Department Head Message
Welcome to the Department of Management. The department is committed to supporting the mission of the Huntsman School to develop leaders of distinction in commerce and public affairs. It does this through excellence in classroom instruction, by motivating students to acquire the knowledge, skills, and competencies sought by employers, and by creating knowledge that informs and advances the art and science of management.
The department offers two degree programs and four undergraduate minors. Students in the Bachelor’s degree in Management acquire a foundation of key concepts and skills that are applicable to organizations in both in the private and public sectors, coupled with the technical skills needed to support particular career paths. Recent graduates have gone on to work for organizations including General Mills, Goldman Sachs, Qualtrics, and Workday. The minor in Hotel Management prepares students for careers in an industry that contributes more than $200 billion to the U.S. economy annually. The minor in Human Resource Management develops students interested in how people assets can be leveraged to create value for the individual and the organization. The minor in Operations and Supply Chain Management prepares students with interests in process improvement and how to manage supply chains. The Business minor is designed for non-business students seeking to acquire the fundamental business knowledge and skills that can complement any program of study.
Vijay Kannan
Vernon and MaRee Buehler Endowed Professor, Head of the Department of Management, and Executive Director of International Programs
The nationally ranked Master of Human Resources program prepares students to be leaders and strategic thinkers in identifying, attracting, and developing talent, putting them on the path towards senior roles managing human capital. A key component of the program is a summer-long internship at a major national or international corporation. Recent internships have led to graduates beginning their HR careers at Fortune 100 companies including Chevron, Ford Motor Company, General Electric, Honeywell, and TIAA.
The department emphasizes experiential and extra-curricular learning to cultivate the skills and competencies that can position students for professional success. Through hands-on learning in classes, and internships, leadership in student clubs, and Global Learning and other out of class experiences, students can gain the practical experiences that complement their classroom learning. The goal of the department is to prepare its graduates so that they have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed from day one.
Management faculty are leaders as teachers, mentors, and scholars. They are committed to student success and to being positive role models. They are advancing their fields of expertise, regularly publishing their research in the leading academic journals including Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, the Journal of Applied Psychology, the Journal of Supply Chain Management, and Production and Operations Management. Bringing leading edge research to the classroom means that students benefit from recent advances in knowledge and the wisdom and insights of faculty at the forefront of their profession.