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Logistics and Supply Chain Management - MSc

Currently viewing course to start in 2023/24 Entry.

Become a competent, innovative practitioner with our MSc Logistics Supply Chain Management (CILT) course. Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, our course addresses the key concerns of the subject, ensuring you graduate with the skills the industry demands.

  • Level Postgraduate Taught
  • Study mode Full Time/Part Time
  • Location City Centre
  • School School of Engineering and the Built Environment
  • Faculty Faculty of Computing, Engineering and The Built Environment

Overview

Become a competent, innovative practitioner with our MSc Logistics Supply Chain Management (CILT) course. Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, our course addresses the key concerns of the subject, ensuring you graduate with the skills the industry demands.

This course is open to International students.

What's covered in this course?

With companies facing ever-increasing competition, coupled with the need to reduce waste and improve the overall service offered to customers from initial design to final delivery, the need for highly skilled logistics practitioners and managers has never been more pronounced.

This supply chain management course addresses the main operations aspects of both product- based and service industries. It is concerned with the initial design process, sourcing materials for the long-term satisfaction of the customer. Customer satisfaction is achieved by ensuring the supply of the right goods, in the right quantity, of the right quality, at the right price, to the right place, at the right time.

Tailor your degree

The Professional Placement version of the course is optional and is offered as an alternative to the standard version of the course. This will allow you to complete a credit bearing, 20 week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market.

Accredited By

This course is accredited by:

  • CILT logo

I applied to study at BCU because I was becoming more involved in supply chain and logistics management within my career. I wanted to increase my academic knowledge at a reputable University in the UK. After graduation I am planning to work in the pharmaceuticals industry in an international environment, combing the new skills I have gained in the course with my current skills and experience.

Duygu Mazlum Kabacaoglu

Why Choose Us?

  • Accredited Course - This course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) which ensures our course is fresh, relevant and replete with key industry insight. Upon graduation, you will receive an additional certificate from CILT.
  • Experienced staff - You'll receive the support of expert staff, who have a wide range of academic, research and industrial experience in sectors such as manufacturing and electronics.
  • Flexible Learning - The course is flexible in delivery, allowing you to decide the best method of study, and ensuring you can fit your course around work and personal commitments.
  • Problem-based learning - Relate real-life, problem-based learning to industry and commerce, while also getting to grips with new technologies and techniques.
  • Highly Employable Graduates - Our graduates have secured roles and promotions at WEG Electric Motors (U.K.) Ltd, Ishida Europe, DHL Manufacturing Logistics Services, Palletways UK, APL Logistics, and BAE Systems.

Studying with us during the Covid-19 pandemic

The University has put in place measures in response to Covid-19 to allow us to safely deliver our courses. Should the impact of the pandemic continue in future years, any additional or alternative arrangements put in place by the University will be in accordance with the latest government public health advice, health and safety legislation, and the terms and conditions of the student contract.

OPEN DAY

Join us for an on-campus open day where you'll be able to explore our campus and facilities in person. Booking for the next event isn’t open yet. Register your interest below and we’ll email you as soon as booking goes live.

Next Event: Saturday 24 June

Register Your Interest

Entry Requirements

Essential Requirements

We would normally expect you to hold at least a Second Class Honours degree.

However, we can also consider your application without standard entry qualifications if you can provide evidence of the necessary knowledge and skills to successfully complete the course.

Fees & How to Apply

Please select your student status to view fees and apply
  • UK Student
  • International Student

UK students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: MSc

Starting: Sep 2023

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Full Time
  • 12 months
  • £8,500 in 2023/24
  • Full Time
  • 18 months with Professional Placement*
  • £9,350 in 2023/24
  • £945 per 20 credits
  • Year 1 - 80 credits
  • Year 2 - 100 credits

Fees for Part-time students

This course can be studied on a Part-time study basis. The cost per year of study is based on credit requirements for that year.

Award: MSc

Starting: Jan 2024

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Full Time
  • 12 months
  • £8,500 in 2023/24
  • Full Time
  • 18 months with Professional Placement*
  • £9,350 in 2023/24
  • £945 per 20 credits
  • Year 1 - 80 credits
  • Year 2 - 100 credits

Fees for Part-time students

This course can be studied on a Part-time study basis. The cost per year of study is based on credit requirements for that year.

International students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: MSc

Starting: Sep 2023

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Full Time
  • 12 months
  • £16,870 in 2023/24
  • Full Time
  • 18 months with Professional Placement*
  • £18,557 in 2023/24

Award: MSc

Starting: Jan 2024

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Full Time
  • 12 months
  • £16,870 in 2023/24
  • Full Time
  • 18 months with Professional Placement (see below*)
  • £18,557 in 2023/24

If you're unable to use the online form for any reason, you can complete our PDF application form and equal opportunities PDF form instead.

Access to computer equipment 

You will require use of a laptop, and most students do prefer to have their own. However, you can borrow a laptop from the university or use one of our shared computer rooms.  

Printing

You will receive £5 print credit in each year of your course, available after enrolment.

Field trips

All essential field trips and associated travel costs will be included in your course fees.

Access to Microsoft Office 365

Every student at the University can download a free copy of Microsoft Office 365 to use whilst at university and for 18 months after graduation.

Key Software

You will be able to download SPSS, NVivo, Matlab and Simulink to your home computer to support with your studies and research, so that you can access this software on and off campus. We also provide remote access to campus software which is essential to engage with the module contents. 

Key subscriptions

Subscriptions to key journals and websites are available through our library.

Media consumable items (mandatory)

This course requires the use of consumables.

Excess printing (optional)

Once you have spent your £5 credit, additional printing on campus costs from 5p per sheet.

