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East Carolina University (ECU) - Maritime Studies & Supply Chain Education


Supply Chain Management and Maritime History & Nautical Archaeology Education at ECU School of Business and School of Arts & Sciences

east carolina university

Since its inception in 1907, East Carolina University (ECU)  has evolved from a teachers training school to a national research university. The student population has grown from 147 to more than 25,000. The campus now includes more than 160 buildings in four locations: the central campus, health sciences, athletics, and west research campus.

The university’s academic programs are housed in eleven colleges and professional schools, including the School of Dentistry and the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. In North Carolina, all public educational institutions that grant baccalaureate degrees are part of The University of North Carolina. Of the sixteen constituent institutions of the multicampus state university, East Carolina University is the third largest.

East Carolina University has been a leader in distance education in North Carolina for more than sixty years. In the years since the inception of its first distance education program, the university has expanded both its offerings as well as the areas that it serves. Early on, ECU recognized the potential of online learning, and was one of the first universities in the nation to develop and offer a degree entirely over the Internet. Since then, ECU has worked to offer more than sixty degrees and certificate programs online, in fields such as education, business, health care, and technology, among others.

The College of Business provides an environment where students, faculty, and business professionals can pursue the acquisition of applied and theoretical knowledge relevant to the operation of profit and nonprofit organizations. The college, which consists of five departments, offers the BSBA degrees in finance, management, accounting, operations & supply chain management, management information systems, and marketing; a stand-alone MSA program in professional accounting; and the MBA degree.

The College of Arts & Sciences conducts a unique MA program in maritime history and nautical archaeology.

east carolina campus

Academic Programs

Undergraduate Program

  • BSBA in Supply Chain Management: A BSBA in Supply Chain Management prepares students for careers in the areas of sourcing, operations, and logistics. Graduates in SCM have career choices as managers of purchasing, distribution, inventory, logistics, operations, quality, and supply chains. The SCM curriculum also helps prepare graduates to sit for the Certified Purchasing Manager examination.

Graduate SCM Program

  • Graduate Certificate in Supply Chain Management (On-campus, Online): Supply Chain Management is the integration of key business processes from end-user through original suppliers that provides products, services, and information that add value for customers and stakeholders. The area of Supply Chain Management has emerged as organizations recognize that strategic advantage and improved long-term performance results not only from the management of within-organization activities, but from the coordination and management of between-organization activities.

Graduate Maritime Program

  • MA in Maritime Studies: The Program offers a master's degree in maritime history and nautical archaeology. Combining classroom lectures and seminars with hands-on field projects and internships, the Maritime Program provides a thorough education for those interested in a professional career in maritime history and nautical archaeology.
  • Most of the graduates have gone on to get jobs in the field as contract archaeologists, government cultural resource managers, museum archaeologists, curators, museum directors, national and state park staff, conservators, and teachers at all levels. Qualified students enjoy extensive university support in the form of graduate assistantships and scholarships.

East Carolina Features

The university boasts a student population of more than 27,000, including more than 21,000 undergraduate students, about 6,000 graduate and doctoral students, and more than 300 medical students. Almost 61 percent of students are females and 39 percent are males. More than 20 percent of students are minorities, and 12 percent are from out of state. The students’ potential, combined with the promise of expanding services such as the East Carolina Heart Institute and the School of Dental Medicine, help ECU make an extraordinary difference in the region and beyond.

  • Campus: The main campus encompasses over 530 acres in an urban setting within the city of Greenville and is convenient to both the downtown area and shopping centers. The campus is a pleasing mixture of architectural styles. The five million square feet of academic, research, and residence facilities have modern appointments and are well equipped.
  • Accreditation: East Carolina University (ECU) is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. The College of Business undergraduate and graduate business programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business (AACSB) International.
  • Honors College: The Honors College provides a living-learning community for ECU’s high-caliber students. Students earn renewable, four-year scholarships that allow them to participate in high-quality seminars, research, and service-learning activities. Honors students also have the opportunity to study abroad and network with national leaders.
  • Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU): Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) is a consortium of ninety-eight doctoral-granting academic institutions and a contractor for the US Department of Energy (DOE) located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. ORAU works with its member institutions to help their students and faculty gain access to federal research facilities throughout the country; to keep its members informed about opportunities for fellowship, scholarship, and research appointments; and to organize research alliances among its members. ECU has been a member since 1992.
  • Career Center: The Career Center provides current information about the job market and facilitates career xploration and provides practical work experience opportunities through numerous programs and workshops. Services are available to incoming students, current students, and alumni. Full and part-time opportunities are available in the public, private, governmental, and corporate sectors.
  • Student Recreation Center: The university’s Student Recreation Center is the campus health club—convenient, accessible, and filled with activities to keep the mind, body, and spirit in prime condition. Special features include an indoor climbing wall; an indoor pool and an outdoor pool with a lounging area; a 10,300 square-foot fitness area with free weights, selectorized equipment and cardiovascular machines ; an indoor track; three exercise studios, cycling and other cardio equipment studios; basketball and racquetball courts. Outdoor adventure trips, group fitness classes, yoga, martial arts, water sports and lacrosse are among the many opportunities students can find at Campus Recreation and Wellness.
  • Ledonia Wright Cultural Center: The Ledonia Wright Cultural Center provides comprehensive, culture-specific programming that serves students, faculty, staff, and the community. Special resources available include computer workstations, a reading room, tutoring in math, access to a the permanent art collection, and a chance to volunteer with the cultural center’s programming efforts
  • Campus Living: Living on campus offers students easy access to everything ECU has to offer without monthly rent payments and utility bills. Students enjoy free laundry facilities, convenient access to dining services, as well as more time to explore and enjoy the myriad of activities available on campus. Living on campus means being right in the middle of the action and close to classes.
  • Campus Dining: When it comes to eating on campus, there are many convenient choices. Dining halls are located near the residential areas of campus and serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Monday through Friday, and brunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday. In addition, food courts, coffee and juice bars, and convenience stores are located across campus. There are several different meal plans available, including three plans exclusively for commuter students. Each meal plan includes a Pirate Bucks account - a declining - balance account that is used like cash to supplement meals.

LAST UPDATED ON Oct 11, 2021