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Governors State University to Offer a New Bachelor of Arts in Manufacturing Management Degree


University Park, IL –(ENEWSPF)—November 5, 2014. The U.S. Manufacturing Institute’s 2011 report revealed that U.S. companies can’t fill an estimated 600,000 positions in the advanced manufacturing sector, and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers predicted the number of unfilled manufacturing jobs will reach 3 million by 2015. In response to this identified need, the College of Business and Public Administration at Governors State University partnered with Harper College to develop a Bachelor of Arts in Manufacturing Management (B.A.M.M.) degree. There are no other similar programs offered by public institutions in Illinois at this time.

Nearly all community colleges in the Chicago area offer A.A.S. degree programs in manufacturing and graduate thousands of students each year. These graduates are hired by manufacturing companies in the region as technicians or machine operators. The manufacturing sector today is a cutting edge, technology-driven industry that is in need of a new generation of workers who are not only capable of operating complex machines, but also able to think critically and solve problems creatively, as well as lead others effectively. 

The unique design of the B.A.M.M. program provides associate degree graduates with a transfer-friendly, critical advanced education pathway in manufacturing management that will help them to earn a four-year baccalaureate degree and obtain managerial positions within the manufacturing environment. 

Graduates of A.A.S. programs in manufacturing can transfer the majority of their credit hours from their A.A.S. programs at community colleges, including up to 27 credit hours in the specialized technical courses, to meet the requirements of the B.A.M.M. degree. At GSU, they will take the standard business core curriculum which builds a solid foundational understanding of business operations, as well as courses in lean manufacturing, supply chain management, quality management, production and inventory control, and a capstone course that focuses on project management in the manufacturing environment.

The approved program has received support from other community college partners of the Illinois Network of Advanced Manufacturing (INAM), as well as industry partners these colleges work with to provide internship and career opportunities to their students. GSU will work with area manufacturing partners and community colleges to recruit students, who can enter the B.A.M.M. program in fall 2015. The courses will be  available at the University Park campus, online, or at a location convenient for transfer students from multiple community college campuses. 

Governors State University is located at 1 University Parkway, University Park, Illinois. For more information, contact [email protected].

Source: govst.edu


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