Graduate Programmes in Management Science 2011
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Why do graduate studies in MSCI?
Graduate training in Management Science/Operations Management (MS/OR) can help you gain a role in decision-making for business, industry, or government.
Our programmes aim to produce well-rounded MSCI professionals. Students get a mix of theory, hands-on experience in advanced techniques, and case studies. A key part of the Honours Programme is a practical project for a firm or community organisation.
Our graduates have jobs all over the world, working for banks, energy firms, government, insurance companies, consultancies, software developers, and manufacturers.
Companies employ MS/OR analysts to help make better decisions. Here are some examples.
- The NZ power market is cleared by a linear program, which finds the least-cost generation schedule every six minutes.
- Hydro-power firms such as Meridian Energy use stochastic optimisation to manage reservoirs.
- Air New Zealand, like other airlines, uses combinatorics to roster crews for their aircraft.
- Hospitals, casinos, and supermarkets use simulation and staff rostering to plan their operations.
- Norske Skog Tasman and Comalco use integer programming to plan production.
- The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries uses MS/OR to plan agricultural and fisheries activities.
- Investment firms use portfolio optimisation so choose securities for a given level of risk.
Exporters use heuristics for container packing to reduce freight costs.
Graduate Programmes in MSCI
We offer five graduate programmes in MS/OR:
- Bachelor of Commerce, Honours.
- Bachelor of Science, Honours.
- Master of Commerce.
- Master of Science.
- Ph.D.
Following the Honours degree, you could take a Masters degree and/or a PhD. Outstanding Honours students may gain scholarships for the Masters or PhD.
Bachelor of Commerce, Honours
The BCom Hons Programme usually consists of MSCI 601-603 and 680 as listed below. MSCI 680 includes a practical project for a firm or community organisation.
Recommended prerequisites:
Required prerequisites: A bachelors degree with a B or above, and the following:
Graduates lacking the 300 level MSCI courses may complete a one-year course leading to a Graduate Diploma in Science. Passing MSCI 301 and 302 with B grades or better satisfies entry requirements for the BCom (Hons) and the MCom.
The BEng Hons and the BCom Hons are a great combination. Engineers in 2nd and 3rd pro years can take MSCI 201, 202, 203, 301 and 302, crediting them towards the BEng.
Bachelor of Science, Honours
The BSc Hons requires at least 84 points at 300 level, normally including MSCI 301, 302, and 28 points 300-level MSCI, MATH, STATS, or COSC.
Required: MSCI 101, 201, 202, 203, 280, MATH 102 (or 103), and STAT 101.
Recommended: COSC 121, ECON 104 (or 105), MATH 201 and 203.
Master of Commerce, Master of Science
The Masters degree is a two year programme. The first year is normally the 600 level Honours papers listed below.
The second year is for writing a Masters thesis. Topics usually deal with a practical decision problem, often involving a real sponsor.
BSc Honours or BCom Honours graduates may obtain a MSc or MCom (respectively) by completing the thesis.
Required prerequisites: high grades in MSCI 301 and 302, and:
- MCom: a bachelors degree in any faculty.
- MSc: a bachelors degree in Science or Engineering.
PhD in Management Science
A PhD is a major asset for people in consulting or for leading MS/OR teams in firms. A PhD is required for an academic career.
The PhD Programme consists of independent research in MS/OR, supervised by staff. Finding a supervisor and a topic are key first steps. The PhD has no particular schedule, but scholarship applications usually have October deadlines.
Entry requirements are an honours or graduate degree in MS/OR or a related field at a standard of 1st class or 2nd class division 1. Before starting a PhD, you may need to take some of our graduate papers.
MSCI Honours Papers
Assessments in Honours papers are individual and group assignments, completed during March to August.
MSCI 601-603 are taught in a modular structure, allowing students to concentrate on two or three subjects at a time. September and October are normally devoted to completion of the project, MSCI 680.
MSCI 601 Advanced Optimisation
Integer programming: formulations. Applications of mathematical modelling in finance. Advanced aspects of designing and developing heuristics. Dynamic Programming.
MSCI 602 Advanced Stochastic Models
Multivariate statistical methods: methods in SAS, Data Mining. Queueing and MAPLE. Advanced forecasting, standard finance methods, system dynamics. Stochastic linear programming and modelling.
MSCI 603 Management Science Applications
Metaheuristics. Economics and Decomposition: The use of prices to coordinate production between units. Energy modelling: the NZ electricity market and how the market for power works. A survey of modern operations management techniques.
MSCI 680 Research Project
The main part of this course is a practical MS/OR project with a firm or community organisation, selected and closely supervised by a staff member. Each project, usually done by a team of two students, includes presentations and written reports.
MSCI Staff
Pavel Castka: |
Quality management, operations management, corporate social responsibility. |
Shane Dye: |
Math programming, networks, energy and telecommunications modelling, stochastic programming. |
John Giffin: |
Heuristics, facility layout and location, vehicle routing. |
Terri Green: |
Health services research and evaluation. |
Ross James: |
Heuristic search methods, production scheduling. |
Don McNickle: |
Stochastic processes and queues, especially in computer and communications models; simulation, applied statistics. |
Nicola Petty: |
Applied statistics and problem structuring methods. |
John Raffensperger: |
Math programming, combinatorial optimisation, smart markets, environmental management. |
P. Venkateswarlu: |
Quality management, operations management. |
Contact Information
For further information about the Programme:
Shane Dye
Tel: 64 3 364 2886
Email: shane.dye@canterbury.ac.nz
Department of Management
University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch 8140
New Zealand