USC
University of Southern California
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Areas of Concentration

Department of Information and Operations Management

The Information and Operations Management Department focuses on the development of total enterprise quality through effective utilization of resources and technology. The courses offered by this department reflect the systems view of organizations in terms of operational processes and information exchanges. The department offers undergraduate options in operations management (OM) and information systems (IS). Operations management focuses on the management of quality and productivity in manufacturing and service organizations. Information systems focuses on the management of the various resources, people and computing technology that satisfy the information needs in all organizations.

Information Systems Concentration

Information technology has evolved to become one of the greatest opportunities and challenges facing business today. The information systems senior concentration prepares students for management careers related to information systems (IS) and to design, implement, evaluate and manage information technology (IT).

Although appropriate for a wide array of career paths, many graduates choose to pursue careers in information systems consulting (e.g., Big Four), work in corporate IT departments or provide critical IT expertise in functional areas such as finance, marketing and accounting.

The IS option classes are designed to prepare students for positions as business analyst, applications systems analyst, Internet marketing analyst, risk management analyst, information security analyst and project coordinator.

The concentration requires a minimum of 16 units of information systems classes. The classes may be taken in any order. No prerequisites are required, but a recommended course sequence is listed.

Recommended Course Sequence — 16 units required
Semester 1 Units
IOM 401Business Information Systems: Spreadsheet Applications2
IOM 402Business Information Systems: Database Applications2
IOM 431 Business Information Systems4
IOM 435Business Database Systems4

Semester 2 Units
IOM 428Data Warehousing, Business Intelligence and Data Mining4
IOM 433Business Information Systems Analysis and Design4
IOM 444Business Systems Networking and Information Security4
IOM 445Business Information Systems Management and Strategy4
IOM 455Project Management4

Operations Management Concentration

This concentration prepares undergraduate students for management careers in manufacturing or service operations, including operations consulting, supply chain management and distribution and logistics. Career tracks include production manager, project manager, management consultant, warehouse manager, buyer/planner, logistics director, quality assurance associate and supply chain manager. Course work topics include supply chain analysis, lean operations facilities design, new production technology investment decision, quality management, material procurement, inventory control, logistics, and optimization and simulation tools for operations analysis.

To gain the operations management concentration, take four of the following courses in any order.
IOM 427 Spreadsheet Modeling, Optimization and Analysis4
IOM 431Business Information Systems Management and Strategy4
IOM 455Project Management4
IOM 482Supply Chain Management4
IOM 483Operations Consulting4

Business Process Consulting Concentration

The business consulting concentration leverages a natural confluence of three main areas: operations management, information systems and statistics, and promotes a flexible, interdisciplinary emphasis. Classes teach students skills for improving business processes that contribute to a firm's competitive advantage. These skills include the ability to identify core processes in a firm from a strategic perspective; describe the process from an "end-to-end" perspective; quantitatively and qualitatively analyzing the processes to identify areas of improvement; and applying such improvement mechanisms as information systems design, operations analysis and business intelligence. Students learn how to consult with clients in carrying out these improvement activities. As such, students concentrating in business consulting are prepared for employment in consulting firms as well as future-focused firms concerned about maintaining a competitive advantage through process improvements.

The senior concentration requires a minimum of 16 units from the following classes. The classes may be taken in any order and no prerequisites are required:

Course options Units
IOM 427 Spreadsheet Modeling, Optimization and Analysis4
IOM 428 Data Warehousing and Data Mining 4
IOM 431 Business Information Systems 4
IOM 433Business Information Systems Analysis and Design4
IOM 435 Business Database Systems4
IOM 437Technology-enabled Global Businesses, Markets and Sourcing 4
IOM 455Project Management4
IOM 482 Supply Chain Management4
IOM 483Operations Consulting4