Prepare for Supply Chain Disruptions as a Risk Manager

The Master of Science in Supply Chain Management (MSSCM) concentration in Risk Management at Boston University’s Metropolitan College (MET) will provide you with a solid understanding of risk-related issues in managing global supply chains, along with the skills needed to plan for and mitigate risk.

While a significant disruption, the COVID-19 pandemic is only the most recent event to test the global supply chain. Climate change is increasing the severity of droughts, wildfires, and weather events; political and economic dramas play out on a global stage; and one cargo ship running aground in the Suez Canal can shut down a trade route for a week. It is no wonder that 62 percent of supply chain leaders surveyed in the 2021 Deloitte Global Resilience Report believe similar large-scale disruptions are likely to occur in the future.

Deloitte’s report also highlights the need for risk managers, with only 30 percent of those surveyed saying their organizations can quickly adapt and pivot in response to disruptive events—and just 34 percent confident that they can lead their organizations through future disruptions. A 2020 supply chain survey by the Capgemini Research Institute reveals that 57 percent of organizations plan to increase investment in supply chain resilience, and 84 percent view “increasing crisis-preparedness using simulations” as a key post-pandemic priority.

The MHI Annual Industry Report for 2021 indicates that more than half of the organizations surveyed say their biggest challenge is hiring and retaining qualified workers, followed by forecasting. This presents a significant opportunity for supply chain managers who are prepared to implement solid risk-mitigation plans, establish end-to-end supply chain visibility, and offer data-driven, agile solutions.

Program at a Glance

  • Top 10 Online Program
  • Online, On Campus, and Blended
  • Part-Time or Full-Time Study
  • 40 Credits
  • 12–20 Months to Completion
  • 12 Core Faculty
  • No GRE/GMAT
  • Tuition & Fees Range—Part-Time Study*: $35,900–$39,300

*Based on 2024–2025 Boston University tuition and fees. Merit scholarship may reduce cost.

Advance Your Career in Supply Chain Management

Offered online and on campus, BU MET’s Risk Management concentration in the Supply Chain Management master’s degree program builds an understanding of business continuity planning and crisis management, preparing you with the skills needed to identify emergent threats and develop strategic responses that adhere to proven enterprise risk management principles. Along with learning to evaluate cost and resource requirements associated with major supply chain initiatives that require careful project planning, including statistical analysis of uncertainties that create operational risks, you will be able to quantify supply chain risks in terms of their likelihood and impacts so that appropriate mitigation strategies can be implemented. You will also develop systematic process-oriented approaches to evaluate supply chain performance using statistical modeling with Six Sigma principles and techniques. Capstone projects provide an opportunity to work on real-world business problems for prominent client firms while resources such as the Decision Sciences Research Laboratory connect you to the supply chain industry through collaborative applied research.

According to the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM), supply chain jobs—including high-tech roles in data analysis, cloud solutions, supply chain planning, and risk management—are projected to grow in line with the national average of 9 percent over the course of the next decade. In their 2021 career and salary survey, the ASCM found that the annual median salary for supply chain professionals with a master’s degree is $99,900, and that 95 percent kept their jobs during the pandemic. In addition, one third of respondents reported finding a job in less than a month.

US News & World Report Best Online Programs - Criminal Justice 2024

#4, America’s Top Online Colleges

Newsweek magazine ranked Boston University’s online programs #4 in the nation in its 2023 survey.

Learn More
U.S. News & World Report Best Online Programs - Grad Business 2025

#10, Best Online Master's in Business Programs (Excluding MBA)

MET’s online master’s degrees in management are ranked #10 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for 2025.

Learn More
Charles River Campus

Request Information

Receive more details about your program of interest.

Learn More
AACSB logo

Accredited member of AACSB International

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (through BU's Questrom School of Business)

Learn More
Six Sigma Accreditation for Supply Chain Management

Supply Chain Management program courses Operations Management: Business Process Fundamentals (MET AD 605) and Quality Management (MET AD 734) may qualify you for Green Belt Training accredited by the Council for Six Sigma Certification—an Official Industry Standard of Six Sigma Accreditation for Six Sigma training providers worldwide.

Gartner Top Supply Chain Programs 2024

Top 25 North American Graduate Supply Chain Program

BU MET's graduate programs in Supply Chain Management are ranked among the continent’s top 25 by Gartner.

Learn More


What Is My Career Outlook as a Graduate of This Program?

370,675

Total number of US Jobs

46,502

Annual job openings

+4.0%

Annual job openings

18%

Projected ten-year growth in jobs
(faster than average)

$99.1K

Median annual salary

Common job titles include:

  • Supply Chain Manager
  • Procurement Manager
  • Demand Planner
  • Inventory Planner
  • Operations Manager

Employers seek expertise in:

  • Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
  • Inventory management
  • Risk management
  • Process improvement
  • Project management

Source: Lightcast, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Headshot of Adrian Perez, MS, Supply Chain Management (MET’23)

“Armed with this knowledge, I am eager to tackle new challenges, drive innovation, and contribute to the success of Signify and the field of mechanical engineering as a whole.” Read more.

