Operations Management Degree Designed for Leaders

Early next year University of Arkansas professor John A. White will be teaching a leadership course in operations management chock-full of guest speakers – Mike Duke, Johnelle Hunt – sure to impress.

“Had I had a course in leadership before I was confronted with a number of leadership challenges,” the former UA chancellor said, “I think I would have handled them better.”

Now in its 36th year, the Master of Science in Operations Management has become the largest graduate program at the University of Arkansas. It hosts a variety of working professionals in business and industry, along with members of the armed services.

Operations Management is defined as “the science of making an organization function more effectively and efficiently through the analysis, redesign and proactive management of all the tasks and activities that are critical to success.”

Classes are offered via accelerated eight-week terms that begin in January, March, May, August and October. Students are required to take 10 courses (four required, six electives) to complete the degree. Ranging in size from 10-15 students, live classes are held in the evenings; online courses typically have about 30 students.

In addition to the UA campus, live instruction is available at five other locations, Little Rock Air Force Base among them.

Since 1974, the program has graduated more than 4,500 participants, and is enjoying the company of 500-plus students during the current fall semester – about 120 of which are attending classes in Northwest Arkansas. 

Including tuition and fees, the entire program costs about $8,000.

Although the OM program has been open to working professionals for less than a decade, today they make up 30-40 percent of participants. Military ranks still define the majority.

There’s a reason. According to Alex Mironoff, associate director of MSOM, military officials approached the UA decades ago about designing a management-oriented program to serve its personnel.

Ray Asfahl, an industrial engineer who worked at the UA from 1969 to 2005 and served as the program’s first academic chairman, is proud of what it’s become.

“The strength of the program has been in the outstanding students,” he said.

Sally Langsner, human resources manager for Pratt & Whitney in Springdale, began the MSOM program in 2005, and graduated two years later.

“My interest was really to be able to do what I do better,” she said. “I felt in my HR role I needed a much broader understanding of the business and what the day-to-day issues are.”

Sunny Tai is director of replenishment at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. She began the program in January 2010 and will be graduating soon.

“I thought it was going to be very difficult to balance work and school,” she said, “but it’s worked out very well.” All the effort has been “absolutely” worthwhile, she said.

“My view of the program is it’s for folks who want to move up into managerial-level positions,” said Edward Pohl, program director and a former Air Force engineer. “The program provides the skills and tools to become an effective manager.

“I’m very proud of the program.

“I think it provides a great service to the Fayetteville community and people in the service.”