Management, Supply Chain, M.S.
Goods are produced for consumers. But how do those goods become finished products and get to where they need to go? Supply chain management masterminds the flow of goods. Raw materials must be stored and catalogued, transformed into usable inventory, and, once finished and given the stamp of approval, must be moved from the point of origin to the point of consumption. The movement of goods is a skillfully designed labyrinth of interlinking networks, channels, and connecting points, with the customer situated at the end of that supply chain. The goal is to satisfy customer demand and optimize the number of organizations in satisfying that demand, while reducing managerial control of daily logistics operations. Less control and more supply-chain partners led to the original concept of supply chain management. The consumer expects dependable and efficient service and assumes the product will arrive in good time and in perfect condition. The manager of the supply chain must ensure that the journey from product inception to customer reception runs without a hitch.
He’s a quality good fellow
Darrin Lucas received his B.S. degree in packing science from Clemson University in 2000. He started looking for a graduate program that fit his personal leadership style. At the time, he was working in logistics, so pursuing a degree in supply chain management seemed like a perfect choice. “My experience at MTSU has been wonderful. Having been in the workforce for 13 years and away from college, I was hesitant to jump back in.” Darrin says the faculty and course availability at MTSU have allowed him to continue working while going to school. He began his career at Saturn as a packaging engineer and later moved to Nissan North America. Currently he is at Nissan managing the Packaging Engineering and Quality Assurance Groups in the After Sales Logistics department. “On completion of my graduate program, I hope to accelerate my career by making a positive impact directly related to the training and tools gained during my experience at MTSU.”
What some major companies are doing
Major companies have reduced the number of links in their supply chain, which has lowered costs and increased efficiency and customer service. Dell, the largest computer maker in the world, eliminated retailers and distributors and therefore greatly reduced inventory costs. Amazon.com examined and removed many of the inefficiencies in its supply chain for a variety of goods. DHL international shipments were slowed down considerably because of having to wait for papers to clear customs. Finally someone came up with the idea of flying the shipping papers ahead of the shipment so that the customs paperwork would already be completed by the time the ship arrived at port.
It was once noted that supply chain management deals with a product from cradle to the grave. Supply chain management borrowed from the process known as logistics, which emerged as a procedure in World War II as part of an effort to deliver the right amount of supplies to the troops in the trenches. The supply chain concept, however, focused on the inception of the product, as far back as the design stage, and followed that product all the way through marketing and customer service. The largest Fortune 500 Company, Wal-Mart, owes much of its success to making supply chain management a science. Examples of career opportunities include areas such as
- Corporate upper-level management
- Customer relations
- Distribution
- Government
- Healthcare
- Logistics
- Manufacturing
- Procurement
- Sourcing
- Transportation/trucking/railroad/air/ocean freight/private carrier
- Warehousing/inventory
Because this program is relatively new, employer information is still being compiled. Following are examples of employers of Management graduates and Career Fair participants:
- American Cellular
- Automatic Data Processing
- CalsonicKansei North America
- Chick-Fil-A Murfreesboro
- Consolidated Electrical Distributors, Inc.
- Enterprise
- Ettain Group
- Insight Global, Inc.
- Internal Data Resources
- Liberty Mutual
- Modern Woodmen of America
- Nissan North America
- Northwestern Mutual Financial Network
- PepsiCo Foodservice
- Sherwin-Williams
- State Farm Insurance
- Target Stores
- Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (VA)
- The Hershey Company
- Walter Meier Manufacturing
The Master of Science (M.S.) in Management is offered by the Department of Management in the Jennings A. Jones College of Business. This program, with three concentrations, offers students planning, communication, and ethical decision-making skills through experiential learning in which they will find themselves in the trenches of the real-world work environment. Each concentration—Supply Chain Management, Social Innovation and Not-for-Profit Management (provides students with business and management skills that can be applied to not-for-profit managerial work), and Organizational Leadership (provides students with business and leadership skills that can be applied in a variety of leadership roles in business, government, or education)—includes a capstone project in which students will partner with an organization in the industry or non-profit sector.
Undergraduate
The undergraduate program in the Department of Management offers the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree with majors in Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, and Management. Minors are available in Entrepreneurship and Management; the department participates in interdisciplinary minors in Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership Studies.
