Schulich Announces New Supply Chain Management and Infrastructure Programs

A business school that isn’t constantly and consistently looking for ways to increase its presence and offerings is one that is falling behind. The goal of every business school is to fill gaps in the economy and society by training up the next and current generation of experts. As part of that effort, York University’s Schulich School of Business announced the launch of two new programs: the Master of Supply Chain Management degree and the G7 Global Development Initiative.

Master of Supply Chain Management

Announced in early June, the new Master of Supply Chain Management degree is the first of its kind in Canada, and was designed to meet industry needs. The goal of the new master’s program is to equip students with the experience, knowledge, and training necessary to work in senior supply chain management roles. Students who chose this route will learn how to develop the analytical and managerial skills necessary to fill a variety of supply chain roles and to find creative supply chain solutions.

“At Schulich, we pride ourselves on offering many different masters programs based on functional specialties. The Master of Supply Chain Management degree is a logical extension of that strategy,” explains professor David Johnston, the new program director. “There’s a need in the industry for supply chain management professionals. In fact, studies reveal that around one in twenty individuals are employed in some form of supply chain management, so the degree makes sense.”

More information about the new degree program can be found here.

What Makes the Master of Supply Chain Management Degree Unique?

One unique aspect of the Master of Supply Chain Management program is its flexibility and big-picture outlook. It’s a genuinely cross-functional degree that is valuable across a range of areas from engineering to economics, healthcare, science, social science, and business. In fact, there are supply chain management problems in private, nonprofit, and governmental sectors. “It’s exciting, and it’s very big picture,” Johnston told MetroMBA.

Master of Supply Chain Management Program Structure

The program structure is fairly simple. To graduate, students will need to complete 39 credits overall. Those credits include:

• Foundational Courses such as Marketing Management and Managerial Decision Analysis.
• Functional Courses such as Coordinating Demand and Supply and Strategy Supply Chain Management.
• Applied Learning Courses on topics such as Managing Change in Supply Chains and a Supply Chain Consulting Project.

Then, outside the classroom, students can join the Supply Chain & Operations Management Club (SCOMC), a student-run club that aims to bridge the professional and academic world of supply chain.

What Does the Master of Supply Chain Management Bring to Schulich?

“Any time you can add more to an industry, it’s good for the school,” Johnston explains. “Adding a Master of Supply Chain Management degree program is good for the reputation of Schulich, and it’s relevant to the economy. It’s also an asset to our school in terms of expanding international business and talking about sustainable management. Those are two important themes at Schulich, and offering this new degree program allows us to have a great presence in those two areas.”

The master’s program will kick off in May 2019 and can be completed full-time in 12 months or part-time in as little as two years. For more information and to apply for the new program, visit the Schulich website.

G7 Global Development Initiative: Infrastructure Financing Program

The second program launched at Schulich in early June was the new infrastructure and financing development for G7 Fellows. The program was specifically created in response to challenges faced by G7 leaders in regards to the infrastructure gap. The goal of the program is to enhance the capabilities of emerging economies and to help them develop their infrastructure in ways that are sustainable.

The program is part of the G7 Global Initiatives project announced by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and Caisse de depot et placement du Québec (CDPQ) and in collaboration with leading Canadian and international investors as well as the Government of Canada. The initiative plans to focus on three themes: closing the infrastructure gap, climate change, and gender equality.

“It’s a lofty set of ambitions,” says James McKellar, the director of the Brookfield Centre in Real Estate and Infrastructure. “The goal is to set up a Fellows program that would select people from emerging economies and bring them to Canada for a 12-week education program followed by a 12-week internship. Schulich will be responsible for the educational element.”

The educational program will bring in senior public sector infrastructure managers in emerging markets for a three-month intensive business program at the Brookfield Centre. Courses will be taught by a combination of academic professionals and industry leaders, providing the G8 Fellows with a truly in-depth and unique experience.

“Schulich’s Infrastructure program is global and collaborative in outlook so that the first Fellows will learn not only from their professors, but also from each other, returning to their countries of origin equipped with the expertise and international network they need to successfully achieve their infrastructure goals, as set out by the G7,” McKellar explains.

The first cohort of 12 Fellows will start their studies next year. Read more here.

regions: Toronto

About the Author