Operations Management and Strategy

As a PhD student in the Operations Management and Strategy department, you will be following one of two tracks, operations and supply chain management or strategy and entrepreneurship. As a new doctoral student, you are initially under the supervision of a faculty member assigned to assist you in navigating your decided track, and to coordinate other faculty in the joint mentorship of students in the first two to three years of study.

Once you have passed your comprehensive exam, the role and responsibilities of academic advisor transfer to your dissertation advisor. This faculty member supervises your academic activity during your dissertation phase.

Both tracks can be divided into three groups of mandated coursework: seminars, research methodology and managerial skills requirements. You can find the details below.

Major Requirements - Operations and Supply Chain Management Track

Seminars Research Methodology Managerial Skills coursework

Students are expected to begin doctoral study with general knowledge of the domain to which they intend to dedicate their future academic careers. Furthermore, graduating students are expected to be conversant with the following areas within that domain:

·       Production and inventory management

·       Project management

·       Supply chain management

·       Operations strategy

·       Quality management

·       Logistics management

·       Optimization

·       Introductory programming (i.e. Python, R, SAS, Java, etc.)

Each student will meet with his or her academic advisor upon arrival, to review the student’s prior academic coursework and potentially applicable work experience. If the academic advisor determines the new doctoral student does not possess sufficient familiarity with one or more of these domain areas, the academic advisor will prescribe a relevant 3 credit-hour graduate class in the case of each topic requirement not previously met.

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150 Jacobs Management Center
Buffalo, NY 14260-4000
Tel:  716-645-3204
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203 Alfiero Center
Buffalo, NY 14260-4000
Tel:  716-645-3200
mgtgsrv@buffalo.edu

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Major Requirements - Strategy and Entrepreneurship Track

Seminars Research Methodology Managerial Skills Requirements

Doctoral students will participate in a minimum of 12 credit hours of research seminar experience. This includes mandatory participation in MGO 796: Seminar in Strategic Management during the first two semesters of doctoral study. The balance of seminar requirements may be met with further participation in MGO 796, as well as participation in MGO 795: Seminar in Operations Management and ECON 611: Mathematics for Economists. Other doctoral research seminars, as approved by the student’s academic advisor, can also be considered. PhD students in the strategy and entrepreneurship track usually choose from operations management, economics, finance, marketing, and organizational behavior and human resources.

Minor in OMS

Operations and Supply Chain Management Strategy and Entrepreneurship Track

MGO 639 Sustainable Operations

No comprehensive exam is required for the PhD minor in Operations and Supply Chain Management.