MBA and MS in Supply Chain Management Joint Degree

3 credit hours

Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the business process that has evolved from the integration of the traditional business disciplines of forecasting, demand planning, materials planning, purchasing, production, operations management, transportation, inventory management, warehousing, packaging, materials handling, customer service, and related information systems.  SCM focuses on efficient and effective customer satisfaction from the exchange of goods, services and information to complete the business transaction from supplier’s supplier to customer’s customer. This course provides insight into the goals and best practices of each business discipline included in the SCM process, and how these disciplines integrate to ensure a competitive advantage and corporate success.  Students will assess industry specific differences in managing the flow of materials, goods, services, information and cash via the processes, technologies, and facilities that link primary suppliers through to ultimate customers for both service and product industries.   Attention is given to important interrelationships between supply chain management the other corporate disciplines such as marketing, accounting, engineering, and financial management.  Interdisciplinary managerial concepts are presented to show how a focus on the quality of service and product, and the integration of the supply chain processes offers great potential for improving corporate profitability and creating a sustainable competitive advantage.  Prerequisites: None

3 credit hours

Information systems and technology enable SCM processes and operations to improve productivity and link to internal and external business partners. This course will address the strategy behind SCM systems development and integration, and will be supported by the systems and tools available in the SCM Center of Excellence. The course begins with a review of the fundamentals of information systems and technology and progresses to the role of ERP in enabling integration and visibility in SCM. The operational and decision support systems that support the five facets of SCM; Plan, Source, Make, Deliver, and Returns, will be reviewed from the perspective of the critical processes of each. Elements of project management and system analysis and selection will be discussed.  Students will gain hands-on experience with SAP and various supply chain-related applications, such as supply chain design and data visualization. The course will provide students the opportunity to study, analyze, and observe the information systems and technology tools that enable inter-enterprise communications (i.e. Electronic Data Interchange - EDI), collaboration (i.e. Vendor Managed Inventory – VMI, and Collaborative Planning Forecasting and Replenishment – CPFR), and enhanced data collection (i.e. radio frequency Identification – RFID). In addition, decision support systems such as Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS), network optimization, Warehouse Management System (WMS), Transportation Management Systems (TMS), etc. will be discussed. Hands-on experience with some supply chain systems will be provided. This course supports the program goals by enabling students to develop a working knowledge of the information systems and technology required to efficiently and effectively manage internal supply chain disciplines, to integrate and collaborate with external business partners, and to make data-driven decisions.  Pre or co-requisite: SCMG 610

3 credit hours

Supply chains generate large amounts of data; however, knowing how to extract critical information for effective decision-making is critical to SCM success. This course will introduce strategies and methods for developing meaningful business intelligence and applying descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analysis to improving supply chain decision making. Pre or co-requisite: SCMG 610

3 credit hours

Having in place effective and efficient process improvement techniques can be a source of competitive advantage for firms. This course covers different techniques and tools that firms can use to become better problem-solvers and to continuously improve their operations and supply chains by applying the concepts of Lean and Six Sigma. Students may earn a Six Sigma Green Belt Certification through Moresteam, a Lean Six Sigma Training Provider, after passing an exam and completing a supervised project. Pre- or co-requisite: SCMG 610

3 credit hours

Gaining visibility into a business's future is critical to SCM success and to gaining commercial competitive advantage. This course will provide insight into the value of accurate forecasting and planning as well as provide methods for effective forecast development and analysis. Planning techniques including Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) will be examined. The course will also cover advanced forecasting and demand management techniques such as Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment (CPFR). Upon completion of the course, students will be prepared to take the Certified Professional Forecaster (CPF) exam from the Institute of Business Forecasting and Planning. Prerequisite: SCMG 614

3 credit hours

For those businesses purchasing and producing products, the global physical distribution process is critical to competitive success. This course will provide insight into the operations and strategic integration of transportation modes and distribution center operations as well as distribution network design. The course will introduce innovative fulfillment strategies such as collaborative distribution and omnichannel fulfillment. The integration of Transportation Management Systems (TMS) tools provides a hands on experience with supporting technology. Upon completion of the course, students will be prepared to take the exam to earn the ASCM Certificate in Logistics, Transportation, and Distribution (CTLD). Prerequisite: SCMG 612

3 credit hours

Properly managing inventory is critical to both goods and service industries. This course will introduce the inventory strategies for a wide range of supply chains and present a variety of inventory planning methods for materials and finished goods based on market demand, risk, and variability. Upon completion of the SCMG 610 course and this course, students will be prepared to take the first APICS Certified in Planning & Inventory Management (CPIM) exam. Prerequisite: SCMG 614

3 credit hours

Over the past four decades the process of purchasing and procurement have evolved from administrative support functions to strategic competitive differentiators for many organizations. This course will provide a strong foundation in supply management best practices in concert with the Institute for Supply Management's Mastery Model. Students will gain knowledge in negotiation preparation and execution and utilize the state of art negotiation facilities of the SCM Center of Excellence. SAP supply management decision support tools will be introduced and applied. Upon completion of the course, students with qualifying experience will be prepared to take the ISM Foundations of Supply Management exam toward becoming a Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM). Prerequisite: SCMG 612

