The field of Management Sciences deals with the application of scientific methods to managerial decision making. This includes traditional areas of operations research, economics, and organizational behaviour, and extends to multidisciplinary areas that reflect the use and impact of information systems, the management of technology, and other emerging cross-functional areas of concern to organizational decision-makers.
Many practicing engineers find themselves in technical management roles within several years of graduation. The goal of the Option in Management Sciences is to enhance students' core technical programs with knowledge of managerial decision making concepts and practices. The option is available to all engineering students.
The option consists of six courses, including three required courses or their equivalents:
(F - Fall, W - Winter, S - Spring):
| MSCI 211C |
Organizational Behaviour (F, S) - may be replaced by PSYCH 338 |
| or MSCI 311C |
Organizational Design and Technology (F, W) |
| MSCI 261B |
Engineering Economics: Financial Management for Engineers (F, W, S) - equivalent to CHE 44, CIVE 292, ENVE 292 and SYDE 331 |
| MSCI 331†,♦ |
Introduction to Optimization (F, W, S) - may be replaced by CIVE 332, ENVE 320 or SYDE 311 |
plus three of the following elective courses or equivalents:
| MSCI 311C |
Organizational Design and Technology (F, W) |
| or MSCI 211C |
Organizational Behaviour (F, S) - may be replaced by PSYCH 338 |
| MSCI 421D |
Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation (S) |
| MSCI 422A |
Economic Impact of Technological Change and Entrepreneurship (F) |
| MSCI 431†,♦ |
Stochastic Models and Methods (W) - may be replaced by SYDE 511 |
| MSCI 432† |
Production and Service Operations Management (F, W, S) |
| MSCI 442A |
Impact of Information Systems on Organizations and Society (W) |
| MSCI 443D |
Telecommunication Management (W) |
| MSCI 444† |
Information Systems Analysis and Design (W) |
| MSCI 452† |
Decision Making Under Uncertainty (S) |
| MSCI 454 |
Technical Entrepreneurship (W) |
| SE 362 |
Software Project Management (S) |
A,B,C,D These courses count toward Complementary Studies requirements: A- Impact, B- Engineering Economics, C- Humanities and Social Sciences, D- Other.
†These courses may count towards technical elective (or technical breadth elective) requirements. Engineering students should consult the undergraduate advisor in their home department for specific rules that apply to their program.
♦For Software Engineering students only: MSCI 331 may be replaced by CO 350; MSCI 431 may be replaced by CS 457.
Note: A maximum of one course from the elective list may be replaced by one course from outside the Engineering faculty, subject to approval by the MSCI Option Co-ordinator and the Undergraduate Officer in the student's home department.
Students have a wide degree of flexibility in course selections within the option. For students who wish to focus on a particular theme within the Management Sciences, the department suggests the following selections of courses beyond the required set:
| Operations Research Theme: |
Two or more of MSCI 431, MSCI 432, MSCI 452 |
| Information Systems Theme: |
Two or more of MSCI 442, MSCI 443, MSCI 444 |
| Management of Technology Theme: |
Two or more of MSCI 421, MSCI 422, MSCI 454 |
For the designation "Option in Management Sciences" to be shown on the transcript the student must achieve 50% in each course in the Option and an overall cumulative average of 60% in these courses.
For further information, see the Management Sciences section of the calendar or contact the Management Sciences Department, Option Co-ordinator.