Operations Research and Management Science

University of California, Berkeley

This is an archived copy of the 2015-16 guide. To access the most recent version of the guide, please visit http://guide.berkeley.edu.

About the Program

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

The Operations Research and Management Science (ORMS) major is designed for students in the College of Letters & Science. It provides a solid foundation in the quantitative, model building, and problem solving skills of operations research and management science. It also gives students the flexibility to learn more about a particular field of interest to them in which they can apply these skills.

The major is appropriate for students who enjoy and are good at mathematics, computers, and solving practical, multidisciplinary problems. Keep in mind that the program is very math-intensive. This may not be the right program for students who think math is a difficult subject.

Declaring the Major

Students can declare a major after they have completed at least one semester at UC Berkeley. The ORMS major is impacted. To be considered for admission, students should have a minimum of a 3.2 overall grade point average (GPA) in the prerequisite courses. Applications must be submitted by invitation only. To be considered for invitation, request to be added to the waiting list by contacting Anayancy Paz, 4145 Etcheverry Hall, anayancy@berkeley.edu . The program plan cannot be approved if students will have completed more than 80 semester units prior to their last intended semester (AP units do not count towards this 80-unit ceiling).

All four prerequisite classes (MATH 53, MATH 54, ECON 1, ECON 2 or ECON C3 and UGBA 10) must be completed prior to acceptance to the major and all must be taken for a letter grade. Students should apply to the major at the end of the semester in which they are enrolled in their final prerequisites. Transfer students should apply at the end of their first semester at Berkeley. Admissions decisions will not be made until any prerequisite courses in progress are finished and grades are available.

Many factors are considered in determining admission. The main criterion is academic performance as measured by the Berkeley GPA in the prerequisite courses. 

The petition to declare a major is available from L&S office in Campbell Hall or from the L&S website .

Since this major is capped, it is a good idea to have a backup plan. There is an Operations Research concentration in the Math Department that might be a good choice, if students are not admitted to the ORMS major.

Honors Program

Students with a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.5 overall and 3.7 in the major should consider participating in the ORMS honors program. To graduate with honors, a student must find a faculty sponsor appropriate for an original research project that he or she wishes to do and enroll in two semesters (6 units) of the honors thesis course.

Alternatively, a student may take two approved graduate courses in Operations Research or a related field, and achieve at least an A- in each course. The student must also maintain a minimum 3.5 overall GPA and 3.7 in the major.

Minor Program

There is no minor program in Operations Research and Management Science.

Visit Department Website

Major Requirements

In addition to the University, campus, and college requirements, listed on the College Requirements tab, students must fulfill the below requirements specific to their major program.

General Guidelines

  1. All courses taken to fulfill the major requirements below must be taken for graded credit, other than courses listed which are offered on a Pass/No Pass basis only. Other exceptions to this requirement are noted as applicable.
  2. No more than one upper division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor programs, with the exception of minors offered outside of the College of Letters & Science.
  3. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 must be maintained in both upper and lower division courses used to fulfill the major requirements.

For information regarding residence requirements and unit requirements, please see the College Requirements tab.

Lower Division Requirements

MATH 1ACalculus4
MATH 1BCalculus4
MATH 53Multivariable Calculus4
MATH 54Linear Algebra and Differential Equations4
ENGIN 7Introduction to Computer Programming for Scientists and Engineers4
or COMPSCI 61A The Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs
UGBA 10Principles of Business3
ECON 1Introduction to Economics4
or ECON 2 Introduction to Economics--Lecture Format
or ECON C3 Introduction to Environmental Economics and Policy

Upper Division Requirements

STAT 134Concepts of Probability3
or IND ENG 172 Probability and Risk Analysis for Engineers
ECON 101AEconomic Theory--Micro4
IND ENG 131Discrete Event Simulation3
IND ENG 160Nonlinear and Discrete Optimization3
or IND ENG 162 Linear Programming and Network Flows
IND ENG 161Course Not Available3
Four clustered electives (see below for sample clusters):12
ORMS majors, with the signed advance approval of their faculty advisers, select a minimum of four upper division elective courses to form a coherent cluster, or concentration, in an area where Operations Research is applied. Courses in other departments may count toward this requirement if they have substantial relevant content at an appropriately advanced level.

