July 15, 2021

Centenary University Launches New Business Concentrations in Supply Chain Management and Project Management

New academic programs address the growing need for trained professionals who can maximize strategies and efficiencies in today’s increasingly complex business environment.

 

HACKETTSTOWN, NJ, July 15, 2021—Centenary University has introduced two new business concentrations in supply chain management and project management to address the growing need for trained professionals who can maximize strategies and efficiencies in today’s increasingly complex business environment. Both programs are enrolling students for the fall 2021 semester.

“As a smaller university, Centenary is well positioned to respond quickly to emerging market needs,” explained Amy D’Olivo, Ph.D., vice president for academic affairs. “Working closely with area business leaders, we’ve built these two new programs to prepare our students for fields that are expected to experience high demand over the next decade.”

The 13-credit supply chain management concentration will integrate with the University’s business administration curriculum. The field, which aims to optimize corporate supply chains and bring products to market more efficiently, is expected to experience four percent growth over the next decade, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The program will refine the skills of students seeking careers as purchasing agents or managers, operations managers, logistics analysts or managers, logisticians, supply chain managers, and storage and distribution managers. The average median salary for logisticians is $76,000, with 190,000 jobs currently in the marketplace, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The four-course sequence focuses on forecasting and logistics, sourcing and operations, and a capstone course that challenges students to solve complex problems in logistics, operations, planning, and sourcing faced by a fictional company. Students will complete the program with a thorough knowledge of the field, as well as a portfolio demonstrating the real-world experience they’ve gained.

Centenary’s new 12-credit project management concentration will equip students with the organizational and management skills to manage productivity and generate higher profits for employers. The curriculum is designed to prepare students to implement strategic initiatives, drive change, and deliver innovation, and was informed by Dr. Harold Ainsworth, a project management expert who is on the faculty of the University of Sydney and the University of Newcastle. The Centenary project management concentration will also prepare students to take the PMI Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification.

With a median annual salary of $116,000, the field of project management is projected to experience 33 percent job growth through 2027, according to the Project Management Institute. The institute estimates that employers will need to fill nearly 2.2 million new project-oriented roles each year through 2027.

“The best project managers have strong leadership and technical skills,” Dr. D’Olivo said. “Centenary students who enroll in our new project management concentration will receive a solid background in business and leadership through the University’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, as well as the specialized training needed to become an effective project manager through this new program.”

The two new concentrations are among a series of academic offerings recently introduced by Centenary to help working adults advance in their careers. Through the University’s partnership with the Lower Cost Models for Independent Colleges Consortium (LCMC), Centenary recently launched a new series of courses in certified financial planning in response to growing demand for trained professionals in the field. Registered under the Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) Board of Standards—considered the gold standard in the financial planning field—the courses prepare students to take the certified financial planning exam.

The University also recently introduced majors in public health and computer science through its relationship with the LCMC, which is comprised of over 70 private colleges and universities dedicated to presenting high-quality and more affordable educational offerings to a diverse student body. The LCMC affiliation brings some of the greatest minds in the field to courses offered through its member institutions.

 

ABOUT CENTENARY UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church, Centenary University’s academic program integrates a solid liberal arts foundation with a strong career orientation. This mix provides an educational experience that prepares students to succeed in the increasingly global and interdependent world. The University’s main campus is located in Hackettstown, N.J., with its equestrian facility in Washington Township. The Centenary University School of Professional Studies offers degree programs in Parsippany, as well as online and at corporate sites throughout New Jersey.