Operations Research: 
Professional Preparation. Practical Application

Dose Expected Volume Histogram for radiation therapy; image courtesy of Prof. Shane Henderson

Operations Research has become the preeminent discipline devoted to efficient and effective use of constrained resources over time and under conditions of uncertainty.

Introduced in 1965, the Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) program was designed to give students with a four-year Cornell degree in ORIE the opportunity to acquire greater breadth and depth of technical knowledge.

Since then, our Master of Engineering program has become increasingly attractive to graduates in Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, and other quantitative disciplines from Cornell, in the U.S., and throughout the world.

Degrees Offered

Master of Engineering in Operations Research and Information Engineering

A full-time professionally oriented program building on traditional math, scientific, and engineering skills but focusing closely on the application of these skills. The M.Eng. degree requires a design project rather than thesis research.

For many students, the program can be completed in two semesters. A third semester is possible and is recommended for some students depending on their undergraduate degree and M.Eng. specialty (notably for the Financial Engineering option.) Some program options include activities during the winter intersession.

Master of Engineering/MBA Program**

A two-year program in which students combine two professional Master's degrees: the Master of Engineering (ORIE) degree and then the MBA degree. Combining a solid engineering background with a business background makes graduates of this program some of the most highly recruited students at Cornell. Work experience can precede the two-year program or can occur between the two degrees. Cornell undergraduates can receive substantial funding for this program through the Lester Knight Scholarship Program but the dual degree program is open to students from other undergraduate institutions as well.

** Formal application must be made to the Johnson Graduate School of Management for the MBA component.