Sample Clusters

Decision Making in Economic Systems

ECON 101BEconomic Theory--Macro4
ECON 104Advanced Microeconomic Theory4
ECON 141Econometric Analysis4
ECON C142Applied Econometrics and Public Policy4
ECON C110Game Theory in the Social Sciences4
IND ENG 165Engineering Statistics, Quality Control, and Forcasting3
MATH 104Introduction to Analysis4
UGBA 143Game Theory and Business Decisions3

Decision Making in Industrial and Service Systems

IND ENG 115Industrial and Commercial Data Systems3
IND ENG 150Production Systems Analysis3
IND ENG 151Service Operations Design and Analysis3
IND ENG 153Logistics Network Design and Supply Chain Management3
IND ENG 160Nonlinear and Discrete Optimization3
or IND ENG 162 Linear Programming and Network Flows
IND ENG 165Engineering Statistics, Quality Control, and Forcasting3
IND ENG 130Methods of Manufacturing Improvement3
IND ENG 166Decision Analytics3
IND ENG 170Industrial Design and Human Factors3
UGBA 102BIntroduction to Managerial Accounting3
UGBA 141Production and Operations Management3
UGBA 143Game Theory and Business Decisions3

Decision Making in Societal Systems

IND ENG 165Engineering Statistics, Quality Control, and Forcasting3
ECON 101AEconomic Theory--Micro4
ECON C110Game Theory in the Social Sciences4
SOCIOL 105Research Design and Sociological Methods5
SOCIOL 106Quantitative Sociological Methods4
UGBA 143Game Theory and Business Decisions3

Algorithmic Decision Making

COMPSCI 61BData Structures4
COMPSCI 170Efficient Algorithms and Intractable Problems4
COMPSCI 172Computability and Complexity4
COMPSCI 174Combinatorics and Discrete Probability4
IND ENG 115Industrial and Commercial Data Systems3
IND ENG 160Nonlinear and Discrete Optimization3
or IND ENG 162 Linear Programming and Network Flows
IND ENG 166Decision Analytics3
MATH 110Linear Algebra4

College Requirements

Undergraduate students in the College of Letters & Science must fulfill the following requirements in addition to those required by their major program.

For detailed lists of courses that fulfill college requirements, please see the College of Letters & Sciences  page in this Guide.

Entry Level Writing

All students who will enter the University of California as freshmen must demonstrate their command of the English language by fulfilling the Entry Level Writing requirement. Fulfillment of this requirement is also a prerequisite to enrollment in all reading and composition courses at UC Berkeley. 

American History and American Institutions

The American History and Institutions requirements are based on the principle that a US resident graduated from an American university should have an understanding of the history and governmental institutions of the United States.

American Cultures

American Cultures is the one requirement that all undergraduate students at Cal need to take and pass in order to graduate. The requirement offers an exciting intellectual environment centered on the study of race, ethnicity and culture of the United States. AC courses offer students opportunities to be part of research-led, highly accomplished teaching environments, grappling with the complexity of American Culture.

Quantitative Reasoning

The Quantitative Reasoning requirement is designed to ensure that students graduate with basic understanding and competency in math, statistics, or computer science. The requirement may be satisfied by exam or by taking an approved course.

Foreign Language

The Foreign Language requirement may be satisfied by demonstrating proficiency in reading comprehension, writing, and conversation in a foreign language equivalent to the second semester college level, either by passing an exam or by completing approved course work.

Reading and Composition

In order to provide a solid foundation in reading, writing and critical thinking the College requires two semesters of lower division work in composition. Students must complete a first-level reading and composition course by the end of their second semester and a second-level course by the end of their fourth semester.

Breadth Requirements

The undergraduate breadth requirements provide Berkeley students with a rich and varied educational experience outside of their major program. As the foundation of a liberal arts education, breadth courses give students a view into the intellectual life of the University while introducing them to a multitude of perspectives and approaches to research and scholarship. Engaging students in new disciplines and with peers from other majors, the breadth experience strengthens interdisciplinary connections and context that prepares Berkeley graduates to understand and solve the complex issues of their day.

Unit Requirements

  • 120 total units, including at least 60 L&S units

  • Of the 120 units, 36 must be upper division units

  • Of the 36 upper division units, 6 must be taken in courses offered outside your major department

Residence Requirements

For units to be considered in "residence," you must be registered in courses on the Berkeley campus as a student in the College of Letters & Science. Most students automatically fulfill the residence requirement by attending classes here for four years. In general, there is no need to be concerned about this requirement, unless you go abroad for a semester or year or want to take courses at another institution or through University Extension during your senior year. In these cases, you should make an appointment to see an adviser to determine how you can meet the Senior Residence Requirement.

