Areas of Emphasis

Optional areas of emphasis allow you to replace three general management courses (4 credits each) in your second year with four focused courses (3 credits each) in one area of study. Each area of emphasis requires 12 credit hours of associated classes and gives you the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of a particular area of interest. The area of emphasis courses replace the following courses:  Management of Technology and Innovation, Project Management and Global Economics for Managers.  Currently, the available area of emphasis is in supply chain management, with additional areas in development.

Supply Chain Management Area of Emphasis

Supply chain management integrates global information and processes across all functions, including supply management, operations and logistics. The ability to understand how the pieces integrate into the whole defines this area of emphasis. Courses focus on such areas as supply chain cost and design, logistics, strategic procurement, and supplier relations and negotiations.

Supply Chain Management area of emphasis courses:

• SCM 594:  Strategic Procurement
  Learn to apply principles, philosophies and processes of supply management to the purchasing management process on a global basis, with a focus on the continuous improvement of the purchasing management system
• SCM 541:  Logistics in Supply Chain
  Selecting, developing and executing appropriate sourcing strategies and processes
• SCM 521:  Supplier Management and Negotiations
  Critical issues for customer perception of supply chain performance, including inventory planning, transportation, warehousing, information technology and integrated logistics service
• SCM 532:  Supply Chain Design and Cost Management (Capstone Course)
  Strategic design and development of supply chains with a focus on cost management tools applied to supply chain design and supplier management

Notes Regarding Areas of Emphasis

• You must declare your intention to pursue an area of emphasis no later than the conclusion of your fourth course in the program
• Area of emphasis courses are open only to students who have declared an area of emphasis
• If selecting an area of emphasis, all four courses must be taken in sequence; courses are not offered a la carte; the area of emphasis option requires the same number of total credits (48) as students not electing an area of emphasis
• If beginning the Online Program in January, an area of emphasis course is taken during the second year summer break and coursework is completed at the same time as students not electing an area of emphasis
• If beginning the Online Program in July, an area of emphasis course is taken the summer after the capstone MBA course and coursework is completed approximately seven weeks after students not electing an area of emphasis
• Because an area of emphasis requires scheduling a course during a summer term, there is an additional tuition fee of approximately $1,500 if you elect an area of emphasis