Adrian Perez (MET’23)
Mechanical Engineer, Signify
MS, Supply Chain Management

Connect with a Student Ambassador

Why BU’s Supply Chain Management Degree is Ranked in the Top 10

  • Capstone Project: Student teams tackle a real-world project from a company and benefit from practical experience and opportunities to network, with the potential for internships and jobs. Each project is executed by a diverse team of students under the guidance of a BU professor in liaison with the client firm. Clients that have partnered with us as part of capstone projects include the City of Boston, Construction Specialties, Henkel Corporation, LEGO, Loctite, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Raytheon Technologies, Sanofi Pharmaceuticals, SharkNinja, and Waters Corporation, among others. View completed projects as well as capstone projects in progress.
  • DSLab Research Projects: BU MET’s Decision Sciences Research Laboratory (DSLab) offers opportunities to engage in applied collaborative research with professors and industry practitioners, while applying your analytical skills to solve current problems facing organizations. Most projects involve decision-making in the context of manufacturing and service supply chains and healthcare organizations, with the role of risk and uncertainty comprising an important aspect of our work. In all DSLab projects, we seek opportunities to disseminate results through local, regional, and international conference presentations, poster presentations, and academic journal articles.
  • Certification: Successfully complete Quality Management (MET AD 734) and you may qualify to earn a Six Sigma Green Belt accredited by the Council for Six Sigma Certification. By also completing Business Process Fundamentals (MET AD 605) you are eligible to earn a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. A Six Sigma certificate can help you increase productivity and decrease costs, enhancing your ability to deliver top-quality products and services to consumers in a limited amount of time. Eligibility is determined by satisfactory performance on final examinations in each course.
  • Active Learning Environment: BU MET’s Supply Chain Management program focuses on practical, hands-on education, ensuring you are immersed in all aspects of the supply chain—education you can apply on the job.
  • Career Counseling: MET’s Career Development office and BU’s Center for Career Development offer a variety of job-hunting resources, including one-on-one career counseling by appointment for both online and on-campus students.
  • Engaged Faculty: In BU MET’s Supply Chain Management master’s program, you benefit from working closely with highly qualified faculty who draw from active research and substantial professional achievements in areas such as global supply chains, operations management, logistics management, quality and production management, enterprise risk analytics, international business and trade, ecommerce, data mining, econometrics, and more.
  • Extensive Network: Study principles of Supply Chain Management alongside peers with solid business experience, learn from faculty who have valuable business contacts, and benefit from an alumni community with strong professional connections. The Supply Chain Club and other resources provide access to networking events, panels, and facility tours designed to connect you with peers and supply chain experts.
  • Complimentary Labs: Students have access to the following free self-paced laboratories: MwAM: Mathematics with Applications in Management and SwAM: Statistics with Applications in Management. Additionally, two levels of preparatory analytics laboratories offer access to advanced tools and provide opportunities to hone analytics skills using cases that are populated with realistic data.
  • OPT and CPT Designated: Eligible graduates on student visas have access to an Optional Practical Training (OPT) or Curricular Practical Training (CPT) of 12 months.
  • 15:1 Class Ratio: Enjoy an exceptional student-to-instructor ratio, ensuring close interaction with faculty and access to support.
  • Valuable Resources: Make use of Boston University’s extensive resources, including the Center for Career Development, Diversity & Inclusion, Educational Resource Center, Fitness & Recreation Center, IT Help Centers, Mugar Memorial Library, Center for Antiracist Research, Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground, George Sherman Union, and many others.
  • Flexible Options: Study at the pace that works for you, evenings on campus or fully online. Courses begin fall, spring, and summer; online courses have two starts per term.
  • Track Record: Learn from the best—since 2014, BU MET’s part-time master’s programs in business and management have been ranked among the top in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
  • Merit Scholarships: US citizens and permanent residents are automatically considered during the application process and nominated based on eligibility. Learn more.

Master the Principles of Supply Chain Management

The Risk Management concentration is part of BU MET’s MS in Supply Chain Management (MSSCM) degree program, which provides a solid academic foundation in the design, optimization, and operation of a global supply chain. The MSSCM offers a curriculum that is ideal for professionals who want to advance up the job ladder and mid-career leaders who need better skills in the area of supply chain management to improve their decision-making, as well as applicants with no work experience.

All students in the BU MET Supply Chain Management degree program have an opportunity to engage with an actual supply chain challenge faced by a firm. Many of these capstone projects are proposed by our industrial advisory group, who also provide feedback on curriculum and individual courses. Experiences such as these ensure that graduates of the program are capable, confident, and courageous professionals who lead change and offer creative solutions that ensure prompt delivery of goods and services in an ever-changing global environment.