For complete curriculum details, click on the REQUIREMENTS tab above.
Management, Supply Chain Management Concentration, M.S.
Dan Morrell, Program Director
(615) 494-7758
Dan.Morrell@mtsu.edu
The Department of Management offers the Master of Science in Management program with three concentrations: Organizational Leadership, Social Innovation and Not-for-Profit Management, and Supply Chain Management. The Master of Science in Management enhances students' planning, communication, and ethical decision-making skills and exposes them to real world experiences that help them mature as managers. The Management M.S. program allows students to develop the skills to be promoted into higher levels of management at different types of organizations.
Graduates of this program may work in a variety of positions, including mid-to upper-level management positions in corporate offices, healthcare facilities, distribution or logistics centers, manufacturing facilities, not-for-profit organizations, state or local government, and service industries such as banking, insurance, and real-estate.
Please see undergraduate catalog for information regarding undergraduate programs.
Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the Master of Science in Management program, applicants should have
- minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.50 on a 4.0 scale;
- minimum of 400 on GMAT (or GRE equivalent).
Applicants with post baccalaureate managerial work experience may receive 10 points toward the GMAT score for each year of professional work experience; e.g., four years of work experience = 40 additional points toward the GMAT. GMAT waivers may be granted to applicants with more than ten years of professional work experience.
Applicants without related previous experience or academic preparation may be required to complete the following prerequisite courses: MGMT 6000 (or MGMT 3610 and MGMT 3620) and ACTG 3000 (or ACTG 6100).
Application Procedures
All application materials are to be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies.
Applicant must
- submit an application with the appropriate application fee (online at www.mtsu.edu/graduate/apply.php);
- submit official scores on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE);
- submit official transcripts of all previous college work;
- submit a current resume' or curriculum vita.
Degree Requirements
The Master of Science in Management with a concentration in Supply Chain Management requires completion of 33 credit hours.
Candidate must
- complete a minimum of 33 semester hours as listed below. No more than 30 percent of the total degree hours dual-listed as undergraduate/graduate hours can be counted toward the degree;
- successfully complete an applied project MGMT 6800) in the last semester.
Curriculum: Management, Supply Chain Management
The Supply Chain Management concentration provides students with business and operations management skills that can be applied to work in logistics, transportation, and supply chain management careers. In addition to 15 hours of core courses in management, the concentration requires 12 hours of courses in supply chain management, including two required courses: international supply chain management and total quality management. The concentration electives are selected from among these courses: distribution center management, marketing systems, continuous improvement, applied business analytics, and supply chain operations. Students will also elect 6 hours of courses in a professional area that relates to their career interests.
Core Courses (15 hours)
- MGMT 6100 - Strategic Decision Making 3 credit hours
MGMT 6100 - Strategic Decision Making
3credit hours
Prerequisite: MGMT 3610 or MGMT 6000. Managerial theory and practice of solving problems, making decisions, and developing strategies for services and/or products. Emphasis on developing practical responses to decision issues using creativity and innovation in a team environment. (This course is not open to students earning a Master of Business Administration degree.)
- MGMT 6200 - Lean Project Management Principles 3 credit hours
MGMT 6200 - Lean Project Management Principles
3credit hours
Prerequisite: MGMT 3620, MGMT 6000, or MGMT 6650.Theory and practice of managing projects for services, products, and/or events in the context of operations management methods. Emphasis on application of lean concepts to project management.
- MGMT 6680 - Seminar in Human Resources Management 3 credit hours
MGMT 6680 - Seminar in Human Resources Management
3credit hours
Focus on the responsibility of all managers with respect to the effective development of human resources. The responsibility of all functional areas in the human resource department or impinging forces such as technology, organized labor, and government legislation examined along with the emerging concepts, problems, and theories supported by research in the field.
- MGMT 6750 - Business Ethics 3 credit hours
MGMT 6750 - Business Ethics
3credit hours
Impact of individual values and ethics on the management of organizations. Topics include legal and ethical aspects of dealing with organization stakeholders: stockholders, consumers, employees, and the general community. Emphasis on using ethical theory to make good business decisions.
