Online Supply Chain Management Graduate Certificate
Quicklinks: Curriculum • Faculty • Tuition & Financial Aid • Careers
Thanks to the impact of globalization, managing a modern supply chain means managing complex international networks—putting a premium on professionals who have the knowledge and capability to supervise and navigate these networks while exhibiting a solid command of supply chain terminology and logistical capacity.
According to the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM), supply chain jobs—including high-tech roles in data analysis, cloud solutions, supply chain planning, and risk management—are projected to grow in line with the national average of 9 percent over the course of the next decade. In their 2021 career and salary survey, the ASCM found that one third of respondents reported finding a job in less than a month.
Available online as well as on campus and in a blended format, the online Graduate Certificate in Supply Chain Management is a course of study covering key operations management concepts and methods, as well as state-of-the-art tools used in the process of designing and managing global supply chains. Students in the program gain hands-on experience with a variety of qualitative and quantitative techniques used in the area of supply chain management. Through a curriculum that covers the essentials of operations management, global supply chains, strategic logistics management, international trade, and import/export operations, graduates of the program will be able to analyze business process flows and control streams of materials, information, and services across the supply chain of a corporation.
Students who complete the Graduate Certificate in Supply Chain Management will be able to demonstrate:
- An understanding of the importance of supply chain management decisions in developing a business strategy for a firm.
- Foundational knowledge in supply chain management and its core principles including logistics operations and/or import/export operations, lean practices, and/or six sigma practices.
- Knowledge of key supply chain management issues and tools vital in analyzing supply chain decision problems.
Awards & Accreditations
Accredited member of AACSB International―The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (through BU’s Questrom School of Business)
Supply Chain Management program courses Operations Management: Business Process Fundamentals (MET AD 605) and Quality Management (MET AD 734) may qualify you for Green Belt Training accredited by the Council for Six Sigma Certification—an Official Industry Standard of Six Sigma Accreditation for Six Sigma training providers worldwide.
Newsweek magazine ranked Boston University’s online programs #4 in the nation in its 2023 survey.
Why Choose BU’s Graduate Certificate in Supply Chain Management?
- Learn from expert faculty from MET’s Department of Administrative Sciences, and benefit from a unique combination of dynamic academic curricula, the latest educational technologies, and direct professional contact with industry leaders in the supply chain management area.
- Boston University certificate programs comprise just four courses (16 credits) and provide essential skills and capabilities in high-growth industry areas. Certificate programs also provide a pathway to Metropolitan College management degree programs.
- Successfully complete Quality Management (MET AD 734) and you may qualify to earn a Six Sigma Green Belt accredited by the Council for Six Sigma Certification. By also completing Business Process Fundamentals (MET AD 605) you are eligible to earn a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. A Six Sigma certificate can help you increase productivity and decrease costs, enhancing your ability to deliver top-quality products and services to consumers in a limited amount of time. Eligibility is determined by satisfactory performance on final examinations in each course.
- Collaborate with professors and industrial practitioners in BU MET’s Decision Sciences Research Laboratory, while applying your analytical skills to solve current problems facing industrial organizations.
- Benefit from advanced pedagogy and the latest digital-learning concepts introduced in the online environment, such as video conferencing, live lectures and seminars, proctored assessments, access to proprietary software applications within virtual labs and cloud servers/technologies, creative learning, teamwork, and competitive games offered with the help of advanced business simulations.
- Online certificate programs share courses and instructors with MET’s master’s degree programs in management, ranked #10 among the nation’s Best Online Master's in Business Programs (Excluding MBA) by U.S. News & World Report in 2025.
Meet Dr. Vladimir Zlatev, one of the faculty members you’ll work with in the Administrative Sciences department.
Recent graduates have established their careers at:
- ABclonal Technology
- Aflac
- Apple
- Boston University
- BrainCo Internship
- Collins Aerospace
- Construction Specialties
- Dune Sciences, Inc.
- Essendant
- Henkel
- iBasis
- Lifespan
- Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
- Overstock.com
- Philips
- PRATT & WHITNEY
- Raytheon Technologies
- Straumann Group
- The LEGO Group
- Walmart
- Willamette Valley Company
Potential careers:
- Director of Operations
- Quality Assurance Manager
- Logistics Supervisor
- Distribution Manager
- Director of Procurement
- Sourcing Manager
- Operations Analyst
- Supply Chain Manager
Outlook:
“Employment of operations research analysts is projected to grow 23% from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.”
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Supply chain professionals with a master’s degree
$113,300
Median salary (2023 mean)
Source: Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM), 2023 Supply Chain Salary and Career Report
“Supply chain resilience is a key priority with 43% of businesses planning to increase investment here, while 39% intend to increase investment in technology to reduce costs and drive business transformation.”
Source: Capgemini Research Institute, 2023
Money Matters
Boston University Metropolitan College (MET) offers competitive tuition rates that meet the needs of part-time students seeking an affordable education. These rates are substantially lower than those of the traditional, full-time residential programs yet provide access to the same high-quality BU education. To learn more about current tuition rates, visit the MET website.
Financial Assistance
Comprehensive financial assistance services are available at MET, including scholarships, graduate loans, and payment plans. There is no cost to apply for financial assistance, and you may qualify for a student loan regardless of your income. Learn more.
Curriculum
Boston University’s Graduate Certificate in Supply Chain Management consists of four required online courses (16 credits).
Students who take MET AD 734 and meet certain performance standards will earn Six Sigma Green Belt certification. Students who take both MET AD 605 and MET AD 734 and meet certain performance standards will earn a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.
Courses
Admissions Information
Canan Gunes Corlu
Associate Professor, Administrative Sciences; Coordinator, Supply Chain Management
PhD, MS, Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University; BS, Koc University
John Maleyeff
Associate Professor of the Practice, Administrative Sciences; Coordinator, Enterprise Risk Management
PhD, MS, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
BA, East Stroudsburg State College
David Ritt
Lecturer, Administrative Sciences
MS, Boston University; BA, University of Chicago
Vladimir Zlatev
Associate Professor of the Practice and Director of Digital Learning, Administrative Sciences; Coordinator, Applied Business Analytics
PhD, MS, BS, Dresden University of Technology
Getting Started
To learn more or to contact a graduate admissions advisor before you get started, request information using the button below and tell us a little about yourself. Someone will be in touch to answer any questions you may have about the program and detail the next steps in earning your degree. You can also start your application or register for a course at Metropolitan College.