ISyE 6335, “Inventory and Distribution” (AKA “Supply Chain Engineering 1”) is one of the courses in the masters degree program in supply chain engineering at the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
This class is different from ISyE 6202 in that it is part of our professional masters program and so emphasizes preparing students to begin work immediately after graduation (rather than to enter further graduate studies). While we will use computer and mathematical models, they will be treated as means to an end, rather than as the primary topic of interest. There will be frequent visits to the class by speakers from industry. And we will work on a project for a client.
This class, like all GT classes, will adhere to these expectations.
Here are the textbook and calendar, with schedule of topics and assignments.
We will meet twice a week for lecture and discussion: Monday and Wednesday 1005–1125 in Room 212 of the Engineering Science and Mechanics Building.
Your grade will be based on the following.
In addition, for those on the cusp of the next higher grade I may award a small amount of extra credit for insightful class participation, assigned homework, extraordinary performance on the project, etc. But this will be only after the third and final exam.
The grading scale will be no stricter than this: A = 90% or higher; B = at least 80% but below 90%; C = at least 70% but below 80%; D = at least 50% but below 70%; F = below 50%.
There will be no make-up exams. If you miss any single exam, your other two exams will be averaged to compensate (so that each counts 30 percent). If you miss two or more exams, you will receive a grade of “Unsatisfactory” for the course.
Every exam that you turn in will be graded and counts towards your grade. You may not choose to drop a previously submitted exam.
Everything in assigned reading and everything discussed in class is testable material, as is the lectures of visiting speakers and the presentations of final projects.
All exams are cumulative, but generally with emphasis on the most recent material.
Test questions tend to fall into these categories:
All questions have relatively short answers (rarely more than a few carefully chosen sentences). I look for evidence of understanding. Hence, a student will lose points if they write something that is wrong or seems confused, even if they also have included the right answer. On the other hand, I give partial credit for demonstrating competency, even if sullied by an arithmetic error. I have even been known to give full credit for an answer that criticized my question in a thoughtful way.
If you are confused by a question, repeat it as you understand it and answer that. This helps me understand what you have written. (There are limits, however, to what I can overlook --- no fair assuming the problem away.)
You may bring one 3-inch by 5-inch index card to each exam, with anything you like written on it. You may use both sides. (Here is an example). You can see exams from last semester by clicking on the exam link found on the course calendar.
When the exam is declared over, cease writing immediately and turn in your paper. Delinquent papers may be penalized.
If you think there has been a mistake in the grading of your exam, write a detailed defense plus what you think should be done to rectify the mistake. Staple this to the top of exam and return it to the Teaching Assistant within one week after graded exams have been returned.
Homework will be assigned occasionally but rarely collected. When it is collected, it may count as extra credit. In any case the homework problems in the textbook will be a source of exam questions and so it is recommended that you do them. The Teaching Assistant will be happy to give you hints on any homework problem, but he will not give out answers (other than to confirm your work).
The Teaching Assistant for August-December 2011 is Pisit Jarumaneeroj, whom you can reach at limumil AT gatech DOT edu, or during office hours Tuesdays 12:00-1:30PM in Room 334 of the ISyE main building. See the TA first for help on homework, tests, or projects. Note that the TA is unusually popular immediately before exams so get your questions resolved early.
Professor John J. BARTHOLDI, III
Room 202 Groseclose Building, 404-894-3036,
John DOT Bartholdi AT GaTech.edu
www.isye.gatech.edu/~jjb
