Study Planning

We recommend students that are interested in a profound education in Optimization to plan their choice of the course units in a early stage of their studies. In the following paragraphs, we give guidelines on the arrangement of course units offered by the Institute for Operations Research for students with a deep interest in optimization. However, these guidelines are not compulsory. Depending on the student's individual study plan, another choice of course units is sometimes more effective. As the recommendations vary from one study programme to the next, we give different recommendations with respect to the choice and the scheduling of optimization course units for the following programmes:

• Mathematics (BSc Math, MSc Math, MSc Applied Math)
• Computer Science and Engineering (BSc CSE, MSc CSE)
• Master in Statistics
• Master in Computer Science
• Master in Robotics, Systems and Control

We highly encourage students from other Mater programmes such as "Agroecosystem Science", "Civil Engineering", "Geomatics Engineering and Planning", "Management, Technology and Economics", "Mechanical Engineering", or "Spatial Development and Infrastructure Systems", to follow course units offered by the Institute for Operations Research. In these course units, students will learn excellent optimization tools and techniques, which can be used to model and solve more efficiently problems arising in their field. Students that are enrolled in one of these programmes (or in any other programme) and that would like to have some course unit recommendations are kindly asked to contact the study advisers. To give explicit recommendations for all these programmes would go beyond the scope of this site.

The Institute for Operations Research does not take any responsibility for the correctness of the information provided on this website. Relevant is the information given in the programme regulations (which can be found on the website of the corresponding programme administrations) and in the ETH course catalogue.

Optimization for students in Mathematics

Optimization for BSc Math students: In the third year of their Bachelor studies (the so-called Wahljahr), Math students can choose their course units from core courses, elective courses (at most 8 credits needed), complementary courses, and seminars (6 credits required). Finally, they finish their Bachelor studies with a Bachelor Thesis (8 credits). For Bachelor students, the Institute for Operations Research offers two elective courses, a seminar, and the possibility of doing a Bachelor Thesis. We highly motivate all third-year Math Bachelor students to take the course "Introduction to Optimization", as optimization has become a powerful subfield of Mathematics over the last fifty years with a lot of applications in such different areas as risk management, control, or inventory management, only to name a few. Students with a particular interest in optimization can deepen their knowledge with the course "Mathematical Optimization" in their sixth semester. These two courses are required not only for doing any thesis at the Institute for Operations Research, but also for the more advanced lectures offered in the Master studies.

Optimization for MSc Math students: Students need in total 90 credit points, which they obtain by following core courses, elective courses, GESS lectures, and seminars, as well as by doing Semester Projects and by carrying out a Master Thesis. The Institute for Operations Research offers at least one elective course per semester for Master students, Semester Projects, Seminars, and the possibility of doing a Master Thesis.

Optimization for MSc Applied Math students: Optimization is one of the four focus areas that is offered in this programme. As for MSc Math students, the Institute for Operations Research offers at least one elective course per semester (Geometric Integer Programming in the fall semester, Convex Optimization in the spring semester, plus some other specialized courses of state-of-the-art research topics that vary from semester to semester), Semester Projects, Seminars, and the possibility of completing a Master Thesis. Applied Math Master students need to choose an application area and successfully attend courses worth at least 8 credit points associated with this application area. Moreover, at least one of the Semester Papers that are carried out needs to be related to this application area. The Institute for Operations Research can offer projects related to the application areas Biology, Control and Automation, Economics, Operations Management, Systems Design, and Transportation Science. It is also possible to complete a Semester Paper that is jointly supervised by the Institute for Operations Research and by the group or institute offering courses in the corresponding application area.

The following list shows a possible (and actually the recommended) arrangement of course units offered by the Institute for Operations Research for students with a deep interest in optimization. We highly recommend these students to follow at least the course units written in bold (most of them are even mandatory for doing a Master Thesis at the Institute for Operations Research). We encourage Master students to profit also from the varying offer of additional advanced courses.

* Bachelor students need at most 8 credit points from elective courses. We thus recommend to use the credit points obtained for passing the course "Mathematical Optimization" for the Master studies. For more details, please study the course regulations provided by the study administration of the Math department.

(*) V=lecture; U=exercise; S=seminar; A=independent project; D=diploma thesis.

