MSCI 452Decision Making Under Uncertainty
- Faculty
- Engineering
- Last listed
- Spring 2024
No longer offered. It was in Waterloo’s course catalog since at least Winter 2020 (as far back as Open Data goes) to Spring 2024 and last ran in Spring 2024. It isn’t in the 2024–25 or later calendars.
When it ran
- S20
- S21
- S22
- S23
- W24
- S24
Ran in 6 terms, Spring 2020 to Spring 2024.
This course deals with normative, descriptive, and prescriptive theories and models of decision making under uncertainty. The course focuses on concepts such as risk measures, Bayes theorem, and basic and multi-attribute utility theories. The course uses these concepts to build analytical decision-making models considering the randomness and/or risk-attitude of the decision-makers. Various forms of decision analysis techniques will be covered and typically include, expected utility maximization, the value of information analysis, one/two-way sensitivity analysis, and sequential Bayesian inference. Practical uses and limitations of the models and techniques will be illustrated. [Offered: S]
Requirements, as last listed
Prereq: One of AE 224, BME 213, CHE 220, CIVE 224, ECE 203, 306, ENVE 224, MSCI 251, 252, ME 202, MTE 201, NE 215, STAT 206, 211, 231, 241, SYDE 212
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
16 posts and comments in 12 threads mention MSCI 452, May 2011 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Spring 2024
Management Eng students, it you had the opportunity to go to UTSG CS instead, would you do it? 10 points, 55 comments
“Please explain why you would or would not. UTSG CS = University of Toronto St. George campus, Computer Science”
u/wagwanm0n: “Brother why is this your 100th post on this topic?? U gotta learn to be less indecisive”
u/1000Ditto: “bro needs MSCI 436: Decision Support Systems and MSCI 452: Decision Making Under Uncertainty (both of which are excellent courses)”
Winter 2024
Mathematical Optimization 6 points, 7 comments
“Anyone doing this major? Since declaring majors are around the corner, I would like to know more about this major. What is it truely about? …”
u/nyephe: “Looking at the mathematical optimization courses, it looks more computationally heavy than Management Engineering (MSE). …”
u/1000Ditto: “… everyone is set up to fail unless you have a 85+ in 332 which nobody has game theory one = msci 452 probably with hassan, it's a good course with some nice heuristics, as long as you understand basic probability you're set”
Best Intro to ML/AI course? 15 points, 14 comments
u/bomankleinn01: “… Foundations of Machine Learning CS 486: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence MSCI 452: Introduction to Machine Learning ECE 457B: Fundamentals of Computational Intelligence ECE 457: Applied Artificial Intelligence &x200B; What's the best for industry Intro ML course from this …”
u/1000Ditto: “msci 452 isnt ML it's decisionmaking under uncertaitny why not just take cs480 then msci 546”
u/bomankleinn01: “My bad, i meant MSCI 446, imma change that”
Interesting ML course from Engineering Department from Math Student 7 points, 8 comments
u/Novel_Brain9700: “… MSCI 452: Decision Making Under Uncertainty 3. MSCI 623: Big Data Analytics 4. MSCI 641: Text Analytics 5. ECE 417: Image Processing or SYDE 575: Image Processing 6. ECE 457B: Fundamentals of Computational Intelligence (Winter) 7. ECE 457C: Reinforcement Learning (Spring) 8. …”
Winter 2023
MSCI 452??? 1 point, 0 comments
u/naomontbleau: “Has anyone taken this class? What was your experience? How hard is it?”
