Operations Management Curriculum

There are specific requirements for the doctoral program in each field of study. The faculty group can specify how certain departmental requirements are to be met and can add requirements or increase minimum standards. Optional courses may be taken in addition to the required courses, not instead of them. Students must consult with their field advisor to ensure that their choices make a sensible program.

Coursework

Summer Session

Required:

Econ 204 - Mathematical Tools for Economics (prerequisite for Econ 201A)

Course Requirements

IEOR 262A - Mathematical Programming
IEOR 263A - Applied Stochastic Processes
IEOR 150 or 250 - Production Systems
Econ 201A, Econ 201B - Economic Theory
PhD seminars in Operations Management (6-8 units)
PhD seminars in other areas of Haas (2-4 units)
PhDBA 300 - Teaching Business

At least one of:

IEOR 151 - Service Operations Design & Analysis
IEOR 153 - Logistics Network Design & Supply Chain Management
IEOR 251 - Facilities Design and Logistics
IEOR 253 - Advanced Supply Chain Management
IEOR 254 - Production and Inventory Systems

At least two of:

IEOR 262B -Mathematical Programming II
IEOR 266 - Network Flows and Graphs
IEOR 268 - Dynamic Programming
IEOR 267 - Queuing Theory
IEOR 263B - Applied Stochastic Processes II

At least one of:

Stat 200A - Intro to Probability and Statistics at an Advanced Level
Stat 215A - Statistical Models
Stat 240A - Econometrics

First-Year Examination

The first-year examination is a combined take-home and oral exam on a research-oriented open-ended problem to test for mastery of foundational material and to assess research potential. Students should complete six or more of the specified lecture courses to prepare for the exam.

Second-Year Paper

By the end of the summer following a student's sEcond year in the program, students are expected to complete a research paper with the potential for submission to a journal. Faculty in the group will evaluate these papers and provide feedback. These papers may provide the basis for a dissertation proposal.

Oral Qualifying Examination

Students submit and defend their dissertation proposals in the oral qualifying examination. The objective is to determine whether students have the intellectual capacity and academic preparation to complete the program. Successful completion of prior phases of the program and a well-defined research proposal are required.

Dissertation

A dissertation is the formulation and completion of a major research project and its written presentation. It is the last step in the program. The university has specific guidelines for completing the dissertation. A faculty committee reviews the dissertation as an ongoing process. The committee is chosen by the student and must consist of three or more faculty members, one of whom must be from a department outside Haas. When all members are satisfied, they sign off on the dissertation to signify their approval. Then, the student files the work with the university.

Note: The doctoral program currently focuses on Operations Management. The program may be expanded to include Information Technology at a later date.

First-Person

Candace A. Yano

Professor and Chair
Haas Operations and
Information Technology
Management Group

"At the heart of any business is the delivery of goods and services whose quality and cost are attractive to customers, and this is exactly the focus of Operations Management. The Haas approach to Operations Management is both disciplinary and interdisciplinary in nature: faculty are exploring a wide range of issues, including supply chain management, new product innovation, and the interface of operations with marketing, finance, and accounting."