A doctoral degree in Operations Management from the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business provides the unique experience and expertise needed to excel in an academic career. We are a top-ranked program with an exceptional record of research publications and an excellent history of Ph.D. student placement.
Our sizable and prominent faculty are dedicated to educating the next generation of researchers and educators on a broad set of topics. We conduct pioneering research in various areas such as empirical analysis of supply chain performance, innovation and technology management, sustainable operations, healthcare, and cultural operations. Beyond holding key editorial positions in leading operations management journals, our faculty work closely with industry, applying their research to impact practice.
Program Highlights
Our Ph.D. curriculum distinguishes us from other doctoral programs in operations management in several ways.
- First, we leverage the substantial size of our faculty to offer unparalleled breadth and depth in operations management Ph.D. seminars (two to four topics are covered each year).
- Second, we strongly endorse diverse research methods including modeling, empirical analysis, and behavioral experiments to address different managerial challenges in operations management. Rigorous training on a variety of operations research methods is obtained from ISyE (ranked No.1 industrial engineering program in the world).
- Additionally, we leverage the expertise of other Georgia Tech faculty offering courses on a wide spectrum of empirical, behavioral, and computational methods..
Facilitating Ph.D. Student Academic Growth
Ph.D. students are immersed in research starting in the first year of the doctoral program, accelerating their growth as scholars. Students are encouraged to develop their own research “voice”, leveraging their background, academic training, and past experiences.
Our culture embodies freedom and flexibility for students to select their research topics and advisors. To ensure focus and forward momentum, faculty engage with Ph.D. students on goal setting and provide clear direction for students to attain those goals.
In addition to one-to-one mentoring, we offer teaching effectiveness seminars. Ph.D. students are provided funding to attend conferences and workshops and funding is guaranteed for five years (subject to a student remaining in good standing).
Our Vibrant Community
The operations management Ph.D. program is a close-knit group that invests in community building and professional development. Ph.D. students thrive in the vibrant social and cultural communities at Georgia Tech and the Atlanta metropolitan area. Additionally, Georgia Tech has a large and diverse graduate student community. Atlanta has a very favorable cost of living compared to many other large metropolitan areas.