Operations Management MBAs and PhDs: Degrees at a Glance
Operations managers drive the logistics and production of large multinational corporations by using statistical modeling to test and maintain efficient and qualitative production streams. They may work with a corporation's supply chain to ensure sourcing efficiencies or within the manufacturing sector to minimize production-level defects. Practitioners weigh the company's goals against production methods, constantly engaging in a cost-benefit analysis of certain strategic actions. Many operations managers write reports, prepare presentations and consult on limited-term projects.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), job opportunities for top executives, such as general and operations managers, could grow slower than average during the 2010-2020 decade, and open positions could be very competitive (www.bls.gov). MBA holders are typically qualified for lower-level management positions, like management analyst positions where 22% growth from 2010 through 2020 was expected. Doctoral-degree holders could work as operations research analysts, a field the BLS expected 15% growth during that same period.
| MBA | Ph.D. | |
|---|---|---|
| Who is this degree for? | Business students who wish to specialize in operations management | Students who seek to engage in business operations research |
| Common Career Paths (with approximate annual median salary) | - Operations manager ($95,000)* - Management analyst ($78,000)* | - Business professor, post-secondary ($75,000)* - Operations research analyst ($72,000)* |
| Time to Completion | 2 years full-time | 3-6 years full-time |
| Common Graduation Requirements | - Roughly 12-18 courses - Internship | - 4-6 graduate-level fundamentals classes - 2-4 specialization classes - Research paper - Dissertation - Comprehensive examinations - Weekly seminars |
| Prerequisites | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's or master's degree |
| Online Availability | Yes | Rare |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2011).
