Graduate degree targets professionals in US, abroad
The Marshall School of Business announced Thursday that it will offer a new master of science degree in global supply chain management this fall.
The classes for the program will be available both online and in person. Online coursework will be transmitted by studio classrooms, and lectures are available online throughout the semester. Students are also able to communicate with each other via an online platform.
According to Ravi Kumar, a professor of information operation management and who is the faculty director of the program, the degree is meant for working professionals in the United States, China, India and South Korea, since these countries are active in the global market.
“These Asian countries are big producers,” Kumar said. “But we are focusing on these places to start with. There are plans to expand.”
In addition to online coursework, international students will be able to meet with a faculty partner of the program at local universities to discuss their progress in the program and the material presented online.
Kumar said the program is designed for midcareer individuals who are looking to improve the efficiency of the companies they work for and move to a higher-level position in the company.
Students will also be required to attend two class trips, one to Singapore and another in Los Angeles, to see the global trade firsthand. Kumar said that these trips will give students the opportunity to collaborate.
“Students will get to see each other for the first time,” Kumar said. “Eventually, they will be working on projects from different countries.”
Kumar said this degree is important as global business becomes more prevalent in today’s trade-based economy.
“Countries are always shipping to other countries, but the question is, ‘How do we make this happen in a seamless, efficient way?” Kumar said. “We’re trying to educate people to become knowledgeable and help their companies make stronger decisions to make them more efficient from a global perspective.”