运营管理或决策科学博士学位课程为学生提供了严格的分析建模和经验方法基础，因此他们可以在领先的学术机构从事研究职业。该系的主要优势是其广泛的专业知识。例如，教师的方法学专长领域包括运筹学，博弈论，模拟，数据挖掘，计量经济学，实验室实验，调查研究以及机器学习等大数据方法。在学生选择论文顾问之前，他们会与不同的人配对教职人员在该计划的头两年从事研究项目。
In the operations management PhD program, students focus on developing ways to address the strategic and tactical problems faced by practicing managers who oversee the systems'such as labor, capital, energy, and materialsthat transform resources into goods and services over the whole supply chain, from an originating location to a destination in the marketplace. Operations management designs and implements effective operating systems to improve the use of resources and aid the design, planning, and control of productive activities for goods and services. While the doctorate in operations management exposes students to a wide range of material from the field, the plan of study is tailored to the students interests and abilities. As with other doctoral business majors, students supplement the program with courses in chosen minor areas as well as methodology and analysis courses.