Program Statistics
Visit PhD Program Statistics for statistics such as program admissions, enrollment, student demographics and more.
Operations Management
Degree Types: PhD
The Operations Management doctoral program trains students to apply theoretical, data-driven or empirical analysis to advance our understanding of how work and processes are, or should be, organized and managed.
Thoughtful design and execution of operations is critical to the success of any enterprise. The Operations Management doctoral program equips students to evaluate both strategic issues of designing operations as well as tactical issues of executing processes. The faculty embraces a wide variety of research methods so students are capable of applying the tools that are most appropriate for the problem at hand.
The program aims to produce scholars who can be successful in both business and engineering schools. This is accomplished through both coursework and working closely with faculty on research projects. The program is intentionally small so that students can work using an apprenticeship model with at least one, and often several, of our faculty, whom are all active in research.
Additional resources:
Program Contact
Contact Jo Ann Yablonka
Program Administrator
847-491-7465
Degree Requirements
The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in The Graduate School Policy Guide.
Requirements can also be found in the Program Guidelines for Operations Management PhD students issued by the Kellogg School of Management.
Master's
While the goal of our doctoral program is the awarding of a PhD degree, a Master of Science (MS) degree may be awarded to currently enrolled, qualified doctoral students. Students who are continuing for a PhD degree, or students who withdraw from the PhD program, may be considered for a MS degree if they are in good academic standing and they have completed a minimum of three quarters of coursework with a cumulative 3.0 GPA.
PhD
Total Units Required: 21
Students in the PhD program are required to take 21 courses. In year 1, a minimum of 4 courses in fall, winter, and spring quarters or 12 courses total. In year two, a minimum of 3 courses a quarter or 9 courses total. Registration for independent research study with a professor can count towards the coursework requirement. Required courses for the degree are listed below:
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| ECON 410-1 | Microeconomics |
| ECON 410-3 | Microeconomics |
| ECON 480-2 | Econometrics |
| ECON 480-3 | Econometrics |
| IEMS 460-1 | Stochastic Processes I |
| MECS 560-1 | Static Optimization in Economics (or equivalent in IEMS) |
| MECS 560-2 | Dynamic Optimization in Economics (or equivalent in IEMS) |
| OPNS 516-0 | Stochastic Foundations |
| OPNS 521-0 | Foundations of Operations Management |
| OPNS 525-0 | Emerging Areas in Operations Managements |
First-year Operations PhD students are required to take a Math course. MATH 300 Introduction to proof writing or MATH 320, MATH 321-1 or MATH 410-1 Rigorous proof Writing and Real analysis. Note: MATH 300 is a prerequisite for MATH 320, as well as linear algebra and multivariable calculus. Students need a permission number from MATH 321-1 to enroll. It is not advised to register for MATH 321-1 unless students have satisfied these prerequisites (perhaps at their prior institution).
Operations PhD students are also required to take one MBA course at the Kellogg School of Management: either OPNS 430-0 , “Operations Management,” or OPNS 440-0 , “Designing and Management Business Processes.”
To fulfill the 21-course requirement for the PhD degree, students must also take approved electives, which may include independent study (OPNS 499-0), in addition to the required courses listed above.
Other PhD Degree Requirements
- Examinations: Students take an oral exam in June of their first year. The exam is based on the student's review and presentation of one of a selection of classic, important published operations papers.
- Research/Projects: Oral presentation of a research paper to a faculty committee that demonstrates competency in operations research during the first week of the fall quarter of the third year. Upon successfully passing this summer paper and maintaining a 3.0 GPA in the coursework, students are admitted to candidacy.
- PhD Dissertation: Original and significant research. Topic and advisor or advisors should be selected in the third year; presentation of preliminary results (prospectus) to the faculty committee no later than December 15 of the fourth year.
- Final Evaluations: Oral final examination on dissertation and submission of an approved dissertation.