Operations Research (Major) at Simon Fraser University

Programme overview

The Operations Research Major is a Bachelor of Science program in the Department of Mathematics that prepares students for careers in industry or for graduate and professional study. It requires 120 units, including at least 44 upper division units, and combines optimization, stochastic modelling, discrete mathematics, statistics and computing.

Faculty: Faculty of Science | Department: Department of Mathematics | Study mode: full-time | Location: Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

What you will study

Lower division work covers programming (CMPT 120/125 or 130/135), data structures, discrete mathematics, calculus, linear algebra, probability and statistics, and MATH 208 Introduction to Operations Research. Upper division courses include MATH 308 Linear Optimization, MATH 348 Stochastic Modelling and Simulation, MATH 402 Operations Research Clinic, plus options such as MATH 309 Continuous Optimization, MATH 408 Discrete Optimization, MATH 448 Network Flows and ECON 435 Econometric Methods.

Career pathways

Industry roles in optimization, analytics and simulation, and graduate and professional programs.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Faculty of Science (all programs), Ontario secondary school applicants: six Grade 12 U/M courses including ENG4U (minimum 70%); Grade 11: ENG3U, MCF3M or MCR3U, SCH3U and SPH3U. Grade 12 List A: ENG4U (minimum 70%), MHF4U, two of Math 4U/M or Science 4U/M, and two additional List A or B courses. Admission is based on all approved Grade 11 and 12 courses with greater weight on List A, plus English language and quantitative and analytical skills requirements. Programme: a grade of C- or better is required in each Mathematics prerequisite course, and a minimum 2.00 CGPA is required on the major requirements and on the upper division major courses.

Requirements published at faculty level.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the courses you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Fall (September), Spring (January) and Summer (May) terms; most students start in the fall term.

Fall 2027: high school applications open 1 October 2026 and close 31 January 2027; other post-secondary transfer applications open 1 March 2027 and close 15 April 2027. Summer 2027: all applications open 1 December 2026 and close 15 January 2027. Spring 2027: all applications opened 1 July 2026 and close 15 September 2026.

The non-refundable application fee is 86 CAD for domestic students and 130 CAD for international students, payable online by credit card. Applications are submitted through EducationPlannerBC.

Apply through the official page: https://www.sfu.ca/students/admission.html

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