Operations Research

Operations Research (OR) is an interdisciplinary field that applies mathematical tools and analytics to address real-world problems. The research of numerous Nobel Laureates has been influenced by and has, in turn, inspired advancements in this field, including contributions to game theory. OR boasts rich connections to mathematics, data science, and computer science, and can broadly be understood as the science of data-driven decision making.

OR stems from the study of military operations conducted during World War II that sought optimal ways to allocate scarce resources. Today, practitioners model and analyze the behavior of real world systems using advanced analytics and data. This enables organizations to transform challenges into opportunities by turning data into information and information into insights. These insights contribute to making informed decisions across various domains, including business, healthcare, manufacturing and service, data science, and the military and government.

What should one study in college?

The major mathematical tools of OR are vector calculus, linear algebra, differential and difference equations, probability, statistics, and computer programming. Other courses particularly relevant to this field include machine learning, graph theory and combinatorics. Still other relevant courses may be given in or outside of the mathematics department, e.g., linear programming, integer programming, dynamic programming, game theory, and queuing theory, as well as computer science courses.

William & Mary also offers an MS degree in Operations Research in the Computational Operations Research (COR) program. Undergraduate students completing a degree in a quantitative field should contact the graduate director, Rex Kincaid, for more information about the program.

Additional Resource

Careers in Operations Research, by the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS)