If you are looking for the number one supply chain management (SCM) program in the country, look no further than Michigan State University’s Eli Broad College of Business, according to the U.S. News & World Report 2018 Best Business Schools rankings, released today. This adds a number-one ranking among graduate programs to the no. 1 among undergraduate programs released in September.
Meanwhile, Broad’s Full-Time MBA Program ranked no. 37 overall and no. 15 among public programs, maintaining the program’s position among the top 15 U.S. public programs in all five major MBA rankings.
Broad graduate study was also ranked in these specialties:
- No. 8: Production/operations management
- No. 19: International
- No. 21: Marketing
- No. 22: Management
- No. 24: Accounting
Since U.S. News debuted its supply chain/logistics specialty ranking in the 2004 Best Business Schools (graduate) and 2003 Best Colleges (undergraduate) rankings, Broad has always been ranked among the top two on this measure at all levels. But this is the first time that the graduate program has been recognized as no. 1.
These number-one rankings match other measures in the field, such as the SCM World ranking of university reputations, which has long recognized MSU as having the number-one program.
“It is a tremendous honor to receive this consistent recognition as the elite program for many years,” says Dave Closs, the John H. McConnell Chaired Professor of Business Administration and the chair of the Department of Supply Chain Management at the Broad College. “Our position as the number one supply chain/logistics program in the country, joined with a top 10 production/operations specialty, is a true testament to the innovation of our faculty, students, and alumni, who put us on the map. We collectively set the standard for excellence in the SCM industry that connects business to the rest of the world.”
Broad’s curriculum takes a balanced end-to-end view of the supply chain, meaning graduates understand the complexities of moving product from the source of raw material to the consumer (for example, from the farm to the table). Many firms have yet to master this integrated, comprehensive approach to their supply chains, positioning Broad graduates extremely well for careers in procurement, manufacturing, inventory management, warehousing, transportation, and customer service across the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Because all students graduate with foundational knowledge in purchasing, production, and logistics, they can work across multiple disciplines in the field.
Broad SCM faculty experts are sought after across the industry for insight on timely issues related to supply chains, including international sourcing, sustainability, risk management and mitigation, resilience, and talent management. As a result of Broad’s integrated, comprehensive view of the field, its researchers have unique perspectives on how firms can build value by organizing and working collaboratively across functions and with their supply chain partners. More than ever, Broad’s supply chain faculty assists organizations in the public sector in reducing the supply chain cost of government and nonprofit organizations.
The overall U.S. News MBA ranking is based on three primary measures: quality assessment (what business school deans and recruiters think about the program), placement success (average starting salaries, signing bonuses, and employment rates), and student selectivity (GMAT scores, undergraduate GPAs, and acceptance rates). Specialty rankings, such as that of supply chain/logistics programs, are based solely on the ratings of educators at peer schools.
For the full 2018 Best Business Schools rankings and methodology, visit usnews.com. A premium subscription is required to view the complete “business specialties” rankings.
