Ph.D. in Operations Research

All Ph.D. students in the field of Operations Research major in the subject Operations Research and minor in at least two more subjects that can include Probability and Statistics, Mathematical Programming, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, and more.

The following requirements cover the first four semesters of Ph.D. level work, during which your primary goal should be to obtain broad exposure to the discipline of Operations Research. These requirements are intended to provide such academic breadth..

1. Core courses: Each student must know the content of the Core Courses listed below.
2. Advanced courses: Students must perform well (A- or better) in three advanced Ph.D. courses with one course from three of the following four areas:
   • Applied Operations Research, 61XX and 71XX
   • Mathematical Programming, 63XX and 73XX
   • Probability, 65XX and 75XX
   • Statistics, 67XX and 77XX

   As a general rule, 6000-level school courses, i.e., Ph.D. level electives, are used to satisfy this requirement. With approval, courses from other departments may also be used to meet this requirement.

3. Computer literacy: Each Ph.D. candidate must demonstrate computer literacy by taking an appropriate Ph.D. level course.
   • This course may simultaneously satisfy another requirement; e.g., the simulation course ORIE 6580 would both establish computer literacy and fulfill an Applied Operations Research advanced course requirement (provided you receive at least an A- in the course).
4. Course load: In each of the first two semesters you are expected to enroll in at least three appropriately sophisticated, technical courses, each with adequate provision for evaluating student progress, e.g., through regularly scheduled lectures, homework assignments, and/or examinations.
   • Technical means courses in engineering, mathematics, or science, in addition to certain areas of business, such as quantitative finance or operations management.
   • Appropriately sophisticated means either at Ph.D level or at a level appropriate to a student’s background.
     • For example, someone who has taken an undergraduate class very similar to MATH 4130 should not enroll in this course, unless the former class was taken several years earlier – see II.A. note about consulting with a designated field member.
   • In the third and the fourth semester you are expected to enroll in at least two appropriately sophisticated, technical courses as well as engage in research.
5. Exceptions: Any deviation from the above requires the written approval of the field’s Director of Graduate Studies. For example:
   • The computer literacy requirement may be fulfilled by completion of an appropriate project supervised by a field member. These conditions must be met:
     1. 1. The supervising field member must agree to the arrangement.
     2. Before beginning, you must submit a one-to-two-page project proposal.
     3. The director of graduate studies consults with appropriate field faculty and will decide whether the project meets this requirement.
     4. At the completion of the project, the supervising field member submits to the director of graduate studies written certification that the work accomplished in the project meets the computer literacy requirement.
   • Director of graduate studies approval is required for courses from other departments used to satisfy the Advanced Courses requirement. For example:
     • Several appropriate Ph.D. level probability courses are offered by the Department of Mathematics.
   • Exceptionally well-prepared students beginning serious research investigation under the direction of a Field faculty member may seek director of graduate studies approval for using the course ORIE 7900 Special Investigations in satisfying the course load requirement.
     • The research project must be documented (at the beginning) by a student proposal approved by the supervising faculty member and (at termination) by a report from the faculty member on the work accomplished.

Each student forms a Special Committee no later than the fourth semester, although the composition of the committee may be changed at a later date. Your Special Committee will be formalized in Student Center.

• Your Special Committee will consist of at least three individuals:
  • The Chair, who will ultimately be your thesis advisor.
  • The Minor Advisors, at least one for each of your two minor subjects (see below).
    • You are welcomed and encouraged to have more than one advisor for your minor subjects.

There are three mandatory examinations over the course of your Ph.D. program.

Qualifying Exam (The Q Exam)

• Summer Research is required for your first summer in the program. It is used in the evaluation of your Qualifying Exam.
• The Chair, who will ultimately be your thesis advisor.
• The Minor Advisors, at least one for each of your two minor subjects (see below).
  • You are welcomed and encouraged to have more than one advisor for your minor subjects.
• Minors must be taken in engineering, science (including mathematics), or technical areas of business (e.g., finance).
  • You may petition for an exception.
• Of a student’s two minor subjects, at least one must be from outside the Field of Operations Research.
• A minor subject typically involves three Ph.D. courses—sometimes four—determined by the minor advisor in consultation with the student.
• Required courses can count toward a minor; for example, OR&IE 6300(630) can count towards a minor in Mathematical Programming.
  • At least one minor should be entirely satisfied by courses different from those used to satisfy the course requirements for the Ph.D. program.
  • No course may be used to count simultaneously toward both minors.The role of each minor subject is to enhance the student’s exposure to the subject, either in breadth or in depth, beyond the courses that would generally be included as part of the student’s major program of study.

Admission to Candidacy Exam (The A Exam)

• This exam is a formal requirement of the Graduate School.
  • Because the Special Committee often views passing your Qualifying exam as demonstrative of your competence in the fundamentals of the Field, the A exam focuses instead on assessing your mastery of your areas of research.
• It will typically be taken during your third year, and will be administered by your Special Committee.
  • At the time of your exam, you must submit to the DGS a summary of the courses used to satisfy all program requirements.
  • In the rare event that not all coursework has been completed at this time, you will need to specify your intended courses for satisfying these requirements.
• The format of the A exam is largely up to the discretion of your Special committee – in some cases, it is primarily a presentation of proposed research for a thesis, for others, it may follow the format of an oral examination.
  • Your Special Committee will be available for consultation on what you should expect in your A exam.
• A degree cannot be awarded until at least two units of residence have been earned after passing the exam.
• There will be at least three examining members of the Graduate School present at your exam.
  • The DGS will ensure this many will be present if one or more members of your Special Committee are unavailable.
  • Any member of the Field may attend your exam.

Final Exam (The B Exam)

• This exam is your presentation and defense of your Ph.D. thesis.
• It will also be announced as an Operations Research and Information Engineering colloquium.

Beginning in your second year and for the duration thereafter, Ph.D. students are required to meet annually with their Special Committee and complete a Student Progress Review (SPR) ↗ through the Graduate School’s online system.

These forms help track progress towards your degree, but also serve as a useful record for you to refer to throughout your program and in preparation for your post-graduate career planning.

Procedure

• Schedule an SPR meeting with your Special Committee’s Chair.
• Complete and submit your portion of the SPR form at least ten days prior to your scheduled meeting.
  • It may be saved as a draft, but a final deadline will be communicated to you (typically in late November).
  • Upon submission, it will be sent to your Committee Chair.
• Discuss your progress/planning with your Committee Chair.
• They will submit their portion of the online form within the next two weeks. A final deadline will also be communicated to them.

In addition to the courses listed below, all Cornell students have the ability to take coursework outside of their area of study. You are encouraged to seek coursework within other departments, such as Computer Science, Statistics, or Computer and Electrical Engineering, among many others.

Our students also enroll in coursework outside of Operations Research and their minor fields, and in any given semester, our Ph.D. students may be taking anything from Introduction to Wines to Fencing.