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Management Science and Engineering Program

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2023-24 Management Science & Engineering UG Program

The Department of Management Science and Engineering leads at the interface of engineering, business, and public policy. The department’s mission is, through education and research, to advance the design, management, operation, and interaction of technological, economic, and social systems. The department’s engineering research strength is integrated with its educational program at the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels: graduates of the program are trained as engineers and future leaders in technology, policy, and industry. Research and teaching activities are complemented by an outreach program that encourages the transfer of ideas to the environment of Silicon Valley and beyond.

Management Science and Engineering (MS&E) provides programs of education and research by integrating three basic strengths:

  1. depth in conceptual and analytical foundations
  2. comprehensive coverage of functional areas of application
  3. interaction with other Stanford departments, Silicon Valley industry, and organizations throughout the world.

The analytical and conceptual foundations include decision and risk analysis, dynamic systems, economics, optimization, organizational science, and stochastic systems. The functional areas of application include entrepreneurship, finance, information, marketing, organizational behavior, policy, production, and strategy. Close associations with other engineering departments and with industry enrich the programs by providing opportunities to apply MS&E methods to important problems and by motivating new theoretical developments from practical experience. MS&E’s programs also provide a basis for contributing to other areas such as biotechnology, defense policy, environmental policy, information systems, and telecommunications.

Mission of the Undergraduate Program in MS&E

The mission of the undergraduate program in Management Science and Engineering is to provide students with the fundamentals of engineering systems analysis so that they are able to plan, design, and implement complex economic and technical management systems. The program builds on the foundational courses in calculus and linear algebra. Students complete core courses in mathematical modeling, systems analysis, organizational theory, optimization, probability, statistics, ethics, computer science, and economics, leading to a capstone senior project. Throughout the core, students in the program are exposed to the breadth of faculty interests and prepared to study different areas of application of the department’s methodologies.  To personalize their exploration, students select additional courses from different areas of the department, with greater emphasis in one of them. The major is designed to allow a student to explore all three undergraduate areas of the department in greater depth. The major prepares students for a variety of career paths, including investment banking, management consulting, facilities and process management, or for graduate school in industrial engineering, operations research, business, economics, law, medicine, or public policy.

Learning Outcomes (Undergraduate)

The department expects undergraduate majors in the program to be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes. These learning outcomes are used in evaluating students and the department's undergraduate program. Students are expected to be able:

  1. to apply the knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering;
  2. to design and conduct experiments;
  3. to design a system or components to meet desired needs;
  4. to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems;
  5. to use techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice;
  6. to function on multidisciplinary teams;
  7. to communicate effectively;
  8. to recognize the need for and demonstrate an ability to engage in life-long learning;
  9. to obtain the background necessary for admission to top professional graduate engineering or business programs;
  10. to understand professional and ethical responsibility;
  11. to obtain the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context; and
  12. to obtain a knowledge of contemporary issues pertinent to the field of management science and engineering.

Careers in MS&E

MS&E students are candidates for careers in consulting, product and project management, financial analysis, and work in policy arenas. A significant number join or found start-ups. Many have become leaders in technology-based businesses which have an increasing need for analytically oriented people who understand both business and technology. Other graduates make careers tackling the problems faced by local, national, and international governments by developing new healthcare systems, new energy systems and a more sustainable environment. The major problems of the day demand an ability to integrate the technical, social and economic ways of thinking. This is precisely what the department educates its students to do.

Gateway to MS&E

Although there are prerequisites for most MS&E courses, we encourage students to take some MS&E courses in their freshman and sophomore year to learn more about the department. Introductory courses without prerequisites include MS&E 135, 140, 152, 178, 180, 193, and 472. Introductory courses with calculus prerequisites include: MS&E 111, and MS&E 120.

Declaring MS&E

Students are encouraged to plan their academic programs as early as possible, ideally in the freshman or sophomore year. Students should not wait until they are declaring a major to consult with the department’s student services staff. This is particularly important for students who would like to study overseas or pursue another major or minor.

