Supply Chain Management

Duquesne's flexible SCM program


Drive innovation and rise to important roles in global supply chains with a Graduate Certificate in Supply Chain Management (SCM) from Duquesne University. This flexible hybrid and online program allows you to tailor your schedule according to your personal and professional commitments. You'll select the logistics and supply chain courses that best suit your individual career goals, then apply your skills in real-life logistics career situations.

Learn More about our Supply Chain Management Certificate

Become a competitive leader in global supply chains with Duquesne's Certificate in Supply Chain Management. With the option for online study, these logistics and supply chain courses are flexible with your schedule and your goals for career growth.

Take the first steps toward the SCM program: request more info, attend an information session, or apply now!

Program Information

This flexible hybrid and online program allows you to tailor your schedule according to your personal and professional commitments. You'll select the logistics and supply chain courses that best suit your individual career goals.

Degree

Certificate

Academic Department

Management and Supply Chain Management

Required Credit Hours

15

More in this Program

Logistics, Supply Chain Courses and Curriculum

This 15-credit SCM program offers maximum flexibility for working professionals. You'll complete hybrid or 100% online supply chain courses to earn the 15-credit Certificate in Supply Chain Management in as little as one year. Many courses also prepare you for further certification exams that will equip you to specialize and grow your career opportunities.

The Certificate requires three (3) foundational (required) courses and two (2) signature courses, which are indicated below. 

Curriculum and Course Descriptions

Required

3 credits

Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the business process that has evolved from the integration of the traditional business disciplines of forecasting, demand planning, materials planning, purchasing, production, operations management, transportation, inventory management, warehousing, packaging, materials handling, customer service, and related information systems. SCM focuses on efficient and effective customer satisfaction from the exchange of goods, services and information to complete the business transaction from supplier's supplier to customer's customer. This course provides insight into the goals and best practices of each business discipline included in the SCM process, and how these disciplines integrate to ensure a competitive advantage and corporate success.

Students will assess industry specific differences in managing the flow of materials, goods, services, information and cash via the processes, technologies, and facilities that link primary suppliers through to ultimate customers for both service and product industries. Attention is given to important interrelationships between supply chain management the other corporate disciplines such as marketing, accounting, engineering, and financial management. Interdisciplinary managerial concepts are presented to show how a focus on the quality of service and product, and the integration of the supply chain processes offers great potential for improving corporate profitability and creating a sustainable competitive advantage.

Required

3 credits

Information systems and technology enable SCM processes and operations to improve productivity and link to internal and external business partners. This course will address the strategy behind SCM systems development and integration, and will be supported by the systems and tools available in the SCM Center of Excellence. The course begins with a review of the fundamentals of information systems and technology and progresses to the role of ERP in enabling integration and visibility in SCM. The operational and decision support systems that support the five facets of SCM; Plan, Source, Make, Deliver, and Returns, will be reviewed from the perspective of the critical processes of each. Elements of project management and system analysis and selection will be discussed. Students will gain hands-on experience with SAP and various supply chain-related applications, such as supply chain design and data visualization. The course will provide students the opportunity to study, analyze, and observe the information systems and technology tools that enable inter-enterprise communications (i.e Electronic Data Interchange - EDI), collaboration (i.e. Vendor Managed Inventory - VMI, and Collaborative Planning Forecasting and Replenishment - CPFR), and enhanced data collection (i.e. radio frequency Identification - RFID). In addition, decision support systems such as Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS), network optimization, Warehouse Management System (WMS), Transportation Management Systems (TMS), etc. will be discussed. Hands-on experience with some supply chain systems will be provided. This course supports the program goals by enabling students to develop a working knowledge of the information systems and technology required to efficiently and effectively manage internal supply chain disciplines, to integrate and collaborate with external business partners, and to make data-driven decisions. 

Prerequisite: SCMG 610 with a minimum grade of C
Required

3 credits

Supply chains generate large amounts of data; however, knowing how to extract critical information for effective decision-making is critical to SCM success. This course will introduce strategies and methods for developing meaningful business intelligence and applying descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analysis to improve supply chain decision-making.

Co/Prerequisite: SCMG 610
Signature 

3 credits

Having in place effective and efficient process improvement techniques can be a source of competitive advantage for firms. This course covers different techniques and tools that firms can use to become better problem-solvers and to continuously improve their operations and supply chains by applying the concepts of Lean and Six Sigma. Students may earn a Six Sigma Green Belt Certification through Moresteam, a Lean Six Sigma Training Provider, after passing an exam and completing a supervised project.

Co/Prerequisite
: SCMG 610
Signature

3 credits

Gaining visibility into a business's future is critical to SCM success and to gaining commercial competitive advantage. This course will provide insight into the value of accurate forecasting and planning as well as provide methods for effective forecast development and analysis. Planning techniques including Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) will be examined. The course will also cover advanced forecasting and demand management techniques such as Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment (CPFR). Upon completion of the course, students will be prepared to take the Certified Professional Forecaster (CPF) exam from the Institute of Business Forecasting and Planning.

Prerequisite: SCMG 614
Signature

3 credits

Properly managing inventory is critical to both goods and service industries. This course will introduce the inventory strategies for a wide range of supply chains and present a variety of inventory planning methods for materials and finished goods based on market demand, risk, and variability. Upon completion of the SCMG 610 course and this course, students will be prepared to take the first APICS Certified in Planning and Inventory Management (CPIM) exam. 

Prerequisite: SCMG 614
Signature

3 credits

Over the past four decades the process of purchasing and procurement have evolved from administrative support functions to strategic competitive differentiators for many organizations. This course will provide a strong foundation in supply management best practices in concert with the Institute for Supply Management's Mastery Model. Students will gain knowledge in negotiation preparation and execution and utilize the state of art negotiation facilities of the SCM Center of Excellence. SAP supply management decision support tools will be introduced and applied. Upon completion of the course, students with qualifying experience will be prepared to take the ISM Foundations of Supply Management exam toward becoming a Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM).

Prerequisite: SCMG 612
Signature

3 credits

For those businesses purchasing and producing products, the global physical distribution process is critical to competitive success. This course will provide insight into the operations and strategic integration of transportation modes and distribution center operations as well as distribution network design. The course will introduce innovative fulfillment strategies such as collaborative distribution and omnichannel fulfillment. The integration of Transportation Management Systems (TMS) tools provides a hands-on experience with supporting technology. Upon completion of the course, students will be prepared to take the exam to earn the ASCM Certificate in Logistics, Transportation, and Distribution (CTLD). 

Prerequisite: SCMG 612
Signature

3 credits

As consumers and the industries that serve them have grown in social and environmental awareness, the focus on establishing sustainable supply chains has gained momentum. In addition to being financially successful, corporations must be environmentally and socially responsible. The strategic and operational decisions made to develop efficient and effective supply chains with operations and trading partners around the world shifts the primary responsibility for a sustainable business to supply chain management. This course will address risk management, best practices for sustainable supply chains and the trending supply chain management responsibilities.

Prerequisite: SCMG 612