Operations Management Major
Program Overview
The operations management major is concerned with the effective management of the conversion process involved in transforming inputs into desired products and services.
During the 1970s, major segments of American Industry, once dominant in world markets, experienced dramatic declines. Why has the United States lost much of its domestic market for products originally invented and developed here? The decline in productivity growth is often cited as a major cause. After World War II, other nations, especially Japan and Germany, began focusing their attention on long term quality, manufacturing processes, and continuing programs of operational improvement. The Japanese committed themselves to the development of technologies and operations systems that result in products with low cost, high quality, and high reliability. This practice gave them a significant competitive advantage in the market places of the world. In the late 1980s, after losing millions of customers, U.S. companies started focusing on improving quality, reliability, productivity, and manufacturing flexibility.
Operations management is concerned with all of these factors. It is one of the core functional areas of an organization and has a significant impact on the success and survival of the organization. In this age of fierce international competition, firms have to provide products/services of superior quality at affordable prices. Otherwise, firms will not succeed. The primary goal of the OM major is to impart the necessary management science techniques so that OM departments can effectively deliver quality products at the lowest possible cost.
Curriculum
Operations management major:
The following three courses are required:
Three of the following elective courses may be selected:
- OIM 353 Business Process Overview
- OIM 462 Project Management in Organizations
- OIM 472 Electronic Business and Entrepreneurship
- OIM 473 Business Applications of Communication Networks
- EC 251 Introduction to Electronic Business
- EC 361 Electronic Business Communication Networks
- EC 362 Database Management Systems for Electronic Business
- EC 461 Internet Applications Development
- EC 462 Projects in Electronic Business
Operations Management Minor:
All University students as well as all business students (with the exception of OM majors in the Kania School) can minor in operations management. The minor six courses (18 credits) and must include:
- OIM 351 Introduction to Management Science
- OIM 352 Introduction to Management Science
- OIM 471 Business Information Management
and one of the following three courses:
Select one elective course from the following:
- OIM 353 Business Process Overview
- OIM 462 Project Management in Organizations
- OIM 472 Electronic Business and Entrepreneurship
- OIM 473 Business Applications of Communication Networks
- EC 251 Introduction to Electronic Business
- EC 361 Electronic Business Communication Networks
- EC 461 Internet Applications Development
- EC 462 Projects in Electronic Business
If not selected as a required course, you may also choose:
Based upon your interests, you will be able to select courses which complement your major. This minor will enrich your business knowledge and broaden your career prospects. It will also help prepare you to take the professional certification examinations in the area of Production and Operations Management. Any faculty member of the OIM Department would be willing to help you decide which courses would be suitable.
