KINGSTON, R.I. – Aug. 17, 2021 – The inaugural classes of two University of Rhode Island College of Business online master’s programs in healthcare management and supply chain management and applied analytics will graduate this month, sending highly trained personnel into the workforce in fields that have grown in importance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 20 graduates – 15 in supply chain management and applied analytics and 5 in healthcare management – completed their studies this month and will take part in a virtual celebration on Tuesday, Aug. 31.
As one of his first public duties as URI’s 12th president, Marc Parlange will address the University’s newest graduates. He will be joined by Provost Donald H. DeHayes; College of Business Dean Maling Ebrahimpour; Shaw Chen, associate dean of graduate programs; Associate Professor Sean Edmund Rogers, director of the M.S. in Healthcare Management program; Associate Professor Dara Schniederjans, director of the M.S. in Supply Chain Management and Applied Analytics program; and graduates Emna Triki and Soeren Brynn.
“Earning a graduate degree, especially in demanding fields such as these, is always a challenging achievement, but to do so as a working professional in the midst of a pandemic is an amazing accomplishment. It is a testament to the students’ commitment and desire,” said Ebrahimpour. “These programs have given them the knowledge and skills to solve problems and have an immediate impact.”
Emna Triki, who is originally from Tunisia, pursued a master’s degree in healthcare management to help take advantage of career opportunities at Magellan Rx Management, where she works as a remote clinical pharmacist.
The 30-credit graduate program is geared toward current and future healthcare professionals, preparing them to combine business and leadership skills and knowledge of healthcare systems to improve the management of patient care and quality of health organizations. The program includes coursework in finance, marketing, data analytics, process improvement, business law, and several other subjects that are specifically designed to integrate business and healthcare education.
“The master’s program is about expanding your horizons as a healthcare professional through a multitude of different subjects and topics you would probably not be exposed to through a classic curriculum,” said Triki, who lives in Saunderstown, Rhode Island, with her husband and daughter. “It helped shape my mindset of quality and process improvement through the different courses. It also pushed me to better manage my time to juggle life, school and work. With these assets, I feel better equipped to tackle new challenges and roles at work.”
Triki found the asynchronous online courses gave her the flexibility she needed, especially as a mother of a seven-month-old and a working professional. She also appreciated the program’s experienced instructors, classes that required final projects that helped her hone her presentation skills, and the weekly discussion panels during which classmates could share ideas.
“I found the program to be comprehensive and multifaceted,” she said. “It offered different topics and courses to make you a more well-rounded healthcare professional and prepare you for managerial and leadership roles.”
Soeren Brynn, of Newport, Vermont, earned his bachelor’s degree in supply chain management from URI in May 2020. Graduating at the height of the pandemic, he saw the master’s degree as a great opportunity to further his education and give him a stronger edge in finding a job.
The supply chain management and applied analytics master’s degree – the first online program of its kind in the U.S. – is a demanding, 30-credit program that trains students to use technology and data analysis to develop strategic solutions to global supply chain problems.
Courses cover such areas as resiliency, accounting and finance, global supply chains strategy, international transportation management and analytics and data mining. Students also complete a two-week internship in which they analyze and improve a company’s supply chain process. The program prepares students for numerous high-level jobs, including distribution vice president, operation supervisor, import/export specialist, analyst, and product lifecycle manager.
“One of the main highlights for me was getting the opportunity to work on projects with people who have worked in supply chain for several years,” said Brynn, a supply chain intern at Burton Snowboards in Burlington, Vermont. “Also, working with classmates not only helped familiarize myself with the language and concepts in the supply chain field, it also boosted my confidence significantly.
“This program is an ideal way to strengthen your understanding of working with others and addressing problems in this industry,” he added. “It is also a great way to build a strong network of contacts that can serve as references and resources as you begin or continue your career.”
Both graduate programs are offered through URI Online, which provides students and professionals access to a URI education anywhere, anytime across the globe. Using the latest technology, online learning through URI offers advantages beyond traditional in-person programs. Students have full access to lectures, course materials, class discussions at any time, while also receiving one-on-one feedback from instructors.
URI Online offers fully-online undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs in such areas as communications, data science, cannabis studies, oceanography, library and information studies, and human resources.