Operations and Management Science PhD Program

The main elements of the doctoral program are:

(a) doctoral coursework
(b) research
(c) preparation for teaching
(d) breadth requirement

(b) Student research at OMS is guided by close mentoring of RSB OMS faculty. Student typically works with two faculty members in a collaborative fashion. From developing an initial plan to working out the details of the research, the faculty and student meet systematically to discuss the research question, the details of the approach, and the progress. Students are expected to write summer research papers at the end of their first and second years, and typically begin research within a month or two of joining the program.

(c) It is expected that each student, in his/her third year, will teach one undergraduate-level OMS class. In order to prepare students, a series of seminars is offered. Seminar topics cover the principles of teaching, cultural elements important when teaching in the US, as well as short feedback sessions. Typically the students teach and are totally responsible for one section of a multi-section class with other sections being taught by full-time faculty.

(d) In order to provide a broad exposure to all business disciplines, all students are expected to have taken basic classes in marketing, finance, accounting, and organizational behavior. Students who have not taken those classes before starting our program, usually take introductory MBA classes.

These tasks gain degrees of freedom, and increase in managerial complexity, as we move from (a) to (d). The OMS group at the University of Michigan is dedicated to problem-solving at the highest level of complexity, (c) and (d); decisions typically dealt with by senior managers.

It is expected that most students will finish in four years. All admitted students receive full financial support, which includes tuition waiver and funding that covers living expenses for 4 years. More information about funding is available here.
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