Program Details
Supply Chain/Operations Management
Supply Chain Management Fundamentals
Supply Chain Management is the coordination and integration of the activities that procure materials and services, transform them into intermediate and final products, and deliver them to the customer. It involves the management of:
- the flow of materials and products
- the flow of money
- the flow of information
- relationships among the organizations comprising the supply chain
The overall goal of supply chain/operations management is to impact the organization’s bottom-line in a positive way while delivering the best services to customers at the lowest possible cost.
Professional Preparation
An undergraduate degree in Supply Chain Management will prepare you to pursue exciting careers as supply chain professionals. The degree will also prepare you for further graduate study or a certification.
Our Faculty
- have doctoral degrees from prestigious universities and bring a wealth of business experience
- are innovative
- are passionate about their teaching and students’ learning
- are experts in their areas of teaching
- bring the business world to life through case studies, seminar presentations and discussions, problem-solving and skills performance
Akron Advantage
All College of Business Administration programs are accredited at the highest possible level by AACSB International (the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). In addition, the CBA is one of only 171 schools that have earned separate accounting accreditation. The College has been consistently rated as one of the best business schools in the nation by the Princeton Review and ranked in the top 100 of all undergraduate programs by BusinessWeek magazine.
Our close ties to regional businesses provide many benefits for our students. Business executives share their expertise as mentors and guest lecturers in classes, and provide valuable advice on program and course content, helping to keep our curricula fresh, relevant and rigorous. Students gain valuable hands-on experience through group projects that assign them to solve problems for local businesses and by participating in co-op and internship programs at regional companies.
We are able to provide our students with training in cutting-edge technology as a result of our academic alliances with technology vendors such as SAP, Microsoft, and Oracle.
Our active student organizations enable our students to enrich their college experience by providing opportunities for them to apply knowledge and skills gained in the classroom, and by opening doors to new friendships, networking, professional growth, and even jobs. Many of our student organizations have excelled in regional and national competitions, often against highly regarded colleges and universities across the country.
Real-World Experience
Our faculty periodically consult with local businesses and corporate advisory board members to add new content and relevance in their classes. As part of the curriculum, students have to complete a senior project for a local firm as part of a consulting team. Our classes typically include guest speakers, site visits, case studies and team-based activities. Students also gain practical professional experience through paid internships and UA's optional cooperative education program.
Recent Placements Include:
- The Timken Company
- Pyramid Parts
- PNC (formerly National City Bank)
- Proctor and Gamble
- Corporate United
- InfoCision
- Summa Health System
- FirstEnergy Corporation
- The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
- Sterling Jewelers
- The J.M. Smucker Company
Supply Chain Student Organizations
The Supply Chain Student Association (SCSA) brings together students interested in the field of supply chain management. SCSA strives to broaden the knowledge of all who are interested in the supply chain field. The SCSA's goals and objectives are to maximize the educational experience of its members by providing a platform for events, discussions, professional guidance and related activities. The group hosts guest speakers from various organizations for professional guidance. Members are provided networking opportunities with supply chain professionals.
Sample Curriculum
Management Core: Complete all 9 credits
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| 6500:302 | Organization Behavior and Leadership Skills | 3 |
| 6500:310 | Business Information Systems | 3 |
| 6500:471 | Management Project | 3 |
Required: Complete all 15 credits
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| 6500:333 | Supply Chain and Operations Analysis | 3 |
| 6500:350 | Fundamentals of Enterprise Resource Planning | 3 |
| 6500:390 | Principles of Supply Chain Management | 3 |
| 6500:433/533 | Supply Chain Logistics Planning | 3 |
| 6500:476/576 | Supply Chain Sourcing | 3 |
Plus one elective (3 credits) from the following:
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| 6500:324 | Data Management for Information Systems | 3 |
| 6500:341 | Human Resource Management | 3 |
| 6500:457 | International Management | 3 |
| 6500:459 | Selected Topics in International Management | 3 |
Plus one CBA elective (3 credits)
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| 6x00:3xx/4xx | CBA Elective | 3 |
| Total Credits Required | 30 |
Degrees and Preparation
Supply Chain Management is one of the major functions of an organization and represents the core of every business operation. Unlike other disciplines, supply chain professionals are more involved in cross functional activities that span other areas such as marketing, sales, human resources and finance.
A degree in supply chain management paves the way for several opportunities in organizations. As a supply chain/operations management professional, your duties may expand beyond the acquisition of materials, services and equipment into such areas as planning and policy making, motivation, evaluation, product development and control.
Supply chain/operations management careers include:
- buyer
- contract negotiator
- inventory manager
- import/export goods manager
- logistics manager
Some of the positions offered to our recent graduates include:
- Customer Team Logistics Coordinator
- Supply Chain Analyst
- Corporate Transportation Planner
- Lean Six Sigma Expert
- Procurement Specialist
Career Outlook
Supply chain management is a fantastic career to pursue due to the abundance of different types of jobs that are available. Today, it would be difficult to find an organization, large or small, that does not understand the importance of supply chain management, and how successful implementation of supply chain principles can have a positive impact on its overall success.
Opportunities will continue to grow in the supply chain management profession. Historically, our students have received competitive job offers and our majors are highly sought after for paid internships during their junior year. Most internships lead to full-time employment. The average annual salary of supply chain professionals is $88,000 as per a recent survey conducted by the Institute of Supply Management.
Center for Career Management
The Center for Career Management works closely with the College of Business Administration to assist all business majors in identifying career opportunities and in making decisions about their future careers. Through the center, students have access to:
- a comprehensive Career Resource Library
- internships and co-ops
- short career development programs in such areas as interviewing, resume writing, business etiquette, corresponding with potential employers and networking skills development
- computer work stations for resume writing and employment research
- UA Career Fairs