- MGMT 6800 - Applied Management Project 3 credit hours
MGMT 6800 - Applied Management Project
3credit hours
Prerequisites: Open only to M.S. in Management students who are in their last semester of coursework (must have completed 24 graduate level hours); permission of department required; must be completed with B- or better. Capstone course that provides students with the opportunity to integrate and synthesize knowledge gained throughout the graduate program. Development of a substantial project that demonstrates mastery of competencies, concepts, principles, and practices for success in their field of leadership, supply chain management, or not-for-profit management.
Required Courses (12 hours)
- MGMT 6730 - International Supply Chain Management 3 credit hours
MGMT 6730 - International Supply Chain Management
3credit hours
Principles of supply chain management and supply chain management environments. Examines integration with other companies to manage flow of resources, including materials, information, people, etc., in a global supply chain environment.
- MGMT 6700 - Supply Chain Key Performance Indicators 3 credit hours
MGMT 6700 - Supply Chain Key Performance Indicators
3credit hours
Focuses on strategic use of key performance indicators (KPIs, dashboard metrics, and balanced scorecards) as a method to manage business processes. Aspects of performance measurement will be studied including design, data sources, conflicting KPIs, and presentation of results.
Choose two from the following:
- MGMT 6550 - Distribution Center Management 3 credit hours
MGMT 6550 - Distribution Center Management
3credit hours
Prerequisite: MGMT 3620 or MGMT 6000 or MGMT 6650. Focuses on the concepts and techniques required to manage a contemporary distribution center. Emphasizes the role of a distribution center within a supply chain and best practices leading to efficient operational performance.
- MGMT 6760 - Continuous Improvement/Problem Solving 3 credit hours
MGMT 6760 - Continuous Improvement/Problem Solving
3credit hours
Applies two major Continuous Improvement strategies to business process improvement efforts. Compares the Baldridge Performance Excellence Framework to overall organizational evaluation (gap analysis). Applies Lean Six Sigma techniques to specific problem solving and process improvement situations.
- MKT 6830 - Marketing Systems 3 credit hours
MKT 6830 - Marketing Systems
3credit hours
An analytic, decision-oriented study of marketing channels. Problems of integrating relevant variables within the marketing system to achieve optimum returns for all members.
- MBAM 6875 - Supply Chain Operations 3 credit hours
MBAM 6875 - Supply Chain Operations
3credit hours
Prerequisite: MBAI 6835. Overview on the integration between supply chain operations strategies/decisions and their impact on other business functions in an organization.
- BIA 6905 - Applied Business Analytics 3 credit hours
BIA 6905 - Applied Business Analytics
3credit hours
(Same as MBAI 6905.) An applied approach to the understanding, development, and application of prescriptive and data analytic tools to model and analyze business data. A hands-on focus utilized with both commonly-used spreadsheet software and specialized business intelligence software for the student to develop skills for self-service business analytics.
Career Electives (6 hours)
In consultation with their advisors, students will select and complete 6 hours of courses in a professional area that relates to their career interests, or they may select and complete 6 hours of business electives that apply to supply chain management.
Program Notes
Candidate must
- file a degree plan in the College of Graduate Studies prior to entry into the program;
- file a Notice of Intent to Graduate form in the College of Graduate Studies within the first two weeks of the term in which candidate intends to graduate.
Assistantships
The Department of Management offers a limited number of assistantships each semester that are awarded on a competitive basis. An assistantship covers tuition, most fees, and a monthly stipend in return for 20 hours a week of service. Assistantships can be renewed for up to two years.
Degree Plan
Additional Resources
Contact and Student Information
Dan Morrell
Dan.Morrell@mtsu.edu
615-494-7758
Business and Aerospace Building, N 134B
Phone | 615-494-7758
Dan Morrell
dan.morrell@mtsu.edu
Phone | 615-494-7758
Department of Management
Middle Tennessee State University
Box 75
1301 East Main Street
Murfreesboro, TN 37132
College of Graduate Studies
Middle Tennessee State University
MTSU Box 42
1301 East Main Street
Murfreesboro, TN 37132
Request Information
MTSU College of Graduate Studies
Provides innovative, interdisciplinary programs and allows students to work in a collaborative envir... [more]
2018 MTSU Campus Tour
From the acclaimed academic programs and state-of-the-art facilities to MTSU campus life and our thr... [more]
