Go to the College of Business overview site. Decision science is the application of quantitative and other systematic problem-solving techniques to generate information for management decisions. Decision science is interdisciplinary, drawing upon mathematics, economics, computer science, and verbal reasoning. The decision scientist is able to analyze complex problems from many different viewpoints, delivering results which no individual discipline alone can produce. It is used in solving a variety of practical business problems such as product design, production planning, quality control, plant expansion and location, marketing strategy selection, and financial planning.
Decision science is also widely used in the public sector.
Health-care systems, police and fire protection, and military systems design represent just a few of these applications. Some organizations even have specialized departments, staffed entirely by decision science professionals. You can serve in a staff capacity, taking responsibility for planning and evaluation. You can also use your skills and experience to move into a line position such as plant manager or divisional vice-president, taking responsibility for executing plans. Graduates of the Shippensburg University decision science major have obtained responsible positions in a variety of Fortune 500 companies such as Air Products, Bell Atlantic, Bethlehem Steel, General Electric, Kodak, Bell Laboratories, and Westinghouse.