Bachelor of Operations Research and Financial Engineering (B.Sc)

at Princeton University

The ORFE Undergraduate program may be considered as the modern form of a liberal education: modern because it is based on science and technology, and liberal in the sense that it provides for broad intellectual development and can lead to many different types of careers. Students of many disciplines are drawn to ORFE courses because of the strong fundamental education and quantitative training they will receive.

ORFE students acquire the quantitative skills required to solve complex real-world problems. The ORFE education emphasizes the importance of mathematical modelling. Because almost all complex problems include uncertainty, ORFE students learn how to develop mathematical models with uncertainty, how to incorporate real-world data into these models, and how to make optimal decisions that improve performance or manage resources effectively. Such a principled and quantitative approach to solving complex problems is of central importance in many different areas of our society. By combining the core ORFE curriculum with courses in engineering, economics, computer science, public policy, the liberal arts, mathematics, and the sciences, each student may design a unique program adapted to his or her particular interests.

The ORFE education opens careers in a broad range of application areas. Many of our students move into careers in management consulting, finance, and information technology, drawing on a strong technical education. Students with an interest in obtaining a deeper education have progressed to Ph.D. programs, opening careers in academia as well as advanced positions in consulting firms and industry.