Cultivate
Provides opportunities inside and outside the classroom to cultivate and enhance your overall learning and academic experience.
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Department of Management
Explore the Operations Management Major
Operations Management knowledge ensures that the business of a company gets done. It includes all activities that turn raw materials into finished goods and products. The goal of operations management is to improve efficiency, quality, and productivity that ultimately leads to great customer satisfaction. Effective operations management leads to greater profits for a company. The program consists of required business courses that provide a conceptual foundation for developing a well-run operations-related department in a company that will aid the company in developing a competitive advantage in the industry. In addition to acquiring knowledge about business functional areas and management, students will develop skills/knowledge necessary to be effective operations managers.
What Are Milestones?
Milestones are activities students should complete and skills they should develop during their first year, middle years and final year at MSU Denver.
Major Milestones help prospective and current students explore major and career options and create a year-by-year plan that makes the most of their time at MSU Denver and sets them up for post-graduation success.
Career Milestones provide ways to explore options for jobs and/or attending graduate school after graduation and help students understand the types of essential skills employers look for.
Both types of Milestones integrate curricular (what happens inside the classroom), co-curricular (what happens inside and outside the classroom), and non-curricular (what happens outside the classroom) experiences.
Career Milestones Resources
There are nine essential skills you should have in order to find, acquire, maintain, and grow within a job.
Essential skills built through majoring in Operations Management include:
- Critical Thinking
- Global Learning
- Teamwork & Collaboration
Learn more about essential skills.
Students graduating from Operations Management find themselves most often in Operations Manager, Supply Chain Manager, Project Manager, Logistics Manager, Purchasing Manager, Service Operations Manager.
Explore career opportunities by major.
Students who choose to pursue a graduate degree often consider these pathways:
- Operations Management grads are prepared to enter any business-related graduate program: BS or MBA
Learn more about applying to graduate school.
Major Milestones Resources
Major Milestones Resources
How to Get the Most Out of This Page
Follow These Steps
- Click on your year in school from the list below.
- Read the steps listed in each category: Cultivate, Engage and Prepare.
- Complete any necessary steps listed.
- Check out further resources by connecting with your academic advisor, the Classroom to Career Hub, and your department faculty.
All options listed below are available in-person and online unless noted otherwise.
Major Milestones Categories
Engage
Highlights activities you can engage and participate in globally, nationally and locally to enhance your essential skills and start building your resume.
Prepare
Lists steps to prepare for postgraduate success whether that's entering the workforce, attending graduate school or pursuing other goals and plans.
Arrive! What to Explore During Your First Year at MSU Denver
- Attend orientation and register for classes.
- Meet with your Academic Advisor.
- Complete FAFSA/CASFA/COF and the General Scholarship Application.
- Join a student organization and get connected to support on campus.
- Declare a major, (explore our fully online programs!) or meet with an exploratory advisor to learn about options.
- Attend signature events on campus (Convocation, Fall Fest, Spring Fling, etc.).
- Check out Career Link for on campus and career-aligned jobs.
- Attend Classroom to Career Hub (C2Hub) career workshops and events.
- Write your early experience resume and utilize resume resources from the C2Hub.
- Meet your Management Faculty Members and Academic Advisor.
- Complete your Business Core prerequisite courses.
- Follow the College of Business on Social Media.
- Connect with a current student or faculty member for coffee.
- Reach out to the Honors Program to see if you qualify!
- Explore College of Business student groups and clubs.
- Begin to explore possible career pathways.
- Create a LinkedIn/LinkedIn Learning Account.
- Career Assessment.
Thrive! Make the Most of Your Middle Years at MSU Denver
- Consider adding a minor or certificate to your chosen major.
- Explore resources like the tutoring program or the writing center.
- Get familiar with MSU Denver’s Academic Planning Tool.
- Explore student leadership on campus and volunteering in your community.
- Earn credit and gain experience through an internship, study abroad, or community-engaged learning.
- Attend identity or interest-based campus events like the Richard T. Castro speaker series.
- Connect with the Undergraduate Research and Scholarship program.
- Attend an in-person Career Fair to network and secure a professional headshot.
- Connect with the Classroom to Career Hub (C2Hub) for opportunities for professional mentoring and job shadowing.
- Meet with a department advisor to discuss progress to completion.
- Review your upper division Operations Management elective options.
- Seek out academic mentors within your departments.
- If considering Study Abroad, talk to your Advisor about how this fits into your degree.
- Join Beta Gamma Sigma, if eligible, or look for student leadership and volunteer opportunities.
- COMPASS mentorship program through C2Hub.
- Connect w/ people on LinkedIn to build relationships prior to graduation.
- Conducting informal interviews w/employers to explore career paths/companies.
- Attend online or in person workshops in Denver (funded by C2Hub up to $400 per academic year).
Soar! Maximize Your Final Year at MSU Denver
- Meet with your advisor to complete remaining graduation requirements.
- Ready to Graduate? Check out this guide from the registrar!
- Attend or present in-person at a major-specific or industry-specific conference or networking event.
- Attend in-person alumni and campus-wide networking events.
- Submit a proposal to present in-person at the Undergraduate Research Conference.
- Seek to collaborate with local civic organizations.
- Finalize your portfolio of relevant projects and skills.
- Attend in-person career-focused events with an industry-ready resume.
- Identify needs for Professional Certifications or MCAT/LSAT etc. and prepare for professional school admissions.
- Prepare and submit applications for jobs, graduate school, or relevant post-grad training.
- Take electives that polish business, leadership, or communication skills.
- Consider completing an internship for credit.
- Explore professional certifications and plan to take exam.
- Get involved with alumni network.
- Complete an informational interview with a professional in the operations management-related field.
- Attend a professional organization workshop/meeting/event. Appropriate organizations include: Society for Project Managers, Product and Operations Management society, Association for Supply Chain Management.
- Create an academic CV or professional portfolio.
- Develop a job search strategy and apply for jobs.
- Attend job fairs and career and networking events like Dress for Success.
Roadrunner Roads
Things every student should do at MSU Denver.
Roadrunner Upkeep
- Complete FAFSA/CASFA/COF/Scholarship Applications every year.
- Stay on track for graduation by meeting with your advisor every year and check into the Rowdy Pit Stop every semester.
- Read The Runner in your email every Monday.
Roadrunner Career Readiness
- Find and get hired for jobs during college and beyond by visiting the Classroom to Career (C2) Hub and utilize their resources for students.
- To be prepared for any opportunity that comes your way, update your resume early & often.
- Explore options for hands-on learning and graduate school & get prepared for both.
- Log in to Career Link each month to stay up to date on programs, events, and job/internship opportunities.
Roadrunner Wellbeing
- Explore wellness and belonging resources from CESA.
- Access mental wellbeing support through the Counseling Center.
- Visit Rowdy’s Corner when you need some food access support.
- Nourish your physical well-being by checking out the Rec Center and Exercise Sciences, including for-credit courses.
- Determine your need for a Health Insurance Opt-Out Waiver each semester.
Follow Us
Contact the Department of Management
Connect with Us
Phone: (303) 615-0222
Campus Location:
Administration Building (AD)
#525