Master of Supply Chain Analytics Frequently Asked Questions

Anyone who wants to gain a deep knowledge of supply chain functions and data analytics should receive training through real-life industry projects and expand their team leadership & project management skills. This highly competitive program is best suited for those with a mindset to apply analytics to supply chain fields and become future supply chain leaders. Don't have a degree in a quantitative field? As long as you have a basic background in mathematics and statistics, we encourage you to apply.

The market demand is very strong for those who understand both supply chain principles and analytics (see endorsements from industry leaders on our website). Companies are applying advanced analytics to every aspect of their supply chain to improve forecasts, demand planning, sourcing, production and distribution. The new trend requires companies to recruit talent with two important capabilities – analytics skills and the knowledge to apply them. This phenomenon takes place not only in the U.S. but in other parts of the world, and particularly the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) and the Asia Pacific Rim region, whose booming and increasingly globalized economies are experiencing talent shortages, especially at the middle management level.

The MSCA curriculum includes a required 3 credit course called "Industry Client Projects" where students get hands-on experience working with companies to help solve real-world problems.

We also offer a Supply Chain Career Expo every year which is only open to supply chain students. At this event, students get the opportunity to speak to top-ranked companies and many receive internships and jobs as a result.

Yes. In fact, the MSCA program is STEM-certified, enabling our graduates to qualify for an additional 24 months of OPT (in addition to the normal 12 months of OPT). Visit US Immigration and Customs Enforcement for more information. 

Yes, the GRE/GMAT is required for the MSCA program; however, applicants holding one of the following degrees are exempt from the GRE/GMAT: J.D., Ph.D., M.D., or PharmD. On a case-by-case basis, applicants with academic excellence and/or rich work experience can be waived from the GMAT/GRE requirement. You can request a waiver in your online application - additional fields will appear once you check the waiver request checkbox, where you can submit a required cover letter stating the reasons for your waiver request, as well as your supporting materials (e.g., professional certificates, award certificates).

We do not set any minimum requirements for GMAT/GRE. The admission committee will consider all aspects of your application, including your GPA, work experience and test scores. For the English test, in general, we expect students to have no less than 90 in TOEFL or 6.5 in IELTS.

There are a limited number of scholarships offered to attract the most outstanding candidates (not available to dual degree applicants and applicants who request a GMAT/GRE waiver). All qualified applicants will be automatically considered for the scholarship, and it is not necessary to submit a separate scholarship application. Scholarships are awarded by committee decisions, considering the entire application (GPA, GMAT/GRE score, work experience, interview performance, etc.). The scholarship decision is made at the same time when the admission decision is made, and award recipients will be contacted directly by the program via email.

Additional merit-based scholarships may be available during the study period, depending on available sponsorships from the centers, corporate partners, and the program. Students can also apply for financial aid from Rutgers and other channels. Learn more about financial aid at Rutgers here. In addition, hourly-paid assistantship opportunities at $17/hour may be available for talented students with suitable skills. You may consult the program coordinator for such opportunities once you enroll in the program.

The main differences between the two programs are that MSCA is an on-site program (on the Rutgers- New Brunswick campus), while MSCM is 100% online. In terms of course offerings, both programs cover some fundamental supply chain courses. However, MSCA puts more emphasis on using data analytics to support supply chain decision making, while MSCM focuses more on supply chain functions and the strategic role played by supply chain managers.

No, there are options to take a few online courses when necessary, but most courses in this program are offered onsite at Rutgers-New Brunswick (Livingston campus). Selected courses are also available at Rutgers-Newark campus.

This program requires 33 credits in total. Subject to approval by the program director, students may be granted a waiver of a selected course up to 3 credits, for the following: (1) prior comparable course work at the graduate level (preferably from AACSB-accredited schools), (2) at least three years of work experience in a relevant area, or (3) professional certification in a relevant area. For credit transfers, please contact us.

The BS/MS MSCA dual degree program (accelerated track) is offered to RBS juniors and seniors (both in Newark and New Brunswick) majoring in supply chain management (SCM). If accepted and enrolled, students in their senior year will be allowed to take relevant courses for a total of up to 6 credits which will be applied to both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees, allowing students to complete both degrees in 5 years.

The accelerated track is specifically for students in their junior or senior year with a cumulative GPA of no less than 3.0 and a major GPA (for all 799 courses) of no less than 3.4 (note that satisfying this minimum requirement does not guarantee admission). At least 75 credit hours of coursework must be completed before students can apply for admission to this track. Typically, students may apply no earlier than the 2nd half of their junior year. Students will be eligible to start the accelerated track only in their senior year after they have been admitted to the MSCA program and after completing 90 credit hours of coursework towards their undergraduate degree program.

Interested students need to submit an application which will be reviewed through normal review process however, the application fee, GRE/GMAT requirement, and letters of recommendation will be waived.

This is a 33-credit (11 courses) program, and we offer both full-time and part-time options. Under different scenarios, you would pay different tuition fees (per semester vs. per credit). For a full-time student, we recommend you to take 5 courses in the first two semesters and 1 courses in the third semester. In this scenario, you would pay per semester for the first two semester and pay per credit for the third semester. For example, for an out-of-state full-time student, based on tuition rate in 2019-2020, your total tuition fee to complete 33 credits would be $24,048.00 (per semester) * 2 (semesters) + $2004.00 (per credit) * 3 (credits) = $54,108.00. If you receive a course waiver or are in the dual degree program, your total tuition fee would change accordingly based on your course schedule.

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