What
is Decision Sciences?
Decision science is the science of rational decision-making and the study, design and integration of complex situations and systems. Its goal is predicting system behavior and improving or optimizing system performance. It considers managerial decision making, mathematical and computer modeling and the use of computer technology for informed decision-making. Decision science majors synthesize elements of management planning and implementation and control into mathematical models that guide decision-making. This discipline focuses on analytical techniques designed to help decision makers choose among a set of alternatives in light of all possible consequences. In industry and government, considerable demand exists for those who are skilled in modern methods of decision-making and systems design and who are capable of managing complex social and technical systems.
Decision science may also called industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, operations management and management science. Industrial engineering and manufacturing engineering are found in colleges of engineering, while decision science and operations research are found in colleges of business. The curriculum reflect the orientation of the courses and curriculum design. Graduates of these programs may go on to advise public and private organizations on energy policy; design and operate urban emergency systems. They implement systems in defense; health care; water resource planning; criminal justice; transportation and a variety of other organizations. They can respond to a variety of design and operational issues in communication and data networks; computer operations; marketing; finance; inventory planning; manufacturing; and many areas designed to improve business productivity and efficiency.
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What
are Some Specializations Within this Broad Major?
Various specializations
related to a major in Decision Sciences may be offered by colleges and universities.
These specializations may be of greater or lesser interest
to you. A few of these specializations related to this field
include, but are not limited to:
Analytical Consulting |
Biostatistics |
Business Administration |
Information Management |
Operations Research |
Statistics |
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What
Kinds of Students Major in Decision Sciences?
Students in this field are interested in both management and mathematics, with an emphasis on the latter. They appreciate the very complex problem solving in which modeling and analysis play a heavy role.
Is Decision Sciences the right major for you?
Take the MyMajors Quiz and find out if it is one of your top recommended majors!
What
Courses Do Decision Sciences Majors Take?
The required and elective courses you
would take for Decision Sciences majors vary considerably among institutions.
Courses are listed here that are illustrative of the breadth
of topics you are likely to experience were you to major
in this field.
Basian Statistics |
Biostatistics |
Data Analysis |
Decision Support Systems |
Descriptive Statistics |
Management Decision Analysis |
Managerial Problem Solving |
Modeling Techniques |
Risk Management |
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List of Potential Jobs in Decision Sciences
These professions and professional organizations
illustrate the types of positions you might qualify for
if you complete this major. Some majors are more directly
related to employment than others, however. You should
consider the likelihood of employment after graduation
carefully, if you do not plan to go on for graduate work
in a field. Even with the completion of graduate work
in some fields, however, employment is difficult, so you
should determine what the prospects are for this or any
major. Employment possibilities are often enhanced by
the selecting employment-related courses and by the enrollment
in second major or in a minor.
Biostatistician |
Clinical Statistician |
Efficiency Analyst |
General Management |
Management Consultant |
Planner |
Project Manager |
Researcher |
Systems Analyst |
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What
is the Median Salary Range for Decision Sciences Careers?
Actual expected salaries will vary depending on your chosen career path, experience, and even your geographic location. Are you interested in detailed information
about the forecasted demand for a particular profession?
Are you interested in the estimated salaries such positions
are likely to pay? This government Web site allows you
to search on a particular job, whether listed here or
not, to give you this information.
Bureau
of Labor Statistics
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Colleges and Universities offering majors in Decision Sciences
| These institutions offer excellent curriculums in well-rounded programs for you to consider: |
| universities with majors in Decision Sciences |
- Auburn University Main Campus
- Auburn University , Alabama
- Brigham Young University
- Provo , Utah
- California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
- San Luis Obispo , California
- Colorado State University
- Fort Collins , Colorado
- Cornell University
- Ithaca , New
York
- Eastern Kentucky University
- Richmond , Kentucky
- Ferris State University
- Big Rapids , Michigan
- Brown University
- Providence, Rhode
Island
- Emory University
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Rice University
- Houston, Texas
- Stanford University
- Stanford, California
- University of California-Irvine
- Irvine, California
- University of California-Los Angeles
- Los Angeles, California
- Yale University
- New Haven, Connecticut
- Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- Worcester, Massachusetts