3 credit hours

As consumers and the industries that serve them have grown in social and environmental awareness, the focus on establishing sustainable supply chains has gained momentum. In addition to being financially successful, corporations must be environmentally and socially responsible. The strategic and operational decisions made to develop efficient and effective supply chains with operations and trading partners around the world shifts the primary responsibility for a sustainable business to supply chain management. This course will address risk management, best practices for sustainable supply chains and the trending supply chain management responsibilities.   Prerequisite: SCMG 612

1.5 credit hours

This course provides graduate business students with an introduction to fundamentals of accounting for corporations.  Topics will include the accounting cycle, an introduction to the basic financial statements of a corporation and determinations of corporate profitability and solvency.

1.5 credit hours

The course is a prerequisite for ECON 520 and covers introductory topics in both microeconomics and macroeconomics.

1.5 credit hours

Financial Management is about decisions firms make in two broad areas: the investments it makes and how it pays for them. The first involves expenditures for physical capital, human capital, technological capability, brand capital, and so forth. The second involves raising money in financial markets. In business decision making, the objective is to maximize shareholder wealth. Why the emphasis on shareholders? Among stakeholders generally (i.e., customers, employees, suppliers, government, communities, etc.), shareholders alone possess a uniquely comprehensive and long-term view of the firm’s viability as an ongoing enterprise.  This perspective arises from the residual nature of shareholders’ claim to earnings and assets.  Wealth is created when the return from investing business resources exceeds their opportunity cost. 
FINC 501 Finance Fundamentals provides an introduction to fundamental topics which are prerequisite for FINC 530 Financial Management:
• Financial Statements and Ratio Analysis
• Financial Statement Forecasting
• Time Value of Money

PR: ACCT 501

1.5 credit hours

This course provides the necessary foundation in probability and statistics necessary for students looking to go on to study the application of statistics to business. In this course, students will learn the rules of probability, how to identify and use common probability distributions, and how to conduct basic hypothesis tests.

3 credit hours

In this course, students will learn how to apply statistical methods of inference, produce and interpret statistics that attempt to answer typical business questions, and use probability theory and statistical methods to draw conclusions. Students are required to arrive having a working understanding of basic probability and statistics up through and including hypothesis testing. This course places heavy emphasis on the application of statistical techniques to business problems and the interpretation of results for a non-technical audience.
PR: STAT 501

1.5 credit hours

This course examines the ways in which leaders, managers, and employees can improve employee performance and commitment – key factors underlying competitive organizations. Guided by an examination of contemporary research and real-world cases, students will develop the knowledge and tools needed to help them navigate the opportunities and challenges inherent in managing themselves and others to generate enduring social and financial value, while incorporating long-term sustainable business objectives into the vision for the firm.

3 credit hours

This course provides graduate business students with a deeper understanding of the accounting cycle used in companies to produce both internal and external financial information.  Special emphasis is placed throughout the course on understanding, analyzing and interpreting financial statements and related information.  Additionally, students will be introduced to decision making tools such as ratio analysis and challenged to utilize them to critically evaluate financial information and make effective decisions.  The basics of corporate sustainability reporting will also be covered.  Prerequisite: Online Accounting Module to be completed prior to ACCT 715; material to be tested in ACCT 715.

3 credit hours

The course covers selected topics in microeconomics. It emphasizes the integration of microeconomic theories and tools from a managerial perspective. The applied aspect of the course comes from analyzing case studies and studying empirical evidence of the theories. Topics include both traditional topics in microeconomics (quantitative demand analysis, elasticities, production and costs, market structures and profit maximization), in addition to advanced topics (game theory and pricing strategies).   CO or PR: STAT 510

3 credit hours

Financial Management is about decisions firms make in two broad areas: the investments it makes and how it pays for them. The first involves expenditures for physical capital, human capital, technological capability, brand capital, and so forth. The second involves raising money in financial markets. In business decision making, the objective is to maximize shareholder wealth. Why the emphasis on shareholders? Among stakeholders generally (i.e., customers, employees, suppliers, government, communities, etc.), shareholders alone possess a uniquely comprehensive and long-term view of the firm’s viability as an ongoing enterprise.  This perspective arises from the residual nature of shareholders’ claim to earnings and assets.  Wealth is created when the return from investing business resources exceeds their opportunity cost. 
FINC 530 Financial Management provides an advanced discussion of the analytical techniques used to assess the impact of business decisions on shareholder value.  The course covers these topics:
• Valuation—stocks, bonds, corporate valuation
• Interest rates and financial markets
• Investment decision making (capital budgeting analysis)
• Risk, return and the opportunity cost of capital
• Market efficiency
• Capital structure