Note: Courses taken through UC Extension do not count toward residence.

Senior Residence Requirement

After you become a senior (with 90 semester units earned toward your BA degree), you must complete at least 24 of the remaining 30 units in residence in at least two semesters. To count as residence, a semester must consist of at least 6 passed units. Intercampus Visitor, EAP, and UC Berkeley-Washington Program (UCDC) units are excluded.

You may use a Berkeley summer session to satisfy one semester of the Senior Residence requirement, provided that you successfully complete 6 units of course work in the Summer Session and that you have been enrolled previously in the college.

Modified Senior Residence Requirement

Participants in the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP) or the UC Berkeley Washington Program (UCDC) may meet a Modified Senior Residence requirement by completing 24 (excluding EAP) of their final 60 semester units in residence. At least 12 of these 24 units must be completed after you have completed 90 units.

Upper Division Residence Requirement

You must complete in residence a minimum of 18 units of upper division courses (excluding EAP units), 12 of which must satisfy the requirements for your major.

Student Learning Goals

Learning Goals for the Major

All Operations Research and Management Science (ORMS) graduates are expected to acquire the following general skills and knowledge:

  1. Ability to apply mathematics and science to the solution of societal problems.
  2. Ability to design and conduct experiments, analyze, and interpret data.
  3. Ability to design system and operating policies to meet desired needs.
  4. Ability to function on multidisciplinary teams and communicate effectively.
  5. Ability to identify, formulate, and solve societal system problems.
  6. Understanding of professional and ethical responsibility.
  7. Recognize the need for and ability to engage in life-long learning.
  8. Knowledge of contemporary issues.
  9. Ability to use techniques, skills, and modern tools in practice.

Skills

The ORMS major in the IEOR Department has four general objectives for the Bachelor of Arts degree program. The department aims for the BA degree graduates to become skilled in the following:

  1. Quantitative modeling and analysis of a broad array of systems-level decision problems concerned with economic efficiency, productivity, and quality.
  2. Development and creative use of analytical and computational methods for solving these problems.
  3. Collection and analysis of data and the use of database and decision-support tools.
  4. Comprehension and analysis of risk and uncertainty.

In addition, graduates will obtain the broader skills, background, and knowledge necessary to be effective life-long professionals who understand the impact of systems in a societal context in a rapidly changing global economy.

Specific outcomes of the BA degree program are as follows:

  1. Develop scientific, quantitative, model building, and problem solving skills through core courses in mathematics, statistics, operations research, and management sciences.
  2. Learn how to apply these skills and tools effectively for operational, tactical, and strategic decisions in an area of choice.
  3. Pursue graduate study in operations research and the management sciences.

Courses

Operations Research and Management Science

IND ENG 24 Freshman Seminars 1 Unit

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Fall 2016, Fall 2015
The Berkeley Seminar Program has been designed to provide new students with the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member in a small-seminar setting. Berkeley Seminars are offered in all campus departments, and topics vary from department to department and semester to semester.

IND ENG 66 A Bivariate Introduction to IE and OR 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Fall 2016
This Freshman-level Introductory course will provide an intuitive overview of the fundamental problems addressed and methods in the fields of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research including Constrained Optimization, Human Factors, Data Analytics, Queues and Chains, and Linear Programming. The course will focus on two-dimensional, i.e., bivariate, examples where the problems and methods are
amenable to visualization and geometric intuition. The course will discuss applications such as dieting, scheduling, and transportation. This course will not require pre-requisites and will present the core concepts in a self-contained manner that is accessible to Freshmen to provide the foundation for future coursework.

IND ENG 95 A. Richard Newton Lecture Series 1 Unit

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2016
This lecture series serves as an entry point for undergraduate and graduate curriculum sequences in entrepreneurship and innovation. The series, established in 2005, is named in honor of A. Richard Newton, a visionary technology industry leader and late dean of the University of California Berkeley College of Engineering. The course features a selection of high-level industry speakers who
share their insights on industry developments, leadership, and innovation based on their careers.

IND ENG 98 Supervised Group Study and Research 1 - 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Spring 2017, Spring 2016, Fall 2015
Supervised group study and research by lower division students.

