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MSE 332Deterministic Optimization Models and Methods

Units
0.50
Faculty
Engineering
Subject
Management Science and Engineering

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 3 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: not on the schedule. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

This course builds on the material presented in MSE 331, and explores more advanced optimization techniques and applications. Methods, such as integer optimization, dynamic programming, and heuristics, are introduced and used to design solution alternatives for applications from management engineering. This may include network and process design in logistics, transportation, telecommunications, and health care.

Prerequisites

  • Complete 1 of the following
    • Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
      • BME411 - Optimization and Numerical Methods (0.50)
      • CHE521 - Process Optimization (0.50)
      • CIVE332 - Civil Systems and Project Management (0.50)
      • CO250 - Introduction to Optimization (0.50)
      • ENVE335 - Decision Making for Environmental Engineers (0.50)
      • MSE232 - Modelling in Operations Research (0.50)
      • MSE331 - Introduction to Optimization (0.50)
      • SYDE411 - Optimization and Numerical Methods (0.50)
    • Must have completed at least 1 of the following:

Antirequisites

  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
    • CO327 - Deterministic OR Models (Non-Specialist Level) (0.50)

Leads to

Fall 2026 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 001529977 / 94TTh 13:00–14:20
TUT 101530077 / 94W 09:00–09:50

Reviewed on UW Flow

50% liked it28% easy56% useful

From 14 ratings and 4 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • The grade breakdown for F23 is 3 tests (3x20%), 3 assignments (3x10%), and a project (10%). Consists of about 35% MSCI 331 and 65% new content. Not a difficult course but it's terribly taught in terms of course notes (prof is good, but notes are bad). Be warned the lecture notes are incomprehensible and you will have only 1 practice problem for each concept, even going into an exam. You probably won't be able to find supplementary online resources because the confusing concepts are typically only found in research papers. Overall it's unquestionably the worst MSCI course I've ever taken and this is unfortunate because it's relatively one of the more useful ones

    Sep 2023 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Taking this course is genuinely one of the worst experiences I could wish upon anyone. The professor amazes me with how awful she is at lecturing and running a course. The TAs are not just useless but are so apathetic that it becomes dangerous, as they're the ones marking all of your assessments in an unreasonable manner. IF THIS IS NOT A REQUIRED COURSE FOR YOU DO NOT TAKE THIS COURSE.

    Nov 2022 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • The course itself is enjoyable, you learn useful and novel concepts. The assignments (each contribute to basically a term project) are fun, but require a lot of work.
    However, the prof makes this course unenjoyable. Slides are half-assed with lots of errors, she expects you to figure everything out yourself and teaches almost the bare-minimum. On top of that, the marking is incredibly strict. I'd recommend the course, but not the prof, unfortunately.

    Nov 2020 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Advanced modelling learned in this course was extremely helpful in 4A courses.

    Jul 2019 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

2 posts and comments in 2 threads mention MSE 332, April 2024 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.

Fall 2024

uw management eng exchange 3 points, 3 comments

“hi all, all the title says, I’m a mgte student looking to go into exchange in a future term. Wanted to ask if there’s anyone out there that’s in mgte/knows of someone in mgte who went on exchange I …”

u/Ok-Conclusion-5481: “I have experience, but which term are you planning to go on exchange?”

u/Ok-Conclusion-5481: “… to how specialized some of the courses are MSE302 - Engineering Design Methods | WAIVE (?) MSE332 - Fundamentals of Optimization | EASY MSE333 - Simulation Analysis and Design | VERY DIFFICULT MSE343 - Human-Computer Interaction | VERY EASY From my experience it's going to be …”

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Winter 2024

Questions for Management Engineering students: this program or UTSG CS? 1 point, 11 comments

u/KINGBLUE2739046: “- It’s an Engineering workload, it’s a lot better than ECE, much more time to do side projects, almost a joke honestly, other programs will be making fun of you for not being real engineers, no big …”

u/nyephe: “… paste from the MSE 251/253 tutorials but it's never tested I remember Excel being used in MSE 100/131/251/253/331/263/334/431/332/333/343, and this is only up to 3B and excluding TEs”

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Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar