Chairman: Dr. Thomas O. Ombati
Welcome to the Department of Management Science and Project Planning. In this Department, we challenge students to form new insights regarding the most critical issues and problems in business and management science. Students in the Department of Management Science are trained in multi-disciplinary areas including operations management, supply chain management, management information systems (MIS), and project management. In their research, the students address managerially relevant problems by integrating theory with research methods. Some of our students work in collaboration with industry partnerships, giving them relevant experience as well as a unique perspective on academic research and the ability to test their ideas in the field. We are concerned with developing and applying scientific principles through models and concepts in resolving managerial problems, in pursuit of operational excellence and managerial effectiveness. Training offered in the department opens the door to a wide range of careers, from general management, where logical, mathematical, and project-based skills are much in demand, to specialized management knowledge areas as listed further down.
The Department of Management Science is as old as the Faculty of Business, prior to 1988, it existed as a service department. A Management Science specialization option was introduced in 1988. From 1998 the department introduced Operations Management and Management Information Systems specializations at postgraduate level.
Following restructuring in the university in 2021, PhD, Masters, Post Graduate Diploma and Bachelors in Project Planning and Management, Diploma in Purchasing and Supplies Management and Diploma in Project Planning and Management were transferred to the department from the former OdeL campus, the department was renamed Department of Management Science and Project Planning.
Curriculum, course work and examinations
Our programs are full-time degree/evening programs that officially begin in the month of January. Undergraduate Students are expected to complete their program in four years while Masters and Ph.D. expected to finish in two and five years respectively. Undergraduate students typically spend their four years on course work, at the end of which they take to do a research project. Masters students on the other hand spend their first year on course work and the second on a research projects. Each academic year has two/or three semesters that run for a period of 13 weeks.
Research and Projects
Undergraduate and Masters Students in the Department of Management Science often begin research in their last year. In the preceding year, students are encouraged to explore their research interests as they complete relevant coursework. PhD students begin research after completion of their coursework.
Teaching and research are organized around five thematic areas:
- Decision Sciences,
- Operations Management,
- Information Systems,
- Supply Chain Management, and
- Project Planning and Management
Courses offered in the department include;
- PhD in project planning and management
- Master of science in procurement and supply chain
- Master of science in operations and technology management
- Masters of arts in project planning and management
- Post graduate diploma in project planning and management
- Bachelor of project planning and the management
- Diploma in project planning and management
- Diploma in purchasing and supplies management
Today we offer the Management Science Courses with three specialization options: Operations Management, Business Information Systems, Procurement and Supply Chain Management (B.com).
PhD in Business administration, areas of specialization are Management Information Systems and Operations Management.
PhD in Project Planning and Management, areas of specialization are Project Planning Design and Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation, Project Financing and Management Information Systems.
Master in Business Administration, areas of specializations are, Management Information Systems, Procurement and Supply Chain Management, and Operations Management.
The Department also offers service courses to a number of other departments in the rest of the University and houses the secretariat of the Operations Research Society of Eastern Africa (ORSEA). In addition, the Department is also in collaboration with Kuhne Logistics University.
Contacts: dept-mgtsci@uonbi.ac.ke