Moore School ranked No. 12 in U.S. for supply chain and operations management
August 28, 2014
COLUMBIA, SC – Students studying global supply chain and operations management at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina have much to be excited about as they head to class this fall.
Moore School undergraduate students not only have a new building to better meet their learning and technology needs, but their program of study is among the nation’s elite, according to new rankings released by Gartner, Inc., an information technology research firm and the premier organization for ranking U.S. supply chain education programs.
The Moore School jumped six spots to No. 12 in the 2014 “Top U.S. Supply Chain Undergraduate University Programs,” released mid-August. The rise reflects the explosive growth of the program, which has gone from 30 to 450 students in the last seven years.
Manoj Malhotra, chairman of the GSCOM program, attributes the success to the program’s innovative design in which students can graduate with an industry-validated Lean Six Sigma green belt certification. To earn the Green Belt certification, students must compete for and complete a consulting project for a corporation affiliated with the Moore School’s Center for Global Supply Chain and Process Management. The Moore School’s program offers a rare industry-certified Lean Six Sigma green belt in conjunction with corporate partner Sonoco Products Company.
Malhotra said a rigorous curriculum grounded in developing sound analytic and business skills, along with an industry-focused program design, makes Moore School students among the most sought after in the field.
“We have dedicated faculty members for whom students are the true north,” Malhotra said. “These faculty have given their heart and soul – and tireless efforts – on behalf of students and partner firms to make this program one of the most distinctive ones in the country.”
Armed with industry certifications, internships and real consulting experiences with major firms, nearly all Moore School students in global supply chain management land jobs within three months of graduation, averaging a first year compensation of $65,000. Top employers include 3M, Amazon, Boeing, BMW, Coca Cola Bottling, Honeywell, IBM, Eastman Chemical, Pfizer, Michelin, Rolls Royce and Siemens. Many graduates progress on a leadership training fast-track within these firms, earning more than $100,000 annually within four years of graduation.
Corporate members of the Moore School’s Center for Global Supply Chain and Process Management pay an annual membership fee of $50,000. In return, teams of students, under the direction of faculty, conduct real-world projects. Typical projects focus on cost or revenue improvement and yield client savings that average $900,000. Since 2007, more than 100 projects have been completed for the Center’s clients, with well over $100 million in savings.
“When I mention the Moore School’s world class supply chain capability to external audiences what surprises me most is how so few know about this truly outstanding center of excellence,” said Moore School Dean Peter Brews. “This ranking is important recognition and validation of the leading-edge work Professor Malhotra and his colleagues do. With nationally recognized excellence in risk and uncertainty management, and with functional strengths that include finance, accounting, marketing and human resources – all combined with a No. 1 International Business ranking – the Gartner Ranking again underscores how the Moore School accomplishes its educational mission. We prepare students for 21st century supply chain jobs too.”
2014 marks the third edition of Gartner’s rankings report, which is released every three years. Forty universities participated in the ranking. Additionally, more than 400 industry leaders were surveyed on university recruitment and perception. Gartner’s methodology accounts for program scope, size, internships, starting salary and perceived value by industry.
