• close

Operations Management OPNS

For students who matriculated (began their Kellogg studies) DURING OR AFTER Summer Quarter 2015, see new guidelines for Evening & Weekend MBA Students.

For students who matriculated (began their Kellogg studies) DURING OR PRIOR TO Spring Quarter 2015, see below.


Offered by the Operations Department

Operations Management Major Description

Operations Management is the management of business processes, that is, the management of the recurring activities of a firm. Along with finance and marketing, operations is one of the three primary functions of a firm. At the danger of being simplistic, one may say that marketing induces the demand for products (goods and services), finance provides the capital, and operations produces and delivers the product. Even more generally, operations spans the entire organization: COOs are in charge of R&D, design/engineering, production operations, marketing, sales, support and service.

The operations major is designed with two specific career paths in mind: consulting and general management. Operations is arguably the most appropriate major for a consultant or general manager to learn about the daily cross-functional management of the firm. All operations electives in the operations major take an interdisciplinary view and interface with finance (for investing and financial evaluation), marketing (appropriate delivery channels and customer management), organizational behavior and strategy. Instead of the technical engineering view of operations, the focus is on managing the business well.


Major requirements are determined by the quarter you began your Kellogg MBA program. Please click on the relevant time period below to confirm your specific requirements.

Summer 2014 – Spring 2015 [view requirements]


Summer 2013 – Spring 2014 [view requirements]


Summer 2012 – Spring 2013 [view requirements]


Summer 2011 – Spring 2012 [view requirements]


Summer 2010 – Spring 2011 [view requirements]


Last edited July 29, 2014. For any questions regarding this page, please email kellogg-registrar@kellogg.northwestern.edu