IND ENG 99 Supervised Independent Study and Research 1 - 4 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Prior to 2007
Supervised independent study for lower division students.

IND ENG 115 Industrial and Commercial Data Systems 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Fall 2016, Fall 2015
Design and implementation of databases, with an emphasis on industrial and commercial applications. Relational algebra, SQL, normalization. Students work in teams with local companies on a database design project. WWW design and queries.

IND ENG 120 Principles of Engineering Economics 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Prior to 2007
Economic analysis for engineering decision making: Capital flows, effect of time and interest rate. Different methods of evaluation of alternatives. Minimum-cost life and replacement analysis. Depreciation and taxes. Uncertainty; preference under risk; decision analysis. Capital sources and their effects. Economic studies. Formerly Engineering 120.

IND ENG 130 Methods of Manufacturing Improvement 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Fall 2016, Fall 2015
Analytical techniques for the improvement of manufacturing performance along the dimensions of productivity, quality, customer service, and throughput. Techniques for yield analysis, process control, inspection sampling, equipment efficiency analysis, cycle time reduction, and on-time delivery improvement. Applications on semiconductor manufacturing or other industrial settings.

IND ENG 131 Discrete Event Simulation 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Spring 2017, Spring 2016, Spring 2015
Introductory course on design, programming, and statistical analysis of a simulation study. Topics include the types of problems that can be solved by such methods. Programming material includes the theory behind random variable generation for a variety of common variables. Techniques to reduce the variance of the resultant estimator and statistical analysis are considered. Final project
required.

IND ENG 150 Production Systems Analysis 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Fall 2016, Fall 2015
Quantitative models for operational and tactical decision making in production systems, including production planning, inventory control, forecasting, and scheduling.

IND ENG 151 Service Operations Design and Analysis 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Fall 2016, Fall 2015
This course is concerned with improving processes and designing facilities for service businesses such as banks, health care organizations, telephone call centers, restaurants, and transportation providers. Major topics in the course include design of service processes, layout and location of service facilities, demand forecasting, demand management, employee scheduling, service quality management
, and capacity planning.

IND ENG 153 Logistics Network Design and Supply Chain Management 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Spring 2017, Spring 2016, Spring 2015
We will focus primarily on both quantitative and qualitative issues which arise in the integrated design and management of the entire logistics network. Models and solution techniques for facility location and logistics network design will be considered. In addition, qualitative issues in distribution network structuring, centralized versus decentralized network control, variability
in the supply chain, strategic partnerships, and product design for logistics will be considered through discussions and cases.

IND ENG 160 Nonlinear and Discrete Optimization 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2016
This course introduces unconstrained and constrained optimization with continuous and discrete domains. Convex sets and convex functions; local optimality; KKT conditions; Lagrangian duality; steepest descent and Newton's method. Modeling with integer variables; branch-and-bound method; cutting planes. Models on production/inventory planning, logistics, portfolio optimization, factor modeling
, classification with support vector machines.

IND ENG 162 Linear Programming and Network Flows 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2016
This course addresses modeling and algorithms for optimization of linear constrained optimization problems. The simplex method; theorems of duality; complementary slackness. Applications in production planning and resource allocation. Graph and network problems as linear programs with integer solutions. Algorithms for selected network flow problems. Transportation and logistics problems.
Dynamic programming and its role in applications to shortest paths, project management and equipment replacement.

IND ENG S162 Linear Programming 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Prior to 2007
Formulation to linear programs. Optimal allocation and control problems in industry, environmental studies. Convex sets; properties of optimal solutions. The simplex method; theorems of duality; complementary slackness. Problems of post-optimization. Special structures; network problems. Digital computation.

IND ENG 165 Engineering Statistics, Quality Control, and Forcasting 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Spring 2017, Spring 2016, Spring 2015
This course will introduce students to basic statistical techniques such as parameter estimation, hypothesis testing, regression analysis, analysis of variance. Applications in forecasting and quality control.


IND ENG 166 Decision Analytics 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Spring 2017, Spring 2016, Spring 2015
Introductory course on the theory and applications of decision analysis. Elective course that provides a systematic evaluation of decision-making problems under uncertainty. Emphasis on the formulation, analysis, and use of decision-making techniques in engineering, operations research and systems analysis. Includes formulation of risk problems and probabilistic risk assessments. Graphical
methods and computer software using event trees, decision trees, and influence diagrams that focus on model design.

