Houston Endowment Professor of Operations Management
Senior Advisor to the Dean on Energy Transition
Senior Advisor to the Dean on Energy Transition
Earn a Ph.D. in Business and a Major Concentration in Operations Management
Operations management research involves the systematic and scientific study and potential improvement of how business, government and non-profit organizations manufacture products and provide services that contribute to the well-being of society. The field encompasses a varied set of contexts, such as manufacturing, supply chains, energy, healthcare, and technology management and related processes, including strategic design, tactical planning and operational execution. The major concentration in operations management of the Ph.D. in Business at Rice University prepares students to investigate fundamental questions about these contexts and processes. The distinguishing features of this concentration are its rigorous theoretical and methodological training, and the interplay between the development of innovative theory and methodology and their application to a broad set of relevant contexts.
The main goal of the operations management major concentration of the Ph.D. at Rice Business is to train students to do excellent research and to become operations management scholars in top research-focused academic institutions. We do not aim to train practitioners or send our graduates into industry. Accordingly, the operations management major concentration will enhance the reputation of Rice Business and Rice University by placing graduates in top research-oriented universities, in particular business schools at such institutions.
Recruiting for Fall 2025
The application deadline for Fall 2025 admissions has passed. The Ph.D. in Business and a Major Concentration in Operations Management will begin accepting applications in August for Fall 2026 matriculation.
To achieve this goal, Ph.D. students are required to take courses in operations management, operations research, economics, and related disciplines such as mathematics and statistics. They will also conduct original research and write research papers examining important and relevant issues in operations management. Students are expected to become active in research at the inception of the program and learn through both formal coursework and informal mentorship, including but not limited to, the interaction with operations management faculty as research assistants.
The Operations management major concentration of the Ph.D. degree in the field of business emphasizes research productivity, collaboration with faculty and collegiality. The operations management faculty members are committed to the success of their students during the program, as well as after graduation. In addition to the requirement to take on teaching assistant roles for operations management faculty, students are strongly encouraged to engage in teaching a section of the operations management core course in the Rice Business undergraduate program, if such a section is available at the right juncture during their studies. These activities prepare students for the teaching responsibilities typical at a top research university.
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OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT AREA ADVISOR
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Assistant Director, Faculty Administration and Ph.D. Program