MSc Supply Chain Operations and Logistics Management

Key Details

Attendance: Full Time
Award: Degree of Master of Science
Course Length: 1 year
Course Start Date: September 2024

Other Start Dates

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Course Overview

As someone who works in operations, supply chain and logistics management, you can be the difference between success and failure for a business, and other organisations such as charities and governments. On this one-year MSc degree, you’ll be trained to be an industrial problem-solver, ensuring products and services are delivered efficiently, effectively, on time, and on budget with appropriate emphasis on complex supply chain/logistics strategies, and practical problem-solving approaches to contemporary and emerging issues.

This degree is ideal if you have already studied supply chain or logistics management or operations management and want to take your skills to the next level. Equally, you might have a degree in IT, engineering, supply chain or logistics, operations management, finance, accounting, or general management.

About

Every product or service that comes to market relies on the expert combination of human power, material resources and financial investment. As an MSc Supply Chain Operations and Logistics Management student, you’ll explore how to bring these elements together successfully. You’ll learn how to anticipate and respond to problems, and how to create order in the most complex situations.

The course is carefully designed to help you understand the primary and supporting activities in a value chain, and operations, supply chain and logistics management practices. You’ll study key areas, such as inventories, materials management, procurement, transportation, warehousing, supply chain and logistics operations, sustainable / low-carbon supply chains and logistics, innovations and technology management, circular supply chains, and simulations in supply chain operations. You’ll also explore the application of technologies to supply chain and logistics management.

Our teaching is research-led, including from UEA’s respected Innovation, Technology and Operations Management group (ITOM), ensuring you benefit from the very latest thinking in this rapidly changing field. Rather than relying solely on textbooks, you’ll be taught the latest supply chain, operations and logistics innovations reported in academic and practitioner journals. We have strong links to industry, and you’ll also learn from practising experts and guest speakers.

You’ll learn by analysing case studies to gain valuable insights into real workplace problems and their possible solutions. This study of real-life and created cases means you can fast-track to having the kind of industry expertise that might otherwise take years to amass. Throughout your degree, you’ll take an international view, ensuring that you graduate ready to take your skills across borders.

As well as developing essential specialist skills, this course will help you improve key transferable skills, including critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, decision-making, and effective use of information and communications technology. You’ll also build your experience in teamwork, management and giving presentations – including to non-supply chain / logistics specialists. This experience will give you an edge when you graduate.

We can provide you with access to a UK-based company that’s facing a real business challenge. The insights you gather will form the basis of your dissertation, which will be brought to life by real-world examples. Together, the theoretical knowledge and practical experience you gain will help you demonstrate your full potential to future employers.

Accreditations

This course is accredited by both the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) and the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS). This offers you an exemption from the education requirements for Chartered Membership of the CILT after successfully completing the course. Successfully completing this Master’s course allows application for full membership of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (MCIPS).

Study and Modules

Structure

You’ll start building your theoretical and practical knowledge from day one. In your first semester, you’ll focus on real problems faced in the industry today, investigating different ways to approach these challenges. You’ll do this across some modules on supply chain operations and logistics management, procurement, and marketing theory and practice. You’ll have a deeper understanding of the supply chain/logistics operations and procurement process.

In your second semester, you’ll learn how the parts of the supply chain network are designed and then analysed using different analytical tools and simulation techniques. You’ll analyse real-world scenarios using some of the tools and techniques and develop some transferrable skills. Using the analytical techniques and simulation tools, you’ll be able to understand how an efficient and optimised supply chain network is developed and risks are analysed. Additionally, you’ll focus on deepening your expertise and learning how to analyse and solve more complex cases. You’ll also learn about sourcing strategies in supply chain management.

Alongside these, you’ll also learn the tools and techniques needed to excel when conducting your own research in your dissertation. This will help you develop your research skills.

In your third and final semester, you’ll complete your dissertation, with guidance from your academic adviser. This is a substantial piece of personal research where you’ll analyse and present solutions for an operations, supply chain, or logistics problem of your own choosing.

You’ll have the opportunity to link your dissertation to industry to solve a real-life problem. In the past, our students have worked on case studies for companies.

Compulsory Modules

Optional A Modules

(Credits: 20)

Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching

You’ll learn through lectures with leading academics and industry experts. The mode of teaching will be blended, i.e. synchronous, face-to-face and asynchronous. You’ll then take your understanding further with problem-solving seminars where you’ll have the chance to engage in more interactive learning, discussing and challenging your own questions and ideas with your fellow students.

Throughout the course, you’ll analyse real and created case studies of increasing complexity to constantly challenge and stretch yourself. The case studies are not marked, but you’ll receive feedback to help improve your understanding.

