

To pass the qualifying exam, the student should receive (a) a cumulative score of 4-6 in the oral exam, and (b) satisfactory grades on the OR PhD required courses. Failure to meet either of these two criteria (i.e., a cumulative score of 0-3 in the oral exam, and/or subpar performance in the required courses) will lead to failing the qualifying exam.

Individualized recourse plans will be proposed by the committee for students who fail to pass the exam. This may include taking additional courses in one or more of the three exam areas and obtaining a minimum grade of B+ in each course or retaking the exam in the next semester.

If a second exam is required, it is expected that all members of the new Qualifying exam committee will be different, except for the advisor.

Exceptions for Students Who Have Taken the (Previous) Written Exam

Exception: students with a conditional pass during previous Qualifying Exams will not be required to do the 10-minute presentation. They will only answer questions to a (smaller size) committee in the area in which they received a conditional pass. For instance, if the student had already passed optimization in Spring 2022, then the optimization section will be removed from the exam: 20 minutes will be removed from the exam length, and the committee will have 1 less member assigned. Such students are expected to complete the new qualifying exam by Autumn 2023.

UTA public health graduate focused on helping others

Thursday, May 09, 2024 • Neph Rivera : contact

When Jessica Douglas first step foot on The University of Texas at Arlington campus, it marked a new beginning but with a familiar focus: helping people.

Douglas took a decade-long break to raise her children and train as a doula. But in 2019, she decided to return to school. On May 10, she will officially earn her Master of Public Health degree, crossing the stage with 5,700-plus Mavericks at Globe Life Field.

She’s also earned the prestigious Gerry C. Gunnin, Ph.D., Public Health Memorial Fellowship, considered the most competitive public health fellowship in Dallas-Fort Worth. Douglas will spend 10 weeks working for Texas Health Resources on a variety of community health initiatives.

“I always knew that at a certain point, I would go back to school and go into a profession that was patient-centered,” she said.

Douglas graduated from Houston Community College and then enrolled at the New Mexico College of Midwifery. While apprenticing with a midwife, she decided to take a break from her higher education goals to focus on her family. She had two children at that point and would eventually have two more. But she said she always knew school was still in her future when the time was right.

She originally applied to UTA’s nursing program, but then looked into public health and became hooked with helping people on a community-wide scale.

“I have tons of life experience, have lived through lots of things and have been on both the provider and patient sides,” she said. “The public health space just seems like the right place for me.”

The life experience that Douglas wants to bring to the field is filled with both tragedy and triumph. She had five miscarriages and a stillbirth; she also had two home births and two in a hospital. She wants to make sure moms like her have more positive experiences.

“The United States has not such a great track record with maternal health and outcomes; we’re pretty low across the board,” Douglas said. “There’s a lot of room for growth and change, and it’s what I’m comfortable with because it’s what my experience is in.”

She applied for the fellowship at the urging of Erin Carlson, clinical professor and founding director of UTA’s graduate public health programs. Douglas has worked with her as a UTA public health program assistant.

“Dr. Carlson was the reason I went into the graduate program,” Douglas said. “I was able to be a professional working alongside her instead of just studying under her. She is a great and knowledgeable mentor.”

Douglas said she finds herself looking back on her time as a Maverick, grateful for the support she received from her husband and the connections she made at UTA.

“I’ve made some really good relationships, and I’m excited to celebrate their accomplishments as well,” she said. “It’s not just about me. It’s about the people I’ve met along the way.”

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Summer workshop brings cybersecurity education and research to Pullman campus

Department of Defense workers as well as Washington State University and partner university students from throughout the Pacific Northwest will come to the WSU Pullman campus May 20–29 for the VICEROY Northwest Institute for Cybersecurity Education and Research’s (CySER) summer workshop .

During the two-week event, participants will attend presentations and discussion sessions on cybersecurity and operations from a variety of CySER faculty and students and VICEROY program representatives. The sessions are open to the public.

Some of the topics covered will include digital forensics; cybersecurity education in the U.S.; ethics in cybersecurity; and applying artificial intelligence in cybersecurity. CJ Maciag, director for Cyber Science and Technology Research and Academic Outreach in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, will speak on cybersecurity careers in the U.S. Department of Defense.

The workshop will also feature field trips to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) in Pullman, and Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane as well as a cybersecurity industry panel on May 28. A research showcase and certificate ceremony will be held to recognize CySER program participants.

The CySER Institute came about as a result of a $1.5 million grant from the Department of Defense’s Virtual Institutes for Cyber and Electromagnetic Spectrum Research and Employ (VICEROY) Program in 2021. The program established a cybersecurity research and teaching center at WSU, one of the first three funded in the United States.

The program trains ROTC and DOD-skilled civilian workers in computer science and other majors in cyber basics, operations, or defense, offering bachelor’s degrees as well as specialized certificates. Participating students receive training that integrates cybersecurity research and education with professional skills in teamwork, communication, leadership, and lifelong learning.

The CySER Institute is a WSU-led consortium including partners from Montana State University, the University of Idaho, and Central Washington University. The VICEROY project is managed by the Griffiss Institute in collaboration with the Air Force Research Laboratory.

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The heat is on

Here’s how Staten Island’s public high schools rank, according to U.S. News & World Report

• Published: May. 11, 2024, 7:02 a.m.

U.S. News & World Report recently ranked the top high schools in the country. (Staten Island Advance / Luke Peteley)

• Annalise Knudson | [email protected]

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. —The U.S. News and World Report released its ranking of the top high schools across the United States in 2024 —and that includes state, city and local rankings.

The rankings evaluate nearly 18,000 eligible public high schools at the national, state and local levels. Along with national rankings, U.S. News published a state-by-state ranking of the best high schools, including in New York state .

According to U.S. News, the highest-ranked schools in the country are those where: students excelled on state tests, performing beyond expectations; participated in and passed a variety of college-level exams, and graduated in high proportions.

Here’s a look at how Staten Island’s public high schools ranked from highest to lowest, according to U.S. News.

Note: This ranking does not include charter schools. Some high schools on the borough were ranked within a range in the state or nation in this U.S. News & World report.

1 - Staten Island Technical High School, New Dorp

New York state ranking: 5

National ranking: 50

Graduation rate: 100%

2 - CSI High School for International Studies, New Springville

New York state ranking: 112

National ranking: 1,126

Graduation rate: 98%

3 - New Dorp High School, New Dorp

New York state ranking: 450

National ranking: 5,362

Graduation rate: 88%

4 - Michael J. Petrides High School, Sunnyside

New York state ranking: 579

National ranking: 7,105

Graduation rate: 95%

5 - Susan E. Wagner High School, Sea View

New York state ranking: 613

National ranking: 7,583

Graduation rate: 91%

6 - Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School, New Springville

New York state ranking: 635

National ranking: 7,848

7 - Tottenville High School, Huguenot

New York state ranking: 693

National ranking: 8,677

Graduation rate: 96%

8 - Curtis High School, St. George

New York state ranking: 797

National ranking: 10,337

Graduation rate: 82%

9 (tie) - Concord High School, Concord

New York state ranking: 957-1,210

National ranking: 13,242-17,655

Graduation rate: 25%

9 (tie) - Eagle Academy for Young Men of Staten Island, Stapleton

National ranking: 13,242-17,665

Graduation rate: 74%

9 (tie) - Port Richmond High School, Port Richmond

Graduation rate: 85%

9 (tie) - Ralph R. McKee Career and Technical High School, St. George

Graduation rate: 78%

View the national rankings of high schools at www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/national-rankings .

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