Operations Management, MS | University of Alabama

Operations management focuses on the analysis, design, and management of the operations that produce and deliver goods and services. It applies structured, quantitative techniques to analyze and design business operations and to support effective business decision making. Operations management helps evaluate and select actions based on information, process analysis, and quantitative modeling. There are tremendous opportunities for the effective application of these tools, techniques, and methods in a wide range of business operations including service operations, manufacturing, distribution, transportation, logistics, supply chain management, revenue management, quality management, finance, human resources, information systems, marketing, and strategic planning. Operations management can be effectively applied to virtually every component of an organization. The OM master's degree program features two curriculum options, operations management and operations management with the decision analytics concentration.

Admissions Requirements

In addition to the minimum Graduate School admission requirements, to be considered for regular admission an application must include:

Resume
3 Letters of Recommendation. One letter must be written by an individual holding a graduate degree.
GRE score of at least 307, a GMAT (old version) score of at least 580, or a GMAT Focus Edition score of 545.
- GRE/GMAT Score Waiver: Exceptional applicants, including those who have completed all UA OM undergraduate coursework or who have strong existing relationships with UA faculty, can be considered for a waiver of the admission test score requirement. Contact OM program coordinator for additional information.
Grade of B- or higher in Calculus I (The University of Alabama equivalent is MATH 121)

Students who do not meet these requirements, but who excel in other areas, may be considered for "Admission with Permission to Continue."

Accelerated Master's Program (AMP) students must meet the minimum admission requirements as listed in the AMP section of this catalog.

See the Admission Criteria section of this catalog for more information.

Curricular Requirements

Supply Chain Analytics (MS-SCA)

The Master of Science in Supply Chain Analytics program integrates a strong technological foundation into the operations management core, enabling the application of AI and advanced analytics across supply chain coursework.

The MS-SCA Program consists of 30 hours of coursework which includes 9-hours of methods foundation courses, 12-hours of core OM courses, and 9-hours of electives.

Supply Chain Analytics		Hours
Methods Foundation Required Course Hours
ST 560	Statistical Methods	3
OM 500	MGT Science & Spreadsheet Mod	3
MIS 501	App Dev Data-Driven Org	3
Credit Hours Subtotal:		9
OM Core Required Course Hours
OM 517	Supply Chain Modeling & Analys	3
OM 523	Inventory Management	3
OM 524	Mfg Sched & Control Systems	3
OM 527	Purchasing and Sourcing	3
Credit Hours Subtotal:		12
Elective Course Hours- choose 3 (3-hour) classes from the list below
MKT 540	Intro to Digital/Social Media
MKT 542	Digital/Social Media Analytics
MKT 543	Adv Digital and Social Media
MKT 587	Advanced Market Strategies
MIS 505	Enterprise Network & Security
MIS 561	Applied Cyber Security
MIS 564	Org. Security Management
MIS 566	Intro Cybercrime & Digital For
AC 506	Concepts Financial Managrl Acc
EC 500	Managerial Economics
FI 504	Financial Management for MBA
MGT 517	Leadership & Ethics
MGT 523	Effective Negotiations
MGT 531	Employee Recruitment/Selection
MGT 534	Training and Development
MGT 537	Strategic HR Management
MGT 539	People Analytics
IBA 550	Global Business
IBA 555	Global Market Management
IBA 560	Adv. Import/Export Strategy
MKT 530	Advanced Marketing Analysis
MKT 595	Client-Based Mkt Consult Proj
ST 521	Statistical Data Management
ST 531	Data Mining I
ST 532	Advanced Data Mining
MIS 502	DB Des & Mgt Data-Driven Org
BAN 500	Bus Intelligence & Data Visual
BAN 501	Predictive Model with Bus Appl
Total Methods Course Hours		9
Total OM Core Course Hours		12
Total Electives Course Hours		9
Total Supply Chain Analytics (MS-SCA) Course Hours		30

Transfer Credit

Graduate School information on Transfer Credit.

Accelerated Master's Program

Information on the Accelerated Master's Program.

Comprehensive Exam/Capstone

The MSSCA Written Comprehensive Exam (WCE) is a program-level assessment administered near the end of the student's final semester, typically 5-6 weeks prior to Commencement.

The exam is designed to assess whether students can integrate and apply knowledge across the core curriculum of the Master of Science in Supply Chain Analytics program. It consists of a written component and an oral presentation component.

