Master’s Degree Programs in Quality Management Overview
Majors Overview September 10, 2015This article talks about master’s degree programs in quality management and their education requirements, coursework, career choices, job and wage outlook, and continuing education choices.
Master’s Programs in Quality Management
Those who want to improve areas within an organization through the evaluation, development and establishment of new programs to ensure the best services or products may seek enrollment in quality management programs. These programs include the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) or Master of Science (M.S.) in Quality Management. Schools may offer programs in on-campus or online formats.
Education Requirements
Admission criteria typically require incoming students to hold a bachelor’s degree in engineering, business administration, math or science. They must also submit Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores and meet a minimum GPA standard in previous coursework. Applicants may need to showcase their knowledge of principles in economics, accounting practices, management theories, marketing techniques, corporate finances and business regulations. Prerequisite subject or course proficiency must be completed by students before they can gain acceptance into a master’s program.
Coursework
Program coursework, which typically spans 33-44 credit hours, is usually split into two sections; the first relates to core studies equated with 21 credits and the second focuses on elective coursework equated with 12 credits. Core coursework may cover topic areas such as:
•Team building methods
•Quality manufacturing
•Supply and demand issues
•Systematic design methods for quality management
•Accounting practices
•Marketing strategies
•Planning and supervising projects
•Developing and measuring productivity
•Operations and production administration
Career Choices
Program graduates can seek careers as industrial production managers.
Job and Wage Outlook
Over the 2012 – 2022 decade, industrial production managers are expected to see a declining job growth rate of two percent (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The growth is due to the increasing automation of manufacturing. In May 2012, these professionals brought in an average annual wage of $89,190 (BLS).
Continuing Education Choices
Program graduates who seek continuing education may pursue a graduate certificate, which candidates can qualify for by enrolling in a master’s program. Coursework spans 12-16 credit hours and involves emphasis on the Six Sigma approach, which is a business administration approach in quality management. Program graduates may also opt to enroll in a doctoral program that may be available online. Some doctoral programs offer quality management as the major while others offer quality control subjects as an emphasis in a business administration degree.
