In my last blog post I outlined the essential skills for supply chain managers, as indicated by readers of the Focus Research Web site. That post focused more on skills rather than how supply chain professionals gain those skills.

Last week Bloomberg Businessweek posted an article on how more and more universities in the U.S. are establishing degree programs in supply chain management. The four SCM programs highlighted in the article, at Michigan State University, Arizona State University, Lehigh University, and Penn State University, all offer SCM concentrations for undergraduate and graduate degrees. Undergraduate course offerings in these programs range from introductory courses in procurement, manufacturing, and logistics to more focused courses on subjects such as global supply and risk analysis.

Do you think a degree program can offer sufficient education for new supply chain professionals? Can a university classroom replace the hands-on education supply chain professionals relied on in the past?