Postgraduate (MSc, MA, MBA and PhD) Programs in Manufacturing/Operations Management

Find postgraduate programs in MANUFACTURING

Masters degree in Manufacturing Manufacturing refers to a process that converts raw materials into finished products.

Meanwhile, operations refers as readily to the production of a service as it does to production of a product.

Therefore, operations management is generally concerned with the analysis, design and management of those operations that produce goods and services.

Modern operations management tends to rely on structured, highly quantitative techniques for this analysis and design.

Find postgraduate programs in PRODUCTION

At one time, few organisations apart from those in the traditional manufacturing and distribution sectors applied such techniques. Now, however, roles such as supply chain managers for restaurant chains, managers in charge of insurance claim processing, hospital surgery coordinators, etc are likely to rely on the techniques and tools of operations management.

Operations management can be applied to various elements in many different types of organisation.

Trends in manufacturing/operations management

Numerous substantial trends continue to drive this field, including:

Reduced product life cycles
Rapid technological change
Complex manufacturing strategies
Worldwide supply chains
Heightened (global) competition
A shift to quality- and time-based competition
Mass customisation
Increased environmental concern and regulation
Outsourcing
A shift in power to consumers (and retailers)

Choosing a masters program in operations management

Operations management courses are generally one year in length. Many of these courses integrate engineering and management knowledge, and thereby attract many engineers, however they are not designed for people wishing to undertake engineering research. Most operations management masters degrees are designed to look at the planning and control of operations in both manufacturing and service firms.

Topics covered generally include forecasting, capacity planning, material requirements planning, just-in-time manufacturing, scheduling, facility layout, facility location, and quality management concepts.

A typical program will offer modules on:

Operations strategy
Materials management
Manufacturing planning and control
Capacity planning and scheduling
Project management
Supply chain management
Purchasing process and methods
Management of technology
Quality control
Information systems (integration) management
Workforce management
Ergonomics and human factors

Although firm supply chains are increasingly global nature of and include the frequent outsourcing of manufacturing, few operations management programs offer an international exchange possibility.

Eligibility requirements for a manufacturing/operations management masters

Manufacturing/operations management programs usually require an undergraduate degree in engineering or engineering technology. Some will also accept students with engineering, hard science, computer science or mathematics degrees. Others require only a bachelors degree with a substantial quantitative component. A few programs accept those with a business degree.

These courses often look for:

Business coursework
Internships in engineering, operations, or business.

MBA in manufacturing/operations

An MBA in manufacturing/operations will look at the underlying concepts of the production and operations function of an organisation. In essence this postgraduate program addresses an important aspect of business management that is understanding and effectively dealing with designers and engineers and how they perform in a company.

This will include the study of service operations and exploring the concept of manufacturing or production operations. Areas of specialised study may include design-related activities; planning; controls necessary to run the operation; and means of improvement.

PhD in manufacturing/production

Studying a PhD in manufacturing/production allows the student to delve even deeper into this field and gain expertise in a specific area of interest.

The University of Nottingham offers a PhD in Manufacturing Engineering which can be studied either full time or part time.

Newcastle University has a Mechanical and Systems Engineering PhD which can be studied part time over 72 months. This PhD integrates bioengineering with design into system engineering.

Find postgraduate programs in SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

Career opportunities in manufacturing and operations

The increasing need to perform each of an organisation’s operations effectively and efficiently – and to combine them to fullest effect – has provided enormous scope for those who combine business and operations management skills and knowledge. As a result, operations management capabilities are valued in marketing, sales, finance, human resources, and other departments – not just in production or distribution departments.

Typical job titles include: