Rutgers Business School's undergraduate supply chain program is No. 2 in North America

Gartner's biennial report of the Top 25 Supply Chain Undergraduate Programs looks at which business school programs have the best curricula, offer the most real-world experiences to their students, and have the strongest reputations among industry leaders.

Rutgers Business School Dean Lei Lei, who helped to create the supply chain management department and served as its founding chair from 2008 to 2014, said the ranking reflects years of teamwork and collaboration.

"The talent of our faculty and the influence of our industry partners have combined to build a top-notch department that turns out graduates who are job-ready, with work experiences that make them stand-outs in the field," Lei said.

Lian Qi, associate professor and chair of the Supply Chain Management Department, said part of the strength of the Rutgers program results from the influence of industry partners.

"We work closely with our industry partners," Qi said, "to better understand their evolving workforce needs so that we can continuously improve our curriculum to ensure that our students have the knowledge and experience that's in high demand by industry."

William McLaury, an associate professor of professional practice, said the undergraduate program offers a combination of education and training in all of the disciplines within supply chain management. "Undergraduate students benefit equally from adjunct and full-time academic and professional practice faculty, who bring years of practical experience to the classroom," he said.

The program, which is offered on both the Newark and New Brunswick campuses, teaches its undergraduate students with a combination of exercises, simulations, and case studies, many developed by former supply chain leaders with experience running the supply chains of some of the world's largest and most successful companies. Students are required to complete an experiential learning course with a corporate partner. The requirement may take the form of an internship, co-op or industry client project.

"This requirement is designed to enhance students' academic learning," McLaury said, "and to allow them to apply their supply chain skills to the real world and gain valuable supply chain work experience."

Gartner evaluated the undergraduate supply chain management programs on three criteria: program scope and industry value, which each accounted for 40% of the ranking; and program size, which accounted for 20%.

SOURCE Rutgers Business School-Newark and New Brunswick