online-or-in-person
Online or In Person

The Master's Degree in Management: Operational Excellence

Ranked a Top Program Nationally - by U.S. News & World Report and ValueColleges.com

In the Master of Science in Management: Operational Excellence (MSMOE) program, students will take their business knowledge to the next level by experiencing a curriculum focused on preparing future and current managers for major challenges that they will face in today’s turbulent environment.

In providing students with the tools they need to minimize waste in their organizations while increasing quality, improving efficiency and fostering employee commitment, classes in the MSMOE program are concentrated in three interrelated areas that managers must understand in order to be effective: people, organizations and processes.

The Master of Science in Management: Operational Excellence (MSMOE) program in the McKenna School of Business, Economics and Government has regularly received high ranks. In 2019, the MSMOE program was listed by the magazine as one of the Top 20 Best Only Master’s in Management Programs in the U.S. and one of the 25 Best Value Master’s in Management Programs in the country. In 2020, US News placed SVC’s MSMOE program among the top third of Best Online Master’s Business Programs (non-MBA) in the U.S., including the fifth-best in the state of Pennsylvania and the ninth-best among Catholic institutions nationally.

Graduate Level Certificate Program in Management: Operational Excellence

This short, four class program is designed to give the working professional a taste of the most crucial elements of continuous improvement, problem solving, and waste reduction that can be applied immediately to their jobs. It also sets you up to earn your graduate degree later on, if you so choose.
Apply Here for the Certificate Program

What Can I Do With a Master's in Operational Excellence?

Deciding what graduate degree to pursue is a challenging choice. The MSMOE is an excellent option for students who are serious about investing in their careers. Current students and graduates have consistently experienced promotions or placements in organizations that care about continuous improvement. In these roles, students find that they are easily able to translate what they’ve learned in the classroom to the “real world.

For undergraduate students in business, particularly in the SAP program, the operational excellence and MSMOE graduate program offers highly complementary material that will help you to compete effectively for jobs.

Curriculummsmoe-curriculum
What is the focus of the Master of Science in Management: Operational Excellence curriculum?

Faculty in the Master of Science in Management: Operational Excellence program define “management” as focusing on three interrelated areas: people, organizations and processes. Each course in the program addresses at least one of these overlapping considerations.

  • People. People are the most important part of your organization and managers must not lose sight of this fact. Without a dedicated, motivated and inspired workforce, organizations would not be able to offer quality products and services. Furthermore, only by building a culture of trust and collaboration will managers see truly excellent results from employees. Faculty in the MSMOE program are recognized experts in the areas of managing people and leverage their experience in courses related to leadership, ethics, organizational culture and human resources.
  • Organizations. Managers also must think strategically and implement a vision for how their organization, whether a two-person team or large corporation, will achieve success within their environment. Without a plan and knowledge of context, organizations will fail in their quest to achieve excellence. The MSMOE program develops skills related to managing organizations through courses related to strategy, supply chain and research issues.
  • Process. The best employees and plans can still fail without processes to help get work done. Through constant collaboration with employees, managers need to know how to develop standardized operations so that customers will receive the quality that they demand in their products and services. While understanding the goals of the organization, managers also need to know how to measure the key controls crucial to achieving high productivity, output and efficiency. The MSMOE program offers students the knowledge to implement tools to help measure these areas through courses and hands-on seminars related to operations, information systems, quantitative analysis and financial management. 
Class Schedulemsmoe-class-schedule
Class Schedule

The MSMOE is a 36-credit, year-round program.

Fall 
GCBA607: Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management (3 credits; required)

GCBA630: Advanced Accounting and Finance in Operational Excellence (3 credits; required)

GCBA692: Operations Management (3 credits; required)

GCBA693: Supply Chain Management (3 credits; elective)

GCBA695: Strategic Management of Complex Organizations (3 credits; required)

GCBA730: Graduate SAP Business One Program (3 credits; elective)

Spring
GCBA665: Management Information Systems (3 credits; elective)

GCBA686: Organizational Culture (3 credits; required)

GCBA690: Quantitative Analysis (Stats Review) (3 credits; required)

GCBA697: Leadership and Ethics (3 credits; required)

GCBA698: Introduction to Research Methods in Management and OE (3 credits; elective)

GCBA703: Operations Management II (3 credits; required)

GCBA725: Six Sigma Lean Green Belt Certification Prep Course (3 credits; elective)

Summer
GCBA700: Advanced Statistical Process Control in OE (3 credits; elective)

GCBA705: Change Management (3 credits; elective)

GCBA720: Project Management (3 credits; elective)

GCBA710: Communication, Conflict, and Diversity (3 credits; elective)

Various
GCBA750: Independent Study (credits vary; elective)

GCBA751: Graduate Level Internship in Management or OE (credits vary; elective)

GBCA00X: Management: OE Exit Interview (0 credits; required)

GCBA00Z: Business Competencies and Seminars (0 credits; required)

OE101 (non-credit interactive seminar; required)

OE102 (non-credit interactive seminar; required)

