In addition to the three core classes, QUEST students are required to take two electives to enrich our learning experience. With a long and growing list of electives, the decision to decide on what elective to take may seem daunting. Last year, I interviewed three QUEST students about electives they enjoyed taking other than the popular QUEST-only electives (like mentoring, scoping, and study abroad trips). One year later, I have asked three more QUEST students about their opinions on worthwhile electives.

ENME466: Lean Six Sigma with Dr. David Bigio

In 190H, we are introduced to the concepts of Lean Six Sigma and the DMAIC (Define – Measure – Analyze – Improve – Control) process. This course applies these specific concepts on a deeper level for a semester-long corporate consulting project, much like the capstone 490H course. As a business student, Laura Bell (Q24) found that she learned how to troubleshoot and problem-solve in a different way – with an engineering mindset.

 Laura Bell (Q24), Senior in Supply Chain Management and International Business

I would definitely recommend this class because you learn skills that are applicable outside the classroom. You even get the opportunity to earn your Lean Six Sigma greenbelt, which is attractive to many employers. My advice is to prepare yourself for a more rigorous course load, but know that in the end the learning experience will be worth it!

BMGT452: Marketing Research Methods with Dr. Bobby Zhou

This course focuses on marketing decision-making and market research. Coursework involved designing market research studies, data collection, and statistical analysis. This course also has similar themes to 190H emphasizing how to ask the right questions.

Sydney Tommins (Q24), Senior in Marketing and Operations Management

In my 490H project, we had to conduct market research and contact our client’s customers with questions. Through my experience with BMGT452, I was able to determine how to ask questions that are very qualitative in a manner that allows us to quantify the data in order to analyze it… I can’t stress enough how important it is to know how to ask the right questions… This class really helps develop a foundation so that you can generate the results you need to back up your claims.

CMSC320: Introduction to Data Science with Professor John Dickerson

CMSC320 is a computer science course that focuses on data analysis and data analytics, similar to Kylie King’s QUEST-only BMGT438A/ENES 478A course on applied quantitative analysis. The course assignments are group-based. You get to learn about R to collect data from websites and how to analyze those very data sets.

Andrew Dicken (Q23), Senior in Computer Science

My biggest recommendation is to take CMSC320 with some other friends (aka other QUEST people) because there is a ton of group work and you need a good group to succeed.