- Barnard College
- New York, New
York
- California State University-East Bay
- Hayward, California
- Denison University
- Granville, Ohio
- Emmanuel College
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard University
- Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Mount Holyoke College
- South Hadley, Massachusetts
- San Francisco State University
- San Francisco, California
- University of Chicago
- Chicago, Illinois
- University of Minnesota-Morris
- Morris, Minnesota
- University of Northern Colorado
- Greeley, Colorado
- University of Rochester
- Rochester, New
York
- Wheaton College
- Norton, Massachusetts
- Montclair State University
- Montclair, New
Jersey
- Teachers College at Columbia University
- New York, New
York
- Whittier College
- Whittier, California
- New Jersey Institute of Technology
- Newark, New
Jersey
- Columbia University in the City of New York
- New York, New
York
- Duke University
- Durham, North
Carolina
- Indiana University-Bloomington
- Bloomington, Indiana
- Johns Hopkins University
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Miami University-Oxford
- Oxford, Ohio
- New York University
- New York, New
York
- Northern Arizona University
- Flagstaff, Arizona
- The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
- Houston, Texas
- Tulane University of Louisiana
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- University of Akron Main Campus
- Akron, Ohio
- University of California-San Diego
- La Jolla, California
- University of California-Santa Barbara
- Santa Barbara, California
- University of North Texas
- Denton, Texas
- University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus
- San Juan, Puerto
Rico
- University of Washington-Seattle Campus
- Seattle, Washington
- American University
- Washington, District
- Anderson University
- Anderson, Indiana
- Appalachian State University
- Boone, North
Carolina
- Arizona State University
- Tempe, Arizona
- Asbury College
- Wilmore, Kentucky
- Augusta State University
- Augusta, Georgia
- Baylor University
- Waco, Texas
- Bentley University
- Waltham, Massachusetts
- Boston University
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Bowling Green State University-Main Campus
- Bowling Green, Ohio
- Bryant University
- Smithfield, Rhode
Island
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Case Western Reserve University
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Castleton State College
- Castleton, Vermont
- Central Michigan University
- Mount Pleasant, Michigan
- Cleveland State University
- Cleveland, Ohio
- CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
- New York, New
York
- CUNY Hunter College
- New York, New
York
- Dakota State University
- Madison, South
Dakota
- DePaul University
- Chicago, Illinois
- Eastern Michigan University
- Ypsilanti, Michigan
- Felician College
- Lodi, New
Jersey
- Florida International University
- Miami, Florida
- Florida State University
- Tallahassee, Florida
- Fordham University
- Bronx, New
York
- George Mason University
- Fairfax, Virginia
- George Washington University
- Washington, District
- Georgetown University
- Washington, District
- Georgia State University
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Grace College and Theological Seminary
- Winona Lake, Indiana
- Grand Valley State University
- Allendale, Michigan
- Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus
- Indiana, Pennsylvania
- Ithaca College
- Ithaca, New
York
- Kean University
- Union, New
Jersey
- Kennesaw State University
- Kennesaw, Georgia
- Lehigh University
- Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
- Loyola University Chicago
- Chicago, Illinois
- Luther College
- Decorah, Iowa
- Iowa State University
- Ames , Iowa
- Kansas State University
- Manhattan , Kansas
- Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
- Baton Rouge , Louisiana
- Michigan State University
- East Lansing , Michigan
- Minnesota State University-Mankato
- Mankato , Minnesota
- Mississippi State University
- Mississippi State , Mississippi
- Montana State University
- Bozeman , Montana
- New Mexico State University-Main Campus
- Las Cruces , New
Mexico
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh
- Raleigh , North
Carolina
- North Dakota State University-Main Campus
- Fargo , North
Dakota
- Northwest Missouri State University
- Maryville , Missouri
- Northwestern Oklahoma State University
- Alva , Oklahoma
- Ohio State University-Main Campus
- Columbus , Ohio
- Oklahoma State University-Main Campus
- Stillwater , Oklahoma
- Oregon State University
- Corvallis , Oregon
- Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
- University Park , Pennsylvania
- Purdue University-Main Campus
- West Lafayette , Indiana
- Rutgers University-New Brunswick
- New Brunswick , New
Jersey
- Sam Houston State University
- Huntsville , Texas
- Stephen F Austin State University
- Nacogdoches , Texas
- Temple University
- Philadelphia , Pennsylvania
- Texas A & M University
- College Station , Texas
- Texas Tech University
- Lubbock , Texas
- The University of Tennessee
- Knoxville , Tennessee
- University of Arkansas Main Campus
- Fayetteville , Arkansas
- University of California-Berkeley
- Berkeley , California
- University of California-Davis
- Davis , California
- University of California-Riverside
- Riverside , California
- University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
- Cincinnati , Ohio
- University of Connecticut
- Storrs , Connecticut
- University of Delaware
- Newark , Delaware
- University of Denver
- Denver , Colorado
- University of Florida
- Gainesville , Florida
- University of Georgia
- Athens , Georgia
- University of Idaho
- Moscow , Idaho
