Below please find the program requirements for students in Technology & Operations Management (TOM). Doctoral students in TOM generally complete the program in four to five years.

Introduction to Probability and Statistics: All doctoral students enrolled in the TOM doctoral program are required to have completed one undergraduate or graduate course in introductory probability and statistics. If this requirement has not been fulfilled prior to matriculation, then an equivalent course will be required in the first term of the student's doctoral program.

A minimum of 13 semester courses at doctoral level, plus unit seminars are required. Each semester students will consult with the Technology and Operations Management faculty coordinator and/or advisor to receive approval of their course selections. Pre-approval by the TOM faculty coordinator is required if a student wishes to fulfill these requirements with alternative courses.

Foundational Courses (2 courses)

Innovation Track requirements: A comprehensive two semester sequence on economic theory:

• Microeconomic Theory I
• Microeconomic Theory II

Operations Track requirements (Modeling Emphasis and Empirical Emphasis): One semester course on economic theory and one operations management theory:

• Theory of Operations Management
• Microeconomic Theory II

Research Methods Courses (4 courses)

Innovation Track requirements:

• Introductory Applied Econometrics
• Intermediate Applied Econometrics
• Applied Econometrics for Research in Management
• One Empirical Methods Elective

Operations Track requirements (Modeling Emphasis):

• Introductory Applied Econometrics
• Introductory Applied Probability
• Two Modeling Electives

Operations Track requirements (Empirical Emphasis):

• Introductory Applied Probability
• Introductory Applied Econometrics
• Intermediate Applied Econometrics
• Applied Econometrics for Research in Management

Additional Courses (7 courses)

Innovation Track requirements:

• Empirical Studies of Innovation and Digitization
• Macro Topics in Organizational Behavior
• Empirical Technology and Operations Management
• Two doctoral elective courses
• Two breadth courses

Operations Track requirements (Modeling Emphasis):

• Advanced Optimization
• Stochastic Modeling
• Empirical Technology and Operations Management
• Two doctoral elective courses
• Two breadth courses

Operations Track requirements (Empirical Emphasis):

• Introduction to Optimization
• Stochastic Modeling
• Empirical Technology and Operations Management
• Theory of Operations Management
• One doctoral elective course
• Two breadth courses

MBA Courses (2 courses)

All students without an MBA degree are required to complete two case-based HBS MBA courses.

Research Seminars

Students are required to attend and participate in seminars throughout their program.

TOM Unit Seminars. TOM students are expected to attend this weekly seminar to gain exposure to cutting-edge research conducted by faculty at other business schools and by TOM faculty, and to observe faculty recruiting seminars (job talks).

DBA Seminar for Technology and Operations Management (HBS 4840). TOM students are required, starting in their third year, to enroll and actively participate in this weekly seminar each semester it is offered. Students present work in progress and receive feedback from their colleagues and a faculty member. This seminar also develops presentation skills, critical thinking, and enduring relationships among students across all stages of the TOM DBA program. First and second year TOM students are encouraged to enroll.

Operations Management Reading Group (HBS 4842). Operations-track TOM students are required to enroll and actively participate in this weekly seminar at least once during their first or second year. This seminar exposes students to leading research on operations management. Many students participate in this seminar in several years.

To remain in good academic standing, doctoral students are expected to maintain a B grade point average and complete each doctoral milestone by the date provided.

Students must teach or assist with teaching in a formally offered course for one full academic term. This engagement should include, at least, 8 hours of front-of-class teaching and 16 hours of teaching preparation time. The requirement may be fulfilled by completing a teaching fellow or instructor assignment at a Harvard University.

Students are required to complete and present a publishable-quality paper by the end of their second year. Students are responsible for organizing a committee in consultation with their primary advisor, who will approve the paper. To be approved, the paper must show the student's capability to produce publishable-quality research.

At the end of the second year, all students are required to pass the Special Field Exam, administered by their Special Field Exam Committee. For Operations Management-track students, the field exam will focus on empirical and modeling methods. For Innovation-track students, the field exam will focus on empirical methods and classical and special-field literatures.

By the end of their third year, all students are required to obtain approval of their dissertation proposal by their Dissertation Proposal Committee.

All students are required to hold a meeting with their Dissertation Committee by May of their 4th year to discuss a clear path for the student to successfully defend their dissertation and provide feedback and advice on the job market process.

Students are required to write a dissertation, which typically takes the form of three publishable papers, to the satisfaction of their Dissertation Committee. The dissertation defense is oral and open to the public. Students are expected to defend their dissertation no later than April of their 5th year.

Operations Track

Term 1	Term 3
Microeconomics I Introductory Applied Econometrics Basic Applied Probability TOM Unit Seminar	Intermediate Applied Econometrics Additional Research Methods Course Research Methods Elective Operations Management Reading Group Seminar TOM Unit Seminar
Term 2	Term 4
Introductory Applied Probability Advanced Optimization Empirical Technology and Operations Management DBA TOM Seminar TOM Unit Seminar	Research Methods Elective Stochastic Modeling Theory of Operations Management DBA TOM Seminar TOM Unit Seminar
Summer YR 1	Summer YR 2
Plan: Field Research Requirement Plan: Second Year Paper	Second Year Paper due Special Field Exam

Teaching Requirement and MBA Requirement (TERM 5 or 6)

Innovation Track

Term 1	Term 3
Microeconomics I Introductory Applied Econometrics Basic Applied Probability TOM Unit Seminar	Macro Topics in OB Research Methods Elective TOM Unit Seminar NBER Productivity Seminar
Term 2	Term 4
Microeconomics II Empirical Technology and Operations Management Intermediate Applied Econometrics DBA TOM Seminar TOM Unit Seminar NBER Productivity Seminar	Innovation and Organizations Elective Doctoral Course DBA TOM Seminar TOM Unit Seminar NBER Productivity Seminar
Summer YR 1	Summer YR 2
Plan: Field Research Requirement Plan: Second Year Paper	Second Year Paper due Special Field Exam

Teaching Requirement and MBA Requirement (TERM 5 or 6)