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Professional Management

Professional Management Department
Center for Business 207, (218) 477-2104
Co-Chairs: Josh Behl and Scott Seltveit
Program Coordinator Construction Management: Rachel Axness
Program Coordinator Operations and Project Management: Josh Behl
Faculty: Rachel Axness, Joshua Behl, Pam McGee, Atif Osmani, Scott Seltveit

The Professional Management department offers majors, minors, and certificates in applied management. Applied management is a blend of theory, practice, and emerging technologies. The department works closely with industry to develop students into graduates who have the current applicable skills based in solid theory that industry requires.

Construction Management Mission Statement:

  • To maintain a nationally accredited construction management program, which will produce graduates who will have the technical, managerial and general knowledge necessary to enter and advance professionally in the construction industry.
  • Provide an environment, which encourages students and faculty to engage in professional development, critical thinking, and creative endeavors.
  • Promote continuous improvement of teaching, learning and program curriculum.

Construction Management Career Information
Construction Management (CM) is a professional program that specifically trains graduates to manage, coordinate, and supervise the construction process from conceptual development through final construction on a timely and economical basis. Throughout the program, students learn the responsibilities of coordinating and managing people, materials, processes, budgets, schedules, and contracts, as well as the safety of employees and the general public.

Construction managers hold a variety of job titles, such as project manager, field engineer, estimator, scheduler, or construction manager. On large projects construction managers may work for a general contractor – the firm with the overall responsibility of all construction activities on the job. They oversee the completion of all construction processes in accordance with the engineers or architect’s drawings and specification. From 2000 through 2010, CM graduates experienced excellent job placement and average starting salaries often exceeding $50,000.

The construction management program has a laptop requirement. All CM majors who enroll in CM 230, Estimating I, are required to purchase and utilize a laptop computer in the subsequent CM coursework. CM 230 is the beginning of a sequence of courses where laptops will be integrated into the learning process. Freshman and sophomore level CM courses are exempt from this requirement unless students enroll in the estimating sequence their sophomore year.

Construction Management Program Assessment
The Construction Management (CM) program at MSU Moorhead is accredited by the American Council of Construction Education (ACCE), which establishes standards and criteria for excellence in construction education.

Assessment of the construction management program must satisfy two entities. First and foremost, assessment is a requirement of the ACCE and the CM program must meet or exceed those standards. ACCE requires a comprehensive assessment plan including program outcomes and student performance outcomes, which are outlined below. In addition, Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) requires that all degree-granting programs have a student outcomes assessment plan. This assessment plan is designed to satisfy both entities.

Operations Management and Project Management Program Mission Statement:
To transform lives by providing rigorous and applied education to our students.

Operations Management Program Overview
The Operations Management (OM) degree is specifically designed for transfer students who have earned an Associate of Applied Science, Associate of Science, or a Diploma in a field from an accredited institution in a field of study related to Industrial Technology. The technical courses coupled with the upper division technical management courses provide the operations management graduate with a unique advantage in today’s job market. This “Fast Track” BS degree is appropriate for recent technical college graduates as well as persons in the incumbent workforce seeking an applied educational experience to enhance their competitive advantage and promotional opportunities.

Students identifying operation management as their intended major at MSUM may transfer up to 48 technical credits. A minimum of 30 technical credits will be applied to the technical portion of the OM major. Any remaining technical area credits may be transferred and designated as “free electives” counting toward graduation requirements. The AAS degree transfer may not exceed 64 semester hours including 16 to 22 semester hours in liberal studies. All university graduation requirements apply for the 2+2 transfer degree. The program is structured so that a student may complete the degree with two additional years of study. The Operations Management 2+2 BS program, the first approved by MN State for a block credit transfer, recognizes the technical courses as a cohesive set of courses with stated and verified educational outcomes.

Operations Management Career Information
Operations Management (OM) is a professional program that specifically educates graduates to manage, coordinate, and supervise the operations management process in a variety of industries. Throughout the program, students learn the responsibilities of management, general business, leadership, lean, safety, quality, risk, and production inventory management, allowing them to coordinate and manage people, processes, projects, materials, budgets, schedules, and logistics.

Operations managers hold a variety of job titles, such as operations manager, technical sales and marketing, quality assurance specialists, design expert, information management, production management, materials manager, supply chain manager, purchasing, logistics, process engineer, manufacturing engineer, continuous improvement manger, etc. The Operations Management program is offered fully on line, on campus and off campus in the Twin Cities.

Operations Management Program Assessment
The Operations Management (OM) program at MSU Moorhead is accredited by the Association of Technical Management and Applied Engineering (ATMAE), which establishes standards and criteria for excellence in industrial technology.

Assessment of the operations management program must satisfy two entities. First and foremost, assessment is a requirement of the ATMAE and the OM program must meet or exceed those standards. ATMAE requires a comprehensive assessment plan including program outcomes and student performance outcomes, which are outlined below. In addition, Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) requires that all degree-granting programs have a student outcomes assessment plan. This assessment plan is designed to satisfy both entities.

