Bachelor of Arts Mathematics - Operations Research Concentration

This concentration is recommended for students interested in a career as an operations research analyst or in pursuing a graduate degree in operations research or a related field.

The broad real-world applicability of operations research makes it an attractive choice for math majors. In operations research courses, students get a solid background in mathematical modeling of decision-making problems, algorithms for solving different types of these problems, as well as experience using appropriate software tools.

Operations research is the application of advanced analytical methods to enable better decision making. A plethora of problems may be solved using operations research; among these are (1) determining the route a delivery truck should take in order to make all deliveries while traveling the fewest number of miles; (2) determining the best location for a new facility such as a fire station; (3) scheduling airline flights and crew; and (4) determining the optimal distribution of bicycles in a bike sharing system. Operations research includes problem-solving methods such as deterministic and stochastic optimization, machine learning, and simulation.