PR: FINC 501, ACCT 515, STAT 510, GRBU 503
PR or CONCURRENT: ECON 520

1.5 credit hours

This course is designed to develop the legal literacy of MBA students by raising their conscious awareness of potential legal problems or challenges as they discharge their professional responsibilities. Because business decisions have legal implications, it is important that managers understand the legal environment in which they must function. In fact the significance of the law is so great it has been suggested that modern organizations are immersed in a “sea of law.”
As a part of an integrated professional MBA program students will come to understand how law affects all aspects of business. This is not a stand alone legal course. In this course we will bring a legal sensitivity to the financial, managerial, organizational and strategic dimensions of business. The larger goal of this course is to develop a legally astute manager. Although we tend to think of the law as the exclusive province of lawyers, the reality is that law is too important a matter to be entrusted to lawyers alone. To do so is in effect an abdication of the business professional’s responsibilities. The legally astute manager understands that success in business requires, among other things, the development of critical thinking skills. There is no better context in which to develop those skills than in the study of business law. Critical thinking skills honed in the study of law provide a foundation for business professionals who must navigate across a wide range of disciplines in order to achieve business success. Toward that end, MBA students will examine substantive concepts relative to such matters as contract formation, risk management, intellectual property, environmental management, employee relations and corporate form and governance.
As we live in a time in which the law, business and society nexus is so significant, it would be foolhardy to underestimate the importance of legal education in shaping our business leaders.

1.5 credit hours

This course teaches graduate students essential qualitative decision-making skills for analyzing business issues with an ethical dimension.  Conflicting and complementary conceptions of the ethical decision making model are presented that demonstrate how to critically reason through ethical dilemmas in business across all business functions.  These rational processes will enable students to effectively recognize, evaluate and resolve ethical conflicts.  Throughout the seminar, the analytical frameworks will be applied to common ethical challenges to businesses.  The purpose is for students completing this module to be able to identify which ethical framework is most appropriate for addressing a given real world issue and ultimately be able to apply that framework to facilitate responsible decision making.  Thus, the course begins with a detailed description and application of each ethical decision making framework to ensure students understand how and in what contexts these tools are utilized.  Then, attention is paid to the various individual, organizational, and institutional factors that affect ethical misconduct in the workplace.  Personal cognitive influences, common intra-organizational pressures, regulatory factors, and market forces are discussed in terms of how they moderate ethical behavior in business.  Once students learn the sources of ethical indiscretions in organizations, methods for constructing and manipulating organizational environments to increase the likelihood of ethical behavior among the firm’s stakeholders are offered.

3 credit hours

This course examines the role of marketing in creating exchanges that satisfy consumer and organizational objectives thereby creating value for the firm.  The course focuses on formulating and evaluating marketing strategies.  Students learn how marketing mix decisions – product, place, promotion and price – are made as part of a cohesive strategy.  Contemporary concepts and theories will be presented with a focus on analytical and financial models that will assist marketing managers in making better decisions.  Emerging perspectives on strategic sustainability, marketing management and the impact of digital media are also emphasized.
PR: ECON 501

1.5 credit hours

This course helps students acquire the knowledge and skills needed to interact and manage effectively in a global business environment.  Students will be exposed to international aspects of organizational behavior, human resource management, labor relations, corporate strategy, political risk and ethical issues.  Overall, this course is designed to raise students' international business acumen as well as their cultural intelligence.  While business is an increasingly global proposition, cultural differences impact everything from how employees are hired to how they are led to how business strategies are formed.

3 credit hours

This is a dynamic course that provides an overview of executive leadership and opportunities to interact with senior managers.  The course draws on the collective experience and wisdom of distinguished business leaders who visit the class to provide students with executive perspectives on the challenges associated with thinking entrepreneurially, strategic leadership, developing a vision and motivating organizational change.  Students use a variety of conceptual frameworks in leadership and related areas to assess and evaluate these “executive insights” (e.g., via papers and projects) with an eye toward developing their own leadership skills, particularly their ability to seize opportunities and create effective solutions for the contemporary challenges facing business leaders.

3 credit hours

This course addresses the process of planning and implementing business strategies. In order to develop a future direction for an organization, this class builds on the formulation of a company’s mission, industry analysis, an organization’s internal assessment, innovation, and strategic planning. This course emphasizes corporate governance, sustainability, and ethics in strategic management.

3 credit hours

The second half of our integrative capstone sequence, the Capstone Project involves students teams working with a real company client to develop  a set of strategic recommendations for advancing the business.   In this course, students will assess the firm’s strategic context and diagnose its internal operations as well as its products and/or services as they relate to customer needs.  In doing so, students will experience what it is like to make high-stakes and impactful recommendations to top management under time pressure and with high expectations for quality and analysis.  Final deliverables for each team include a detailed report that lays out specific action steps and metrics (e.g., for productivity gains, cost savings, increased revenues/profit growth) as well as a sophisticated presentation to company management that highlights the team’s analysis and recommendations.  
PR or CO MGMT 540