• For Individuals
  • For Businesses
  • For Universities
  • For Governments
Coursera
  • Online Degrees
  • Careers
  • Log In
  • Join for Free
    Coursera
    • Browse
    • Operations Research

    Operations Research Courses Online

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

    Skip to search results

    Filter by

    Subject
    Required
     *

    Language
    Required
     *

    The language used throughout the course, in both instruction and assessments.

    Learning Product
    Required
     *

    Build job-relevant skills in under 2 hours with hands-on tutorials.
    Learn from top instructors with graded assignments, videos, and discussion forums.
    Learn a new tool or skill in an interactive, hands-on environment.
    Get in-depth knowledge of a subject by completing a series of courses and projects.
    Earn career credentials from industry leaders that demonstrate your expertise.
    Earn career credentials while taking courses that count towards your Master’s degree.
    Earn your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree online for a fraction of the cost of in-person learning.
    Complete graduate-level learning without committing to a full degree program.
    Earn a university-issued career credential in a flexible, interactive format.
    Graduate level learning within reach.

    Level
    Required
     *

    Duration
    Required
     *

    Skills
    Required
     *

    Subtitles
    Required
     *

    Educator
    Required
     *

    Explore the Operations Research Course Catalog

    • U

      University of Pennsylvania

      Driving Operational Performance

      Skills you'll gain: Process Analysis, Operational Performance Management, Capacity Planning, Operational Analysis, Operations Management, Process Optimization, Business Metrics, Performance Analysis, Customer Retention, Supply Chain, Resource Allocation, Customer experience improvement

      4.5
      Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
      ·
      11 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Y

      Yale University

      The Science of Well-Being

      Skills you'll gain: Personal Development, Positive Behavior Support, Goal Setting, Resilience, Self-Awareness, Behavioral Economics, Adaptability, Mental Health, Productivity, Psychology, Social Skills, Mindfulness

      4.9
      Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
      ·
      39K reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      Status: New AI skills
      New AI skills
      G

      Google

      Google IT Support

      Skills you'll gain: Computer Networking, Package and Software Management, Network Troubleshooting, Systems Administration, Cloud Infrastructure, Network Administration, IT Infrastructure, Information Systems Security, TCP/IP, Network Security, File Systems, Microsoft Windows, Computer Security, Professional Networking, Application Security, Desktop Support, Computer Hardware, Technical Support, Interviewing Skills, Applicant Tracking Systems

      Build toward a degree

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      203K reviews

      Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      Status: New AI skills
      New AI skills
      G

      Google

      Google Cybersecurity

      Skills you'll gain: Threat Modeling, Network Security, Threat Management, Incident Response, Vulnerability Management, Computer Security Incident Management, Hardening, Intrusion Detection and Prevention, Cyber Threat Intelligence, Cyber Attacks, Cybersecurity, Network Protocols, Professional Networking, Bash (Scripting Language), Operating Systems, Security Controls, Stakeholder Communications, Debugging, Interviewing Skills, Python Programming

      Build toward a degree

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      52K reviews

      Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      I

      IBM

      Python for Data Science, AI & Development

      Skills you'll gain: Jupyter, Python Programming, Data Structures, Web Scraping, Data Manipulation, Programming Principles, Pandas (Python Package), Computer Programming, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Restful API, NumPy, Application Programming Interface (API), Data Analysis, Data Import/Export, File Management

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      41K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      Status: New AI skills
      New AI skills
      G

      Google

      Google Project Management:

      Skills you'll gain: Quality Management, Project Management Life Cycle, Project Scoping, Project Closure, Project Management, Project Planning, Continuous Improvement Process, Agile Project Management, Project Controls, Professional Networking, Backlogs, Agile Software Development, Quality Assessment, Team Management, Project Documentation, Agile Methodology, Communication Planning, Change Management, Milestones (Project Management), Interviewing Skills

      Build toward a degree

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      129K reviews

      Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      S

      Salesforce

      Salesforce Sales Operations

      Skills you'll gain: Sales Pipelines, Sales Process, Sales Operations, Customer Success Management, Order Management, Sales Management, Salesforce, Dashboard, Sales, Sales Development, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software, Lead Generation, Request For Quotation (RFQ), Sales Support, Sales Enablement, Customer Relationship Management, Product Knowledge, B2B Sales, Campaign Management, Data Visualization

      Build toward a degree

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.9K reviews

      Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      N

      Novartis

      Clinical Trials: Good Clinical Practice

      Skills you'll gain: Clinical Research, Clinical Trials, Healthcare Ethics, Patient Education And Counseling, Record Keeping, Medical Science and Research, Regulatory Compliance, Document Management, Medical Privacy, Patient Safety, Risk Management

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      511 reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      D
      S

