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MSCI 531Stochastic Processes and Decision Making

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

  1. S20
  2. S21
  3. S22
  4. S23
  5. S24

Ran in 5 terms, Spring 2020 to Spring 2024.

This course builds on the material covered in MSCI 431. Students will learn how to construct and analyze a range of stochastic decision models that are useful in the design and control of a wide variety of systems. Applications areas include the design of inventory control systems, telecommunication networks, healthcare polices, manufacturing control, and reliability analysis. Topics include Renewal-Reward Processes, Markov Decision Processes, Matrix Analytic Methods with application areas noted above. [Offered: S]

Requirements, as last listed

Prereq: MSCI 431

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

5 posts and comments in 5 threads mention MSCI 531, January 2018 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.

Winter 2023

Should I commit to Management Engineering? 12 points, 35 comments

“I got into MGTE at Uwaterloo! It was my top choice alongside Statistics and Computer Science at McGill, and somehow I got into both! However I’m stuck on which to choose. …”

u/Emotional_Wonder_123: “… With stochastics (MSCI 431) and then the optional MSCI 531, you covers lots more about probability and most importantly get into Markov Decision Processes, which are a big AI topic. 5. …”

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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 531 Stochastic Processes and Decision Making 3. MSCI 452 Decision Making Under Uncertainty 4. MSCI 435 Advanced Optimization Techniques 5. …”

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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: “… 1 and 2 MSCI 331/332/435 Optimization galore, which is central to all machine learning MSCI 431/531 Stochastic models, and stuff like Markov Decision Processes, which is really just more AI/ML stuff. …”

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Winter 2018

MSCI 452 ?? 2 points, 1 comment

“has anyone taken this course.... is it bird?”

u/mongol_lord: “Not bird, not hard. Some work is expected, but it is very doable. I would suggest MSCI 531 for a more interesting course around the same lines. 531 however is a harder one.”

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