News【Trends: MicroMasters Vol.3】First Graduating Students: MIT's Supply Chain Management
2020.06.09
In "Trends," we will present various topics related to the current form of education that uses Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
MicroMasters programs are educational programs combining MOOCs and offered by the MOOC distribution platform edX. The "Series: MicroMasters" consists of three articles that describe MicroMasters, which has become a focus of attention as a novel MOOC-based approach.
- Vol. 1: Shift from Individual Single MOOCs to MOOC-Based Programs
- Vol. 2: Regional/Disciplinary Trends in Offered Programs
- Vol. 3: First Graduating Students: MIT's Supply Chain Management (this article)
This article features the Supply Chain Management program (SCM program) of MIT. As a pilot MicroMasters program, it deals with supply chain management, a growing field.
In 2016, MIT began this program. MIT is the institution that created OCW, established edX in conjunction with Harvard University, and has driven the effort to provide open education on a global scale. Last year, the program produced the first graduating students. Some of them enrolled in the regular master's program, which drew public attention.
About SCM Program
Supply chain management refers to a business management technique designed to review and optimize the entire process of a supply chain; encompassing raw material procurement to sales. The SCM program is intended to impart relevant specialized knowledge in supply chain management.
The program consists of five courses: Supply Chain Analytics (SC0x), Supply Chain Fundamentals (SC1x), Supply Chain Design (SC2x), Supply Chain Dynamics (SC3x), and Supply Chain Technology and Systems (SC4x).
| Course Title | Period | Time Required per Week | Field | Level |
| Supply Chain Analytics (SC0x) | 13 weeks | 8-12 hours | Business & management | Introductory |
| Supply Chain Fundamentals (SC1x) | 13 weeks | 8-12 hours | Business & management | Introductory |
| Supply Chain Design (SC2x) | 13 weeks | 8-12 hours | Business & management | Advanced |
| Supply Chain Dynamics (SC3x) | 13 weeks | 8-12 hours | Business & management | Advanced |
| Supply Chain Technology and Systems (SC4x) | 13 weeks | 8-12 hours | Business & management | Advanced |
When a student has taken and completed all courses in the program and takes and passes the final examination for the program (Supply Chain Comprehensive Exam), the student will earn a MicroMasters credential certifying the student's completion of the program.
The MicroMasters credential for the SCM program is currently recognized as a credit certification requirement for master's programs at several universities, including master's program (SCMb) at MIT described below.
Credit Certification System Using the SCM Program
MIT's SCMb is the most well-known example of a regular master's program incorporating the Supply Chain Management MicroMasters credential.
The Supply Chain Management Blended Program (SCMb) is a blended master's program consisting of an online MicroMasters program and a regular educational degree program at MIT. Applicants for this program are required to earn MicroMasters credentials. About half the credits required for completing the SCMb are supplied by MicroMasters credentials. SCMb differs from the Supply Chain Management Residential Program (SCMr), which is a regular master's degree program, in that with SCMb the period of attending on-campus classes is shorter and the cost of the entire program, including living expenses, is relatively low.*This is because students can substitute MOOCs for half the needed credits.
* MIT's two types of master's degree programs in supply chain management have different costs. Regular face-to-face class-based SCMr require a total cost in excess of $100,000, including academic fees and other related expenses. Meanwhile SCMb, consisting of online MicroMasters programs and face-to-face classes, is said to require a little under $60,000.
Meanwhile, some parts of the SCM program are valid for SCMr. By taking and completing specified courses in the SCM program, the student can use them to substitute for part of the application requirements.
Spreading to Universities Beyond MIT
Students can use the MicroMasters credential earned from the SCM program, although developed at MIT, at other higher education institutions as well.
In fact, master's degree programs that use the MicroMasters credential number more than 10 and encompass universities around the world, including Rochester Institute of Technology (U.S.A.), Purdue University (U.S.A.), Galileo University (Guatemala), the University of Queensland (Australia), and Curtin University (Australia). Notably, Curtin University incorporates the SCM program in two master's programs: SCM and Commerce. This proves that the use of the SCM program is spreading to universities other than MIT. (Click here to view a list of higher education institutions that use the SCM program.)
First Graduating Students
The SCM program began in 2016, with its first graduating students in June 2017.
Eleven hundred students from 79 countries have completed all individual courses. Of these, 622 passed the aforementioned final examination and earned the MicroMasters credential as students completing the SCM program. (For more information, view MIT News and edX blog.)。
Of the 622 who earned the MicroMasters credential for the SCM program, 40* used the MicroMasters credential to subsequently qualify for enrollment in the SCMb. (For more information, view MIT News.)。
* These students included a female consultant. This article features her.
You can read comments from students who completed the SCM program in this article at the edX blog. Each student recognizes that the systematic learning conducted through the SCM program has been useful for business practice and/or job hunting.Development of MicroMasters Programs and the Transformation of Higher Education
This three-volume series has featured MicroMasters programs that have become a focus of attention as a novel approach taken by edX.
Higher education institutions around the world have provided nearly 50 MicroMasters programs. By fulfilling a specified set of conditions, students are able to substitute them for part of application requirements, earn traditional credits, or obtain a master's degree at a lower cost than regular master's degree programs. MicroMasters programs create opportunities for professionals to relearn or upgrade their skills. Moreover, incorporated into the existing framework of higher education, MicroMasters programs not only provide learners with wider learning options, but also can transform the ways higher education institutions operate.
(Written and edited by: KONO Wataru/ SUZUKI Takeo)
