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    • Operations Research

    Operations Research Courses Online

    Study operations research for solving complex organizational problems. Learn about optimization, simulation, and decision analysis techniques.

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    Explore the Operations Research Course Catalog

    • U

      University of Pennsylvania

      Foundations of Positive Psychology

      Skills you'll gain: Resilience, Goal Setting, Emotional Intelligence, Positivity, Personal Development, Optimism, Science and Research, Research Methodologies, Overcoming Obstacles, Research Design, Empathy, Relationship Building, Learning Strategies, Composure, Self-Awareness, Qualitative Research, Research, Positive Behavior Support, Psychology, Self-Motivation

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      8.1K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • I

      IBM

      IBM DevOps and Software Engineering

      Skills you'll gain: CI/CD, Istio, Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), Continuous Integration, Software Development Life Cycle, Linux Commands, Agile Software Development, Unit Testing, Cloud Computing Architecture, Application Deployment, Test Driven Development (TDD), Gherkin (Scripting Language), Jenkins, Kubernetes, Bash (Scripting Language), Cloud Services, Git (Version Control System), DevOps, Jupyter, Grafana

      Build toward a degree

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      59K reviews

      Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

    • G

      Google Cloud

      Preparing for Google Cloud Certification: Cloud Security Engineer

      Skills you'll gain: Application Performance Management, Distributed Denial-Of-Service (DDoS) Attacks, Google Cloud Platform, Kubernetes, Cloud Infrastructure, Identity and Access Management, Data Loss Prevention, Load Balancing, System Monitoring, Network Monitoring, Cloud Computing Architecture, Containerization, Network Architecture, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Network Security, OAuth, Cloud Storage, Network Routing, Cloud Security, Virtual Private Networks (VPN)

      Build toward a degree

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      50K reviews

      Intermediate · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

    • D

      DeepLearning.AI

      Deep Learning

      Skills you'll gain: Computer Vision, Deep Learning, Image Analysis, Natural Language Processing, Artificial Neural Networks, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Tensorflow, Supervised Learning, Keras (Neural Network Library), Artificial Intelligence, Applied Machine Learning, PyTorch (Machine Learning Library), Machine Learning, Debugging, Performance Tuning, Machine Learning Methods, Python Programming, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Text Mining, Machine Learning Algorithms

      Build toward a degree

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      146K reviews

      Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • G

      Google

      Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design

      Skills you'll gain: UI/UX Research, Design Thinking, User Research, User Experience Design, User Centered Design, Usability, Persona (User Experience), Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, Prototyping, Wireframing, Sprint Planning

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      73K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • I

      IBM

      DevOps, Cloud, and Agile Foundations

      Skills you'll gain: Agile Software Development, Cloud Computing Architecture, Cloud Services, Agile Methodology, DevOps, Kanban Principles, Cloud Security, Cloud Infrastructure, Cloud Platforms, Cloud Computing, Agile Project Management, Cloud-Native Computing, User Story, Cloud Storage, Sprint Retrospectives, Sprint Planning, Workflow Management, CI/CD, Test Driven Development (TDD), Scrum (Software Development)

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      12K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free
      Free
      Y

      Yale University

      A Law Student's Toolkit

      Skills you'll gain: Research, Critical Thinking, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Social Studies, Policy Analysis, Analytical Skills, Economics, Ethical Standards And Conduct

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.5K reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: AI skills
      AI skills
      I

      IBM

      IBM AI Product Manager

      Skills you'll gain: Generative AI, New Product Development, Product Management, Product Lifecycle Management, Product Development, Innovation, Product Roadmaps, ChatGPT, Product Planning, Commercialization, Product Strategy, Artificial Intelligence, Project Management Life Cycle, Data Ethics, OpenAI, Product Marketing, Stakeholder Management, Competitive Analysis, Product Testing, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML)

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      25K reviews

      Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

    • U

      University of California, Davis

      Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

      Skills you'll gain: Search Engine Optimization, Persona Development, Web Analytics and SEO, Social Media Strategy, Competitive Analysis, Target Audience, Content Marketing, Peer Review, Social Media, Content Strategy, Social Media Marketing, Google Analytics, Presentations, Forecasting, Expectation Management, User Research, Digital Marketing, Relationship Management, Marketing Strategy and Techniques, Digital Content

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      13K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • U

      University of Pennsylvania

      Introduction to Finance and Accounting

      Skills you'll gain: Financial Statements, Return On Investment, Financial Statement Analysis, Finance, Financial Reporting, Capital Budgeting, Financial Accounting, Financial Modeling, Working Capital, Balance Sheet, Accrual Accounting, Accounting, Cash Flows, Income Statement, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Financial Analysis, Tax Planning, Equities, Financial Planning, Corporate Finance

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      14K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • G

