Operations Management

All our faculty are research-active and work with PhD students. Our joint expertise spans modeling, optimization, data analysis, prediction and prescription, and empirical research methods. We have published scholarly articles in, and serve on the editorial boards of, leading journals, such as Management Science, Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, Mathematics of Operations Research, and Operations Research. Our work has also appeared in practitioner-oriented articles, such as Harvard Business Review and Supply Chain Management. Individual faculty have also taken on leadership roles in professional organizations, such as the Manufacturing and Service Operations Management Society and the Applied Probability Society. Our faculty have also written three textbooks on operations management, supply chain management, and operations strategy that are used in universities around the world.

Our current PhD students come from the fields of engineering, computer science, mathematics, operations research and statistics. A master’s degree is not required, but about half of our matriculating students do have a graduate degree. Strong quantitative skills are needed for the type of research our students do. Recommended coursework includes calculus, linear algebra, optimization, probability and statistics. Our training and coursework are grounded in operations research and economics; therefore, an interest in economics is expected. Prior research experience is not required.

Coursework

In years one and two, students take 3 to 4 courses each quarter (fall, winter, spring). The first-year curriculum allows students to build a solid base in operations research as well as microeconomics, econometrics, stochastic modeling and optimization.

In their second year, course registration is more flexible as students transition from coursework to independent research. These courses include operations management doctoral courses offered that year and courses in other fields, such as economics, engineering, and quantitative marketing, or even an MBA course if relevant.

Preliminary Exam

Students will take a comprehensive preliminary exam at the end of their first year. This oral exam tests students ability to understand material from their first year of study and measures the student’s knowledge of the field as a whole.

Qualifying Exam and Candidacy

At the end of year two, students are required to write a research paper that demonstrates competency in operations research. Upon successfully passing this qualifying exam and maintaining a 3.0 (B) grade point average in coursework, the student is admitted to candidacy.

Research, Proposal & Dissertation

The main activity in the third year and afterward is research toward a thesis, under the direction of one or more faculty advisors. A thesis proposal must be presented to the department by the end of year three, prior to the beginning of fall classes. In their final year in the program, each candidate must complete a dissertation demonstrating original and significant research and pass a final oral examination on the dissertation.

Teaching Requirement

To promote engagement with faculty and integration with the intellectual life of the department, students serve as research and teaching assistants during years two, three, and four, including summers. Research assistantships (RAs) are an excellent lead-in to research; teaching assistantships (TAs) prepare students for teaching after obtaining the PhD.