Supply Chain Management, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

The supply chain management program offers a robust foundation for diverse career opportunities covering sourcing, logistics, sustainability, operations, process, quality and inventory management. The curriculum equips students with essential qualitative and quantitative methodologies to enhance supply chain efficiency and responsiveness. Students develop analytical skills to address contemporary challenges in global supply chains and enhance organizational operations. By engaging in hand-on applications and utilizing modern analytics software, students apply their knowledge to make well-informed decisions with complex, real-world data. Our program highlights the importance of cultural competence, ensuring students are prepared for success in diverse global supply chain environments.

Learning goals

Graduates will employ knowledge of supply chain management and effectively utilize analytics tools to provide insight and solutions to complex business issues. 

Student learning outcomes

Upon completing this program, students will know and know how to do the following:

1. Qualitatively assess the core responsibilities and measures of performance for supply
   chain functions
2. Identify and apply appropriate managerial strategies to supply chain problems
3. Quantitatively analyze the risk exposure of organizations within a supply chain and
   propose solutions to mitigate it
4. Evaluate the requisites and available data pertaining to analytics-based problems
5. Determine suitable analytical techniques for problem analysis and deploy those methods
   to facilitate decision-making
6. Employ computational tools and quantitative techniques to improve supply chain
   performance.

Special requirements

The School of Business has special academic policies, including policies on transfer credits, that apply to all undergraduate degrees. 

School of Business progression policy

Students enrolled in undergraduate programs of the School of Business engage in a demanding curriculum designed to set them up for success in the world of business. In order to successfully maintain progress towards graduation, students are required to meet the following criteria in order to remain in their majors:

• Students are required to pass major and ancillary requirements within two attempts. If a student withdraws from a course, it will count as an attempt. 

  • Upon the third attempt at a course, students will be placed on business probation and must pass the course successfully in that third attempt.

• Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 major GPA.

  • If a student's major GPA drops below 2.0, they will be placed on business probation and allowed one semester to raise their major GPA to 2.0. 

Upon notification of being placed on business probation, students will receive a registration hold, and must meet with their business adviser prior to the add/drop deadline of the pursuant semester in order to create an action plan to either pass the repeated course successfully, or increase their major GPA.

Students who do not meet the performance expectations of business probation in that same semester will be required to change their major prior to the start of the next semester.

Students may appeal the change of major via the associate dean of the School of Business. Students must initiate the appeal with their assigned academic adviser. The associate dean may, at their discretion, extend the time period needed to meet the requirements, generally by only one semester. A student who wishes to appeal must submit his or her appeal at least one week prior to the start of the next semester in which they register for classes.

Degree requirements for Supply Chain Management, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.

What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.

Recommended course sequence/plan of study 

Freshman year
Fall semester		Hours
BUSN 201 or BUSN 205	Foundations of Business 1 or Introduction to the World of Business 1	3
UNIV 111 Play course video for Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication	Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations)	3
UNIV 191 or UNIV 101 or UNIV 103	Student Success Special Topics or Introduction to the University or Education and Career Planning	1
General education courses		6
Open elective (prerequisite to BUSN 212 suggested)		3
	Term Hours:	16
Spring semester
ACCT 203	Introduction to Financial Reporting	3
BUSN 212 or MATH 200	Business Problem Solving and Analysis (either satisfies general education quantitative foundations) or Calculus with Analytic Geometry I	4
ECON 210	Principles of Microeconomics (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and/or AOI for global perspectives)	3
UNIV 200	Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations)	3
General education course		3
	Term Hours:	16
Sophomore year
Fall semester
ACCT 204	Introduction to Managerial Accounting	3
BUSN 301	Career and Professional Development	1
ECON 211	Principles of Macroeconomics	3
MKTG 301	Marketing Principles	3
SCMA 301	Business Statistics I	3
General education course		3
	Term Hours:	16
Spring semester
MGMT 303	Creativity and Ideation	3
MGMT 310	Managing People in Organizations	3
SCMA 302	Business Statistics II	3
SCMA 320	Production/Operations Management	3
General education course		3
	Term Hours:	15
Junior year
Fall semester
BUSN 325	Business Communications	3
FIRE 311	Financial Management	3
SCMA 339	Quantitative Solutions for Supply Chain Management	3
SCMA 350	Introduction to Project Management	3
General education course		3
	Term Hours:	15
Spring semester
BUSN 323	Legal Environment of Business	3
INFO 360	Business Information Systems	3
SCMA 386	Global Supply Chain Management	3
SCMA 450	Introduction to Circular Supply Chains	3
	Term Hours:	12
Senior year
Fall semester
SCMA 420	Strategic Sourcing	3
Approved supply chain management electives		6
Open electives		6
	Term Hours:	15
Spring semester
BUSN 499	Business Knowledge Exam	0
MGMT 434	Strategic Management	3
SCMA 410	Logistics and Distribution Strategy	3
SCMA 439	Process Management and Quality Control	3
Open electives		6
	Term Hours:	15
	Total Hours:	120

The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.

Accelerated B.S. and M.D.A.

The accelerated B.S. and M.D.A. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.S. in Supply Chain Management and Master of Decision Analytics in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Students in the program may count up to 12 credit hours of graduate courses toward both the B.S. and M.D.A. degrees. Thus, the two degrees may be earned with a minimum of 138 credits rather than the 150 credits necessary if the two degrees are pursued separately.