      Multiple educators

      Machine Learning

      Skills you'll gain: Unsupervised Learning, Supervised Learning, Machine Learning Methods, Classification And Regression Tree (CART), Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Applied Machine Learning, Machine Learning Algorithms, Machine Learning, Jupyter, Data Ethics, Decision Tree Learning, Tensorflow, Scikit Learn (Machine Learning Library), Artificial Intelligence, NumPy, Predictive Modeling, Deep Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Random Forest Algorithm, Feature Engineering

      Build toward a degree

      4.9
      Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
      ·
      34K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      I

      IBM

      IBM Generative AI Engineering

      Skills you'll gain: Prompt Engineering, Large Language Modeling, Predictive Modeling, Supervised Learning, Feature Engineering, Generative AI, Keras (Neural Network Library), Deep Learning, Flask (Web Framework), Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Wrangling, Unit Testing, Natural Language Processing, ChatGPT, Data Analysis, Jupyter, Artificial Intelligence, Unsupervised Learning, PyTorch (Machine Learning Library), OpenAI

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      87K reviews

      Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      J

      Johns Hopkins University

      Clinical Trials Operations

      Skills you'll gain: Clinical Data Management, Clinical Trials, Sample Size Determination, Clinical Research, Data Quality, Healthcare Ethics, Quality Assurance, Data Cleansing, Regulatory Compliance, Data Integrity, Data Governance, Microsoft Excel, Statistical Reporting, Data Compilation, Data Collection, Scientific Methods, Biostatistics, Data Sharing, Statistical Analysis, Patient Safety

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      505 reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      D

      DeepLearning.AI

      Deep Learning

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

      Build toward a degree

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

      Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    Operations Research learners also search

    Operations Management
    Operations Analytics
    Business
    Management
    Business Management
    Business Development
    Project Management
    Business Projects
    1234…343

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

    • Driving Operational Performance: University of Pennsylvania
    • The Science of Well-Being: Yale University
    • Google IT Support: Google
    • Google Cybersecurity: Google
    • Python for Data Science, AI & Development: IBM
    • Google Project Management:: Google
    • Salesforce Sales Operations: Salesforce
    • Clinical Trials: Good Clinical Practice: Novartis
    • Machine Learning: DeepLearning.AI
    • IBM Generative AI Engineering: IBM

    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.

    Other topics to explore

    Arts and Humanities
    338 courses
    Business
    1095 courses
    Computer Science
    668 courses
    Data Science
    425 courses
    Information Technology
    145 courses
    Health
    471 courses
    Math and Logic
    70 courses
    Personal Development
    137 courses
    Physical Science and Engineering
    413 courses
    Social Sciences
    401 courses
    Language Learning
    150 courses

    Coursera Footer

    Technical Skills

    • ChatGPT
    • Coding
    • Computer Science
    • Cybersecurity
    • DevOps
    • Ethical Hacking
    • Generative AI
    • Java Programming
    • Python
    • Web Development

    Analytical Skills

    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Big Data
    • Business Analysis
    • Data Analytics
    • Data Science
    • Financial Modeling
    • Machine Learning
    • Microsoft Excel
    • Microsoft Power BI
    • SQL

    Business Skills

    • Accounting
    • Digital Marketing
    • E-commerce
    • Finance
    • Google
    • Graphic Design
    • IBM
    • Marketing
    • Project Management
    • Social Media Marketing

    Career Resources

    • Essential IT Certifications
    • High-Income Skills to Learn
    • How to Get a PMP Certification
    • How to Learn Artificial Intelligence
    • Popular Cybersecurity Certifications
    • Popular Data Analytics Certifications
    • What Does a Data Analyst Do?
    • Career Development Resources
    • Career Aptitude Test
    • Share your Coursera Learning Story

    Coursera

    • About
    • What We Offer
    • Leadership
    • Careers
    • Catalog
    • Coursera Plus
    • Professional Certificates
    • MasterTrack® Certificates
    • Degrees
    • For Enterprise
    • For Government
    • For Campus
    • Become a Partner
    • Social Impact
    • Free Courses
    • ECTS Credit Recommendations

    Community

    • Learners
    • Partners
    • Beta Testers
    • Blog
    • The Coursera Podcast
    • Tech Blog
    • Teaching Center

    More

    • Press
    • Investors
    • Terms
    • Privacy
    • Help
    • Accessibility
    • Contact
    • Articles
    • Directory
    • Affiliates
    • Modern Slavery Statement
    • Manage Cookie Preferences
    Learn Anywhere
    Download on the App Store
    Get it on Google Play
    Logo of Certified B Corporation
    © 2025 Coursera Inc. All rights reserved.
    • Coursera Facebook
    • Coursera Linkedin
    • Coursera Twitter
    • Coursera YouTube
    • Coursera Instagram
    • Coursera TikTok