Programme Information

Graduation Requirements

Pass the programme's coursework requirements (10 courses)
Pass NG5001 (Academic Communication for Graduate Researchers) and NG5002 (Research Ethics for Graduate Researchers). NG5002 is applicable for students enrolled from AY2024/2025 onwards
Pass the PhD Qualifying Examination within 24 months of candidature
Complete a thesis and oral defense to the satisfaction of the examination panel
Maintain a minimum GPA of 4.0
Complete the above requirements within the maximum candidature of 5 years

Coursework Requirements

Students are required complete a minimum of 40 units courses comprising 3 essential courses (4 units each) and 7 elective courses (4 units each).

Essential Courses

Students must read and pass 2 essential courses in the area of ‘Operations Research (OR)’ as both courses will be tested in the PhD Qualification Examination (Written QE) at the end of their first year of candidature.

Operations Research (OR)

Course Code	Course Title
BDC6111/ IE6001	Foundations of Optimization
BDC6112/ IE6004	Stochastic Processes I

Analytics

Students must read and pass 1 essential course in the area of ‘Analytics’.

Course Code	Course Title
BDC6307	Introduction to Data Analytics
CS5339	Theory and Algorithms for Machine Learning

Elective Courses

Students have the flexibility to select the elective courses to match their research interests. The elective courses are grouped into 3 categories: OR Methods, OR Modeling and Data Analytics.
Among the elective courses chosen, at least 2 courses (8 units) must be in OR Methods, 1 course (4 units) in OR Modeling and 1 course (4 units) in Data Analytics.

Students may read elective courses(s) outside the list provided and the request is subject to the approval of the student’s advisor/ Programme Director and course host department(s).

OR Methods

Course Code	Course Title
BDC6304	Robust Modelling and Optimization
BDC6302	Discrete Optimization and Algorithms
BDC6301	Bayesian Modelling and Decision-Making
BDC6305/ IE6509	Theory and Algorithms for Dynamic Programming
BDC6306/ IE6505	Stochastic Processes II
BDC6303/ IE6507	Queues and Stochastic Networks
IE6511	Surrogate and Metaheuristic Global Optimization
IE6520	Theory and Algorithms for Online Learning
MA5268	Theory and Algorithms for Nonlinear Optimization
ST6103	Advanced Probability Theory
EC5101	Microeconomic Theory
EC6101	Advanced Microeconomic Theory
EC6312	Advanced Game Theory
EC6316	Contract Theory and Applications
CS5234	Combinatorial and Graph Algorithms
CS6234	Advanced Algorithms

OR Modeling

Course Code	Course Title
BDC6113	Foundations of Inventory Management
BDC6114	Logistics and Supply Chain
EE5138R	Optimization for Communication Systems
IE5405	Retail Operations and Analytics

Data Analytics

Course Code	Course Title
EE6735	Algorithms for Statistical Inference
ST6101	Advanced Statistical Theory
ST6102	Advanced Statistical Theory II
ST6105	Computational Statistics
ST6104	Statistical Models
BZD6003	Applied Econometrics I
EC5103	Econometric Modelling and Applications I
EC6103	Econometric Modelling and Applications II
EC6313	Topics in Econometrics
IE5405	Retail Operations and Analytics

Note Not all courses are offered in every semester or academic year. Students are responsible in ensuring that they do not register for courses with any timetable clashes and are able to attend classes and sit for examinations as scheduled.

PhD Qualifying Examination

Students must pass the PhD Qualifying Examination (QE) within the stipulated period in order to continue with the PhD programme. Passing the PhD Qualifying Examination is the signal for the students to embark on the dissertation.
The PhD Qualifying Examination consists of 2 components: Written QE and Oral QE.
Students are required to pass the written QE at the end of the first year and the oral QE at the end of the second year.

Written QE

The written QE comprises 2 written examinations based on the following essential courses: Foundations of Optimization & Stochastic Processes I

Oral QE

The oral QE comprises two components as follows:

Students who have passed the written QE can commence on their RO papers, which will be submitted for their oral QE at the end of the second year. The purpose of the RO paper is to examine the students’ ability to conduct independent research under the guidance of their supervisors.

The QE committee will examine the student’s RO paper and proficiency in the two elective courses before recommending a pass/fail.

Thesis Requirements

Proposal Defense

After clearing the QE, students should begin to put together a proposal for the thesis. The proposal is an original idea for investigation put forth by the student, after an extensive study of the topic. The students are expected to detail the research question and also provide an outline of the study design.

A Proposal Examination Committee will be formed and students are required to defend their thesis proposal. As a guide, all students need to defend their thesis proposal in Year 3 to Year 4 in the programme.

Thesis Submission and Examination

Students are required to submit their thesis for examination after being approved by their thesis advisors and the HoD.

The thesis must demonstrate the student’s ability to perform original, independent research, and represent the student’s work and significant contribution to the knowledge in the specific domain of research.

Following the evaluation of thesis examiners and if there are no/ minor amendments, the oral examination/ defense will be arranged. The student will be considered for award of degree by the Board of Graduate Studies when all minor/ major revisions are incorporated in the thesis to the satisfaction of the supervisor(s) and the Oral Panel (if applicable) and the thesis has been successfully uploaded onto the relevant system(s).

After the degree has been awarded by the Board of Graduate Studies, the Chancellor’s approval will be sought for the degree to be conferred in writing.

Programme Information

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