Operations and Analytics Department
What We Do:
We teach supply chain management and business analytics -- two key areas of any business -- and we prepare students for leadership roles in these fields.
Our supply chain management majors learn how to manage processes and supply chains. They learn how to run efficient and effective businesses while improving the quality of goods and services.
Business analytics students learn how to analyze data in order to develop recommendations that improve a company's competitiveness and profitability.
How We Stand Out:
- We're nationally ranked. September 2024: U.S. News and World Reports ranks our Undergraduate Business Analytics program 26th in the nation - US News Rank UG Business Analytics
- The supply chain management specialization of Scranton's MBA program placed 15th in the nation in U.S. News & World Report's 2018 edition of "Best Graduate Schools."
- Our students visit regional companies to see how the theories they learn in class are put into practice.
- Small class sizes allow us to get to know our students on a first-name basis and serve as mentors.
- We are committed to including ethics, social justice and responsibility into our curriculum.
Programs:
Undergraduate
Supply Chain Management - Students learn business practices that help to create the highest level of efficiency in producing goods and services. Core classes include Supply Chain Management, Production Planning and Control, and Quality Management.Business Analytics - Students learn how to gather and analyze data in order to solve various business problems. Key classes include data mining, database management, simulation and business forecasting.
Graduate
MS in Business Analytics - This program teaches students to use techniques like data visualization, predictive analytics and prescriptive analytics to solve business problems. Since business analytics is one of the fastest growing professions in the United States, job opportunities available in nearly every type of industry.
MBA with Supply Chain Management specialization - Requires 36 credit hours, including core business courses and at least nine credit hours from the operations management specialization. Coursework is designed to teach students how to manage and lead in all aspects of business, including operations and supply chain management and project management.
MBA with Business Analytics specialization - Offers a hands-on curriculum focusing on topics specific to analytics -- like data mining, data visualization and statistical modeling, predictive analytics, database management, business intelligence and simulation.
Meet Our Faculty:
Our professors are among the best in the business, but what sets them apart even further is their exceptional enthusiasm for their work. Instructors engage students in dynamic lessons that incorporate the latest research.
All of our faculty members actively participate in scholarly research, have various teaching interests and are involved in service.
Nabil Tamimi, Ph.D., Department Chair
Inside the Classroom:
Our classes are more than just lectures. Our students also benefit from:
- Guest speakers who work in the field.
- Simulation software and practical Excel business applications
- Visits to regional companies
- A focus on responsible corporate citizenship
- Group projects that apply concepts to real-world scenarios
American Society for Quality (ASQ) Six Sigma Certification
Operations & Analytics provides additional training and resources to help our students build valuable skill sets and accreditations.
Six Sigma is a structured and disciplined process designed to consistently deliver quality products and services, with aim to improve the bottom line by eliminating mistakes in business processes. The American Society for Quality (ASQ) Certified Six Sigma Yellow Belt (CSSYB) is designed for entry-level employees who seek to improve analytical and leadership skill sets that qualify them for more positions within modern business environments. Common job functions include:
- administrator
- champion
- executive
- first-line operator
- inspector
- junior-level employee
- manager
- project manager
- quality analyst
- representative
Common industries include education, energy, government, healthcare, information technology, manufacturing, medical device, military, pharmaceutical, and service. Six Sigma professionals continue to be in demand, as companies worldwide seek to cut costs, improve processes, and decrease waste. Countless employers see hiring Six Sigma belts as an investment that offers a high return because they know how to achieve more using fewer resources.
Student Research:
One of the many ways that active learning takes place at Scranton is through faculty-mentored research. Our undergraduates have the chance to collaborate with faculty on their research. At other universities, such opportunities are often reserved for graduate students.
We also encourage and help students to obtain internships. Our alumni have gained valuable professional experience by interning at organizations like Johnson & Johnson (health care), Sanofi (pharmaceuticals), PPL Corporation (energy) and Tobyhanna Army Depot (logistics).
Career Outcomes:
Our graduates move on to work in a wide range of industries.
The business analytics program prepares students for such jobs as:
- business consultant
- data analyst
- business intelligence analyst
- operations research analyst
- market research analyst
Our supply chain management degree gives students the skills for positions like:
- production manager
- quality manager
- inventory analyst
- production planning analyst
- supply chain manager/analyst