Logistics and Supply Chain Management MSc (PGCert PGDip)

Course structure

This course is designed for graduates of any subject with or without work experience. Case studies, company visits and the option of paid work experience help prepare you for a career in the supply chain. 

Core modules will give you practical knowledge in a variety of logistics and supply areas as well as key business skills such as financial analysis. In term 3 you will be able to tailor your course through a choice of a final project or work placement.

Teaching takes place over three terms, from late September to early June, with breaks after assessments in mid-December to early January and late March to mid-April.  

At the end of the course, you have a choice between a final year project or a work experience-based report. These are completed after teaching finishes in the summer.

Field trip to Shepherd Neame – Britain's oldest brewer

Practical learning 

You will have the opportunity to visit industry partners, learning directly from them about their manufacturing, logistics and distribution activities and challenges. Previous visits have included the Port of Southampton, Liz Earle (natural beauty products), the Shepherd Neame brewery, TEVA Pharmaceuticals and the Jaguar automobile assembly plant.

Practical experience is essential in acquiring your chartered membership through CIPS and CILT. As part of your programme you have the opportunity to complete a six-month paid work placement, contributing to your progression towards CMILT and MCIPS status.

This course is also available as full-time over two years which includes a paid placement year, providing you up to 12 months experience towards your chartered membership.

Term 1

• International Logistics and Finance
  This module is combination of international logistics and financial and managerial accounting. The module explores international logistics and decisions concerning facilities location, port of loading, port of discharge, and the transportation modes employed within the supply chain. Contextual factors include international trade and infrastructure development, as well as the microeconomic forces affecting markets for logistics services.
  
  The module also introduces you to core logistics concepts and terminology and involves a visit to a port. The financial accounting element of this module shows how accounting data is compiled and presented to external users including shareholders and investors. The managerial accounting component will explore accounting as a tool for decision making, planning and control within the organisation.

• Supply Chain Analytics
  This module provides you with the tools, techniques and methodologies that you will use in the career in supply chain management. An introduction to supply chain analytics, an understanding of demand forecasting, computer simulation and algorithmic approaches to supply chain problems, including warehouse layout and vehicle routing. It is largely delivered in the computer laboratories and includes practice in using simulation software.

• Operations Management for Logistics
  This module builds an in-depth knowledge of operations management in manufacturing and distribution. It focuses on key techniques in process and layout design, inventory control, capacity management, quality management and 6 sigma, operations improvement and lean operations.

Straddle carriers at the Port of Southampton

Term 2

• Enterprise Systems and E-procurement
  This module examines how and why enterprise systems such as SAP and Oracle are used by organisations, and explores the impact of enterprise technologies. It is delivered in the computer laboratories and includes exposure to a SAP enterprise systems environment. This module also examines current developments in e-procurement and develops an understanding of the effects of e-procurement on business and other organisations.

• Logistics and Supply Chain Management
  This module provides a broad, strategic view of supply chain management, building on the concepts introduced during the first term. It is delivered through workshops, lectures and class exercises. You will explore the practical application of logistical concepts and techniques through case studies and an industrial visit to a vehicle assembly plant (e.g. Jaguar Land Rover). This module also explores the digitalisation of the supply chain and emerging technologies.
• Research Methods for Masters Degrees
  Delivered through a series of workshops and activities, this module develops knowledge of business and management research methods. It provides students with the research skills necessary to undertake their project or work placement report.

Field trip to the Jaguar factory

Term 3

Strategic Purchasing
This module explores the principles and practices of purchasing in a wider global context. It examines the potential of strategic purchasing to increase profitability through quality-driven approaches to sourcing, buyer-supplier relationships and supply chain management.

Students at Edwards Vacuum

Learning support 

Our supportive learning environment includes an induction programme and specialist diagnostic tools to assess your learning strengths and needs. You will also be assigned an academic supervisor to support you in your project work. We also provide free language and support services throughout for international students. 

Online learning tools and libraries also ensure academic journals, e-books, business articles and other resources are available to your 24/7, both for use at the university and at home.

You will also have access to our Careers Service, including CV checking, mock interviews and advice on setting up your own business.

Core modules will give you practical knowledge in a variety of logistics and supply areas as well as key business skills such as financial analysis. In term 3 you will be able to tailor your course by choosing to complete your final project or work placement.

SAP University Alliances

The University of Brighton is a member of SAP’s globally acclaimed University Alliances program. The programme provides hands-on experience of key SAP technologies.

Through demonstrations, exercises, case studies and research projects, students are able to put theory into practice. Being acquainted with the world’s leading enterprise performance management software brings with it greater employability potential and higher starting salaries. 

Placements year 

To further increase your employability and international experience we offer full-time students starting in September the opportunity to take a placement year. This means that your course will take two years, but you’ll be graduating with work experience.

The year on placement in a role related to your course will allow you to put all that you have learned on your masters into practice, enhancing your career opportunities and giving you practical experience in your area of expertise.

During your placement you will also complete a business project. This project is assessed as part of your masters and, depending on the topic that is agreed between you and your employer, could also provide a valuable piece of insight for your placement employer.

Our placement partners include BMW, Bosch, Deloitte, Disney, Hewlett Packard, HSBC, IBM, Ipsos Mori, L’Oréal, Nike, Panasonic, PwC, Renault and Warner Brothers.

Work placements are optional, and you are responsible for arranging your placement with support from our dedicated Placements and Employability team.

We are now offering a two-year international study visa route to support applications for this course.

Find out more about how we can support you finding a placement.

Staff profile 

International requirements and visas

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visas and immigration advice

Course fees

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students. Bursaries and loans may also be available to you.

Find out more about postgraduate fees and funding.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2022–23.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Campus where this course is taught

Accommodation

Local area

Maps

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