The process consists of discussing your plans with the Student Services Manager and meeting prospective advisors until you find a faculty member you want to work with. The MS&E major offers a wide variety of options and students can receive much better guidance once they have declared. Paperwork for the declaration process is available here.

Research Experience for Undergraduates

Our Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program offers students the opportunity to work closely with a faculty member during the summer quarter and get paid to do so full-time. We give priority to our declared majors for REU positions. Information is emailed to all declared majors when applications become available early in the winter quarter.  Applications are due in mid-February. 

Requirements: Bachelor of Science Degree in MS&E

The educational objectives of the undergraduate degree program are:

  • Principles and Skills—provide students with a basic understanding of management science and engineering principles, including analytical problem solving and communications skills.
  • Preparation for Practice—prepare students for practice in a field that sees rapid changes in tools, problems, and opportunities.
  • Preparation for Continued Growth—prepare students for graduate study and self-development over an entire career.
  • Preparation for Service—develop in students the awareness, background, and skills necessary to become responsible citizens, employees, and leaders.

MS&E also participates with the departments of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Statistics in a program leading to a B.S. in Mathematical and Computational Science.

Core

Students complete core courses in mathematical modeling, systems analysis, organizational theory, optimization, probability, statistics, ethics, computer science, and economics, leading to a capstone senior project. Throughout the core, students in the program are exposed to the breadth of faculty interests and prepared to study different areas of application of the department’s methodologies.

Areas

The major is designed to allow a student to explore all three areas of the department in greater depth.

  1. Finance and Decision: focuses on the design and analysis of financial and strategic plans.
  2. Operations and Analytics: focuses on algorithms, theory, and the design and analysis of manufacturing, production, and service systems.
  3. Organizations, Technology, and Policy: focuses on understanding, design, and analysis of organizations and public policy, particularly technology-based issues.

Completion of the undergraduate program in Management Science and Engineering leads to the conferral of the Bachelor of Science in Management Science and Engineering.

MS&E Program Sheet

MS&E 4-Year Plans & Flowchart

Course Requirements

Find current major requirements for this and all other School of Engineering major programs at Explore Degrees

Math and Science (36 units minimum)

Math, Probability, and Statistics (complete all the following courses; 32 units minimum)

CourseDescriptionUnits
MATH 19/20/21Or 10 units of AP BC calculus*10

CME 100 or

MATH 51

Vector Calculus for Engineers or

Linear Algebra and Diff. Calculus of Several Variables

5

5

ENGR 108Introduction to Matrix Methods5
MS&E 120Probabilistic Analysis 4
MS&E 121 Introduction to Stochastic Modeling4
MS&E 125Introduction to Applied Statistics4
 *Students with 10 units of AP Mathematics Calculus BC credit begin with CME 100/MATH 51. Students with 6 units of AP Mathematics Calculus AB credit are expected to begin with MATH 21, and may skip MATH 19 and 20. Students without AB/IB credit, who have already studied the material in MATH 19 or MATH 20, may begin with MATH 20 or MATH 21, and petition to waive the skipped courses. Otherwise, students are expected to take MATH 19, 20, and 21. 

Science (complete any of the following courses; 4 units minimum)

CourseDescriptionUnits
BIO 81Intro to Ecology4
BIO 82Genetics4
BIO 83Biochemistry and Molecular Biology4
BIO 84Physiology4
BIO 85Evolution4
CHEM 31BChemical Principles II5
CHEM 33Structure and Reactivity of Organic Molecules5
PHYSICS 21Mechanics4
PHYSICS 23Electricity, Magnetism, and Optics4
PHYSICS 41Mechanics4
PHYSICS 43Electricity  & Magnetism4

Engineering, Math, Science, or Statistics Elective (3 units minimum):

Complete one additional engineering fundamental, math, science, or statistics elective from the School of Engineering approved course lists, or PSYCH50, which may not repeat material from any other requirement, and may not be used to also satisfy another requirement. AP/IB credit for Chemistry or Physics may be used for this requirement, if not used to satisfy the science requirement above, but will not satisfy a WAYS-SMA requirement.