IND ENG 170 Industrial Design and Human Factors 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Spring 2017, Spring 2016, Spring 2015
This course surveys topics related to the design of products and interfaces ranging from alarm clocks, cell phones, and dashboards to logos, presentations, and web sites. Design of such systems requires familiarity with human factors and ergonomics, including the physics and perception of color, sound, and touch, as well as familiarity with case studies and contemporary practices in
interface design and usability testing. Students will solve a series of design problems individually and in teams.

IND ENG 171 Technology Firm Leadership 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2016
This course explores key management and leadership concepts relevant to the high-technology world. Topics include the firm's key operations, strategic issues, and managerial leadership including personal leadership and talent management. This course prepares technical and business minded students for careers focused on professional and management track careers in high technology. Students
undertake intensive study of actual business situations through rigorous case-study analysis.

IND ENG 172 Probability and Risk Analysis for Engineers 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Fall 2016, Fall 2015
This is an introductory probability course for students in engineering. It focuses mostly on random variables and their applications. Applications will be given in such areas as reliability theory, risk theory, inventory theory, financial models, computer science, and others. Note: This course is a statistics course and cannot be used to fulfill any engineering unit or elective requirements.

IND ENG 173 Introduction to Stochastic Processes 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Spring 2017
Probability review. Conditional expectation. The exponential distribution and Poisson process. Discrete and continuous-time Markov chains. Applications reliability, transportation, inventory, queueing, financial, and communications models.

IND ENG 180 Senior Project 4 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2016
Application of systems analysis and industrial engineering to the analysis, planning, and/or design of industrial, service, and government systems. Consideration of technical and economic aspects of equipment and process design. Students work in teams under faculty supervision. Topics vary yearly.

IND ENG 185 Challenge Lab 4 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Summer 2017 8 Week Session, Spring 2017
This course is meant for students in engineering and other disciplines who seek a challenging, interactive, team-based, and hands-on learning experience in entrepreneurship and technology. In this highly experiential course, students work in simulated start-up teams to create products or start-up ideas to address a broadly-defined need of an industry partner or social challenge.

IND ENG 186 Product Management 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2016
Too often we are enamored in our brilliant ideas, we skip the most important part: building products consumers will want and use. Precious time and effort is wasted on engineering perfect products only to launch to no users. This course teaches product management skills such as attributes of great product managers, reducing risk and cost while accelerating time to market, product life cycle
, stakeholder management and effective development processes.

IND ENG 190A Advanced Topics in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research 1 - 4 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2016
The 190 series cannot be used to fulfill any engineering requirement (engineering units, courses, technical electives, or otherwise).

IND ENG 190B Advanced Topics in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research: Entrepreneurial Marketing and Finance 1 - 4 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2014, Spring 2014, Fall 2013
The 190 series cannot be used to fulfill any engineering requirement (engineering units, courses, technical electives, or otherwise).

IND ENG 190C Advanced Topics in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research 1 - 4 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2016
The 190 series cannot be used to fulfill any engineering requirement (engineering units, courses, technical electives, or otherwise).

IND ENG 190D Advanced Topics in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research 1 - 4 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Spring 2017, Fall 2014, Spring 2014
The 190 series cannot be used to fulfill any engineering requirement (engineering units, courses, technical electives, or otherwise).

IND ENG 190E Advanced Topics in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research: Entrepreneurship & Innovation 1 - 4 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Spring 2016, Fall 2015, Spring 2015
The 190 series cannot be used to fulfill any engineering requirement (engineering units, courses, technical electives, or otherwise).

IND ENG 190F Advanced Topics in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research 1 - 4 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Spring 2013, Spring 2012, Spring 2011
The 190 series cannot be used to fulfill any engineering requirement (engineering units, courses, technical electives, or otherwise).

IND ENG 190G Advanced Topics in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research 1 - 4 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Spring 2017, Spring 2016, Spring 2015
The 190 series cannot be used to fulfill any engineering requirement (engineering units, courses, technical electives, or otherwise).

IND ENG 190H Cases in Global Innovation 1 Unit

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Spring 2012, Spring 2011
This course is designed primarily for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students interested in examining the major challenges and success factors entrepreneurs and innovators face in globalizing a company, product, or service. Over the duration of this course, students will examines case studies of early, mid-stage, and large-scale enterprises as they seek to start a new venture, introduce
a new product or service, or capitalize on global economic trends to enhance their existing business. The course content exposes students interested in internationally oriented careers to the strategic thinking involved in international engagement and expansion. Cases will include both U.S. companies seeking to enter emerging markets and emerging market companies looking to expand within their own nations or into markets in developed nations. The course is focused around intensive study of actual business situations through rigorous case-study analysis.

