MBA for Supply Chain Managers

Athabasca University and the Supply Chain Managers Association (SCMA) have partnered to give Supply Chain Management Professionals (SCMPs) enhanced access to AU’s online MBA for executives program.

Your SCMP designation will give you transfer credit for up to 9 total credits, reducing your program completion time and tuition costs. And if you have completed an undergraduate degree in business within the past 10 years, our accelerated route could further reduce your time and costs.

If you do not yet have your SCMP designation, completing your AU MBA will give you advanced standing in the SCMP program.

Entry routes into the MBA for Supply Chain Managers

Depending on your background, you can apply for the standard entry route or the accelerated entry route.

Select the  standard entry route if you have:

  • The SCMP designation,
  • an undergraduate degree, and
  • at least 3 years of managerial experience.

or

  • The SCMP designation and
  • at least 5 years of managerial experience.

Select the  accelerated entry route if you have:

  • The SCMP designation
  • an undergraduate degree in business, completed within the past 10 years with an overall GPA of 3.0 for the last 60 credits completed, and
  • at least 3 years of managerial experience.

Standard entry route (39 credits)

Under the standard entry route, you will receive transfer credit for the following AU MBA courses:

  • Strategic Management (STMT 500)
  • Operations Management (OPMT 505)
  • one 3-credit elective

This will allow you to finish your MBA up to 6 months faster.

This route acknowledges the advanced supply chain education and experience you received by completing your designation.

If you hold a SCMP designation and are accepted into the online MBA program, AU will grant direct transfer credit for up to 9 total credits. You will receive direct transfer credit for:

  • Phase 1 core: Strategic Management (STMT 500)
  • Phase 1 core: Operations Management (OPMT 505)
  • One (1) 3-credit elective

which allows you to finish your online MBA in Supply Chain Managers program up to 6 months faster.

Phase 1

Three foundational courses that build upon each other.

Phase 1 core courses

Phase 2

Three core advanced courses solidify students’ holistic, organizational view of the senior management function.

Phase 2 core courses

Phase 3 (electives)

Students also complete 15 elective credits. Elective courses are both online and in-residence.

In-residence electives are held in locations across Canada. In-residence electives are 6 credits and can be taken in lieu of two, 3-credit electives. View this page to learn more about in-residence courses.

To see a list of electives you can choose from, view the course schedule here.

Capstone

To conclude the program, you will complete a 6-credit capstone project, designed to integrate learning across all phases and apply it to a real-world strategic business challenge.

You may select one of four pathways based on their professional goals and interests:

  1. Primary Business Research Project Design
  2. Simulation
  3. Consultancy Project
  4. Applied Project

To be accepted into the AU online AU with your SCMP designation, you must meet the following qualifications:

  • A bachelor’s degree, your designation and at least 3 years of managerial experience that may include managing people, projects or budgets or professional experience with management level responsibilities,
    OR
  • Your designation plus at least 5 years of managerial experience that may include managing people, projects or budgets or professional experience with management level responsibilities.

For application procedures, view admissions information.

Accelerated entry route (24 credits)

If you hold the SCMP designation and a Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Management, or similar business degree completed within the past 10 years, you could finish your MBA in as little as 17 months.

This accelerated route acknowledges that the academic knowledge from your business degree—in combination with your supply chain management knowledge and workplace experience—provides a solid base from which to advance into senior management study and practice.

The accelerated route gives you the flexibility to tailor your master’s studies to your own interests and career goals. Complete 1 Phase 2 specialized core course, then design the rest of your program to suit your needs. You can choose from online and in-residence electives.

If you are accepted into the online MBA program via the accelerated entry route and hold an SCMP designation, you will realize most of your benefits from the accelerated route itself which reduces overall online MBA for Supply Chain Managers completion requirements from the standard 39 credits.

You will also receive additional transfer credit for one 3-credit online elective course, meaning you will be able to complete your program even quicker and be required to complete a total of 24 credits.

Phase 1

Students are exempt from all Phase 1 courses.

Phase 2

Phase 2 core courses

Elective courses

After completing one Phase 2 specialized core course, students complete 15 elective credits.

To see a list of electives you can choose from, view the course schedule here.

Capstone (6 credits)

To conclude the program, you will complete a 6-credit capstone project, designed to integrate learning across all phases and apply it to a real-world strategic business challenge.

You may select one of four pathways based on their professional goals and interests:

  1. Primary Business Research Project Design
  2. Simulation
  3. Consultancy Project
  4. Applied Project

To be accepted via the accelerated entry route to the AU online MBA with your SCMP designation, you must have the following:

  • A bachelor’s degree in business, completed within the past 10 years, with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 or higher for the last 60 credits taken
  • At least 3 years of managerial experience that may include managing people, projects, or budgets or professional experience with management level responsibilities.

You must meet all the same admission requirements and construct the same application package as others who apply for the accelerated route to the online MBA.

For application procedures, view admissions information.

Get your SCMP designation

If you have completed your AU online MBA within the last 5 years, SCMA will grant transfer credit in the SCMP program for the following modules and workshops:

  • Module 4 – Operations
  • Module 5 – Knowledge Management
  • Workshop 1 – Leadership
  • Workshop 3 – Communications
  • Workshop 6 – Ethics

SCMA charges an administrative fee to manage advanced standing applications. The cost is $100 per program element to a maximum of $500.

Learn more about the SCMP

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