Business Administration—Operations Management, BA

College of Business and Economics

What is the Study of Business Administration—Operations Management?

The Business Administration program has been designed to prepare students for leadership roles in business and the community. One program objective is to provide students with the perceptual and analytical skills necessary in making decisions and evaluating policy in business; another is to develop student understanding of the social, economic and regulatory environment of business. The program is designed for students with a variety of career goals, including opportunities with financial institutions, manufacturing and retail firms, service industries and the public sector.

Why Should I Consider this Major?

Operations management is the direction and control of the processes within an organization. Operations managers are concerned with each step in providing a service or product – from acquisition of the raw materials and component parts to delivery to the customer. They determine what equipment, labor, tools, facilities, materials, energy, and information are required, how these can best be obtained, and how they are used to satisfy the requirements of the market place. Managers are also responsible for critical activities such as quality management and control, capacity planning, materials management, purchasing, and scheduling.

How to Declare:

Pre-major: Status is granted to students who have confirmed admission to WWU, completed 45 credits, and earned a GPA of 2.5 overall or 2.75 in the foundation courses they have completed.

Full major: Students must have completed the following requirements:

  • Confirmed admission to WWU and have 45 credits or be in the CBE Distinguished Scholars program.
  • Be in good academic standing with the University and meet one of the following GPA requirements: Either: 1) a minimum GPA of 2.75 in the eight Foundation Courses listed below, including grades from transfer courses and Advanced Placement credit or 2) a cumulative GPA of at least 2.50 in all college-level course work including transfer work.
  • Foundation courses:
    • MATH 157 Calculus with Applications to Business and Economics
    • ACCT 240 Financial Accounting
    • ECON 206 Introduction to Microeconomics
    • ACCT 245 Managerial Accounting
    • ECON 207 Introduction to Macroeconomics
    • DSCI 205 Business Statistics
    • MGMT 271 Law and the Business Environment
    • MIS 220 Intro: Business Computer Systems w/lab (or equivalent, or exam)

Provisional major: Major status is granted provisionally to students who are completing their last foundation course(s) and would be eligible for full major status upon successful completion of their current course work.

How to apply: For consideration as a pre-major, provisional major or full major, complete the online application form at: http://www.cbe.wwu.edu/College/Applications.asp.

Advising tips: 1) Complete MATH 157 and DSCI 205 requirements early; 2) For information regarding the MIS 220 Equivalency Exam see the Department of Decision Sciences website for test-out information: http://www.cbe.wwu.edu/dsci/MIS220Exam.asp

Coursework

Foundation Courses

  • ACCT 240 - Financial Accounting
  • ACCT 245 - Managerial Accounting
  • DSCI 205 - Business Statistics
  • ECON 206 - Introduction to Microeconomics
  • ECON 207 - Introduction to Macroeconomics
  • MATH 157 - Calculus With Applications to Businessand Economics
  • MGMT 271 - Law and the Business Environment
  • MIS 220 - Introduction to Business Computer Systems (or equivalent)

Core Courses

  • DSCI 305 - Applied Business Statistics
  • FIN 341 - Principles of Finance
  • MGMT 311 - Introduction to Management and  Organizational Behavior
  • MGMT 313 - Teamwork Basics
  • MGMT 382 - Business and Its Environment
  • MIS 320 - Principles of Management Information Systems
  • MKTG 380 - Principles of Marketing
  • OPS 360 - Operations Management

Advanced Core Courses

  • MGMT 495 - Strategic Management

OPS Management Concentration Courses

  • OPS 460 - Designing and Improving Operations
  • OPS 461 - Project Management
  • OPS 463 - Enterprise Resource Planning Systems
  • OPS 465 - Quality Management
  • OPS 468 - Manufacturing and Supply ChainStrategy
  • One course under advisement
  • Take one Communication Focus (CF) course and a minimum of three writing proficiency points in approved upper-division writing proficiency courses (WP) at WWU with a minimum grade of C-. The CF and WP courses must be taken within CBE and can be completed as part of the above required and elective courses, prior to graduation. Consult the Timetable of Classes for the specific course sections that fulfill the CF and WP requirements.
  • Accounting and Business majors must complete a minimum of 90 credits in areas other than accounting and business administration.

GURs:

These courses are offered within this major and may be used to satisfy GUR or Writing Proficiency Requirements.

  • QSR: MATH 157
  • SSC: ECON 206, 207; MGMT 271

Sample Careers

  • Production Supervisor
  • Quality Control Specialist
  • Inventory Control Specialist
  • Administrator
  • Operations Manager
  • Buyer
  • Supply Chain Consultant
  • Logistics Manager

Department

Contact

CBE Admissions & Scholarships

Dean’s Office
Parks Hall 419
360-650-3896
cbe@wwu.edu

Major Information
Academic Department Manager:

Stephanie Wanne
PH 343
360- 650-3902
Stephanie.Wanne@wwu.edu

Department Chair:

Steve Ross
PH 343a
360-650-4890
Steve.Ross@wwu.edu

Related Majors

Business Administration—Management Information Systems, BA
Business Administration, BA
Business Administration—International Business Concentration, BA
Business Administration—Management Concentration, BA
Business Administration—Finance Concentration, BA
Business Administration—Marketing Concentration, BA