Operations Research applies advanced quantitative methods to help organizations make better decisions and generate insight for practical implementation. By using data-driven, analytical and computational techniques such as mathematical modeling to analyze complex situations, operations research gives organizational leaders the power to make effective and insightful decisions and build productive systems in the age of Big Data.
Degree Requirements
In addition to the Lyle School of Engineering requirements for the Ph.D. degree, candidates are required to satisfy the following. (For a Ph.D. degree, the Lyle School of Engineering requires a minimum academic credit of 54 credit hours earned in coursework beyond the baccalaureate degree or 24 credit hours earned in coursework beyond a master’s degree. In addition, a minimum of 24 research credit hours are required in dissertation work.)

The successful completion of at least 8 graduate courses (at least 24 credit hours) beyond the master’s degree.
In their first year of the doctoral study, the students are required to complete 18 credit hours of coursework (6 courses) including two core course requirements.
At the end of the spring semester of the first year, the student is required to take the Preliminary Counseling Exam (PCE) to demonstrate competence in operations research fundamentals.
If the student has a suitable background in a core course, that course can be waived. In this case, the student must take the PCE exam at the time that it is offered, without any exception regardless of his/her previous grade on the waived core requirement course. If the exam is passed successfully, then the course credit can be honored towards total minimum credit requirement (24 hours). In this specific situation, the student is still required to complete 18 credits of coursework (6 courses without including independent study or research credit related courses) in the first two semesters in the program.
The student, although not required if no funding is available, can choose to spend the summer semester of the first year.
Having passed the PCE and completed at least 6 courses (18 credit hours) in the program, in the second year, the student will complete at least two additional courses (to fulfill minimum 24 credit hours requirement) from the second group above and one independent research study course (if not completed in the preceding summer).
Regardless of what path was taken in the second year of study, the student must form his/her Dissertation Supervisory Committee by the end of the spring semester of the second year latest. However, this is preferred to happen earlier, by the end of the fall semester, as the committee can also make suggestions for the additional coursework to be completed in the spring semester of the second year.
The student is expected to complete the Qualifying Examination administered by his/her supervisory committee in the spring or summer semester of the third year in the program.
The student will complete his/her research and the Dissertation. The Dissertation Defense is expected to take place by the end of the fourth year in the program.
During their PhD program, students are required to give at least one departmental seminar on their research and attend to all research seminars announced in the EMIS Department.
Starting in the second year, students are required to submit annual reviews following the template provided at the end of the spring semester.