Supply Chain Management Degree Overview

The supply chain management major is designed to prepare students to become leaders in supply chain management, a total systems approach taken by companies, suppliers, and partners to deliver manufactured products to the end customer. Information technology is used to coordinate all elements of the supply chain from sourcing parts to coordination of retailers to achieve a level of integration that results in a competitive advantage that is not available in traditional logistics systems.

Entry-level positions in supply chain management include buyer, materials manager, risk management analyst, logistics planner, and staff consultant. Supply chain managers tend to be individuals with good communication and negotiation skills who are systems oriented (analytical people who see the "big" picture).

Learn more about Supply Chain Management

Supply Chain Management Major Information

Core Courses

• OM 335: Introduction to Operations Management
  Fundamentals necessary for the analysis and management of business processes: concepts include capacity management, effects of work-in-process, inventory, process variability on performance, process improvement and quality. Prerequisite: Credit or registration for BA 324 (or credit for MIS 324)and credit or registration for STA 309.
• MAN 336: Organizational Behavior
  The process of "getting things done through people": managing organizations and the behavior of individuals and groups within the organizational setting. Prerequisite: Credit or registration for 3 semester hours of coursework in psychology, sociology or anthropology.
• OM 337.3: Procurement and Supplier Management
  Evaluation and negotiation skills to ensure effective procurement while maintaining supplier relationships: methods to evaluate and source materials and services; development of negotiation skills for effective and ethical results. Prerequisite: OM 335 or 335H.
• OM 367: Strategic Supply Chain Management
  Understanding how to develop assets and configure processes in a firm's supply chain that enable it to develop operational competencies that are aligned with its competitive strategy. Frameworks of analysis will be developed with an emphasis placed on application to case studies. Prerequisite: OM 335 or 335H.
• OM 368: Logistics and Inventory Management
  Planning, implementing and controlling the production and distribution of goods and services: focus on production planning and scheduling; inventory management; the design and management of supply and distribution networks. Prerequisite: OM 335 or 335H.

Elective Courses

• OM 337.1: Total Quality Management
  Strategies for proactive management of processes, practices and systems to maximize product and process quality in line with corporate objectives: fundamental concepts of continuous improvement, statistical process control, acceptance samling and process capability, including best practices in industry. Prerequisite: OM 335 or 335H.
• OM 337.2: Supply Chain Modeling and Optimization
  Tools for business planning and decision-making: basic cost and financial modeling in supply chains. Optimization models, discrete event simulation and real options modeling provide methods of simulation and prediction to improve supply chain decisions. Prerequisite: OM 335 or 335H.
• OM 337.4: Supply Chain Design, Management and Control
  Different planning systems used in an integrated supply chain, such as manufacturing resource planning, distribution planning, and sales and operations planning. Includes the latest trends in SCM, such as demand management, sustainable supply chains, and the information technology systems used to support an integrated business network. Prerequisite: OM 335 or 335H.
• OM 337.5: Project Management
  Large-scale projects are characterized by a significant commitment of organizational and economic resources coupled with a high degree of uncertainty. this course covers 3 main topics in the life-cycle of projects: (i) project evaluation, (ii) project planning, execution and control, and (iii) managing portfolios of projects. Prerequisite: OM 335 or 335H.
• MAN 337.21: The Art and Science of Negotiation
  Designed to help students develop a broad array of negotiation skills and to understand negotiations in useful analytical frameworks. Emphasis is placed on simulations, role-playing, and cases. Prerequisite: MAN 336 or 336H.

Practical Courses

• OM 353: SCM Internship
  Focuses on students' career goals through academic discussion and evaluations, while placing students in professional internships with public or private enterprises. Internship and discussion hours to be arranged. Offered as pass/fail only. Prerequisite: Completion of 45 semester hours of college coursework and consent of the departmental internship coordinator.
• OM 366P: Operations Management Practicum (Brass Ring Program)
  Students apply skills in their major area and focus on additional project management skills through group projects conducted in a professional setting. Students may work with a private or public enterprise. The equivalent of 3 lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: OM 335 or 335H, 45 semester hours of college coursework, and consent of instructor.

