The University of Texas at Dallas continues to be ranked among the elite, proof positive that the Naveen Jindal School of Management is a solid choice for pursuing a business degree.

Gartner, a business management consulting firm based in Stamford, Conn., released its biennial Gartner Supply Chain University Top 25 on June 26, placing the Jindal School’s Master of Science in Supply Chain Management (MS SCM) program at No. 4 and the Bachelor of Science in Supply Chain Management and Analytics (BS SCM) program at No. 6.

Fortune magazine has ranked the Jindal School’s Executive MBA program at No. 2 in Texas, No. 9 among public programs and No. 16 overall in its Best Executive MBA Programs for 2024 ranking.

Dr. Mark Thouin, associate dean for graduate studies – academic programs at the Jindal School, said the rankings reflect the Jindal School’s continuous efforts to educate its students at both the graduate and undergraduate levels and prepare its students for success after graduation.

“Being ranked so highly is a testament to efforts of our faculty, supporting staff, students and alumni to ensure that the students in their programs are receiving a top-notch education,” he said. “Knowing that our efforts are being recognized among our peers and industry partners is a humbling experience. It is a proud moment for the Jindal School.”

John Fierst, director of the graduate supply chain program at the Jindal School, pointed to Gartner’s scores for UTD across the various categories in its ranking process. These include curriculum, industry recognition, graduate outcomes and program size. The program scored consistently well in all of them. In doing so, the program was able to maintain its No. 4 ranking from 2022.

“Our large alumni base of well over 1,300 helps with this tremendously because our graduates find their way to hundreds of different companies across the country,” he said. “They become UTD ambassadors to their supervisors and teammates, which elevates our program’s recognition and status among supply chain professionals.”

Fierst also pointed out that graduate students at the Jindal School are afforded many choices in how they customize the electives in their degree.

“We allow our students to take advantage of many courses with a focus on technology and analytics, which helps make them industry-ready,” he said. “Our instructors provide a rigorous classroom experience, and these high standards ensure our students have the skills to be competitive in the job market.”

The BS MSCA moved up from 2024’s No. 8 ranking to No. 6 this time. Dr. Monica Brussolo, director of the undergraduate program, attributes at least some of that rise to adding supply chain analytics to the program’s curriculum.

“To adapt to the industry trends was critical for our program to improve in the rankings in this evaluation cycle,” said Brussolo, an associate professor of instruction in the Operations Management Area. “The flexibility of our curriculum, where students have different concentrations, has positively impacted students’ job outcomes, making them more attractive to local and national employers.”

Rebecca Watts, director of the Jindal School’s Executive MBA program, said the Fortune ranking reaffirms the EMBA program’s status as one of the nation’s leading Executive MBA programs and the top choice in the DFW area.

“This recognition is based on several important factors, including the credentials — like years of management experience — of our students, recent alumni career success, perceptions about our EMBA brand reported by hiring managers and the number of our alumni who hold C-suite positions in Fortune 1000 companies,” she said. “These factors collectively point to the quality and achievements of our world-class students, faculty, and staff.”

Watts said the strength of the UT Dallas MBA brand has never been stronger.

“Our Executive MBA is specifically designed for professionals who want a transformative, high-touch 21-month program without putting their careers on hold,” she said. “The program’s in-person, once-a-month weekend format offers intensive learning, supported by individualized executive coaching and a collaborative cohort with an average of 18 years of experience.”

Watts said that what sets the Jindal School’s EMBA program apart from other programs is that it helps students build an “executive mindset” by cultivating strategic thinking, leadership skills and high-level decision-making.

“This involves guiding students to think beyond daily tasks, focusing instead on an organization’s long-term vision and goals,” she said. “Our interdisciplinary curriculum mirrors the interconnected functions of real businesses, helping students refine their presentation skills and tailor strategies for different stakeholders. Through board simulation exercises each semester, students present to a mock board, receive real-time feedback, and gain practical experience in a fast-paced learning environment. In this cohort setting, they benefit from diverse perspectives, tackle leadership challenges and develop a holistic approach needed for executive roles.”

For the EMBA program to reach the next level, Watts said her team is focused on empowering its students not only to adapt to, but to lead, the future of work.

“This means equipping students with a forward-looking curriculum that weaves the importance of technology and datainformed decision-making into every course,” she said. “It takes more than knowhow, however, to build strategic partnerships and persuade stakeholders. It takes connection. That’s why we’re also focusing on forging stronger relationships between our student cohorts and our program’s impressive community of alumni.”