The Rawls College of Business Master of Science program with a concentration in Operations Management involves the use of mathematical and computerized models for problem analysis and decision-making in production and service operations. Applications of these approaches are widespread in business, industry, and government.   Persons with strong interest in careers related to supply chain management, process design, materials management, resource management, capacity management, project management, inventory management, logistics management, aggregate planning, or quality management should major in operations management.  This would, of course, include those interested in combining a career in software development with any of the above. 

Because of the close relationship which operations management has with management information systems, it is possible to create curricula that exploit the synergism between both of these disciplines.  For example, it is possible to include many courses in management information systems in your operations management program. 

Another discipline which operations management synergizes well with is health organization management.  There are many distinct processes and operations within health organizations that require analysis by someone well acquainted with such operations and with operations management per se.

Faculty in this program teach and conduct research in a diversity of related areas:  process redesign through modeling and simulation, supply and value chain modeling and management, project management as well as simulation and control of business operations.  There is also strong interest in Goldratt approaches to problem solving and constraint elevation.

Other research activities of faculty members include methodologies for problem definition, team learning, systems thinking, and supply chain optimization.

Some applications of this research have included development of new scheduling tools and techniques for use in complex, finite-capacity manufacturing and service operations. 

The program requires 22 hours of tool courses, 33 hours of core, required, and elective courses, and a 3-hour capstone course. Students with a recent BBA may waive all tool courses with a grade of B or better in comparable undergraduate courses.