Mar 29, 2024  
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Operations Research and Engineering Management



Professor Sila Çetinkaya, Chair

Professors: Sila Çetinkaya, Halit Üster
Associate Professors: Richard S. Barr, Eli V. Olinick, Ohad Perry, Aurelie Thiele
Assistant Professors: Miju Ahn, Digvijay Boob, Eojin Han, Harsha Gangammanavar
Clinical Associate Professors: Diana Easton, Michael Hahsler
Adjunct Faculty: Justin Brown, Pelin Altintas-Deleon, Karl J. Arunski, Leslie-Ann Asmus, Robert L. Bell, William D. Bell, Yvone Bijan, Andrew F. Bouma, Hakki Cankaya, Gretchen H. Coleman, Long Dong, Matthew L. Durchholz, John R. Graham, III, Liliana Hickman-Riggs, Robert H. Jones, Rama Koganti, John I. Lipp, James K. McCloud, Emily McIntosh, William P. Nanry, Rabih Neouchi, David Olszewski, Brett Schulman, Nandlal M. Singh, Gheorghe M. Spiride, Xinyu (Edward) Wang

Graduate Programs

Leaders need more than technical knowledge in today’s complex working world. OREM (formerly EMIS) programs develop leadership, engineering and management skills for success in technology-based organizations. The same systems-oriented, mathematical model-based approach to design – which has been the cornerstone of engineering for decades – has powerful application within technology-based organizations. 

The OREM department offers five programs and eight degrees to prepare graduates for leadership in their chosen career:

  • Engineering Management develops expertise in applying engineering principles to managing technology-based projects and people in technical roles.
  • Operations Research applies advanced quantitative methods to help organizations make better decisions and generate insight for practical implementation. By using data-driven, analytical and computational techniques such as mathematical modeling to analyze complex situations, operations research gives organizational leaders the power to make effective and insightful decisions and build productive systems in the age of Big Data.
  • Systems Engineering develops expertise for the creation and management of a complex system by viewing it as a whole, over its life cycle, using systems-engineering principles, methods and practices.
  • Information Engineering and Management provides the graduate with the tools to effectively engineer, manage, and utilize the data collection and information flow of an organization by developing technical and management skills required in the age of Big Data via a unique curriculum combining software, networking, hardware, technology, and management along with data-driven modeling and computational skills.
  • Engineering Entrepreneurship develops engineers who look at the role of new technology in society with a business perspective. These graduates have the ability to apply that knowledge to bring new technology to the marketplace.

The unifying theme of these efforts is the application of engineering principles and techniques to enhance organizational performance. Faculty specializations include optimization, data mining, advanced analytics, telecommunications network design and management, supply-chain systems, systems engineering, logistics engineering, quality control, reliability engineering, information engineering, benchmarking, operations planning and management, network optimization and mathematical programming. Whether the graduate will be in a technology firm, the military or a not-for-profit organization, they will develop the essential technical and leadership skills in the Operations Research and Engineering Management Department.

Graduate Degrees. The Department of Operations Research and Engineering Management offers the following graduate degrees:

Operations Research M.S. Ph.D.
Systems Engineering M.S. Ph.D.
Engineering Management M.S.E.M. D.E.
Information Engineering and Management M.S.I.E.M.  
Engineering Entrepreneurship M.S.E.N.  

Courses for these programs are offered both on-campus and off-campus via several remote-delivery systems. Master’s degrees may be completed through distance education via online video, as may most of the coursework for doctoral degrees. More information on distance education delivery systems is in the Off-campus Distance Education section of this catalog.

The Department of Operations Research and Engineering Management also offers the following, which are described in this section:

  • Weekend versions of selected master’s degrees in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
  • Fast multiple master’s options, which can reduce coursework requirements when pursuing multiple graduate degrees.

The most up-to-date information on programs and activities is available on the departmental website at www.smu.edu/Lyle/Departments/OREM.

Multiple Master’s Degrees

SMU’s Lyle School of Engineering permits its graduate students to take advantage of degree-requirement overlaps to acquire a second master’s degree by taking as few as six courses (18 credit hours). This option is available for prospective and current graduate students, as well as alumni who have already received an M.S. from SMU. The following guidelines must be followed by students wishing to receive two M.S. degrees:

  1. The student must apply to and be admitted to both programs.
  2. All requirements of both degrees must be met.
  3. For the new (or second) master’s degree, a minimum of 18 credit hours of graduate coursework must be taken, and it must be coursework that will not or has not been applied toward another SMU Lyle graduate degree.
  4. For students who are currently enrolled in an SMU Lyle graduate program and who are seeking a new master’s degree, the degree will not be awarded until a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate coursework has been completed at SMU.

With careful planning, a student can develop an advanced education strategy leading to multiple degrees, including combinations with a Master of Science in Engineering Management; a Master of Science in Information, Engineering and Management; an M.S. with a major in systems engineering; or an M.S. with a major in operations research. Students apply and file degree plans for both degrees, and then complete the coursework. Additional information and examples of programs of study for obtaining two master’s degrees from the OREM department are available at www.smu.edu/Lyle/Departments/OREM.

Administrative Process. Students pursuing dual degrees must be admitted into each degree program separately. A separate application form and statement of purpose must be submitted for each, as follows:

  • To apply for both degrees simultaneously, the student must include a note indicating that they are “applying for a second master’s,” and a single application fee and set of transcripts will be required.
  • If the student is already enrolled in one program, they must submit an application form and statement of purpose for the second degree, along with a note indicating that they are applying for (not a requesting a transfer to) a “second master’s program.”

Weekend Master’s Programs

The Lyle School of Engineering’s weekend master’s degrees are two-year programs developed for rising and prospective technical managers who have technical undergraduate degrees and are moving up to higher management positions or starting their own company. It is a cohort weekend program that is restricted to a highly motivated group of area professionals and designed to impart essential knowledge for today’s and tomorrow’s technology-driven organizations.

The fast-track engineering management program develops expertise in applying engineering principles to managing technology-based projects and people in technical roles. This well-rounded approach prepares individuals for success in the new world of the technology-driven enterprise with its challenges and opportunities.

The systems engineering program develops expertise for the creation and management of complex systems (products and services) that satisfy customer requirements in considering engineering, technology, environmental, management, risk and economic factors by viewing the system as a whole during its life cycle, using systems-engineering principles, methods and practices.

The information engineering and management program provides the graduate with the tools to effectively engineer and manage the information flow within an organization. The curriculum is comprised of 10 courses, ranging from software, networking and hardware courses to courses in information handling, management and system-level considerations.

As a tool for recruitment and retention, each of these degrees can be an ideal reward or incentive device to help companies attract and keep top talent. Best of all, the program is extremely cost-efficient, priced below other comparable programs. For more information on all of the OREM weekend master’s programs, students should see the department website at www.smu.edu/Lyle/Departments/OREM.

Programs

    Doctoral
    Master
    Dual Degree

    Courses

      Operations Research and Engineering Management