Optimization for students in Computer Science and Engineering

Optimization for BSc CSE students: The lecture "Introduction to Optimization" is a basic course and is thus mandatory for second-year CSE Bachelor students. Students that want to deepen their knowledge in optimization may attend the elective course "Mathematical Optimization" in their sixth semester. Afterwards, students can finish their Bachelor studies by carrying out Bachelor Thesis in optimization.

Optimization for MSc CSE students: MSc CSE students need to pass at least two elective courses. The Institute for Operations Research offers at least one elective course per semester. Provided that students have attended an appropriate number of optimization courses, we motivate these students to complete their knowledge acquired in these lectures by carrying out a Master Thesis in the field of optimization.

The following list shows a possible (and actually the recommended) arrangement of course units offered by the Institute for Operations Research for students with a deep interest in optimization. We highly recommend these students to follow at least the course units written in bold (most of them are even mandatory for doing a Master Thesis at the Institute for Operations Research). Students are encouraged to profit also from the varying offer of additional advanced courses.

** Approval of director of studies required.

(*) V=lecture; U=exercise; S=seminar; A=independent project; D=diploma thesis.

Optimization for MSc Statistics students

Depending on the knowledge in optimization the student has from their Bachelor studies, different courses are suggested: students with no knowledge in optimization may attend the course "Introduction to Optimization". In their second semester, they may follow the intermediate level lecture "Mathematical Optimization" and the advanced course "Convex Optimization". Although some concepts that are taught in the course "Mathematical Optimization" are needed in the lecture "Convex Optimization", motivated students can follow both courses at the same time. Students that have already passed the basic and the intermediate courses can directly start with attending advanced lectures such as "Geometric Integer Programming" or "Convex Optimization". In both cases, students may finish their Master studies with a Master Thesis at the Institute for Operations Research.

The following list shows a possible (and actually the recommended) arrangement of course units offered by the Institute for Operations Research for students with a deep interest in optimization. We highly recommend these students to follow at least the course units written in bold (most of them are even mandatory for doing a Master Thesis at the Institute for Operations Research). Students are encouraged to profit also from the varying offer of additional advanced courses.

(*) V=lecture; U=exercise; S=seminar; A=independent project; D=diploma thesis.

Optimization for MSc Computer Science students

Students are encouraged to follow the Elective Computer Science course "Introduction to Optimization" in their first Master semester. In the subsequent term, they can attend both courses "Mathematical Optimization" and "Convex Optimization". Although some concepts that are taught in the intermediate level lecture "Mathematical Optimization" are needed for the class "Convex Optimization", motivated students should not have any problems attending both courses at the same time. In the third semester, students may carry out a Master Thesis at the Institute for Operations Research.

The following list shows a possible (and actually the recommended) arrangement of course units offered by the Institute for Operations Research for students with a deep interest in optimization. We highly recommend these students to follow at least the course units written in bold (most of them are even mandatory for doing a Master Thesis at the Institute for Operations Research). Students are encouraged to profit also from the varying offer of additional advanced courses.

*** Approvals of mentor and of director of studies required.

(*) V=lecture; U=exercise; S=seminar; A=independent project; D=diploma thesis.

Optimization for MSc Robotics, Systems and Control students

Students need 36 credit points from core courses. All the courses that are offered by the Institute of Operations and that are listed in the table below belong to this category. Ideally, students start with the class "Introduction to Optimization" in their first semester of Master studies. In their second semester, they might follow simultaneously the intermediate level course "Mathematical Optimization" and the advanced level lecture "Convex Optimization". Especially the later course is highly recommended, as a lot of problems in control can be modelled as convex optimization problems. Although the class "Mathematical Optimization" is prerequisite for the lecture "Convex Optimization", motivated students are encouraged to attend both courses in the same term. Finally, students can deepen their knowledge in Optimization by carrying out a Master Thesis at the Institute for Operations Research.

The following list shows a possible (and actually the recommended) arrangement of course units offered by the Institute for Operations Research for students with a deep interest in optimization. We highly recommend these students to follow at least the course units written in bold (most of them are even mandatory for doing a Master Thesis at the Institute for Operations Research). Students are encouraged to profit also from the varying offer of additional advanced courses.

**** Approval of tutor required.

(*) V=lecture; U=exercise; S=seminar; A=independent project; D=diploma thesis.