Operations Research (OR) is the scientific approach to decision-making in complex environments. OR is pervasive in nearly every aspect of society, including medicine, finance, logistics, transportation, public policy, manufacturing, and information technology.
A minor in Operations Research at Rice University will provide you with a core of knowledge in the discipline while allowing you sufficient flexibility to tailor your curriculum to complement your major interests. This program of study particularly appeals to students majoring in business, engineering, social sciences, and economics.
For an overview of the Minor in Operations Research, learning outcomes, requirements, and more, visit General Announcements.
Courses
All students will take courses in stochastic models (CMOR 350) and optimization/operations research (CMOR 360), along with a course in either logistics (CMOR 461) or financial optimization (CMOR 462).
Students then will select three more courses that could, for example, focus on other aspects of operations research, economics, data science, or statistics; see the samples below.
Requirements
To obtain a OR minor, students must complete at least 18 credit hours in the CAAM department, including:
- CMOR 350 Stochastic Models
- CMOR 360 Introduction to Operations Research and Optimization
- CMOR 461 Logistics and Supply Chain Management
- (or) CMOR 462 Optimization Methods in Finance
- STAT 315/DSCI 301 Probability and Statistics for Data Science
- Three additional 3-credit CMOR courses, at least two of which must be at the 400 level or above
A complete list of departmental-approved electives is available in the General Announcements.