Operations Research Certification

Applicants to the Certification of Professional Achievement Program must submit official transcripts, 3 letters of recommendation, and the $150 application fee.

Degree required for admission: Students admitted to the program must possess a bachelor's degree in engineering, science, mathematics, computer science, statistics, economics with a minor in mathematics, or other related field from an accredited academic institution. Students should possess a strong mathematics background (three terms calculus, one term ordinary differential equations required; one term linear algebra recommended). Applicants should have a strong undergraduate record to be competitive for admission. 

GPA required: Minimum of 3.0 

Candidates for the Certification of Professional Achievement Program must complete the program of study as defined by the appropriate department. Program requirements for completion of these Certification Programs are listed below:

• 4 Graduate-level classes all earned through CVN, as a non-degree student.
• Minimum of 12 credit points
• Minimum GPA of 3.0
• Completion of program within two (2) calendar years.

Required Courses

Students must choose 4 of the following courses: 

• IEOR E4150: Probability and Statistics 
• IEOR E4004: Optimization Models and Methods or IEOR E4007: Optimization Models and Methods (FE)* 
• IEOR E4106: Stochastic Models or IEOR E4701: Stochastic Models (FE)* 
• IEOR E4403: Quantitative Corporate Finance
• IEOR E4404: Simulation or IEOR E4703: Monte Carlo Simulation* 

4 Graduate-level classes, all earned through CVN as a non-degree student, from list of courses above. 

2023–2024 Tuition & Fees

Please note that all tuition and fees are in U.S. dollars and are estimated. Tuition and most fees are prescribed by statute and are subject to change at the discretion of the Trustees.

CVN Credit Tuition: $2,462.00 per point (Credit Hour)
CVN Fee: $395 non-refundable fee per course
Transcript Fee: $105 non-refundable one-time fee
Tuition Deposit: $1,000 (More information on our Resources page)

Estimated cost of one nondegree course: $7,886.00
Estimated total cost of certification (four courses): $31,229.00

Estimated total cost of MS (ten courses): $77,915.00
*Estimated total cost of DES (ten courses plus a minimum of 12 research credits): $108,249.00

Graduate Admission Application Fee: $85 non-refundable one-time fee 
Certification Program Application Fee: $85 non-refundable one-time fee 

Late Registration Fee: $100 non-refundable fee

CVN Withdrawal Fee: $75, plus prorated tuition and all non-refundable fees
For example: A three-credit course would be $7,781 + transcript fee $105 (one-time) + CVN fee $395 = $7,886

*Assumes DES student enrolls in two six-credit research courses.

For Drop/Withdrawal fees and dates, refer to the Academic Calendar for the current term.

Please note: CVN no longer offers courses for audit.

Payment should be mailed to:

Attn: Shewanna House
Accounting & Business Management
Senior Student Services Rep
Payments & Deposits
210 Kent Hall, Mail Code 9205
1140 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10027

Before you mail your check or money order, please take careful note of the following requirements to ensure the timely processing of your payment: https://sfs.columbia.edu/content/pay-mail.