Overview

Supply Chain/Operations Management Fundamentals

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 the Supply Chain/Operations Management program of The University of Akron is to impact the organization’s bottom-line in a positive way while delivering the best services to customers at the lowest possible cost.

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. 

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.

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.