Online Operations Management Degree

Online Operations Management Degree

Operations managers have many responsibilities. They have to maintain quality standards while meeting a budget and if possible maximize efficiency, not only returning a product's investment but also generating profit. Operations managers must maintain communications with other department managers in order to meet goals, develop budgets, and other demands that require clear communication skills. Theymust often create success from limited resources and strict time restraints while always keeping the bottom line firmly in mind.


There's no set coursework for a degree in operations management; classes in supply chain management, production, inventory, accounting and finance, as well as management classes will usually define your curriculum. You typically won't find classes focused on a specific career. Usually you will work towards your degree specialty, while pursuing the management aspect in the process. You can also earn a bachelors degree and then move to an MBA or masters degree with an emphasis on management.

Graduates who enter the job market with operations management training may go on to a career in industrial production. Industrial production managers usually split time between production and office duties, and may oversee several facilities requiring extensive travel.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, growth opportunities for operations managers are expected to decline through 2016. Positions will likely go to the most qualified applicants with the most advanced training. In 2006, the annual median salary for operations managers was almost $78,000.