Executive MSc in Logistics and Supply Chain Management (Online) Cranfield School of Management

Our live online Executive Logistics and Supply Chain Management MSc offers you the opportunity to study for an internationally recognised master's qualification. This part-time supply chain postgraduate course is designed to nurture your practical business skills and confidence.

It also places huge emphasis on real-world challenges and industry best practice which you can apply back to your own organisation. It has been co-designed with senior supply chain practitioners and is delivered by one of Europe's largest specialist logistics, procurement, and supply chain management faculties.

Students will benefit from a diverse student cohort and our faculty’s direct involvement with global businesses. On completion, graduates will have a deep understanding of contemporary business issues and a capacity to assume active leadership roles.

Why this course?

• Cranfield School of Management consistently performs well in international business rankings. We are top 10 in the UK and 34th in Europe in the Financial Times European Business School 2021 Rankings.
• You will gain an understanding of advanced logistics, procurement and supply chain practices and develop your ability to critically select the tools and techniques that are most relevant to the challenges you are facing.
• You will improve your knowledge and capability to manage and plan supply chains within an overall business environment in an integrated and coordinated way.
• You will taught by faculty who will develop your leadership skills and enable you to provide more effective leadership throughout the supply chain life-cycle.
• You will learn how to carry out independent and robust research that is relevant to your organisation.
• You will have the opportunity to participate in course activities including an international study tour.
• On graduation you are eligible for membership of CIPS and CILT, and eligible to apply for designation cESLOG, once you have completed three years relevant experience.

Accreditation

Our Executive Logistics and Supply Chain Management MSc is accredited by The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply. Upon completion of this course, you will be eligible for full membership of both institutes, once you have completed three years of relevant work experience.

Cranfield School of Management is also the first UK-based University to gain the European Logistics Association accreditation. Upon completion of the course, you will be eligible to apply for the designation cESLOG (European logistician), which is valid for five years, once you have completed three years of relevant work experience.

Please note the accreditations apply to the MSc award only. The PgDip and PgCert do not meet in full the further learning requirements for these accreditations.

Who is it for?

• Supply chain, logistics or procurement managers who want to enhance their skills, knowledge and confidence to take on more demanding executive roles in the future.
• Individuals with business or organisational experience in a non-supply chain area who are intending to move into the supply chain field, or have recently had a change in career track.
• Ambitious professionals who are keen to develop themselves and want a "real-world" education delivered by faculty who are actively engaged with business, and can bring their knowledge to the programme.

Informed by Industry

This course is supported by Cranfield's world-leading faculty, research centres and strong connections with industry. Our faculty team work closely with our advisory board of senior supply chain professionals from global organisations and leading academics from the Cranfield Centre for Logistics and Supply Chain Management. Their experience and advice drives the continued development of this established course ensuring that it is relevant for today’s global supply chain environment. Comprising leading figures from the world of supply chain management, it recommends additions and amendments to the course to reinforce its relevance to the modern logistics, procurement and supply chain decisions and practices. Our faculty is also supported by a diverse team of international visiting industry speakers and professors.

Course details

This MSc course comprises of 12 intensive taught modules with an optional international study tour, and a thesis project. 10 of the 12 taught modules are taught live online and online supported material. Two modules (Freight Transport and Physical Network Design) are taught on campus during summer 2023.

You will have the opportunity to complete a number of supply chain, logistics and procurement simulation games based on real-life business challenges. You will also complete an individual thesis project providing you with an opportunity to investigate an area of particular interest to you and your organisation.

Students undertaking the Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) complete the 12 compulsory modules. Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) students are required to study the Supply Chain Strategy and Sustainability module plus 5 of the 12 compulsory modules only.

Course delivery

This course consists of 10 taught modules delivered online (through live lectures and online supported material), plus 2 modules delivered on campus during summer 2023. The course also involves a thesis project and optional International Study Tour.

Individual thesis project

Your individual thesis project provides you with an opportunity to investigate an area of particular interest to you and your organisation. You will also have the opportunity to develop your capability to carry out research combining organisational and academic perspectives. You may wish to address a particular problem that your business is facing and create real value for your organisation.

Course modules

Compulsory modules

All the modules in the following list need to be taken as part of this course.

• Supply Chain Strategy and Sustainability
• Principles of Strategic Procurement
• Accounting and Finance for Supply Chain Management
• Analytical Techniques for Supply Chain Management
• Freight Transport
• Inventory and Operations Management
• Project Management Introduction
• Information Systems and eBusiness
• Physical Network Design
• Warehousing
• Strategic Management
• Applied Organisational Behaviour

Modules

Keeping our courses up-to-date and current requires constant innovation and change. The modules we offer reflect the needs of business and industry and the research interests of our staff. As a result, they may change or be withdrawn due to research developments, legislation changes or for a variety of other reasons. Changes may also be designed to improve the student learning experience or to respond to feedback from students, external examiners, accreditation bodies and industrial advisory panels.

To give you a taster, we have listed above the compulsory and elective (where applicable) modules which are currently affiliated with this course. All modules are indicative only, and may be subject to change for your year of entry.

International study tour

You will have the unique opportunity to experience a differing economic region in the world from a logistics and supply chain perspective. The international study tour will give you first-hand experience of how supply strategies in this region are influenced by different pressures (both internal and external). You will also gain a rich understanding of the differences between logistics and supply chain practices.

The valuable opportunity to engage in meaningful discussion and debate with a wide variety of logistics experts in a differing market will serve you well when you return to your organisation. The study tour will combine site visits with talks, lectures and presentations covering contemporary regional logistics and economic issues.

Companies previously visited on the study tours include; Walls (Unilever), Philips Lighting, DHL, Maersk Logistics, DKSH, Yang Shang Port, Li & Fung, Coca-Cola, Flextronics, Caterpillar and COSCO.

The Cranfield Executive Logistics and Supply Chain Management MSc will enhance your supply chain management skills, knowledge and confidence, enabling you to develop your career and take on more demanding projects and roles in the future. The broad course content will allow you to bring the latest academic insights and industry best practice back to your own organisation, or to apply your knowledge from the course to a wide variety of roles and industries.