In today's business environment, the idea of "continuous improvement" certainly isn't confined to the plant floor. So for any procurement and supply management professionals who want to sharpen their skill set, the University of San Diego is now offering a Web-based master's degree program to help them do just that.
Recently approved by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), the university's master of science degree in supply chain management (MS-SCM) was made available in February to professionals currently working in the field.
The program is offered online and requires 26 months for completion. Online interactions enable professionals to study from anywhere in the world and are supplemented with face-to-face sessions conducted three times a year at the University of San Diego campus.
The graduate-level education program is the first to receive ISM approval, according to ISM CEO Paul Novak. "ISM's mission to lead supply management drives us to partner with enterprises and organizations that have similar goals of helping supply management professionals build lifelong personal and professional networks," he says.
The 36-unit program is delivered in two phases. Students who complete Phase I of the program will achieve a graduate certificate in supply chain management. Students have the option of completing Phase I only, or matriculating into Phase II to complete the MS-SCM. The target enrollment date for the next cohort is May 16, with the program starting July 16. Enrollment requirements for the MS-SCM can be found on the University of San Diego School of Business Administration Web site.
Announced last fall, the collaboration between ISM and the University of San Diego has propelled the MS-SCM program into high gear. The impact of ISM approval on the specialized master's degree was immediately evident, says Simon Croom, executive director of the university's Supply Chain Management Institute.
"Many candidates who inquired, applied and enrolled in our February cohort expressed a high regard for the added credibility ISM approval brings to their learning experience," Croom says.
See Also