Completion of business competency requirements

Additional approved electives
Outcomesoutcomes
Outcomes
  • Ranked as a Top 100 Online Non-MBA Graduate Business Program by U.S. News & World Report.
  • Recently ranked twice as a Top 50 Best Values Master of Management by Value Colleges along with large prestigious Research 1 institutions.
  • Satisfaction:
    • 100% of survey respondents (since 2014) would recommend this program.
    • 4.73/5.00 average quality of teaching rating (since 2014)
    • 4.51/5.00 average quality of advising rating (since 2014)
    • Large increase in overall rating of online/hybrid learning options since 2014
    • Students feel that employers value the content they learn in the program.
    • Students feel well prepared in managing people, processes and organizations.
  • Learning outcomes
    • Since 2015, outgoing students have exceeded the average scores of other reporting Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP, the McKenna business programs’ accreditation group) masters’ programs in the areas of:
      • Business Ethics
      • Business Integration and Strategic Management
      • Business Leadership
      • Information Management Systems
      • Management
      • Management: Human Resource Management
      • Management: Operations/Production Management
      • Management: Organizational Behavior
      • Overall Score
    • Since 2015, outgoing students have placed (in comparison with other reporting ACBSP institutions with masters’ degrees) in the:
      • Top 74th percentile for Overall Management and Human Resource Management
      • Top 76th percentile for Business Leadership
      • Top 82nd percentile for Organizational Behavior
      • Top 85th percentile for Information Management Systems
  • Employers include:
    • NORMA
    • Kennametal
    • Excela
    • Hamill Manufacturing
    • Matthews International
    • SAP
    • Microsoft
    • Pace Industries
    • Giant Eagle
    • Elliot
    • MSA
  • Students and graduates from:
    • US
    • China
    • Turkey
    • Egypt
    • Germany
    • India
    • Among others
Admission Requirementsmsmoe-admission-req
Operational Excellence Admission Requirements*
  1. Completed Application for Graduate Admission in Master of Science in Management: Operational Excellence
  2. Possess an earned bachelor’s degree** from an accredited institution. Official transcripts must be submitted from each institution attended. 
  3. Have a minimum overall grade point average of 3.0 on a 4-point scale. For a GPA lower than 3.0, applicants will be required to sit for the Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT). 
  4. Submit three recommendations – at least one recommendation from a professional work supervisor, at least one recommendation from a college professor and one recommendation that may be either academic or professional. All references should clearly state the relationship between the individual and the applicant. 
  5. Personal statement explaining your desire to obtain a graduate degree in Management and/or Operational Excellence. 
  6. Submission of curriculum vitae or resume (showing evidence of at least three years applicable work experience). 
  7. For international applicants, a TOEFL-ibt score of 90-91, 232 on the CBT, or 6.5 on IELTS or higher is required. Some exceptions may be made for those international students from English-speaking countries and who have completed undergraduate degrees in the United States. 
  8. All admission decisions are at the sole discretion of the Graduate Director of the program.

    9. * Any official documents not issued in English must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
    ** This is a Master of Science degree in Management with a focus on Operational Excellence. As such, the candidate must meet certain core competencies in general business areas over and above the MSMOE’s graduate curriculum to be awarded the Master of Science in Management: Operational Excellence degree. Those students with undergraduate degrees in business from accredited institutions will meet these competencies. Those possessing undergraduate degrees in other areas of concentration may be required to pass an exam testing for these competencies or take additional undergraduate level business courses. These courses are in addition to the MSMOE curriculum and can be completed prior to or during the period in which you are seeking your Masters. Please discuss your ability to meet the core competencies with the Graduate Director if you have any questions. The Master of Science in Management: Operational Excellence cannot be conferred to an individual unless core competencies are satisfactorily met.
Frequently Asked Questionsmsmoe-faq
Frequently Asked Questions
What is "Operational Excellence"?

Operational Excellence (OE) is a management philosophy used by world-class organizations to compete effectively in their dynamic environment. OE goes beyond short-term initiatives and leveraging “quick-fix” improvement tools. OE can be seen as a type of culture that allows employees to grow and develop while providing the value demanded by customers. Providing added value to customers occurs through being able to continuously improve, problem solve and eliminate waste. These three activities are emphasized throughout the Master of Science in Management: Operational Excellence (MSMOE) curriculum. Simply stated, Operational Excellence is effective management.

Who is the MSMOE for?

The MSMOE is relevant for anyone, regardless of industry or job title, who is interested in being more effective at problem solving, leveraging techniques to reduce waste and improving performance every day. Most students are or aspire to become leaders in their organizations. Students in the program have careers in manufacturing, human resources, health care, pharmaceuticals, retail, education and banking/finance, among others. They are from a variety of regions within the United States as well as abroad.

Why a Master of Science in Management instead of an MBA?

As a Master of Science in Management, the MSMOE is different from a traditional business graduate degree like an MBA. While other graduate business degrees focus on general concepts at a high level, the MSMOE focuses on key areas that will help to make you a more influential leader. Each experience in the program is designed to enhance your personal leadership abilities and to help you apply proven management practices on a daily basis.

