Saint Vincent College’s Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics, and Government recently announced that it has added a new graduate program, Master of Science Degree in Management: Operational Excellence.

Operational Excellence (OE) is the management philosophy based on a “Training Within Industry” program and the Toyota Production System (TPS). Saint Vincent is one of three colleges in the nation to offer a master’s program focusing on the OE concepts. The others are University of Michigan and Ohio State.

The 36-credit program, a hands-on approach to graduate study, provides an opportunity for learning-focused career leaders to receive the educational and practical experience necessary to lead cultural change initiatives in their corporations or service organizations by implementing the tools, techniques and countermeasures of Operational Excellence. The program incorporates business management with a liberal arts approach that encompasses critical thinking, international awareness, the application of cutting-edge business systems programs, effective communication, ethics, statistics and quantitative literacy, and the ability to write well and persuasively.

Students will have the opportunity to learn the advanced theories of management as originally developed for the TPS. The theories are based on a culture of teamwork where employees are treated with respect and a sense of community. Saint Vincent has the only program in the country with an integrated division of its business school – the Kennametal Center for Operational Excellence – involved in training, coaching and mentoring regional industrial, service and healthcare enterprises in the implementation of Operational Excellence in real-time work.

The program features Rodger Lewis, an Executive in Residence, who was trained by Toyota and became one of 12 individuals who directed the opening and management of its American plant in Kentucky. He worked for Toyota for 12 years, completing service as general manager. He went on to successfully implement OE systems at many organizations in seven countries with different cultures and in various size organizations.

Courses are offered in the evenings during the fall and spring semesters, and during summer sessions. An application is available at www.stvincent.edu/graduateprograms. For more information contact Lisa Glessner, graduate coordinator, at 724-805-2933 or e-mail her at gradadmission@stvincent.edu.

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