Bachelor of Science in Information and Decision Sciences with Concentration in Operations and Supply Chain Management

at Shorelight Group - University of Illinois at Chicago USA

A computer engineering major from UIC positions you to develop computer technologies—hardware and software—that increase human capabilities worldwide.

Think of all the things that have changed in computing in the last two decades. Global society is in constant pursuit of computers that are smaller, more powerful, and easier to use. Computer engineering helps to determine not only the nature of the machines we use, but also the type of software they can handle and what that means for people on a day-to-day basis.

Computer engineering is a fast-changing field, and UIC’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering provides you with an education that will help you drive and lead those changes—not just keep pace with them.

The School of Architecture offers a three-year, NAAB-accredited* first professional Master of Architecture (MArch) degree to students with either an undergraduate degree in architectural studies or an undergraduate degree in any other field of study. The studio-centered curriculum is supported by required and elective coursework in architectural technology and theory. The typical three-year course of study proceeds roughly through the following stages:

1. Incorporate the knowledge, techniques, methods and manners of the discipline;
2. Apply disciplinary means to frame and respond to the given problems and requests of external situations;
3. Expand the discipline by conducting advanced design research that identifies and addresses concerns that have yet to be recognized.

The Information and Decision Sciences program at UIC Business is grounded in a research-based curriculum and corporate-sponsored project courses that give students the proven experience firms are looking for. IDS majors explore the potential of new technology to alter business operations, analysis and strategy. Students leave our program ready to meet the growing demand for business technologists.

IDS students are in top demand because of the skills they learn here at UIC Business. Bridging the gap between technology and business, IDS prepares students to analyze, design and implement information technology systems.

Students gain conceptual knowledge in how information is used effectively throughout all areas in the business cycle. They also gain practical experience in more technological based courses such as Business Database Technology, Advanced Spreadsheet Analysis, Business Data Mining and Business Systems Analysis and Design. IDS students are given the tools to become proficient professionals, capable of putting their technical, analytic and critical thinking skills to use in a real-world setting.

At UIC Business, we help students find their dream careers. Some students may choose a “specialization” for their studies that lead to certain career paths in IDS. These include Management Information Systems; Business Analytics; and Operations and Supply Chain Management.

The MEd Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics & Assessment (MESA) program provides rigorous training in quantitative and qualitative methodologies and addresses the current industry-wide shortage of highly trained individuals in educational research and other social science research settings. The program offers nationally recognized faculty committed to the mentoring process, projects and coursework tailored to students’ career goals and interests. It offers an effective balance between theoretical and applied courses, and training in fields with excellent career potential.

The MA in Applied Economics program at UIC is designed for students who desire an MA degree in economics as either a stepping stone to a Ph.D. program or a career that requires such preparation, but have not extensively studied economics in an undergraduate program. We provide analytically rigorous training in economic theory and statistical analysis that is accessible to students with less preparation in mathematics than is required for enrollment in an Economics Ph.D. program. Importantly, we condense this accelerated program into three semesters, including summer, so that students can complete the entire program in ten months. This substantially reduces the cost and enables students to matriculate to a Ph.D. program or enter the job market after only a single year of study.

We have structured the program to meet the needs of and engage students with diverse backgrounds and interests. The core economic theory and statistical methods courses are analytically rigorous but do not require extensive training in mathematics and do not focus on mathematical derivations or proofs. However, students with the requisite training in mathematics may substitute courses from our Ph.D. program in place of the corresponding Applied MA course. This enables these students to engage the material at a more mathematically sophisticated level and demonstrate their knowledge to Ph.D. programs and employers.

The UIC Economics Department has historically been strong in applied research and econometric analysis, particularly in the areas of health and education economics and policy. Applied MA students have the opportunity to take elective courses with leading young scholars in these areas. Students also have the opportunity to take courses outside of the Economics Department or in other areas that fit with their interests, or to take additional mathematics coursework that may be needed as preparation for a future Ph.D. program. Finally, all students have the choice to write an MA thesis or to complete additional coursework.

Political science is the systematic study of politics and its connection to human life as a whole. It focuses on the way people are governed and govern themselves in a wide variety of settings—including the state, the workplace, schools, and the family—and the way in which governance in those settings affects their life chances and shapes their sense of self. Students who elect this major examine, among other things, the relationships between law and political institutions, economic and political power, and culture and political identity. They develop the analytical, interpretive, and critical methods necessary to understand these relationships at local, national, regional, or international levels, and thus, to act as responsible citizens at those levels. They also learn to write well. In short, political science is central to a well-rounded liberal arts education.

Political science also provides excellent preparation for careers in law, government, teaching, journalism, business, and the nonprofit sector.

In addition to the BA with a Major in Political Science program, the department offers two concentrations: the Concentration in Law and Courts and the Concentration in Urban Politics.

The Department of Communication offers work leading to degrees at the master’s and doctoral levels and participates in the interdepartmental concentrations in Black Studies, Gender and Women’s Studies, Latin American and Latino Studies, and Survey Research Methodology.

The department goal is to produce scholars and researchers who will be critical consumers and producers of research about communication, whether in academic or applied settings, and who will contribute to the growth of knowledge in those settings.

At the master’s level, study and research are available in two general areas, media studies and cultural diversity. Because the areas intertwine, program emphasis is on breadth and integration. Inquiry in media studies ranges, for example, from journalism ethics to electronic media and computer-mediated communication. Cultural inquiry includes language and symbolic representation, critical theory, social inequality and racism, and cross-cultural differences.

At the doctoral level, the program focuses on communication and technology. Students develop thorough understanding of the field, expertise in its theories, skills needed to conduct effective research, and experience teaching in a university setting. They also acquire a specialty from among those recognized in scholarly societies and reflected in current research emphases among department faculty.

A signature feature of department programs is their flexibility. Students pursue individual and professional aims with guidance from an advisor, designing a course of study to reach their own educational goals. Because the department strongly encourages interdisciplinary work, students may study with scholars in allied disciplines.

Industrial engineers find ways to make complex processes and systems work better. They help operations to run more efficiently and more safely, leading to improvements in the products we use every day, people’s jobs, and human satisfaction.

As an industrial engineer, you might design and implement better ways of doing things or making things. You might find ways to improve the value or profit of goods that we use every day. You also could oversee project management, devise improvements to manufacturing plants and factories, or harness the power of data to imaging the next generation of processes.

If you’ve ever looked at something and said to yourself, “I see a smarter way they could do this,” you could have the makings of a great industrial engineer.

The MEd Youth Development program is committed to educating youth-dedicated professionals through fostering their knowledge, skills and passion for working with youth in urban contexts. Graduates will be prepared to create spaces, programs, and organizations that support youth developing their emotional, physical, social and intellectual selves.