PDF version of this chapterAreas 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 and information systems. 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 become an integral part of conducting business. The Information Systems senior concentration prepares students to design, implement, evaluate and manage information technology. Although appropriate for a wide array of career paths, the information systems senior concentration focuses on preparing students for careers in information systems consulting (e.g., Big Five), systems analysis and design, networks and data communications, database design, data warehousing, data mining, electronic commerce, telecommunications, decision support systems, expert systems and business process reengineering.To prepare for a career in information systems, a basic set of fundamental skills is required. A special programming course is offered in conjunction with the Information Technology Program (ITP 110x Introduction to C Programming). The class, or its equivalent (determination of equivalency, e.g., C++ or Java, will be made by the IOM Department), must be completed prior to graduation from USC in order to fulfill the information systems senior concentration requirements.
The senior concentration requires a minimum of four Information Systems classes, including the following three core classes: IOM 431, IOM 433, IOM 435, plus one or more additional classes from the optional course list. IOM 431 may be taken with no prerequisites other than ITP 101x. Students must take ITP 101x before enrolling in any IOM course.
Students graduating in May should take IOM 431 and IOM 433 no later than the fall semester of their senior year. IOM 435 should be taken in the spring semester along with the fourth information systems elective.
Required Courses
| Fall Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| IOM 431 | Computer-Based Business Systems | 4 |
| IOM 433 | Business Information Systems Analysis and Design | 4 |
| Optional course | Additional course(s) selected from the following optional course list | |
| Spring Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| IOM 435 | Business Database Systems | 4 |
| Select one or more optional courses from the following: | units | |
|---|---|---|
| IOM 427 | Designing Spreadsheet- Based Business Models | 4 |
| IOM 428 | Data Warehousing and Data Mining | 4 |
| IOM 444 | Business Data Communications | 4 |
| IOM 445 | Networks and Electronic Commerce | 4 |
| IOM 481 | Logistics and Supply Chain Optimization | 4 |
Operations Management Concentration
This concentration prepares undergraduate students for management careers in manufacturing or service operations, supply chain management, operations consulting, and logistics and e-commerce.The goal is to develop skills, insights and intuition on how to balance the needs for lower costs, higher quality, shorter production times and greater operational flexibility, while at the same time getting the customer orders out on time.
Topics include supply chain analysis, inventory control, logistics, lean operations, material procurement, product development, facilities design, capital investment decisions, quality management, and optimization and simulation tools for operations analysis.
To gain the operations management concentration students must take four courses from the following two groups; at least three courses must be selected from Group I.
| Group I -- select at least 3 courses | units | |
|---|---|---|
| IOM 427 | Designing SpreadsheetBased Business Models | 4 |
| IOM 481 | Logistics and Supply Chain Optimization | 4 |
| IOM 482 | E-Business Supply Chain Management | 4 |
| IOM 483 | Operations Consulting | 4 |
| Group II | units | |
|---|---|---|
| IOM 431 | Computer-Based Business Systems | 4 |
| IOM 441 | Management of Service Operations | 4 |
| IOM 455 | Project Management | 4 |