IND ENG 190I Cases in Global Innovation: China 1 Unit

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Prior to 2007
This course is designed primarily for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students interested in examining the major challenges and success factors entrepreneurs and innovators face in globalizing a company product or service, with a focus on China. Over the duration of this course, students will examine case studies of foreign companies seeking to start a new venture, introduce a new product or service
to the China market, or domestic Chinese companies seeking to adapt a U.S. or western business model to the China market. The course content exposes students interested in internationally oriented careers to the strategic thinking involved in international engagement and expansion and the particularities of the China market and their contrast with the U.S. market. The course is focused around intensive study of actual business situations through rigorous case-study analysis and the course size is limited to 30.

IND ENG 190K Cases in Global Innovation: South Asia 1 Unit

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Prior to 2007
This course is designed primarily for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students interested in examining the major challenges and success factors entrepreneurs and innovators face in conducting business, globalizing a company product or service, or investing in South Asia. Over the duration of this course, students will examine case studies of foreign companies seeking to start a new venture, introduce
a new product or service to the South Asian market, or South Asian companies seeking to adapt a U.S or western business model. The course will put this into the larger context of the political, economic, and social climate in several South Asian countries and explore the constraints to doing business, as well as the policy changes that have allowed for a more conducive business environment.

IND ENG 191 Technology Entrepreneurship 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2016
This course explores key entrepreneurial concepts relevant to the high-technology world. Topics include the entrepreneurial perspective, start-up strategies, business idea evaluation, business plan writing, introduction to entrepreneurial finance and venture capital, managing growth, and delivering innovative products. This course prepares technical and business minded students for careers
focused on entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, and high technology. Students undertake intensive study of actual business situations through rigorous case-study analysis. This course can not be used to fulfill any engineering requirement (engineering units, courses, technical electives, or otherwise).

IND ENG 192 Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship Bootcamp 2 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Summer 2017 3 Week Session, Spring 2017
This course offers the opportunity to understand the Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship (BME) in an intensive format. The BME curriculum conveys the latest approaches for training global technology entrepreneurs. This method leverages insights on strategy, tactics, culture, and psychology with an accompanying entrepreneurial infrastructure. The curriculum is structured
to provide an optimal global entrepreneurship experience from real life experiences.

IND ENG 195 A. Richard Newton Lecture Series 1 Unit

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2016
This lecture series serves as an entry point for undergraduate and graduate curriculum sequences in entrepreneurship and innovation. The series, established in 2005, is named in honor of A. Richard Newton, a visionary technology industry leader and late dean of the University of California Berkeley College of Engineering. The course features a selection of high-level industry speakers who
share their insights on industry developments, leadership, and innovation based on their careers.

IND ENG H196A Operations Research and Management Science Honors Thesis 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Prior to 2007
Individual study and research for at least one academic year on a special problem approved by a member of the faculty; preparation of the thesis on broader aspects of this work.

IND ENG H196B Operations Research and Management Science Honors Thesis 3 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Prior to 2007
Individual study and research for at least one academic year on a special problem approved by a member of the faculty; preparation of the thesis on broader aspects of this work.

IND ENG 197 Undergraduate Field Research in Industrial Engineering 1 - 12 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Summer 2017 8 Week Session, Summer 2016 8 Week Session, Summer 2015 8 Week Session
Students work on a field project under the supervision of a faculty member. Course does not satisfy unit or residence requirements for bachelor's degree.

IND ENG 198 Directed Group Studies for Advanced Undergraduates 1 - 4 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2016
Group studies of selected topics. Semester course unit value and contact hours will have a one-to-one ratio.

IND ENG 199 Supervised Independent Study 1 - 4 Units

Offered through: Industrial Engin and Oper Research
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Summer 2017 8 Week Session, Summer 2017 First 6 Week Session
Supervised independent study. Enrollment restrictions apply.

Faculty and Instructors

Faculty

Ilan Adler, Professor. Financial engineering, optimization theory, combinatorial probability models.
Research Profile

Anil Jayanti Aswani, Assistant Professor.

