The majority of supply chain majors are in the business field, but some of them are counted as STEM in 2022.
I got my supply chain management degree in 2018. My diploma shows a supply chain major but in business. More and more schools are considering bringing this major to STEM because the supply chain system involves heavily technology, engineering, and mathematics.
What is STEM?
STEM majors are studies focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. There are many branches under each field. For example under engineering, you can study petroleum engineer, civil engineering, or mechanical engineer. There are technology information, software development, cloud computing, etc in the technology field.
What is the supply chain?
The supply chain is a whole process that starts from raw material, purchasing, and production all way to the finished product to customers.
Supply chain majors study everything involved in this whole process. Some fundamental courses in supply chain majors are supplier evaluation, logistics, inventory control, customer and vendor relationship, process improvement, etc.
Is supply chain STEM in the USA?
It depends on your degree plan and the university you enroll in. I got my bachelor’s degree in supply chain management in 2018, back then supply chain does not count as STEM. It shows supply chain management major but in business on my diploma.
The University of Houston published on their website, that beginning in fall 2022 their supply chain & logistics Technology degree going to apply a new CIP code. This new code indicates that the U.S. Department of Education classified this program as a STEM-related field.
In general, the majority of supply chain majors count as business, but if you’re in a supply chain degree plan that is associated with supply chain technology or supply chain science, then you have a good chance in STEM.
What major belongs to STEM?
There are numerous majors belonging to STEM. Below are some samples of Major that belong to STEM. As long as your major is associated with Science, Technology, Engineering, and mathematics, then you are in STEM.
Animal Science
Applied Mathematical Sciences
Biochemistry
Bioenvironmental Sciences
Chemistry
information technology
Mathematics
Physics
Any engineering degrees
Who should consider STEM majors?
If you like math and are curious about the world, where things come from, and how to fix them then you should go forward with a STEM major.
In my words STEM major is exploring the world and using your knowledge to make things better
Should we put supply chain majors under STEM?
I strongly believe that supply chain majors should be counted as STEM.
Supply chain majors deal a lot with analyzing supply chain problems, and creative thinking in choosing the best route to ship goods, calculations on inventory, forecast freight cost, etc. All these problems need to be solved with good analytics, and mathematic skills. Supply chain major students are equipped with these skills after they finish their degree plan.
It will take some time to bring all supply chain degrees under STEM. The good sign is that we already see some degree plans counted in management science a STEM-related field. We are going to see more and more supply chain degrees belonging to STEM.
Benefits of supply chain inside STEM
1, Scholarships
Once the supply chain is STEM then students in this major will have a broad base to apply for scholarships. There are many scholarships only limited to STEM field students.
2, STEM-OPT
STEM-OPT is operational practice training period for STEM related field
https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/stem-opt-hub
International students who study supply chain degrees can apply for STEM OPT. These international students can have 24 month extended stay in the U.S. after graduation if they apply for STEM-OPT.
These students can use this time period to look for internships that may lead to a full-time employees.
3, Credits
All classes you took count as credits in a STEM field if you want to pursue higher education such as master’s or Ph.D. in technology or science.
https://www.ice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/stem-list.pdf
https://uh.edu/technology/programs/undergraduate/supply-chain-and-logistics-technology/degree-plan/