Graduate with Supply Chain Expertise

Metropolitan College’s Supply Chain Management master’s degree concentration in Risk Management will equip you to:

  • Demonstrate the ability to use interlinked data inputs, analytics, and systems to support decision-making in a supply chain that is geographically dispersed and culturally diverse.
  • Utilize financial statements and use quantitative analysis tools to create a resilient supply chain by assessing the threats and vulnerabilities faced by a global supply chain decision-maker, including impacts of climate change, pandemics, cybersecurity, and the global economy.
  • Utilize mathematical modeling and optimization theory by choosing the appropriate quantitative tools to support supply chain operations.
  • Evaluate cost and resource requirements associated with major supply chain initiatives that require careful project planning, including statistical analysis of uncertainties that create operational risks.
  • Apply a systematic process-oriented approach to evaluating supply chain quality using statistical modeling with Six Sigma principles and techniques.

Certificate-to-Degree Pathway

BU MET graduate certificate programs can serve as building blocks to a master’s degree. The graduate certificates in Supply Chain Management, Enterprise Risk Management, and Project Management share specific courses with the master’s in Supply Chain Management concentration in Risk Management, giving you the option to take one or more certificate programs on your path to a master’s degree. Students currently enrolled in a graduate certificate who are interested in transitioning into a master’s degree should contact their academic advisor to declare their interest in this pathway. A new master’s degree application is not required. Connect with a graduate admissions advisor at adsadmissions@bu.edu to learn more about this option.



A total of 10 courses (40 credits) is required.

Students must complete the degree core courses, Risk Management concentration requirements, as well as an elective and a capstone project. Students who take MET AD 734 and meet certain performance standards will earn Six Sigma Green Belt certification. Students who take both MET AD 605 and MET AD 734 and meet certain performance standards will earn a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.

Each student enrolling in the program is required to take Mathematics and Statistics in Management (MET AD 510) within the first two semesters of starting the program. This foundation course may be counted towards one of the electives. Students who have already taken both a math and a statistics course with a B+ or higher may petition to waive MET AD 510. Additionally, students have access to the following free self-paced laboratories: MwAM: Mathematics with Applications in Management and SwAM: Statistics with Applications in Management.

Degree Core Courses

(Four courses/16 credits)

Risk Management Concentration Requirements

(Three courses/12 credits)

Capstone Project

(One course/4 credits)

Elective Courses

(Two courses/8 credits)

Select two graduate level courses. These courses can be selected from other Administrative Sciences offerings or Metropolitan College departments, as well as from other Boston University schools and colleges, with an advisor’s approval.

The following are some of the elective courses allowed with advisor approval:

*Degree requirements may vary for those students transferring credits from previous coursework at Boston University or receiving course waivers due to professional designations.


Supply Chain Management Faculty

Tuition & Financial Assistance

Competitive Tuition

Our part-time rates are substantially lower than those of the traditional, full-time residential programs yet provide access to the same high-quality BU education.

Learn More

Comprehensive Financial Assistance

Our services include scholarships, graduate loans, and payment plans.

Learn More

BU MET programs offer the flexibility of part-time or full-time study, either on campus or online. Tuition, fees, and total program cost are determined by enrollment status. If you enroll in 1–2 courses (4–8 credits) in a semester, you are charged the part-time per-credit rate. If you enroll in 3–4 courses (12–16 credits) in a semester, you are charged the full-time semester rate.

MS in Supply Chain Management, Risk Management Concentration (Online and On Campus)

Enrollment Status Part Time Full Time
Courses per Semester 2 courses
(8 credits)
4 courses
(16 credits)
3 courses
(12 credits)
Time to Degree 5 semesters
(20 months)
3 semesters
(12-16 months)***
4 semesters
(16-20 months)***
Tuition* $550-$975
per credit**
$33,335
per semester
$33,335
per semester
Fees per Semester* $60 $478 $478
Total Degree Cost* $35,900–
$39,300
$75,486 $105,399

*Based on 2024–2025 Boston University tuition & fee rates.
**Cost per credit is determined by course number (100–599 = $550/credit, 600–999 = $975/credit).
***Summer semester enrollment is not required for international students to maintain F-1 visa status. Enrollment in summer semester coursework will expedite completion of program and reduce total program cost.

International students seeking an F-1 visa for on-campus study must enroll full time and demonstrate availability of funds to cover the Estimated Cost of Graduate Study; those who wish to study online may enroll part-time but are not eligible for a visa. Learn more about International Student Tuition & Fees.

Questions? Please contact us to hear from an Admissions Advisor who can help you determine the best enrollment pathway. For information regarding financial aid, visit BU MET’s Financial Aid page.

Get started on your MS in Supply Chain Management, Risk Management program today at BU MET.

Get Started

Please visit the BU MET admissions page for details on how to apply, financial assistance, tuition and fees, requirements for international students, and more.

Apply Now

News & Events

Events

April 23rd, 2025 at: 9:00am - 9:30am

Financing your BU MET Graduate Education (for INTERNATIONAL students)

Details
Events

April 23rd, 2025 at: 1:00pm - 1:45pm

Financing your BU MET Graduate Education (for DOMESTIC students)

Details
Events

May 6th, 2025 at: 9:00am - 9:45am

Admitted Student Webinar: On-Campus Students Meet Your BU Classmates!

Details

Back to Programs