Operations Management

Operations Management

Analysts working on charts

Operations Management - Bachelor of Applied Science

Bellingham Technical College now offers its first Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Operations Management. BTC’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Operations Management is a two-year online degree that can be added on top of an existing associate degree or even a previous bachelor’s degree to get you on track for higher level, higher pay positions — from production and facility supervisors to managers and VPs of operations.

Operations management is the management of processes, people, technology, and organizations that produce goods or services. Graduates can find careers in businesses and industries ranging from fisheries to the automotive industry, but BTC’s initial focus is on manufacturing and information technology.

Classes for the Operations Management bachelor’s are online but will include group work on some Saturdays as an opportunity for students to network and learn from one another.

Bachelor of Applied Science Entry Options

BTC’s BAS in Operations Management is ideal for current employees with a variety of educational backgrounds who would like to further their education and their career options.

Build off of a previous bachelor’s degree: For workers in the field with previous experience and an existing bachelor’s degree who are hoping to enhance their career.

Build off of a previous associate degree: For Bellingham Technical College graduates, those transferring from other community and technical colleges, or for current employees who already have an associate degree.

Start from scratch at Bellingham Technical College: Get your associate degree here in one of our 37 degree programs and continue on into our Bachelor of Applied Science program in Operations Management.

Employment Information

  • Employment and Wage Data Sources

    1Employment data come from the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) and reflect three-year averages among BTC students employed in either Washington or Oregon. Students are included in the employment rate if they left with a credential. Rates are not shown for programs with fewer than 10 students meeting the above criteria.

    2Whatcom County and WA State wage data come from Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates. Wage data represent occupations that BTC faculty have identified as the most relevant career paths for program graduates. Note that these wages reflect employees with varying educational levels/credentials. For cases in which multiple occupations have been identified by faculty, a weighted percentile is calculated using each occupation’s percentile wage and employment size estimate. Wages are not shown for programs for which occupations do not meet the ESD’s minimum thresholds for publishing. If the program has wage data that involves shift work, these ESD wages reflect the same number of hours used in the annual wage calculation. Starting wage = 25th percentile, median wage = 50th percentile, wage potential = 75th percentile.

  • Estimated Program Costs

Tuition Fees and Rates overview page

Entry Information

When Can I Start?

This proram starts in Fall Quarter.

What are the Minimum Entry Requirements?

Program Admission Requirements: Students must complete an accredited associate's degree or higher, and achieve placement into ENGL& 101- English Composition I and MATH& 146 - Intro to Statistics to be admitted to the BASOP program.

To be admitted to junior year BASOP courses courses, 300-level and above, students must have at least 20 lower-level general education credits completed. The lower-level general education requirements are listed below. Once students have completed 20 credits, they may take the rest concurrently with 300 and 400-level courses.

35 lower-level general education courses are required for graduation from the BASOP program.

  • ENGL& 101 English Composition I l 5 credits
  • MATH& 141 Precalculus I or MATH& 146 - Intro to Statistics l 5 credits
  • Humanities and Social Science l 15 credits
  • Natural Sciences with Lab l 5 credits
  • Any generally transferable general education course (&) l 5 credits

All of the above-mentioned classes must be completed with a minimum grade of 2.5/C+.

In accordance with state guidance, students will have met the General Education requirements (basic and distribution areas) for a BAS degree if they have earned a BAS degree from an institution accredited by one of the following agencies:

  • Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACCJC)
  • Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
  • Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS)
  • Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education
  • New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
  • WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)

Students must still complete program specific General Education degree requirements if not otherwise satisfied.

Students who graduate with a bachelor of applied science in Operations Management will be ready for top jobs as business managers, facility and facilities managers, general managers, operations managers, vice presidents of operations and more for industries that include manufacturing, transportation, information technology and retail. The employment outlook for operations managers and general managers in Washington state is strong and is expected to grow over the next several years. The average annual wage for an operations manager in Washington state is $120,155.

What are My Next Steps?

1. Apply to BTC and Financial Aid
2. Assess Your Starting Point
3. Advising & Registration
4. Prepare to Attend

 

Classes

Total Program Credits: 90

  • Current Students: Learn how to use this page to register for classes

  • Academic Core

  • BUS 310Project Management5 CR
  • ECON 310Managerial Economics5 CR
  • ENGL 310Business Communications5 CR
  • PHIL 310Professional Ethics5 CR
  • PSYC 310Industrial Organizational Psychology5 CR

  • TOTAL Academic Core Course Credits
    		25 CR

  • Technology Course Work

  • OPM 311Mathematical Techniques for Operations Management5 CR
  • OPM 312Forcasting and System Design5 CR
  • OPM 313Quality Management5 CR
  • OPM 314Logistical Planning and Supply Chain Management5 CR
  • OPM 315Lean Concepts and Applications5 CR
  • OPM 411Facility Layout and Materials Handling5 CR
  • OPM 412Workplace Health and Safety5 CR
  • OPM 413Measurement and Statistical Process Control5 CR
  • OPM 491Focused Study I5 CR
  • OPM 492Focused Study II5 CR
  • OPM 493Focused Study III5 CR
  • OPM 498Individual Capstone Project5 CR
  • OPM 499Group Capstone Project5 CR

Program Outcomes

After successfully completing the Bachelor of Applied Science – Operation Management degree, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate a mastery of the mathematical tools required for operations management.
  • Apply qualitative and quantitative forecasting techniques to the selection of processes and facility layouts that will optimize production and/or service delivery.
  • Plan a comprehensive quality management program for use within an organization.
  • Apply mathematical approaches to solve typical make/buy and outsourcing problems.
  • Assess the value of Lean concepts, including Value Stream Mapping, Workplace Organization and Standardization, 5-S and Cellular Flow, Kan Ban and Total Production Maintenance to operations management.
  • Demonstrate the application of project management techniques to develop realistic and comprehensive project plans; identify risk areas; monitor the plans; and deal with problems.
  • Develop clear and coherent technical reports, proposals, memoranda, and e-mails; and deliver presentations to groups.
  • Analyze projects, compare alternatives, and make business decisions based on economic principles such as time value of money, internal rate of return, and cost-benefit ratios.
  • Demonstrate the ability to identify and then develop acceptable resolution of ethical dilemmas that might occur in the workplace.
  • Analyze how leadership skills, recruitment and retention practices, motivation and team building, the management of change, and conflict resolution affect the behavior and interaction of people at work.
  • Demonstrate a level of critical thinking, teamwork, communication, and technical and information literacy commensurate with an operations management position.

Employment Outlook

Students who graduate with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Operations Management will be ready for top jobs as business managers, facility and facilities managers, general managers, operations managers, vice presidents of operations and more for industries that include manufacturing, transportation, information technology and retail. The employment outlook for operations managers and general managers in Washington state is strong and is expected to grow over the next several years. 

Contacts

If you have questions about this program or want help with the admissions steps to Bellingham Technical College, please email outreach@btc.edu.

Current students wanting academic planning and support, can connect with the program Instructor(s) or email BusinessITNav@btc.edu