Supply Chain Management Minor Information

Why Minor in SCM?

No matter what your major, your executive potential is amplified by a solid understanding of supply chain management. In a global economy, supply chains move the world.

SCM Minor Tracks

Effective for students under the 2010-12 catalog. Any 12 hours of SCM courses will equal an SCM minor. Consider these suggested minors to compliment your career interests.

General Emphasis

Focuses on the fundamentals

• OM 335: Introduction to Operations Management
  Fundamentals necessary for the analysis and management of business processes: concepts include capacity management, effects of work-in-process, inventory, process variability on performance, process improvement and quality. Prerequisite: Credit or registration for BA 324 (or credit for MIS 324)and credit or registration for STA 309.
• OM 337.3: Procurement and Supplier Management
  Evaluation and negotiation skills to ensure effective procurement while maintaining supplier relationships: methods to evaluate and source materials and services; development of negotiation skills for effective and ethical results. Prerequisite: OM 335 or 335H.
• OM 367: Strategic Supply Chain Management
  Understanding how to develop assets and configure processes in a firm's supply chain that enable it to develop operational competencies that are aligned with its competitive strategy. Frameworks of analysis will be developed with an emphasis placed on application to case studies. Prerequisite: OM 335 or 335H.
• OM 368: Logistics and Inventory Management
  Planning, implementing and controlling the production and distribution of goods and services: focus on production planning and scheduling; inventory management; the design and management of supply and distribution networks. Prerequisite: OM 335 or 335H.

Logistics Emphasis

Focuses on planning and implementation of resources to achieve business objectives

• OM 335: Introduction to Operations Management
  Fundamentals necessary for the analysis and management of business processes: concepts include capacity management, effects of work-in-process, inventory, process variability on performance, process improvement and quality. Prerequisite: Credit or registration for BA 324 (or credit for MIS 324)and credit or registration for STA 309.
• OM 337.2: Supply Chain Modeling and Optimization
  Tools for business planning and decision-making: basic cost and financial modeling in supply chains. Optimization models, discrete event simulation and real options modeling provide methods of simulation and prediction to improve supply chain decisions. Prerequisite: OM 335 or 335H.
• OM 367: Strategic Supply Chain Management
  Understanding how to develop assets and configure processes in a firm's supply chain that enable it to develop operational competencies that are aligned with its competitive strategy. Frameworks of analysis will be developed with an emphasis placed on application to case studies. Prerequisite: OM 335 or 335H.
• OM 368: Logistics and Inventory Management
  Planning, implementing and controlling the production and distribution of goods and services: focus on production planning and scheduling; inventory management; the design and management of supply and distribution networks. Prerequisite: OM 335 or 335H.

Procurement Emphasis

Focuses on evaluation and negotiation skills to ensure effective business agreements

• OM 335: Introduction to Operations Management
  Fundamentals necessary for the analysis and management of business processes: concepts include capacity management, effects of work-in-process, inventory, process variability on performance, process improvement and quality. Prerequisite: Credit or registration for BA 324 (or credit for MIS 324)and credit or registration for STA 309.
• OM 337.1: Total Quality Management
  Strategies for practice management of processes, practices and systems to maximize product and process quality in line with corporate objectives: fundamental concepts of continuous improvement, statistical process control, acceptance sampling and process capability, including best practices in industry. Prerequisite: OM 335 or 335H.
• OM 337.3: Procurement and Supplier Management
  Evaluation and negotiation skills to ensure effective procurement while maintaining supplier relationships: methods to evaluate and source materials and services; development of negotiation skills for effective and ethical results. Prerequisite: OM 335 or 335H.
• OM 367: Strategic Supply Chain Management
  Understanding how to develop assets and configure processes in a firm's supply chain that enable it to develop operational competencies that are aligned with its competitive strategy. Frameworks of analysis will be developed with an emphasis placed on application to case studies. Prerequisite: OM 335 or 335H.