Decision sciences
McQuaid, Ms. Jana P.
Graduate Program Director
jpmcquaid@vcu.edu
(804) 828-1595
The Master of Science in Business with a decision sciences concentration provides students with knowledge of quantitative skills and experience in analyzing problems arising in a business environment. Depending upon individual student interests and adviser approval, the required nucleus is supplemented with relevant elective courses from within the School of Business or from outside departments.
Prerequisite courses
All students must have completed a course in calculus prior to attempting graduate business courses. This prerequisite can be met after admission to the program.
Foundation courses
Students must complete up to four classes (0 to 12 credit hours) of work from the following list. At the time of application, all undergraduate and graduate transcripts will be reviewed to determine if the following courses may be waived. Waivers of foundation courses only occur when a student has completed the required undergraduate equivalent courses with at least a C grade.
|
Credits |
|
|
| MGMT 524 Statistical Elements of Quantitative Management | 3 |
| And any three of the courses below, or provide proof of satisfactory equivalent preparation | 9 |
| ACCT 507 Fundamentals of Accounting (3) | |
| FIRE 520 Financial Concepts of Management (3) | |
| MGMT 540 Management Theory and Practice (3) | |
| MKTG 570 Concepts and Issues in Marketing (3) | |
|
|
Total foundation credits |
12 |
Required core courses – 30 credit hours
|
Credits |
|
|
| MGMT 632 Statistical Analysis | 3 |
| MGMT 645 Management Science | 3 |
| MGMT 675 Operations Management | 3 |
| And any three of the following four courses | 9 |
| MGMT 643 Applied Multivariate Methods (3) | |
| MGMT 648 Managerial Decision Making (3) | |
| MGMT 669 Forecasting Methods for Business (3) | |
| MGMT 677 Quality Management and Six Sigma (3) | |
| Total core credits | 18 |
Elective courses – 12 credit hours
| Additional courses (to be approved by adviser) | Credits |
| Choose four from the School of Business list of approved electives* | |
| ACCT 608 Managerial Accounting Concepts (3) | |
| ECON 610 Managerial Economics (3) | |
| ECON 612 Econometrics (3) | |
| INFO 619 Computer-assisted Simulation (3) | |
| MGMT 642 Business Policy (3) [to be taken in the last semester of study] | |
| MGMT 697 Guided Study in Management | |
| MKTG 673 Marketing Research | |
| * Students may also take the remaining course in the core credits as an elective (MGMT 643, MGMT 648, MGMT 669 or MGMT 677) | |
| Total elective credits | 12 |