Graduate Certificate in Operations and Supply Chain Management

The Graduate Certificate in Operations and Supply Chain Management allows graduate students to gain specialized knowledge about how firms create and capture value. Students will learn how to maximize quality relative to expenses, optimize supply chain activities, and lower production costs while managing process flows. The courses will explore strategic choices for different industries and operational objectives. Students will learn how to manage inventory effectively, utilize information systems with their supply chains, and gain real-world practice in presenting operational results to management and/or other operations personnel.

If you have questions, please contact the academic advisor of your graduate program.

Curriculum
  • The certificate requires 15 credit hours of coursework.
  • All credits must be completed within three years.
  • Certificate credits can cross-count toward your graduate program requirements.
  • Grades, credits, and the certificate will appear on an official university transcript.
  • A 3.0 cumulative GPA in certificate courses is required for successful completion of the certificate.
Core Courses

Course Number: OIS 6062
Credits: 3

Operations Management involves designing, operating, and improving the processes whereby any firm (such as a hospital) transforms raw materials (e.g., sick patients) into finished goods (e.g., cured patients). We develop a framework for analyzing business process flows within a firm and across firms, applying the principles not only to service industries but also to manufacturing. In particular, we look at the management of supply chains, capacity, inventory, quality, and product design, and discuss how to achieve a strategic fit between the Operations function and other business disciplines and how to create competitive advantage.

Course Number: OIS 6620
Credits: 3

Production of services and goods typically involves many process steps that are spread across multiple firms or departments. In supply chain management (SCM) we examine how to improve performance by considering the actions of multiple members within this chain of activities. SCM addresses not only the flow of materials from upstream to downstream members in the supply chain, but also the flow of information and funds. Advancements in information technology allow the supply chain to achieve performance improvements previously beyond reach, and may change the optimal structure of the supply chain. Class discussion is motivated by case studies that examine successful emerging supply chain strategies.

Elective Courses

Course Number: OSC 6040
Credits: 1.5

This course will develop decision making abilities with data-analysis and decision models. Applications will be in the business functional areas. Students will use computers to solve business problems. Course topics will include advanced statistical analysis, regression models, decision analysis basics, and portfolio management.

Course Number: OSC 6420
Credits: 1.5

Introduction to the principles of quality management, with an emphasis on cross-functional problem solving. Topics include system design to control the quality of products and services, customer driven quality, leadership, employee participation and training, and strategic quality planning.

Course Number: OSC 6425
Credits: 3

Six Sigma is a philosophy and set of concrete tools designed to reduce variation in all critical processes to achieve continuous and breakthrough improvements that impact the bottom line of organization and increase customer satisfaction. In this course, we will study the five phase DMAIC (Design-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control) approach in detail with a combination of lecture, small group breakout sessions, and hands-on practice. Course topics will include a review of statistics, process improvement tools, statistical process control, measurement system evaluation, capability analysis and design of experiments. Statistical software such as Minitab will be required and used throughout the class.

Course Number: OSC 6500
Credits: 1.5

Visual Analytics has become an essential skill for business managers to understand data and quickly turn data into actionable information. Upon completion of this course, students will be competent in analyzing and presenting data using software such as Tableau, Excel (including pivot table, PowerPivot, data analysis toolpak, what-if analysis like scenario manager, data table, etc.); and Visual Basic for Applications, VBA (including macro recording).

Course Number: ​OSC 6610
Credits: 1.5

Managerial decisions – regardless of their functional orientation – increasingly leverage quantitative models to approximate business problems and provide insights. This course takes a managerial approach to analytical modeling to analyze problems in a wide array of fields such as finance, marketing, operations, information systems, etc. The tools covered in this class are deterministic optimization techniques including linear programming, network models and integer programming.

Course Number: ​OSC 6621
Credits: 1.5

We explore various operational strategies that can lead to competitive advantage. Within each topic, we develop a framework or theory that the firm can use to aid in decision-making, and typically also tackle a real-life problem using a case study. Possible topics include product and process innovation, strategic implications of the learning curve, strategies from diffusion of new products, rapid product and process development, capacity management, strategic supplier management, strategic quality management, and mass customization.

Course Number: OSC 6660
Credits: 3

Project management has become the way of life in many industries. Whether it is development of a new product, organizational-wide implementation of a new IT tool, or execution of a merger, project management skills are required to manage cross-functional teams subject to strict deadlines and tight budget constraints. In this course we discuss all three phases of project management: project conception, execution, and closure. Issues related to project leadership, budgeting, and scheduling will be addressed in the course, and case discussions will highlight state of the art project management practices. Project management software will be introduced (possibly including group project using MS Project Software).

Course Number: IS 6482
Credits: 3

This course introduces data mining technologies that assist in discovery of reliable, understandable and useful patterns in structured, semi-structured and unstructured data. Students will practice core data mining technologies, analyze cases, and explore real world applications and issues.

Course Number: OSC 6611
Credits: 1.5

Like OIS 6610, this course takes a practical approach to analytical modeling. While the emphasis in Analytical Decision Models 1 was on deterministic optimization techniques, models in the course will be probabilistic in nature. The main topics for the course are advanced queuing and simulation. Applications will encompass problems from a variety of business disciplines including production/operations management, marketing, and finance.

Course Number: ​OSC 6041
Credits: 1.5

This course is a continuation of Data Analysis and Decision Making I. Course topics will include advanced regression, simulation, Bayes theorem and the value of information in decision analysis.

Admission Requirements
  • Applicants must be current graduate students at the University of Utah.
  • Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA or a minimum 3.0 GPA in their current graduate program.
  • Courses may have individual pre-requisites.
  • A GMAT/GRE score is not required.
Application Deadlines
  • Students must apply for the certificate at least one semester prior to the semester in which they will graduate.
  • Applications are accepted throughout the year and reviewed on a rolling basis.
  • Students may start the program in Fall, Spring, or Summer semester.