Alper Atamturk, Professor. Logistics, integer programming, computational optimization, robust optimization.
Research Profile

Laurent El Ghaoui, Professor. Decision-making under uncertainty, convex optimization, robust solutions, semidefinite programming, exhaustive simulation.
Research Profile

Lee Fleming, Professor. Invention, innovation, patents, big data, leadership.
Research Profile

Ken Goldberg, Professor. Robotics, art, social media, new media, automation.
Research Profile

Xin Guo, Professor. Financial engineering, industrial engineering and operations, stochastic processes and applications, stochastic control, semi-martingale and filteration expansions, credit risk, (ir)reversible investment.
Research Profile

Dorit S. Hochbaum, Professor. Data mining, integer programming, discrete optimization, network flow techniques, clustering, image segmentation, machine vision, pattern recognition.
Research Profile

Philip M. Kaminsky, Professor. Biotechnology, logistics, distribution, algorithms, planning, optimization, control, manufacturing, semiconductors, scheduling, biomanufacturing, probabilistic methods, production scheduling, supply chain management, operations management, logistic.
Research Profile

Javad Lavaei, Assistant Professor.

Robert C. Leachman, Professor. Logistics, manufacturing, semiconductors, scheduling, supply chain systems, dynamic production models, production planning and scheduling.
Research Profile

Shmuel S. Oren, Professor. Economics, algorithms, financial engineering, risk management, planning, optimization, operation of electric power systems, market based coordination of network systems, trading instruments.
Research Profile

Christos H. Papadimitriou, Professor. Economics, evolution., algorithms, game theory, networks, optimization, complexity.
Research Profile

Rhonda L. Righter, Professor. Modeling, optimization, stochastic systems, systems with uncertainty.
Research Profile

Lee W. Schruben, Professor. Health care systems, simulation, optimization of simulation system response, foundations of simulation modeling, supply chains, experimental designs, biopharmaceuticals, Production.
Research Profile

Zuo-Jun Shen, Professor. Logistics, supply chain design and management, inventory management, auction mechanism design.
Research Profile

Ikhlaq Sidhu, Adjunct Professor. Technology management, industrial engineering and operations, technology commerialization, interdisciplinary engineering.
Research Profile

Candace Yano, Professor. Inventory control, production planning, distribution systems planning, integrated production-quality models, integrated manufacturing-marketing models.
Research Profile

Lecturers

Solomon Darwin, Lecturer.

Nicholas L. Gunther, Lecturer.

Han Jin, Lecturer.

Tal Lavian, Lecturer.

David Law, Lecturer.

Ronald Lesniak, Lecturer.

Mehdi Maghsoodnia, Lecturer.

Deepak Rajan, Lecturer.

Kenneth Sandy, Lecturer.

Ken Singer, Lecturer.

Naeem Zafar, Lecturer.

Emeritus Faculty

Richard E. Barlow, Professor Emeritus. Industrial engineering and operations, reliability theory, statistical data analysis, Bayesian probability modeling.
Research Profile

Stuart E. Dreyfus, Professor Emeritus. Neural networks, dynamic programming, limits of operations research modeling, cognitive ergonomics.
Research Profile

C. Roger Glassey, Professor Emeritus. Simulation of manufacturing systems, production planning & scheduling, mathematical optimization.
Research Profile

Robert M. Oliver, Professor Emeritus. Risk management, operations research, industrial engineering, prediction of rare events, default and fraud detection, credit risk scoring, analysis tools, computer software, acquisition and negotiation strategies.
Research Profile

Sheldon M. Ross, Professor Emeritus. Financial engineering, simulations, stochastics, statistical analysis.
Research Profile

J. George Shanthikumar, Professor Emeritus. Scheduling, production system modelling & analysis, queueing theory & applications, reliability & probability theory, sequencing, simulation methodology, stochastic processes & modelling.
Research Profile

Ronald W. Wolff, Professor Emeritus. Stochastic processes, queueing theory, queuing network, transmission systems.
Research Profile

Contact Information

Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research

4141 Etcheverry Hall

Phone: 510-642-5484

Visit Department Website

Department Chair

Philip M. Kaminsky, PhD

4143 Etcheverry Hall

Phone: 510-642-4927

kaminsky@ieor.berkeley.edu

Student Affairs Officer

Anayancy Paz

Phone: 510-642-5485

anayancy@berkeley.edu

Back to Top