      Google

      Foundations of Cybersecurity

      Skills you'll gain: Cybersecurity, Security Controls, Cyber Attacks, Information Systems Security Assessment Framework (ISSAF), Security Strategy, Security Awareness, Cyber Risk, Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), Information Assurance, Data Ethics, Network Analysis, Personally Identifiable Information

      Build toward a degree

      4.9
      Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
      ·
      33K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • G

      Google Cloud

      Preparing for Google Cloud Certification: Cloud DevOps Engineer

      Skills you'll gain: Site Reliability Engineering, Kubernetes, Application Performance Management, Google Cloud Platform, Cloud Infrastructure, System Monitoring, Application Deployment, Identity and Access Management, Containerization, DevOps, CI/CD, Cloud Storage, Cloud Security, Cloud Applications, Cloud Services, Cloud Management, Service Level Agreement, Continuous Delivery, Safety Culture, Network Monitoring

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      54K reviews

      Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

    Operations Research learners also search

    Operations Management
    Operations Analytics
    Business
    Management
    Business Management
    Business Development
    Project Management
    Business Projects
    1…456…349

    In summary, here are 10 of our most popular operations research courses

    • Foundations of Positive Psychology: University of Pennsylvania
    • IBM DevOps and Software Engineering: IBM
    • Preparing for Google Cloud Certification: Cloud Security Engineer: Google Cloud
    • Deep Learning: DeepLearning.AI
    • Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design: Google
    • DevOps, Cloud, and Agile Foundations: IBM
    • A Law Student's Toolkit: Yale University
    • IBM AI Product Manager: IBM
    • Search Engine Optimization (SEO): University of California, Davis
    • Introduction to Finance and Accounting: University of Pennsylvania

    Skills you can learn in Business Strategy

    Modeling (25)
    Market (economics) (21)
    Plan (19)
    Planning (16)
    Strategic Management (16)
    Business Model (13)
    Operations Management (13)
    Analytics (12)
    Evaluation (12)
    Project Management (11)
    Supply Chain (10)
    Decision-making (9)

    Frequently Asked Questions about Operations Research

    Operations research is the use of statistical analysis and mathematical optimization techniques to help organizations solve problems and improve decision-making. The ability to harness vast amounts of data on day-to-day operations has created opportunities to rigorously optimize processes for cost, quality control, inventory management, and other goals, making operations research an important part of many businesses.

    The tools of operations research are similar to those of other fields relying heavily on quantitative analysis and statistics. Operational data is input into programs such as Microsoft Excel and Solver, R, and Python, where mathematical optimization techniques such as linear programming (LP) are applied to find the best solution for business problems. Monte Carlo simulations and other probabilistic analyses may also be used to discover areas of sensitivity and risk.

    These data-driven insights are typically applied according to process management and process improvement frameworks such as Six Sigma and Lean, which strive to reduce variation and eliminate waste in operations.‎

    Operations research is a core competency of careers in operations management, supply chain management, and logistics. This skill is particularly highly valued by businesses in manufacturing, transportation, healthcare, and other industries where companies must compete to deliver goods and services with complex supply chains in cost-sensitive markets.

    According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, operations research analysts earned a median annual salary of $84,810 in 2019. These jobs are also expected to grow much faster than jobs in the rest of the economy, due to the explosive growth in the availability of operations data along with the increasing importance of adopting these data-driven approaches to remain competitive in many industries. Operations research analysts typically have at least a bachelor’s degree in technical and quantitative fields such as engineering, computer science, analytics, or mathematics, as few schools offer degrees in operations research specifically.‎

    Certainly. Coursera offers courses and Specializations on operations research and related topics such as supply chain and operations management, operational analytics, and statistical research. Offered by excellent schools such as the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Melbourne, and Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, these courses give you the opportunity to learn remotely on a flexible schedule and a lower tuition than on-campus students. Whether you’re a student or mid-career professional looking to add new skills to your repertoire, Coursera gives you the opportunity to optimize your operations research education to fit your specific needs.‎

    The skills and experience that you might need to already have before starting to learn operations research may include knowledge of mathematical and engineering methods, understanding of the fundamentals of business, and some background in linear programming, a math technique to solve systems of linear constraints. All of these can help you fully grasp the basics of operations research. Furthermore, having a background that includes computer algorithms and optimization techniques can help you to better analyze optimization problems in computer science, civil engineering, economics, and management. This multifaceted field is also linked with machine learning, as some operations researchers are sampling machine learning methods to test various metrics in a particular optimization process.‎

    The kind of people who are best suited for operations research work are often quantitative thinkers who are detailed and analytical. These people use mathematics formulas to help companies study labor needs, cost scenarios, product distribution, and other factors. In doing this work, they need to be curious, methodical, rational, and logical. Because operations researchers understand how algorithms, math, and statistics may impact workflows, budgets, employee staffing, and profitability, they also tend to be the kind of people who are investigative in nature, using their intellect and curiosity in the work.‎

    When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Operations Research, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here.‎

    This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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