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Champaign , Illinois
- University of Kentucky
- Lexington , Kentucky
- University of Maryland-College Park
- College Park , Maryland
- University of Missouri-Columbia
- Columbia , Missouri
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Lincoln , Nebraska
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
- Minneapolis , Minnesota
- University of New Hampshire-Main Campus
- Durham , New
Hampshire
- University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez
- Mayaguez , Puerto
Rico
- University of Rhode Island
- Kingston , Rhode
Island
- University of Vermont
- Burlington , Vermont
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Madison , Wisconsin
- University of Wyoming
- Laramie , Wyoming
- Utah State University
- Logan , Utah
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Blacksburg , Virginia
- Washington State University
- Pullman , Washington
- West Virginia University
- Morgantown , West
Virginia
- Ball State University
- Muncie, Indiana
- Northeastern University
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Northern Illinois University
- Dekalb, Illinois
- Northwestern University
- Evanston, Illinois
- Oakland University
- Rochester Hills, Michigan
- Ohio Northern University
- Ada, Ohio
- Portland State University
- Portland, Oregon
- Rochester Institute of Technology
- Rochester, New
York
- Roosevelt University
- Chicago, Illinois
- Rutgers University-Camden
- Camden, New
Jersey
- Rutgers University-Newark
- Newark, New
Jersey
- Saint Cloud State University
- Saint Cloud, Minnesota
- Saint Josephs College-Suffolk Campus
- Patchogue, New
York
- Saint Leo University
- Saint Leo, Florida
- San Diego State University
- San Diego, California
- Seattle Pacific University
- Seattle, Washington
- Southern Methodist University
- Dallas, Texas
- SUNY at Albany
- Albany, New
York
- SUNY at Fredonia
- Fredonia, New
York
- SUNY College at Oneonta
- Oneonta, New
York
- Syracuse University
- Syracuse, New
York
- The University of Alabama
- Tuscaloosa, Alabama
- The University of Texas at Arlington
- Arlington, Texas
- The University of Texas at Austin
- Austin, Texas
- The University of Texas at Dallas
- Richardson, Texas
- The University of Texas at El Paso
- El Paso, Texas
- The University of Texas at San Antonio
- San Antonio, Texas
- University at Buffalo
- Buffalo, New
York
- University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Birmingham, Alabama
- University of Central Florida
- Orlando, Florida
- University of Houston-Clear Lake
- Houston, Texas
- University of Illinois at Chicago
- Chicago, Illinois
- University of Iowa
- Iowa City, Iowa
- University of Louisville
- Louisville, Kentucky
- University of Maryland-Baltimore County
- Baltimore, Maryland
- University of Miami
- Coral Gables, Florida
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- University of Minnesota-Duluth
- Duluth, Minnesota
- University of Missouri-Kansas City
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Stevens Institute of Technology
- Hoboken, New
Jersey
- Loma Linda University
- Loma Linda, California
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at New Orleans
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Medical College of Georgia
- Augusta, Georgia
- Medical College of Wisconsin
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- New York Medical College
- Valhalla, New
York
- University of Mississippi Medical Center
- Jackson, Mississippi
- University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Nevada State College
- Henderson, Nevada
- University of Nevada-Las Vegas
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- University of New Mexico-Main Campus
- Albuquerque, New
Mexico
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Chapel Hill, North
Carolina
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Charlotte, North
Carolina
- University of North Carolina-Wilmington
- Wilmington, North
Carolina
- University of North Florida
- Jacksonville, Florida
- University of Northern Iowa
- Cedar Falls, Iowa
- University of Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras Campus
- Rio Piedras, Puerto
Rico
- University of Scranton
- Scranton, Pennsylvania
- University of South Alabama
- Mobile, Alabama
- University of South Carolina-Columbia
- Columbia, South
Carolina
- University of South Florida
- Tampa, Florida
- University of Southern California
- Los Angeles, California
- University of Southern Maine
- Portland, Maine
- University of Toledo
- Toledo, Ohio
- University of Utah
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- University of Virginia-Main Campus
- Charlottesville, Virginia
- Villanova University
- Villanova, Pennsylvania
- Virginia Commonwealth University
- Richmond, Virginia
- Virginia Union University
- Richmond, Virginia
- Wayne State University
- Detroit, Michigan
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania
- West Chester, Pennsylvania
- Western Michigan University
- Kalamazoo, Michigan
- William Jewell College
- Liberty, Missouri
- Wright State University-Main Campus
- Dayton, Ohio
- Xavier University of Louisiana
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Coppin State University
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Union Graduate College
- Schenectady, New
York
- Kendall College of Art and Design (of Ferris State University)
- Grand Rapids, Michigan
| 2-year colleges with majors in Decision Sciences |
MyMajors complete list has 220 schools in the USA with a major in Decision Sciences.
-View the national listing!
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| For information on options available to campuses wishing to see their programs listed on MyMajors, contact
for details. |
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