The Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin–Madison will offer a new undergraduate major in supply chain management, effective in the 2020-21 academic year. The new offering enhances WSB’s existing portfolio of supply chain management programs, which includes an undergraduate certificate, a one-year master’s degree, and a full-time MBA specialization.
WSB has been a leader in supply chain management education since 1991 when it established the Grainger Center for Supply Chain Management and began developing some of the nation’s first educational programs in this discipline. Through the Grainger Center, WSB has offered an undergraduate certificate program in supply chain management for more than 25 years. The new major recognizes the rigor of the program, as well as industry demand for employees who can lead in today’s supply chain job market.
“Establishing an undergraduate major in supply chain management is an exciting evolution in our leadership within this field,” says Greg DeCroix, professor and academic director of the Grainger Center. “As corporations increasingly recognize the strategic importance of supply chain management, we have responded with growth in our degree offerings. We know that all of our supply chain management students—undergraduate and graduate alike—will be prepared to contribute significantly to company success.”
The undergraduate degree in supply chain management will be a rich program, combining classroom instruction, experiential learning, global experiences, and access to a professional network. It borrows from the existing curriculum for the top-ranked certificate, which has seen steady growth in year-over-year enrollment. Certificate enrollment during the 2018-19 academic year was 135 students, up 38% from enrollment four years prior.
Undergraduates who completed the certificate in 2019 enjoyed a job placement rate of 100% three months post-graduation, reflecting corporations’ growing need for the skill sets offered by supply chain management education. The new degree signals to employers and students the School’s dedication to and leadership in this field of study. It also competitively positions the School among other institutions as a top-tier destination for supply chain management.
With the addition of the supply chain management major, the Wisconsin BBA Program—which is ranked #7 among public undergraduate business programs by U.S. News & World Report—will now offer 11 academic majors.