Winter 2022
Management Eng v.s. Computer Eng v.s. SYDE? 0 points, 9 comments
“This might not be the place to ask this question, sorry if it isn’t. I’m interested in a software engineering/developer career. …”
u/wagwanm0n: “Easiest to get into management and prospects for software jobs are great. Good amount of coding courses too”
u/Alternative_Way_3534: “… MSCI 452 Decision Making Under Uncertainty 4. MSCI 435 Advanced Optimization Techniques 5. MSCI 555 Scheduling: Theory and Practice And then you have the core optimization courses, which if you intend to understand the working of much of machine learning, is very important: 1. …”
Spring 2021
Job Opportunities and Workload: SYDE, Tron, and Management 1 point, 9 comments
“I have recently been thinking of switching from mechanical engineering and am deciding between SYDE, Tron, and Management. …”
u/wagwanm0n: “Management does have a good number of coding courses”
u/original-random: “… MSCI 452 Decision making under uncertainty is another topic you will find in classic AI MSCI 555 Scheduling - another classic AI problem”
Winter 2018
MSCI 452 ?? 2 points, 1 comment
u/instantkimchi: “has anyone taken this course.... is it bird?”
Spring 2017
Next two study terms workload advice 1 point, 0 comments
u/lauriersux: “… CS 341, CS 350, CS 348, MSCI 452, Elective/Non-math If anyone has taken these courses can you give me an insight on the workload for each of these courses? …”
Fall 2014
MSCI 452 bird course? 5 points, 8 comments
u/simplic12: “Hey, Has anyone taken MSCI 452? I'm wondering what the course load is. Needing another easy msci course (taken 211, 311) need one more at the 300s or 400s. Thanks!”
u/thegooseandthegander: “i'm pretty sure MSCI 452 is not a course about birds, if that's what you mean. get it? bird course? HUEHEUHEUEHUEHEUHAUHEUAHAEUHEUEA”
u/slimjim91: “MSCI 452 is much harder than 311/211, but it's not terribly hard. It's definitely not a bird course”
Spring 2014
Management Engineering? 0 points, 22 comments
“I just have a few things to ask about management engineering. 1)How is it compared to the other engineering majors (courseload etc.) 2)What options are available for a management engineering student …”
u/slimjim91: “1) The course loud is on the easy-medium side compared to other engineering programs 2) All options are open depending on your grade, I have a friend who is currently doing a minor in software at the …”
u/slimjim91: “… Here is my copied list: 6 List I Electives MSCI 446 - Data Warehousing and Mining MSCI 452 - Decision Making Under Uncertainty MSCI 551 - Quality Management and Control MSCI 436 - Decision Support Systems Elective (not chosen yet) Elective (not chosen yet) 1 List A Electives …”
Spring 2011
MSci Option, tips and advice? 0 points, 5 comments
“Hey, I'm a 1B Comp Eng, and we've started discussing options here in my ECE 100B class. From my understanding options show up on your diploma, and for the most part dont require extra courses (they …”
u/metallickirby: “… I have only taken MSCI 311 and currently taking MSCI 452. I plan on taking the rest in 4B. Read the course descriptions. MSCI courses are actually really heavy on theory and less about math (except a couple). IT IS NOTHING LIKE MSCI 261. NOTHING. …”
Check it elsewhere
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2023–24Its last calendar entry, on ucalendar
- Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
- UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
- WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them
In the scanned calendars
How it read in each calendar from 1985–86 to 1994–95, newest first. The text is OCR of the scanned pages; years whose wording matches are shown once, from the clearest scan. Each year links to its page on uwloo and to that page of the scanned PDF.
1989–90 to 1994–95 5 calendars
Review of probability, distribution theory, and classical statistical inference methods. Linear statistical models, analysis of variance, regression. Bayesian analysis, contingent decision making, value of information, utility and risk. Prereq: M SCI 251 or equivalent Antireq: SY DE 334
Offered Winter · 3 class, 1 tutorial hours a week · 0.5 credit
1985–86 to 1988–89 3 calendars
Another title: Behavioural Decision Analysis, probably a different course under the same number (or a misread scan).
This course concerns decision making processes within organizations at the individual and group levels. Topics include goals and the measurement of utility; decisions without probabilities and uncertainty reduction; incentives ‘and contributions; and multiple-criteria methods.
Prereq: M SCI 251 or equivalent
Offered Winter · 2 class, 1 tutorial hours a week · 0.5 credit