Internship/On the Job Requirement
Students will be required to fulfill an internship/on the job requirement as part of their graduation requirements. The student will participate in various activities with Career Services to ensure they have a proper resume, cover letter and job search strategy. The student is responsible for finding their own internship/on the job requirement. There are three types of internships/on the job training that qualify: 1) If the student is gainfully employed in an industrial technology job setting, they can work with their manager and take their internship at their current place of employment. The manager, faculty advisor and student will outline the specific objectives of the internship to ensure there is a proper amount of operations management related objectives. 2) The student may attend various job fairs, work with industries interested in operations management interns, and/or search companies of interest and find an internship position. Once the student has interviewed and been offered a position as intern, the University paperwork will coincide with the requirements of the employer. 3) The student may launch a full scale job search in the operations management field and treat their first operations management position as their internship. All types of internships must meet the program and university requirements.

Project Management Program Overview
The MSU Moorhead’s Project Management major is designed for individuals who like to lead projects, get things done, and make an impact with their work. Project managers are needed in all industries and across all professions. It’s a degree designed to be flexible and allows you take up to 30 credits in your area of interest and transfer in your 2 year AS or AAS degree. It is also a great fit for AA transfers. You have a lot of flexibility with the degree; you can pair it with an area of emphasis, a minor or even a double major. Project management is a particularly great fit for business, marketing, computer science, human resources, and medical professionals. Project managers are equipped to deal with a wide variety of different problems and provide solutions in most professional’s fields, making their skillset highly demanded by workforce. The degree was designed to guide students to become effective project managers, equipped with technical skills and leadership skills necessary to deliver successful projects in their area of passion. A project management education coordinates the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) areas with a student’s area of emphasis, minor, double major, or transfer degree. The degree was built on one fundamental principle—regardless of industry, regardless of discipline or job title, everyone needs to get things done. Students who successfully complete the required project management courses offered in this program are prepared to take the globally recognized CAPM certification through the Project Management Institute. We are one of 22 Baccalaureate programs world-wide and one of 7 that specifically offer Bachelor of Science degrees in Project Management across the globe that are accredited by PMI. For more information, see PMI's Accreditation Site.

Project Management Career Information
Job opportunities in project management include project analyst, risk manager, helpdesk manager, project consultant, project manager, business development, IT project manager, IT director, operations manager, project coordinator, software manager, and non-profit manager.

Project oriented job openings are expected to increase annually by 1.2 million through 2016. This job growth is expected in both private and public industry in a managerial-type setting. The annual median salary of all entry-level project managers were between $53,991-$72,460, with the expected median entry level project manager salary at $62,019. With additional on the job training and a PMP (Project Management professional) certification, project manager salaries can increase to $81,364-$104,801 annually.

Job opportunities in project management include project analyst, risk manager, helpdesk manager, project consultant, project manager, business development, IT project manager, IT director, operations manager, project coordinator, software manager, and non-profit manager.

Want Job security?  While national economies will fluctuate in the years ahead—some expanding, others contracting—they will share one constant: a strong demand for project managers. From 2010 to 2020, recent study shows that 15.7 million new roles will be added in seven project-intensive industries. That is a projected growth of US$6.61 trillion!* PMI Institute, June 2016

Global Supply Chain Management Mission Statement:
To transform lives by providing rigorous and applied education to our students.

Global Supply Chain Management Program Overview

The major in Global Supply Chain Management provides education for those interested in planning and implementing successful supply chain strategies both domestically and internationally. The degree is intended to create globally minded citizens, who can manage the distribution of goods and services not only domestically, but also across the world. Students who graduate from global supply chain can travel the world or stay local. Supply chain is necessary for both local, national, and global movement of goods and services.

Global supply chain managers are in demand in a variety of fields ranging from manufacturing, distribution, business, healthcare, non-profit, and government. A "supply chain" refers to the process a company takes to transform raw material components into a final product that is delivered to customers. It also refers to the process of taking a service (like a help desk) and managing the steps the customer experiences while working with the service team. Typically, supply chain management has five stages: plan, make, source, deliver and return. Every stage of the process involves professional skills critical to success, from marketing and logistics to data management and warehousing.

Students who graduate from this program will find multiple rewarding career opportunities open to them in the areas of logistics, e-commerce, purchasing, manufacturing, and international business.

Global Supply Chain Management Career Information

Global Supply Chain Management, also known as the value chain or logistics network management, consists of a network of suppliers, manufacturers, warehouses, distribution centers, wholesalers and retailers. It also includes a variety of specialized facilitating systems, such as transportation and information systems. The Global Supply Chain Management option develops an understanding of the design, control and operation of supply chains.

Careers

  • Strategic partners/vendor manager
  • Supply chain manager
  • Global sourcing manager
  • Senior buyers
  • Warehouse manager/buyer
  • Director of operations
  • Global supply chain analyst
  • Analytics QA engineer
  • International trade and border specialist

In today's complex global business world, an organization's overall success boils down to the efficiency and effectiveness of its supply chain. Competitive strength relies both on a firm's products and the processes that provide products to customers. Effective supply chain management enhances productivity and performance with the strategic combination of people, systems and technology to successfully compete in the global marketplace.

How can a $1.3 trillion industry, getting bigger every year, be hidden in plain sight? Easy. The vast U.S. logistics business, which delivers 48 million tons of freight (worth about $48 billion) daily and already employs roughly 6 million people, operates mostly behind the scenes. "When you order something from, say, Amazon, you know it arrives on your doorstep in two days, but most people don't think about how," observes George Prest, CEO of logistics trade group Material Handling Industry (MHI). He adds that the field gets overlooked by new grads in particular, who think of supply chain work - if they think of it at all - as a "guy driving a forklift in a dusty old factory." (Fortune, 2017)