Detroit’s Wayne State University’s undergraduate degree program in global supply chain management is among the nation’s top 25, according to Gartner, an industry research company in Connecticut that releases rankings every other year.
This was the first time Wayne entered and was on the list alongside Pennsylvania State, Rutgers, Syracuse, Ohio State, and Arizona State universities. Programs were ranked on scope, industry value, and program size. Data was gathered through surveys and interviews of industry professionals and academics.
The program is offered through the Mike Ilitch School of Business and addresses supply chain across multiple industries with a focus on complex manufacturing in health care and the automotive industry.
“This is a great milestone for our program,” says John Taylor, department chair and associate professor. “It shows that Wayne State is instrumental to closing the skills gap in supply chain. Our graduates are well-trained and talented, with the right combination of skills and experience to support new capabilities and drive change in the industry.”
Nearly 500 supply chain majors learn from professors and senior executives from companies including Lear, Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co., and FCA. Courses include logistics and transportation, purchasing, risk management, manufacturing processes for buyers, production planning and control, theory of constraints, quality management, lean management, and more. The job placement rate for alumni within six months of graduation is 85 percent, with 70 percent of those entering automotive careers.
The students also have the opportunity to study abroad through automotive-focused programs in China, Brazil, Central Europe, and Italy.
The school’s General Motors-Wayne State University Supply Chain Case Competition draws teams from 25 universities from the U.S., China, Taiwan, Brazil, Mexico, and Poland. 2018 will be the competition’s eighth year.
The Ilitch School also offers an MBA concentration in supply chain and recently launched a master’s degree in automotive supply chain management.
Finally, the department partners with the Automotive Industry Action Group on a certificate program for industry employees, as well as on research through the Global Automotive Purchasing and Supply Chain Partnership. The team is undertaking a major research project on automotive sustainability practices.
