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Master of Engineering
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Concentrations
Overview
This concentration emphasizes management and engineering perspectives for solving problems, making decisions, and managing risk in complex, real-world systems. Courses in this concentration ensure that students develop a deep understanding of optimization and stochastic modeling, proficiency in the tools of management science and engineering, including simulation and machine learning, and awareness of a variety of applications in relevant areas of operations management.
IEOR Technical Electives
Core Courses
All students from all concentrations must take the following courses for a letter grade:
- INDENG 240 Optimization Analytics
- INDENG 241 Risk Modeling, Simulation, and Data Analysis
INDENG 240 and 241 are the primary core MEng IEOR technical courses, specifically designed for IEOR professional graduate students. For students who took solid introductory courses in Optimization and/or Stochastic Modeling prior to enrolling in the MEng program, it is possible to petition to take PhD-level courses as alternatives (INDENG 262A for INDENG 240, INDENG 263A for INDENG 241). It is strongly recommended to enroll in INDENG 240 and 241, as the Comprehensive Technical Exam is based on them.
If you desire to take INDENG 262A and/or 263A instead of INDENG 240 and/or 241, please review the course descriptions and syllabi (classes.berkeley.edu). It is encouraged that students attend the first class of INDENG 240/241 AND INDENG 262A/263A before making a decision. We require the alternative course(s) instructor approval to enroll. If approved, INDENG 262A and/or 263A should be considered a replacement for INDENG 240 and/or 241; INDENG 240 and 262A cannot both be taken to meet degree requirements, and INDENG 241 and 263A cannot both be taken to meet degree requirements.
The required Comprehensive Technical Exam is based on the material covered in INDENG 240 and 241, and these courses provide complete preparation for the exam. All students are responsible for properly preparing for the Comprehensive Technical Exam. Students approved for the PhD-level alternative courses (INDENG 262A and/or 263A) can audit INDENG 240 and/or 241 to prepare for the exam by reaching out to the instructors to be added to the INDENG 240/241 bCourses.
Additional Technical Electives for the Management Science & Engineering Concentration
Two additional graduate INDENG courses (200-level) from an approved list must be taken for a letter grade. Course offerings may change from year to year.
Departmental Comprehensive Technical Examination
Passing the departmental Comprehensive Technical Examination is a required milestone for all IEOR MEng students. The three-hour written exam is administered every year during RRR week of the Fall semester (the last instruction week of the semester). The exam is composed of two parts as follows:
Optimization (90 minutes): Based on INDENG 240 material, the exam questions focus on formulation (modeling) of optimization problems covering linear, integer, and nonlinear programming problems.
Stochastic Modeling (90 minutes): Based on INDENG 241 material, the exam questions focus on basics of probability theory and stochastic processes, including random variables, conditional expectation, variance and covariance, and Poisson processes.
INDENG 240 and 241 are specifically designed for IEOR professional graduate students. If a student is interested in taking INDENG 262A and/or 263B instead of INDENG 240 and/or 241, it is encouraged that students attend the first class of INDENG 240/241 AND INDENG 262A/263A before making a decision.
The required Comprehensive Technical Exam is based on the material covered in INDENG 240 and 241, and these courses provide complete preparation for the exam. All students are responsible for properly preparing for the Comprehensive Technical Exam. Students approved for alternative courses can audit INDENG 240 and/or 241 to prepare for the exam by reaching out to the instructors to be added to the INDENG 240/241 bCourses, if they plan to take INDENG 262A/263A.
Recommended Informal Tracks
For guidance, we propose the following tracks. Do note the tracks listed below are not formal, unlike FinTech, and will not be listed on the official transcript.
Decision Analytics – Provides students with a broad understanding of cutting-edge approaches to quantitative analysis and managerial decision-making applicable across a wide range of industries. Recommended Courses: any two of INDENG 220, 231, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254
Risk Management & Finance – Prepares students for careers in finance, energy, and other industries where risk management is critical. Recommended Courses: INDENG 221 and any one of INDENG 222, 224, 231
Simulation & Modeling – Prepares students for careers as analysts focusing on production and distribution systems, service systems, product or process design, or marketing in a wide range of industries. Recommended Courses: INDENG 231 and any one of INDENG 220, 250, 251, 252, 253
Career Landscape
The Master of Engineering's Career Development Team offers a wide range of specialized career management resources
MEng IEOR alumni employment information may be found here.
Contact Information
Professor Ilan Adler
Head MEng Advisor
Ph.D. Stanford University, 1970 Operations Research
Research Areas: Mathematical Programming, Computational Game Theory, Applied Probability
Overview
The FinTech concentration focuses on machine learning and data analytics with an emphasis on financial time series analysis. We aim to prepare you for a successful career in financial and tech companies. This skill set is especially pertinent to banks, consulting firms, financial technology, and investment firms.