Technology in Society (TiS)

One of the following courses required:

CourseDescriptionUnits
AA 252Techniques of Failure Analysis3
BIOE 131Ethics in Bioengineering3
COMM 120WDigital Media in Society5
CS 152Trust and Safety Engineering3
CS 181Computers, Ethics, and Public Policy (no longer offered)4
CS 182Ethics, Public Policy, and Technological Change5
ENGR 117Expanding Engineering Limits: Culture, Diversity, & Gender (only if offered for 3 units and for a letter grade)3
ENGR 148Principled Entrepreneurial Decisions4
MS&E 193Technology in National Security3-4
ME 267Ethics and Equity in Transportation Systems (not offered after 22-23)3
POLISCI 114SInternational Security in a Changing World4
STS 1The Public Life of Science and Technology4

Engineering Fundamentals

At least 2 courses; 9 units minimum:

CourseTitleUnits
CS 106AProgramming Methodologies (AP/IB credit may be used)5
MS&E 111
or MS&E 111X 
Introduction to Optimization
Introduction to Optimization (Accelerated)
4

Writing in the Major

MS&E 108 Senior Project fulfills the WIM requirement

Engineering Depth

Core: All five listed courses; 24 units

CourseDescriptionUnits
CS 106B or 106B+M (or 106X, no longer offered)Programming Abstractions5
ECON 1Principles of Economics5
ECON 50Economic Analysis I5
MS&E 108 Senior Project 5
MS&E 180 Organizations: Theory and Management4

Engineering Depth: Area Courses (8 courses; 24 units)

Area requirement is eight courses, with at least two from each Area listed below. Depth course options for each area can be found on the SU Bulletin site, on the MS&E Major page.

  • Finance and Decision Area 
  • Operations and Analytics Area 
  • Organizations, Technology,  and Policy Area 

Students may not use any course for both TiS and OTP. Students accepted into high-demand, limited-enrollment graduate level TEM courses may petition to include those as well. A course may only be counted towards one major requirement; courses used to satisfy this requirement may not be used to also satisfy another requirement.

Engineering fundamentals, engineering depth (core), and engineering depth (concentration) must total a minimum of 60 units.

- A course may only be counted towards one requirement; courses used to satisfy the TiS requirement may not be used to also satisfy a depth area requirement
-  All courses taken for the major must be taken for a letter grade if that option is offered by the instructor. Minimum combined GPA for all courses in Engineering Topics (Engineering Fundamentals and Depth courses) is 2.0.

MS&E Coterm Information

DeptApplication DeadlinesContactsInformational Website
Management Science & Engineering10/17/23 for Win 23-24 1/16/24 for Spr or Sum 23-24 or Aut 24-25Patty Padilla pmpadilla@stanford.edu Huang 114Coterm Overview

How to Declare a Major in Management Science and Engineering

We encourage students to declare as early as possible if they are seriously considering the major. The process consists of discussing your plans with the Student Services Manager and meeting prospective advisors until you find a faculty member you want to work with. The MS&E major offers a wide variety of options and students can receive much better guidance once they have declared. Paperwork for the declaration process is available on the MS&E website.

  1. Complete the MS&E counseling form.
  2. Go into Axess and declare MS&E as your major. Your declaration will be routed to Lori Cottle, Student Services Officer, for approval. Online approval will be given after steps 1-5 are completed.
  3. Meet with Lori Cottle in Huang, Suite 114, for a tentative advisor assignment or choose an advisor from the MS&E list of available advisors, available at MS&E list of available advisors
  4. Take the counseling form and an unofficial copy of your transcript or Axess grade printout to your new faculty advisor for a declaration advising session. 
  5. Bring the completed, signed form to Lori Cottle in Huang, suite 114, who will then approve your online declaration. You will be sent an automatic email from the system after final approval has been given.