Operations Management Masters Puts Engineers in the Big Chair

Typically, there are two paths available to engineers in industry: they can become specialists in their field or leaders in their organization. For those looking for the big chair, a masters of science in operations management (MSOM) is a viable choice.

“As a student of this unique master’s level operations management program, you learn concepts, theories and managerial perspectives that address cutting-edge issues in operations management processes and supply chains,” said Dr. Christine Wallace, Vice President for Kettering Global. 

“Classes are asynchronous, so you can log on, attend class, and complete your assignments at a time most convenient for you. Furthermore, you can cater the assignments to specifically fit your current or future work situation.”

Wallace has noted that Kettering University has cultivated a significant reputation. CNN has ranked the school as the tenth best private college in the US for a tuition’s return on investment. The school also has over a thousand alumni that have reached C-level positions in their industries.

“Students take what they learn in the classroom today and use it tomorrow. This informs their company’s products and process,” said Wallace. “This is not a research-based program. It is a program that stresses applicability in the real world.”

Masters Curriculum Focus: Management of Supply Chain or Operations

Students taking a MSOM at Kettering University online should expect the same challenging content as seen on campus. The program employs subject matter experts to teach engineers the operational and business management skills they need to run a global-scale operation.

“Students say they have ‘well-earned’ their grades,” said Wallace. “The faculty brings the same level of on-campus rigor online and students finishing these degrees get the same Kettering degree an on-campus student would.” 

The program requires that the students complete seven core courses. These core courses focuses on the management of resources, markets, operations and information. The student will then need to complete three additional elective courses based on their selection from one of three graduate certificates available in either supply chain management, operations management, or global leadership.

Once the student has completed their courses, they will then need to finish a capstone project, which focuses on implementing the lessons from the program on a project from the perspective of a senior manager.

The curriculum for the program is set, and as such students only need to choose the graduate certificate they wish to obtain between operations management, supply chain management, or global leadership. The program is not tailored to a specific technical specialization or industry. Though students can tailor their projects to cover areas of their choice, a student looking to become an industry expert might want to focus on a technical master’s in that area.

However, students are able to take other graduate certificate programs for additional specialization if desired, which would extend the number of credits within that student’s program accordingly.

Students access their courses online and asynchronously through the Blackboard education platform. Course content is relayed to students via media segments, writing and video. Students will need to be able to work with equations using excel or minitab’s statistical analysis.

“We have been offering distance education for over a decade but have recently upgraded the courses and methodology used to present coursework, offering a rigorous and high quality program for online delivery,” Wallace explained.

At Kettering, each season of the year is broken up into two terms. As a result, if a student completes a course each term they will be able to finish the 10 courses needed to graduate in about 64 weeks. However, a student can decide to postpone their studies if their career or family workload gets too heavy.

To get an idea of when to schedule your education and applications see the chart below:

Operations Management for Engineers Looking for Advancement

The MSOM program is targeting students that wish to take on a managerial position in their career. The content aims to turn these students into better leaders to benefit their organizations. Many of the students taking the MSOM program have had about three to five years of experience in their industry. This gives them the understanding they need to properly plan their career path.

However, it isn’t easy for the working engineering professional to get back into the swing of education. Even though the Kettering MSOM program is online and asynchronous, allowing for flexibility in scheduling, students will still need to plan their time wisely to complete the degree.

To help these students complete the program successfully, Wallace suggests that they use their support group of friends, family, and colleagues.

“Let everyone in your life know that you are going back to school and why,” said Wallace. “The more people in your life that understand what you are doing and how this fits into your life goals, the more likely you will be successful.  Do not be afraid to ask for help. Talk to your professional advisor, your instructor- even fellow students may be a source of support.”

If a student needs assistance they are able to contact their professor for a one-on-one meeting. The professors will also be available via email and during scheduled office hours.

Students will also appreciate that the program doesn’t just teach operational concepts like best practices and continuous improvements; it also employs them to benefit the curriculum. Students and professors are often asked how the program could be improved. This adds to the level of trust between the school and the student body.

“After each time a course runs, both student feedback and instructor insights are considered and the course is appropriately upgraded,” said Wallace. “This allows for continuous improvement and keeping material fresh and up-to-date.”

For more information on the online master of science in operations management at Kettering University follow this link.

Required Core Courses:

• MGMT 629 – Management Science
• FINC 619 – Financial Management
• MGMT 639 – Managing People and Organizations
• ISYS 669 – Enterprise Information System Models
• MRKT 679 – Marketing Management
• MGMT 661 – Operations Management
• MGMT 659 – Strategy – Capstone

Plus 3-courses for one of the three graduate certificates currently offered for this program:

Supply Chain Management Graduate Certificate:

• IME 652 – Designing Value in the Supply Chain
• IME 654 – Enterprise Resource Planning
• MGMT 669 – Supply Chain Operations

Operations Management Graduate Certificate:

• IME 676 - Lean Six Sigma
• MGMT 609 - Technology Management
• MGMT 619 - Project and Change Management

Global Leadership Graduate Certificate:

• BUSN 689- Organizational Behavior
• MGMT 649- Ethics and Leadership
• MGMT 679- Leadership

Kettering University has sponsored this post. They have no editorial input to this post - all opinions are mine. Shawn Wasserman