All your learning will be focused on developing your analytical and critical skills. That means you’ll graduate empowered to create your own solutions not only to the challenges studied on the course but also for new challenges that may arise as you progress through your career.

You’ll also benefit from studying alongside other business students – improving your understanding of other business disciplines and helping you to work with these areas more effectively throughout your career.

Independent study

You’ll also spend time carrying out independent study, researching in UEA’s state-of-the-art library, writing coursework or essays or carrying out projects or practical work.

This course will give you an excellent balance of independent thinking and study skills, helping you grow into a self-motivated learner, an expert researcher and an analytical thinker through evidence-based analysis. You’ll become well-versed in time management, becoming highly organised and confident in self-directed study. Throughout your degree, you’ll be given guidance on your work and constructive feedback to help you improve.

Assessment

Assessment

We’ll assess your knowledge, skills and understanding through 100% coursework – with no exams.

You’ll hand in both formative and summative assessments, which will provide you with extensive feedback to help you identify areas of strength and areas for improvement.

At the end of each semester, you’ll be assessed on the basis of coursework and, for some modules, group/individual projects, in-class activities/tests and presentations. For each module, you’ll have the chance to test your skills with at least one practice or ‘formative’ assignment. Your final semester will be assessed by a dissertation.

Feedback

You’ll get feedback on your practice assignments from your teachers. The purpose of the feedback is to help you improve your work before your final formal or ‘summative’ assignment and we encourage you to discuss your feedback with your teachers.

Module organisers will consider the relevant Senate Scales and adapt the feedback sheet to their particular assessment, which will be shared with you at the time that the coursework is set. The NBS feedback sheet has a ‘feed forward’ section which will enable you to receive individualised feedback on your summative coursework assessment. In the feed-forward section, markers will attempt to give you concrete actions. The feedback will be provided to you within 20 working days.

The dissertation adviser will provide you with personalised feedback and feedforward in semesters 2 and 3 for preparing your dissertation. There will be a series of meetings which will enable you to discuss and clarify feedback and action plans, and enable your adviser to evaluate the results and provide further suggestions.

Entry Requirements

Degree Classification

UK Bachelor degree - 2.1 or equivalent.

Degree Subject

Business, Management, IT or Engineering

English Foreign Language

Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):  

IELTS: 6.0 overall with a minimum 6.0 in Writing & Speaking and 5.5 in Listening & Reading.

Test dates should be within 2 years of the course start date.

We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement. 

If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:  

Pre-sessional English at INTO UEA  
Academic English at INTO UEA

Intakes

This course is open to UK and International applicants. The annual intake for this course is in September each year.

Additional Information or Requirements

Additional Entry Requirements

INTO University of East Anglia

If you do not meet the academic requirements for this course, you may be able to study the International Pre-Masters programme offered by our partner INTO UEA. This programme guarantees progression to selected Master's degrees if students achieve the appropriate grade. For more details, please click here: 

International Pre-Masters in Business, Economics and Social Sciences 

Admissions Policy

Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.

Fees and Funding

Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2024/25 are:

UK Students: £12,900 (full time)
International Students: £22,700 (full time)

We estimate living expenses at £1,023 per month.

Further Information on tuition fees can be found here.

Scholarships and Bursaries

The University of East Anglia offers a range of Scholarships; please click the link for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.

Course Related Costs

Please see Additional Course Fees for details of course-related costs.

How to Apply

Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.

To apply please use our online application form.

FURTHER INFORMATION

If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances prior to applying, please do contact us:

Postgraduate Admissions Office

Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515
Email: admissions@uea.ac.uk

International candidates are also encouraged to access the International Students section of our website.

Employability

After the Course

You’ll graduate as an expert analyst and problem-solver for enterprise and business. You’ll be ready to help businesses and organisations of all kinds deliver their products and services to where they need to be, in even the trickiest of situations – whether that’s getting lifesaving drugs to a remote village in Africa, putting the latest technology into the hands of consumers, helping to keep the UK fashion industry up to date with the latest looks, or other equally challenging demands.

You’ll be ready to launch a career working in a logistics company, or as a supply chain, logistics or operations specialist within a business. You could also work in organisations as an operations manager, inventory or materials manager, warehouse professional, freight forwarding professional, enterprise resource planning specialist, and supply chain/logistics analyst.

Your skills will be highly sought after in both manufacturing and services organisations, and in the private, public and third sectors.

Alternatively, you could go on to further study, for example, a PhD, potentially undertaking research that could benefit entire industries.

Careers

A degree at UEA will prepare you for a wide variety of careers. We've been ranked 1st for Job Prospects by StudentCrowd in 2022.

Examples of careers that you could enter include:

Operations manager
Purchasing manager
Supply chain / logistics manager
Supply chain / logistics consultant
Supply chain / logistics analyst
Entrepreneur

Discover more on our Careers webpages.