Are courses available online and/or in the evening?

The MSMOE program is designed to meet your needs. Classes are conveniently scheduled in the evenings with face-to-face and online options available. Students can earn their degree in as little as a year or as long as their individual situation requires. With options for achieving credit through independent studies and internships as well as elective courses, students are able to craft their studies to explore areas of interest.

Our online approach is cutting-edge because we simulate being in the classroom. Our philosophy is that learning occurs through discussion and interaction. While many online programs do not allow for learning by conversation, ours emphasizes this, which makes us unique. Online students log in during each real-time class session and participate in the discussion just as though they were physically in the classroom. This approach allows us to build a community among the MSMOE graduate students, a hallmark of Saint Vincent’s educational approach. Furthermore it allows students to explore concepts more in depth by allowing real-time technology-facilitated interaction.
Certificate Programmsmoe-certificate

This certificate program is for all anyone interested in implementing Operational Excellence techniques for continuous improvement, regardless of industry.

Students will build an effective foundation in Operational Excellence skills that can be implemented immediately in your organization to reduce waste and costs, increase productivity and gain a competitive advantage.

Students will learn various lean methods to minimize waste by studying the eight classic wastes that exist in processes, regardless of the industry. The certificate program will also teach students to identify improvement opportunities with your company’s processes, implement change and measure the impact of those changes on safety, quality, inventory, lead time, cost and productivity.

  • How to Apply

    Admission to the program is competitive and the program is cohort-based. Once all spaces in the cohort are filled, no additional applicants can be admitted even if they meet the minimum requirements. New cohorts begin each semester. If you meet the minimum requirements but are not admitted in a particular semester due to no available space in the cohort, you are encouraged to reapply in a subsequent semester. The following are the minimum requirements for admission to the program:

    1. Completed Application for Graduate Admission in Master of Science in Management: Operational Excellence or the Graduate Level Certificate Program.
    2. Possess an earned bachelor’s degree* from an accredited institution. Official transcripts must be submitted from each institution attended.
    3. Have a minimum overall grade point average of 3.0 on a 4-point scale. For a GPA lower than 3.0, applicants will be required to sit for the Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT).
    4. Submit three recommendations – at least one recommendation from a professional work supervisor, at least one recommendation from a college professor and one recommendation that may be either academic or professional. All references should clearly state the relationship between the individual and the applicant.
    5. Personal statement explaining your desire to obtain a graduate degree in Management and/or Operational Excellence.
    6. Submission of curriculum vitae or resume (showing evidence of at least three years’ applicable work experience).
    7. For international applications, English proficiency exam scores: Minimum scores required: TOEFL (79), IELTS (6.5) or Duolingo (105) Some exceptions may be made for those international students from English-speaking countries and who have completed undergraduate degrees in the United States.

    Mail the above to:
    Office of Graduate & Continuing Education
    Saint Vincent College
    300 Fraser Purchase Road
    Latrobe, PA 15650-2690

    All admission decisions are at the sole discretion of the Graduate Director of the program.

    Provisional Acceptance
    If a student does not meet the above requirements for regular admission to the MSMOE program, consideration may be given for acceptance on a provisional basis (students may be asked for further information to consider their application to the program). A student accepted on a provisional basis will be required to maintain a 3.33 GPA over the course of completing nine graduate credits. If the student is able to maintain a 3.33 grade point average she/he will be reviewed for regular admission. A student with provisional status will not be allowed to take more than nine credits of graduate coursework per semester. If the student is not able to maintain a 3.33 GPA after completing nine credits of graduate coursework, regular admission will be denied. Students will be removed from the program after two consecutive provisional semesters. Provisional acceptance will still allow a student to qualify for financial aid if needed.

    Graduate Non-Degree Status  
    If a student does not want acceptance to the MSMOE graduate program but would like to register for graduate classes, the student may apply as a graduate non-degree seeking student. This allows the student to register for up to nine graduate credits without applying or being accepted to a program. In order to register under this status a student must complete the graduate non-degree application and submit official transcripts to the Office of Graduate and Continuing Education. Once this information is received the student will be contacted regarding registration for classes. A student with this status is not eligible for financial aid.

    * This is a Master of Science degree in Management with a focus on Operational Excellence. As such, the candidate must meet certain core competencies in general business areas over and above the MSMOE’s graduate curriculum to be awarded the Master of Science in Management: Operational Excellence degree. Those students with undergraduate degrees in business from accredited institutions will meet these competencies. Those possessing undergraduate degrees in other areas of concentration may be required to pass an exam testing for these competencies or take additional undergraduate level business courses. These courses are in addition to the MSMOE curriculum and can be completed prior to or during the period in which you are seeking your Master’s. Please discuss your ability to meet the core competencies with the Graduate Director if you have any questions. The Master of Science in Management: Operational Excellence cannot be conferred to an individual unless core competencies are satisfactorily met.