Graduate Studies Reports Access

Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - QMB6400
Tracking Number - 3000

Edit function not enabled for this course.


Current Status: SCNS Liaison Notified of Graduate Council Approval - 2013-10-25
Campus: Sarasota
Submission Type: New
Course Change Information (for course changes only):
Comments: USF-SM approved 10/30/12. to Sys 12/6/12.Issues of concurrence. CLEARED. Submit to SCNS 10/25/13


Detail Information

  1. Date & Time Submitted: 2012-11-13
  2. Department: Information Systems and Decision Sciences
  3. College: BP
  4. Budget Account Number: 140700004
  5. Contact Person: Dr. Anurag Agarwal
  6. Phone: 9413594522
  7. Email: agarwala@sar.usf.edu
  8. Prefix: QMB
  9. Number: 6400
  10. Full Title: Business Decision Modeling
  11. Credit Hours: 3
  12. Section Type: C - Class Lecture (Primarily)
  13. Is the course title variable?: N
  14. Is a permit required for registration?: N
  15. Are the credit hours variable?: N
  16. Is this course repeatable?:
  17. If repeatable, how many times?: 0
  18. Abbreviated Title (30 characters maximum): Business Decision Modeling
  19. Course Online?: B - Face-to-face and online (separate sections)
  20. Percentage Online: 0
  21. Grading Option: R - Regular
  22. Prerequisites: QMB-6310
  23. Corequisites: None
  24. Course Description: Formulate and solve optimization and simulation models to assist in business decision-making on a variety of manufacturing, healthcare, and service systems problems such as: scheduling, routing, logistics, financials, and manpower planning.

  25. Please briefly explain why it is necessary and/or desirable to add this course: Needed for new program/concentration/certificate
  26. What is the need or demand for this course? (Indicate if this course is part of a required sequence in the major.) What other programs would this course service? The demand of this course is determined by the demand for the certificate program in Business Analytics. Many universities are offering new programs in Business Analytics because of the demand for such programs, which in turn is driven by the demand in the job market for skills in Business Analytics.
  27. Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times? No
  28. What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.) None besides having a terminal degree in the discipline
  29. Objectives: Students will learn to:

    - Recognize the major capabilities and limitations of operations research and simulation modeling as applied to problems in manufacturing, healthcare, service, and government

    - Build skills in recognizing and formulating optimization and simulation models: Constraints, Objective function and Decision variables

    - Use optimization algorithms to find the optimal solutions.

    - Be able to perform sensitivity analysis in analyzing a system

    - Quantify the cost of constraints

    - Understand the theory behind the models and the importance of simplifying assumptions. (Linear, integer, network & non-linear)

    - Build a broader understanding of the types of mathematical and simulation models and their appropriate context of application

  30. Learning Outcomes: To demonstrate the ability to

    - formulate business problems as a simulation or optimization problem.

    - perform sensitivity analysis

    - solve a variety of business decision making problems using various modeling techniques.

  31. Major Topics: Spreadsheet Modeling;

    - Application of:

    Linear Programming

    Integer Programming

    Non-Linear Programming

    Network Models

    Waiting Line Models

    Decision Trees;

    And application of Simulation approaches like:

    Monte-Carlo,

    Discrete-event

    Agent-based

    Systems Dynamics

  32. Textbooks: David R. Anderson, Dennis J. Sweeney, Thomas A. Williams, Jeffrey D. Camm, and R. Kipp Martin “An Introduction to Management Science: Quantitative Approaches to Decision Making”, South-Western College Pub; (Revised, 13th Edition) - ISBN-10: 1111532222; ISBN-13: 9781111532222
  33. Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases: Bernard W. Taylor III “Introduction to Management Science” (11th Edition). Prentice Hall, ISBN-10: 0132751917; ISBN-13: 9780132751919

    At the discretion of the instructor, other current readings will be assigned.

  34. Student Expectations/Requirements and Grading Policy: Quizzes 20%

    Homework Assignments 40%

    Exam-1 (1st half of material) 20%

    Exam 2 (2nd half of material) 20%

  35. Assignments, Exams and Tests: There will be assignments worth 40% of the grade and two exams worth 40% of the grade and quizzes worth 20% of the grade.
  36. Attendance Policy: Course Attendance at First Class Meeting – Policy for Graduate Students: For structured courses, 6000 and above, the College/Campus Dean will set the first-day class attendance requirement. Check with the College for specific information. This policy is not applicable to courses in the following categories: Educational Outreach, Open University (TV), FEEDS Program, Community Experiential Learning (CEL), Cooperative Education Training, and courses that do not have regularly scheduled meeting days/times (such as, directed reading/research or study, individual research, thesis, dissertation, internship, practica, etc.). Students are responsible for dropping undesired courses in these categories by the 5th day of classes to avoid fee liability and academic penalty. (See USF Regulation – Registration - 4.0101,

    http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm)

    Attendance Policy for the Observance of Religious Days by Students: In accordance with Sections 1006.53 and 1001.74(10)(g) Florida Statutes and Board of Governors Regulation 6C-6.0115, the University of South Florida (University/USF) has established the following policy regarding religious observances: (http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/gc_pp/acadaf/gc10-045.htm)

    In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for USF to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or an alternate schedule. It’s the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general information.

  37. Policy on Make-up Work: Under extreme medical circumstances and with documentation from the doctor’s office, missed exams may be made up if feasible and at the discretion of the instructor.
  38. Program This Course Supports: Certificate program in “Business Analytics”
  39. Course Concurrence Information: This course may be taken as an elective in the certificate program in Lean Operations and Six Sigma


- if you have questions about any of these fields, please contact chinescobb@grad.usf.edu or joe@grad.usf.edu.