Coined by the program as "The Best Major You've Never Heard Of," Auburn's supply chain management department recently ranked among the top 25 in the nation of its kind.
Last month Gartner Inc., a global research firm, released its most recent Supply Chain Management Educational Rankings, in which Auburn ranked at 19.5.
The study ranked undergraduate supply chain management programs by measuring three different criteria to comprise a total assessment score.
"Forty percent of the score was industry value, which measured things like experts' impressions of program quality, quality of students graduating from the program and willingness to recruit employees and future leaders from the program," said Joe Hanna, associate dean for research and outreach and professor of supply chain management.
Another 40 percent of the score, known as program scope, measured the curriculum's quality and ability to prepare students for successes in supply chain practice.
The remaining 20 percent focused on the overall size of the schools' programs.
This year's candidate pool included larger programs than previous years.
"To be ranked in the top 20 among such prestigious schools as Georgia Tech, Penn State, Stanford and University of Texas, and to be ranked alongside supply chain programs from schools like Indiana University and South Carolina is truly an honor and quite an accomplishment," Hanna said.
Hanna said he has a desire to strengthen the research and outreach efforts of the college, and he is pleased the program is filled with talented individuals.
Senior supply chain management major Jenny Newton also credits the program's honor to the faculty.
"Every faculty member in the supply chain department is 100 percent irreplaceable," Newton said. "They are the reason that I chose to study supply chain management here at Auburn, and the reason that I have achieved as much as I have during my time in the supply chain management department."
College of Business Dean Bill Hardgrave said supply chain management is the fastest-growing major in the college.
"Our faculty continues to deliver a quality curriculum," Hardgrave said. "They are well respected in industry, and the new Gartner rankings really reflect the respect that our faculty has out in the transportation and logistics industry. We have to have great faculty and great students, and we are fortunate to have both here at Auburn."
Newton, whose older brother was also a member of Auburn's supply chain management program, said many students were unfamiliar with this major when she began studying at Auburn.
"Now, not only do people know about this major, but they know instantly that we are national leaders in our supply chain degree program," Newton said. "Campus-wide recognition is certainly an honor, but to the students in the field, I think we are the most excited about the potential job opportunities that will be opened up to us with this national ranking."
Not only will this renowned recognition attribute to various post-graduate business opportunities for supply-chain graduates, but Auburn's high-landing spot on Gartner's rankings is likely to generate incoming students' interest in the program.
"Certainly positive national exposure expands the potential pool of high-quality students that strongly consider your program," Hanna said. "This ultimately serves to increase the size and enhance the quality level of students enrolled in the program."
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