密苏里大学圣路易斯分校

The most successful businesses today must learn how to effectively and efficiently facilitate ordering, production, storage and distribution to satisfy the needs of their customers and gain an advantage on their competition.

The ability to analyze and manage those supply chains is in demand throughout the country and around the globe, and the University of Missouri-St. Louis is helping students develop that expertise.

The Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development recently approved UMSL’s plan to add a master of science in supply chain analytics degree to its range of degree offerings. Students can begin enrolling in the program immediately.

The Supply Chain & Analytics department (formerly Logistics and Operations Management) encompasses supply chain management, business analytics, logistics, production and service operations management, operations research, management science, lean production, project management, and statistics.

Supply chain management covers the whole supply chain, from procurement and sourcing through production or service delivery, to distribution to the end consumer. This includes the planning, design, implementation and management of systems for efficient deployment of personnel, facilities, vehicles, raw materials, in-process inventories, finished goods and related information or services. Business analytics includes techniques, skills, statistical methods, and modeling to develop better understanding and new insights for data-driven decision making. Supply Chain & Analytics graduates must understand the fundamental role of supply chains, be proficient in the use of technology and analytical methods, and be able to communicate effectively.

“Even before COVID-19, careers in supply chain and data analytics have been highly sought after by our students, and we’re committed to providing them with the training they need for success,” UMSL Provost Marie Mora said. “This new degree program goes beyond traditional supply chain management programs because it will produce citizen data scientists who are highly knowledgeable about how to apply analytical skills to supply chains. Given what we observed earlier this year with supply chain breakdowns across the country, this program is more important than ever to produce graduates who can bring their analytical expertise and innovation to businesses and other organizations throughout the St. Louis region and beyond.”

It is a 30-credit-hour STEM-designated program housed in the College of Business Administration as part of the Department of Supply Chain and Analytics. Classes will be available in both online and in-person formats.

The degree joins currently offered supply chain programs, including a BSBA with an emphasis in supply chain management, a graduate certificate in logistics and supply chain management and an MBA with an emphasis in logistics and supply chain management.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the supply chain field will grow over the next decade as supply chains become more complex and companies seek increasingly efficient designs.