The FinTech concentration differs from the Management Science & Engineering concentration in that it is focused on the Financial Industry. The FinTech concentration differs from a Master of Financial Engineering program by being more quantitative and shorter in length.
IEOR Technical Electives
Core Courses
All students from all concentrations must take the following courses for a letter grade:
- INDENG 240 Optimization Analytics
- INDENG 241 Risk Modeling, Simulation, and Data Analysis
INDENG 240 and 241 are the primary core MEng IEOR technical courses, specifically designed for IEOR professional graduate students. For students who took solid introductory courses in Optimization and/or Stochastic Modeling prior to enrolling in the MEng program, it is possible to petition to take PhD-level courses as alternatives (INDENG 262A for INDENG 240, INDENG 263A for INDENG 241). It is strongly recommended to enroll in INDENG 240 and 241, as the Comprehensive Technical Exam is based on them.
If you desire to take INDENG 262A and/or 263A instead of INDENG 240 and/or 241, please review the course descriptions and syllabi (classes.berkeley.edu). It is encouraged that students attend the first class of INDENG 240/241 AND INDENG 262A/263A before making a decision. We require the alternative course(s) instructor approval to enroll. If approved, INDENG 262A and/or 263A should be considered a replacement for INDENG 240 and/or 241; INDENG 240 and 262A cannot both be taken to meet degree requirements, and INDENG 241 and 263A cannot both be taken to meet degree requirements.
The required Comprehensive Technical Exam is based on the material covered in INDENG 240 and 241, and these courses provide complete preparation for the exam. All students are responsible for properly preparing for the Comprehensive Technical Exam. Students approved for the PhD-level alternative courses (INDENG 262A and/or 263A) can audit INDENG 240 and/or 241 to prepare for the exam by reaching out to the instructors to be added to the INDENG 240/241 bCourses.
Additional Technical Electives for the FinTech Concentration
Required concentration coursework listed below must be completed for a letter grade.
INDENG 290: Applications of Machine Learning to Electronic Markets
And two from: INDENG 221, 222, 223, 224
Additional FinTech Notes:
- The FinTech concentration requires students to complete 1 additional technical elective as compared to the Management Science & Engineering MEng IEOR track.
- Students interested in more advanced studies are recommended to take INDENG 223.
Departmental Comprehensive Technical Examination
Passing the departmental Comprehensive Technical Examination is a required milestone for all IEOR MEng students. The three-hour written exam is administered every year during RRR week of the Fall semester (the last instruction week of the semester). The exam is composed of two parts as follows:
Optimization (90 minutes): Based on INDENG 240 material, the exam questions focus on formulation (modeling) of optimization problems covering linear, integer, and nonlinear programming problems.
Stochastic Modeling (90 minutes): Based on INDENG 241, the exam questions focus on basics of probability theory and stochastic processes, including random variables, conditional expectation, variance and covariance, and Poisson processes.
INDENG 240 and 241 are specifically designed for IEOR professional graduate students. If a student is interested in taking INDENG 262A and/or 263B instead of INDENG 240 and/or 241, it is encouraged that students attend the first class of INDENG 240/241 AND INDENG 262A/263A before making a decision.
The required Comprehensive Technical Exam is based on the material covered in INDENG 240 and 241, and these courses provide complete preparation for the exam. All students are responsible for properly preparing for the Comprehensive Technical Exam. Students approved for alternative courses can audit INDENG 240 and/or 241 to prepare for the exam by reaching out to the instructors to be added to the INDENG 240/241 bCourses, if they plan to take INDENG 262A/263A.
Career Landscape
Industry Employers
BlackRock, JP Morgan, Google, Facebook, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Citadel, Amazon, Bank of America, Bracebridge Capital, Capital Group, Duff & Phelps, First Republic Bank, Four Twenty Seven, Greensparc Inc., HSBC, Incline Investment Management, LLC, Inferess, Lending Club, Menta Capital LLC, Pluribus Labs, Sensato Investors, STOXX Limited, Stripe Inc., The Voleon Group, Uber Technologies, Unison Home, Ownership Investors (formerly FirstREX), and more.
Berkeley MEng alumni working in FinTech include:
- Alpha Strategy Researcher, BlackRock
- Credit Risk Data Analyst, Prosper Marketplace
- Data Scientist, Business Analytics, Facebook
- Data Scientist, CircleUp
- Portfolio Analytics Analyst, BlackRock
- Risk Analyst, Prosper Marketplace
Contact Information
Professor Xin Guo
Coleman Fung Chair in Financial Modeling
Ph.D. Rutgers University, 1999 Mathematics
Research Areas: Theory of stochastic controls and stochastic games, high frequency trading, applied probability and statistical learning.