This accelerated program is for highly-motivated students who want to pursue advanced study in decision analytics. Students holding these degrees will be prepared to contribute to analytical decision making that supports the mission of a variety of organizations. 

Entrance to the accelerated program

Interested undergraduate students should consult with their adviser as early as possible to receive specific information about the accelerated program, determine academic eligibility and submit (no later than two semesters prior to graduating with a baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the spring semester of their junior year) an Accelerated Program Declaration Form to be approved by the graduate program director. Limited spaces may be available in the accelerated program. Academically qualified students may not receive approval if capacity has been reached.

Minimum qualifications for entrance to this accelerated program include completion of 85 undergraduate credit hours including SCMA 212 or MATH 200, SCMA 301, and SCMA 302  with a minimum grade of B and an overall GPA of 3.25. Students who received transfer credit for these courses shall submit transcripts from previous institutions with their application so that performance in these classes can be evaluated.

Once enrolled in the accelerated program, students must meet the standards of performance applicable to graduate students as described in the “Satisfactory academic progress” section of the Graduate Bulletin, including maintaining a 3.0 GPA. Guidance to students admitted to the accelerated program is provided by both the undergraduate adviser and the faculty adviser to the graduate program.

Admission to the graduate program

Entrance to the accelerated program enables the student to take the approved shared courses that will apply to the undergraduate and graduate degrees. However, entry into an accelerated program via an approved Accelerated Program Declaration Form does not constitute application or admission into the graduate program. Admission to the graduate program requires a separate step that occurs through a formal application to the master’s program, which is submitted through Graduate Admissions no later than a semester prior to graduation with the baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the fall semester of the senior year. In order to continue pursuing the master’s degree after the baccalaureate degree is conferred, accelerated students must follow the admission to graduate study requirements outlined in the VCU Bulletin.

Degree requirements

The Bachelor of Science in Supply Chain Management degree will be awarded upon completion of a minimum of 120 credits and the satisfactory completion of all undergraduate degree requirements as stated in the undergraduate Bulletin.

A maximum of 12 graduate credits may be taken prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree. These graduate credits will substitute for the required major or open elective credits for the undergraduate degree. These courses are shared credits with the graduate program, meaning that they will be applied to both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements.

The graduate decision analytics courses that may be taken as an undergraduate, once a student is admitted to the program, are:

Recommended course sequence/plan of study 

Accelerated B.S. and M.S.C.M.

The accelerated B.S. and M.S.C.M. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.S. in Supply Chain Management and Master of Supply Chain Management in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the junior and senior years of their undergraduate program. Students in the program may count up to 12 hours of graduate courses toward both the B.S. and M.S.C.M. degrees. Thus, the two degrees may be earned with a minimum of 138 credits rather than the 150 credits necessary if the two degrees are pursued separately.

Students holding these degrees are prepared for corporate and government supply chain management positions using data analytics, leadership skills and global perspectives.

Entrance to the accelerated program

Interested undergraduate students should consult with an adviser as early as possible to receive specific information about the accelerated program, determine academic eligibility and submit (no later than two semesters prior to graduating with a baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the spring semester of the junior year) an Accelerated Program Declaration Form to be approved by the graduate program director. Limited spaces may be available in the accelerated program. Academically qualified students may not receive approval if capacity has been reached.

Minimum qualifications for entrance to this accelerated program include completion of 85 undergraduate credit hours including SCMA 212 or MATH 200, SCMA 301, and SCMA 302 with a minimum grade of B and an overall GPA of 3.5. Students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirements may submit GRE scores to receive further consideration.

Once enrolled in the accelerated program, students must meet the standards of performance applicable to graduate students as described in the “Satisfactory academic progress” section of the Graduate Bulletin, including maintaining a 3.0 GPA. Guidance to students admitted to the accelerated program is provided by both the undergraduate adviser and the faculty adviser to the graduate program.

Admission to the graduate program

Entrance to the accelerated program enables the student to take the approved shared courses that will apply to the undergraduate and graduate degrees. However, entry into an accelerated program via an approved Accelerated Program Declaration Form does not constitute application or admission into the graduate program. Admission to the graduate program requires a separate step that occurs through a formal application to the master’s program, which is submitted through Graduate Admissions no later than a semester prior to graduation with the baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the fall semester of the senior year. In order to continue pursuing the master’s degree after the baccalaureate degree is conferred, accelerated students must follow the admission to graduate study requirements outlined in the VCU Bulletin.

Degree requirements

The Bachelor of Science in Supply Chain Management will be awarded upon completion of a minimum of 120 credits and the satisfactory completion of all undergraduate degree requirements as stated in the Undergraduate Bulletin.

A maximum of 12 graduate credits may be taken prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree. These graduate credits will substitute for the required major or open electives for the undergraduate degree. These courses are shared credits with the graduate program, meaning that they will be applied to both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements.

The graduate courses for the M.S.C.M. that may be taken as an undergraduate, once a student is admitted to the program, are:

Recommended course sequence/plan of study

What follows is the recommended plan of study for students interested in the accelerated program beginning in the fall of the junior year prior to admission to the accelerated program in the senior year.