Supply Chain and Operations Management

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Supply chain and operations (SCO) professionals manage the flow of goods, services, and information both within and across organizations. In every organization and in every industry, SCO professionals make sure that products get made, services are provided, and customers are satisfied.

  • SCO professionals tackle sustainability challenges, including efficient use of resources and responsible sourcing.
  • SCO professionals take a broad view of business by collaborating across functions and organizations.
  • SCO professionals are practical problem solvers and figure out better ways to get work done.
  • SCO professionals are curious about how things work and like to be hands-on.
  • SCO professionals have diverse career options, ranging from positions using strong people-facing communication skills to positions that require detailed analytics.

Major Curriculum

View the full Supply Chain and Operations Management Major catalog:

First-year students entering Fall 2022:

Supply Chain and Operations Management Major Program Requirements and Course Descriptions

Students entering prior to Fall 2022 and transfer students entering prior to Fall 2023:

Prior to Fall 2022 Supply Chain and Operations Management Major Program Requirements and Course Descriptions

 

Minor Curriculum

View the full Supply Chain and Operations Management Minor catalog:

Supply Chain and Operations Management Minor Program Requirements and Course Descriptions

Four-year Plan

Supply Chain & Operations Management Major Sample Plan

The APAS is the official method for tracking the completion of your specific degree requirements. Please be aware that there are multiple ways for students to progress through this major. This is just one sample. Students should work with their advisor to develop their individual plan.

Italic: course pre-requisites and co-requisites (designated by &)

Bold: Liberal Ed requirement

Print Plan

Freshman Year

Fall Semester

  • Econ 1165 Business Economics (Soc Sci) (4cr)
  • BA 2551 Business Statistics in R (Math) (4cr)
  • BA 1011 Leading Self & Teams (2cr)
  • BA 1021 Design Your Life (1cr)
  • Writ 1301 First Year Writing (4cr)

15 credits

Spring Semester

  • Acct 2051 Financial Reporting (4cr)
  • BA 2051 Solving Business Scenarios in Excel (2cr)
  • BA 2062 Powerful Problem Solving (2cr)
  • Design Your Career (1cr)
  • BA 2005 Corporate Responsibility & Ethics (Civ) (3cr) 
  • Liberal Ed (3-4cr)

15-16 credits

Sophomore Year

Fall Semester

Maroon Block I-Core

  • Mktg 3001 Principles of Marketing (3cr)
  • IDSc 3001 Information Systems & Digital Transformation (3cr)
  • BA 3001 Race, Power, & Justice in Business (RPJ) (3cr)
  • Acct 3001 Strategic Management Accounting (3cr)
  • BA 3051 Data-Driven Business Decisions (BA 2551 & BA 2051) (3cr)

15 credits

Spring Semester

Gold Block I-Core

  • Fina 3001 Finance Fundamentals (Acct 2051 & BA 2551) (3cr)
  • Mgmt 3004 Strategic Management (3cr)
  • SCO 3001 Sustainable Supply Chain Management (3cr)
  • HRIR 3021 Human Capital Management (3cr)
  • BA 3062 Impact Lab Project (BA 2062) (2cr)

14 credits

Declare a major: 
z.umn.edu/CarlsonDeclare

Junior Year

Fall Semester

  • BA 3551 Business Analytics (BA 2551 & BA 2051) (3cr)
  • SCO 3056 Supply Chain Planning & Control (SCO 3001) (4cr)
  • SCO 3059 Quality Management & Lean Six Sigma (SCO 3001) (4cr)
  • Liberal Ed (4cr)

15 credits

Spring Semester

  • BA 3033W Business Communication (3cr)
  • SCO 3045 Sourcing and Supply Management (SCO 3001) (2cr)
  • SCO 3048 Transportation and Logistics Management (SCO 3001) (2cr)
  • Liberal Ed (3cr)
  • Liberal Ed (3cr)
  • Elective (3cr)

15 credits

Senior Year

Fall Semester

  • SCO 3072 Managing Technologies in the Supply Chain (SCO 3001) (2cr)
  • SCO elective (4cr) 
  • Liberal Ed (4cr)
  • Liberal Ed (3cr)
  • Liberal Ed (3cr)

16 credits

Spring Semester

  • SCO 4065W Capstone: Supply Chain & Operations Strategy (SCO 3056, 3059 & 4 SCO electives) (4cr)
  • Liberal Ed (3cr)
  • Elective (4cr)
  • Elective (4cr)

15 credits

Total Credits Needed for Degree: 120


Note: Students must complete an international experience as part of the program requirements. Short-term programs or semester-length programs may be used to meet this requirement. Explore your options: z.umn.edu/CarlsonIE

  • SCO 3001 is a prerequisite for all other SCO classes.

The supply chain operations and management field has grown in visibility as globalization, outsourcing, offshoring, and low-cost manufacturing have meant that supply chains have grown increasingly complicated and important. With that, the visibility of supply chain professionals within organizations has increased, valuing them as experts driving value throughout the organization. Supply chain roles and responsibilities encompass a broad array of business functions. Professionals in this field determine appropriate equipment and staffing levels to load, move, or store materials; manage activities related to strategic or tactical purchasing, controlling inventory, warehousing, or receiving; and select transportation routes to maximize efficiency and cost savings.

Sample careers for Supply Chain and Operations Management majors:

  • Inventory Analyst
  • Operations Manager
  • Strategic Sourcing Specialist
  • Supply Chain Planner
  • Associate Demand Planner
  • Associate Distribution Analyst
  • Business Analyst

Companies/Orgs that hire Supply Chain and Operations Management students:

  • Target
  • Medtronic
  • 3M
  • Cargill
  • CHS
  • UHG

FIND MORE SUPPLY CHAIN AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT KEY CAREER INFO

Contact Undergraduate Program