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Program Structure and Curriculum

The Master of Industrial Distribution (MID) program is designed for the working professional. The four-semester program is structured with online courses and a four-day residency, each August, on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station. You will begin with two online courses in the fall and spring semesters of year one, and then two courses and the Capstone Project in the fall and spring of year two. The program includes high-impact learning experiences such as Residency Experience, Global Distribution Experience, and the Capstone Project.

Overview

Campus Location: College Station, Texas 

Length of Program: 21 months; study while working full-time 

Degree Format:

  • Two 4-day residencies in College Station, Texas
  • Four 15-week online semesters
  • Capstone presentation and graduation in College Station, Texas (3-4 days depending on graduation date and time)

 

Benefits of an MID Degree

  • Join a cohort of industry professionals who bring with them knowledge from the various functional roles within a distribution company. 
  • Learn to approach decisions with a big picture view while understanding the effects of decisions from every perspective. 
  • Receive quantifiable ROI outcomes through a year-long capstone project that identifies and solves a company-specific problem.

Although MBA programs have their place in the distribution industry, MID's specialized program focuses specifically on industrial distribution, offering students more focused training. Concepts like supply chain management, logistics and distributor profitability in industrial channels are highly technical and benefit greatly from targeted training. An MID degree can prepare professionals for leadership positions in sales, account and project management, operations, inventory management and engineering within electrical, construction, automation, industrial and other distribution segments. In contrast, an MBA is a more generalist graduate degree meant to teach management skills and business principles not necessarily targeted toward any specific industry. 

MBA vs. MID

Comparison of MBA vs MID degree
MBA MID
Teaches business principles   X   X
Teaches management skills   X   X
Stepping stone to future career goals   X   X
Immediately solves on-the-job problems through capstone project   X
Deepens existing professional specialties   X
Teaches specialized distribution competencies   X
Budget-friendly ROI   X
Solely focused on B2B   X

 

Year 1 Program Schedule and Curriculum

Year 2 Program Schedule and Curriculum