Operations & Technology Management

Developing leaders who create business value.

OTM is an MBA specialization suited for those seeking advanced positions as consultants, analysts, product or service managers, project leaders, business developers, or operations, information technology and supply chain managers - while priming themselves for senior leadership roles. With OTM you gain critical business skills applicable to both service organizations and manufacturing firms.

OTM is a degree that provides students with the decision-making skills and comprehensive knowledge of planning, designing, implementing, managing, evaluating, and improving the processes, resources and information systems an organization uses to create and deliver products and services.  

Some of the OTM program’s unique features, which make it different from traditional MBA programs, include

Student support

All students receive one-on-one attention from Center staff for academic counseling, career advising, and professional development, and benefit from small class sizes and faculty access.  Most students also receive financial aid – in the form of project/teaching assistantships or scholarships – during their course of study.

Curriculum flexibility 

Besides core MBA courses, OTM students have required course work in managerial accounting, decision-making models, and managing change, and can take electives in ERP, lean organizations, entrepreneurship, negotiation, logistics/supply chain management, service operations, service/product design, e-business, systems analysis and design, as well as in traditional business areas like finance, accounting, and marketing. Some elective courses can be taken outside the School of Business, e.g., in engineering, law, or science.

Industry connections

individually assigned mentors and participation in the Center’s Executive Advisory Board meetings. Internships or industry-focused independent studies, industry guest speakers, applied learning sessions, and company site visits provide additional opportunities to learn and apply theoretical knowledge to real-life situations.

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Applied Activities

The Operations & Technology Management MBA prepares students for new careers by exposing them to industrial practices. The Erdman Center facilitates opportunities to meet and exchange ideas with those on the forefront of these industry practices - executives, managers and consultants. The Center also strives to create a strong network among the current and past OTM students. Learn more about our Applied Activities >>

Alumni Profiles
Jacob LiaoClass of 2007
Your Career

OTM alumni go on to work as Presidents, Consultants, Senior Delivery Managers, Strategic Planning Managers, Supervisors of Supplier Development, Directors of Field Operations, Program Managers, Senior Solution Architects, and Managers of Supplier Quality Systems. Learn how we prepare you for these roles >>

Advisory Boards

The Industrial Advisory Board linked to the Erdman Center provides recommendations and advice on matters vital to the Center's activities. The Board serves as an external partner of the Center by monitoring industry trends and changes that may have important implications for the Center and the OTM program. The Board also provides students with opportunities for plant visits and internships, and its members serve as mentors for OTM students during their time in the program.

Learn more >>

Student Profiles
Jay FrohneMBA 2012
Jay enters the OTM program with a BS in Biology from the United States Air Force Academy, sixteen years in the Navy as an Aviator, two years at the US Embassy in Pakistan and four years working for NATO in the United Kingdom. While at the Embassy...Read More