The written component is administered under proctored conditions during a designated exam period. Students are expected to demonstrate their ability to diagnose supply chain problems, apply appropriate analytical frameworks, evaluate tradeoffs across supply chain functions, and communicate recommendations to a managerial audience.

The MSSCA program has four Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

Recognition, identification, and diagnosis of supply chain problems and opportunities for improvement.
Selection and application of appropriate analytical tools and methods.
Integration of concepts across supply chain functions including sourcing, inventory, production, and scheduling.
Clear and effective communication of analytical findings and recommendations to decision makers.

The written exam assesses SLOs 1, 2, and 3. The oral presentation component assesses SLO 4.

An overall score of 70% or higher is required to pass the WCE. Any score below 70% is considered failing. Per University of Alabama policy, failing the exam twice will result in dismissal from the degree program and the Graduate School. Students who do not pass on the first attempt may retake the exam once within the same semester or as otherwise specified by the program. Retake eligibility and conditions will be communicated to students at the time of their first attempt.

Once the student applies for graduation, WCE dates and detailed exam-specific information will be provided by the program.

Time Limits for Degree Completion Requirements

Graduate School information on Time Limits.

Academic Misconduct Information

Graduate School information on Academic Misconduct.

Withdrawals and Leave of Absence Information

Graduate School information on Withdrawals and Leave of Absence.

Academic Grievances Information

Graduate School information on Academic Grievances.

Grades and Academic Standing

Graduate School information on Grades and Academic Standing.

Graduate School Deadlines Information

Information on Graduate School Deadlines.

Application for Graduation Information

Information on the Application for Graduation.

Operations Management: Decision Analytics Concentration

The Operations Management with Decision Analytics Concentration master's degree combines the prescriptive modeling and analytical skills obtained from the Operations Management program with the data management and data mining skills offered in the Applied Statistics program.

This option consists of 10 courses overall: five from Operations Management and five from Applied Statistics.

Decision Analytics Concentration Required Courses		Hours
ST 521	Statistical Data Management	3
ST 522	Adv Statistical Data Mgt	3
ST 531	Data Mining I	3
ST 532	Advanced Data Mining	3
Credit Hours Subtotal:		12
Approved Electives (choose 3 courses from the list below)		9
OM 517	Supply Chain Modeling & Analys
OM 522	Operations Scheduling Problems
OM 523	Inventory Management
OM 524	Mfg Sched & Control Systems
OM 525	Effective Quality Management
OM 527	Purchasing and Sourcing
Required OM Courses		9
Total Hours		30

Transfer Credit

Graduate School information on Transfer Credit.

Accelerated Master's Program

Information on the Accelerated Master's Program.

Comprehensive Exam/Capstone

The MSOM Written Comprehensive Exam (WCE) consists of two parts: Course exams and case studies, and is administered through Blackboard Learn during a 7-day period approximately 5-6 weeks prior to Commencement:

(1) For course exams, each student must choose three courses among OM 517, OM 522, OM 523, OM 524, OM 527, and OM 540, and must take those three course exams. The WCE course exams will only include topics that have been covered during the first 10 weeks of these courses, so courses in which students are currently enrolled are eligible choices. Each course exam must be completed within a 1-hour period (of the student's choice) during this 7-day period. All exams are open-book, open-note exams.

(2) The case study part of the exam is not timed, and the students can work on it at any time during this 7-day period.

The MSOM program has four Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

(1) Recognition, identification, and definition of an operational problem or process improvement.

(2) Selection of appropriate tools and techniques to achieve desired improvement.

(3) Correct and complete application of tools and techniques to achieve desired improvement.

(4) Satisfactory communication of technical subject matter.

The course exams assess SLOs 2 and 3; the case studies assess SLOs 1 and 4.

An overall score of 70% or higher (averaged over the three course exams and the case study exam) is considered passing. Any other score is considered failing. Note that per the University of Alabama policy, "Failing the exam twice will result in dismissal from the degree program and the Graduate School." If you fail your first attempt, you have the option of taking the WCE for a second (and last) time during the same semester. The second WCE will be given only for those courses for which your original score was below 70%. An overall score of 70% or higher (averaged over the three course exams and the case study exam, with the revised score(s) used if the exam is retaken) is still needed for passing.

Once the student applies for graduation (typically during the first two weeks of the academic semester they are expected to graduate), WCE dates and detailed course-specific information will be provided.