Management Sciences

The terms 'Management Science' and 'Operational Research' are virtually synonymous. Operational Research (OR) was first used in 1937 to describe the scientific studies into the operation of the new radar systems for detecting aircraft, as distinct from research into the design of the equipment. When it spread to the USA later in the war it became known as 'Operations Research', but the term Management Science also came into use in the late 1950's to describe the same types of activity. Both names are now enshrined in the title of the relevant U.S. society -- the Institute for Operations Research and Management Science (INFORMS). Some Americans distinguish the two terms by saying that Operations Research concentrates on the mathematics, but that is not the usage in the UK.

The objective of Operational Research is to work with clients to find practical and pragmatic solutions to operational or strategic problems, often working within tight timing constraints. Once a good or better way of proceeding had been identified, Operational Researchers can also be central to the management of implementing the proposed changes.

Organisations may seek a very wide range of operational improvements - for example, greater efficiency, better customer service, higher quality or lower cost. Whatever the business engineering aim, OR can offer the flexibility and adaptability to provide objective help.

Most of the problems OR tackles are messy and complex, often entailing considerable uncertainty. OR can use advanced quantitative methods, modelling, problem structuring, simulation and other analytical techniques to examine assumptions, facilitate an in-depth understanding and decide on practical action.

What topics are taught in which years of the course?

Year 1
In the first year you take 5 compulsory courses - three whole units and two half units. The whole unit courses are Accounting, Economics and Information Systems. The half unit courses are Mathematics and Statistics. Together these courses give you the basic grounding for the compulsory and optional courses in years two and three.

Year 2
You will normally take a compulsory course in Operational Research and another in Statistics. You then take a total of 2 units from the choice groups set out below, subject to certain restrictions.

Year 3
You must take two courses chosen from Model Building in OR, Decision Analysis or Market Research and you can then take two more units from either another from the choice groups, or else two from the choice groups.

Mode of Attendance : Full - time