Books (optional)

All module key texts will be in the University library, but in limited numbers. You may choose to purchase a copy.

Professional Placement option*

The Professional Placement option will allow you to complete a credit bearing, 20 week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market.  Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.

You will be responsible for finding and securing your own placement.  The University, however, will draw on its extensive network of local, regional and national employers to support you in finding a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study.  You will also benefit from support sessions delivered by Careers+ as well as advice and guidance from your School. 

Placements will only be confirmed following a competitive, employer-led selection process, therefore the University will not be able to guarantee placements for students who have registered for the ‘with Professional Placement’ course.  All students who do not find a suitable placement or do not pass the competitive selection process will be automatically transferred back to the standard, non-placement version of the course.

Personal statement

Students are required to submit a personal statement as part of their application for this course.

Your postgraduate personal statement is going to shine a light on your personal experience, academic success, personal skills and any other factors that will support your application for further study.

Here are the key areas you’ll need to address:

Your passion and motivations

Studying a postgraduate course usually means you want to specialise in something. So what’s driving you?

Why this course?

Show that you’ve researched the course offering. What is it about this particular course that appeals to you? Is it the lecturers? The modules? Etc.

What makes you a good postgraduate candidate?

Tutors want to know that you can handle postgraduate study, so show them how your undergraduate experiences or work life has equipped you for a more advanced level of study. Key areas to address are research and group work but this can vary depending on your chosen course.

Relevant academic or work experience

Add anything relevant that relates back to your chosen course and shows how your skills will contribute towards your learning. What extra-curricular activities have you taken part in? What awards have you won? What employment or voluntary experience do you have that has helped you develop transferable skills? How do these specifically relate to the course you are applying for?

You should also mention your future plans and how a postgraduate qualification fits in. Try to look beyond your postgraduate study – do you plan to jump straight into a specific career or follow your studies with a research degree? Lastly, use plain, professional English and, where possible, utilise the language of your chosen industry.

Get more information on writing personal statements.

Course in Depth

Master's

In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 180 credits):

Professional Placement (Optional)

In order to qualify for the award of MSc Logistics and Supply Chain Management with Professional Placement, a student must successfully complete all of the Level 7 modules listed above as well as the following Level 6 module:

Download course specification

Download now

You will acquire knowledge and understanding through formal lectures, tutor-led seminars and practical activities, as well as a range of independent learning activities.

There is an emphasis on guided, self-directed and student-centred learning with a progressively increasing independence of approach, thought and process. This independent learning includes an element of peer review in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the learning.

Lectures introduce themes, theories and concepts, which are further explored in seminars. You will benefit from technology-enhanced learning, where appropriate, through online resources, discussion forums and other activities.

Transferable/key skills, such as team-working, are pervasive and incorporated into modules and assessments as appropriate. You are encouraged to plan your own work schedules and required to meet deadlines. The course will foster your skills in reflection and self-awareness.

Professional Placement option

The Professional Placement option will allow you to complete a credit bearing, 20 week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market.  Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.

You will be responsible for finding and securing your own placement.  The University, however, will draw on its extensive network of local, regional and national employers to support you in finding a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study.  You will also benefit from support sessions delivered by Careers+ as well as advice and guidance from your School. 

Placements will only be confirmed following a competitive, employer-led selection process, therefore the University will not be able to guarantee placements for students who have registered for the ‘with Professional Placement’ course.  All students who do not find a suitable placement or do not pass the competitive selection process will be automatically transferred back to the standard, non-placement version of the course.

This course is accredited by the following organisation:

CILT logo
CILT

This degree course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.

Employability

Enhancing your employability skills

Graduates with the knowledge and practical skills that are taught on this course are in high demand.

This is because the logistics sector has identified a growing need for managers who can competently identify and provide solutions to a wide range of logistical and supply chain problems.

It means when you graduate from this course, you will stand out as a candidate who can operate at a senior level in this field. Typical roles that are suited for graduates of the MSc Logistics and Supply Chain Management include supply chain managers, distribution managers, logistics managers, logistics analysts, and procurement managers.

Our graduates have gone on to forge very successful careers with world-leading organisations including WEG Electric Motors (UK) Ltd, Ishida Europe, DHL Manufacturing Logistics Services, Palletways UK, APL Logistics, BAE Systems, and Staffordshire Perkins UK.

International

Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.

The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.

Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:

Facilities & Staff

Our Facilities

We are currently undertaking a £340 million investment programme in our facilities, including a major expansion of our City Centre Campus. As part of this, our facilities in Millennium Point have undergone a £6.5 million investment to include a new maker area, engineering labs and equipment.

We have invested in industry-standard facilities to support the practice-based elements of our Engineering courses and give students as much practical learning as possible, to prepare for industry placements and job opportunities after graduation. Students have access to our facilities during classes, and can book out of class sessions with our specialist technicians.

We are a partner of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology (GBSIoT) and have secured £1.1 million of government funding for investment in brand-new Engineering equipment and facilities. Funding of £808,000 from the Department for Education has supported our development of an Electric Vehicle (EV) Test Rig, an Additive Manufacturing Machine (3D printer) and a material testing-split zone furnace.

The GBSIoT has enabled procurement of new technologies for material testing, electronics prototyping and production and 3D scanning to compliment computer aided design for manufacture.

Test Cell Facilities

The University Test Cell Facilities are used to enable:
  • Development and delivery of related CPD, Apprenticeships, Undergraduate and Postgraduate provision. This may include understanding and application of: machine equipment digital control systems, system/component testing and identifying/analysing applicable test specifications/regulations for automotive component verification (including performance data).
  • Development and delivery of research projects to reduce mass, weight, costs, lead times and enhance safety critical products and components.
  • Provision of a service to start-ups and businesses for system/component prototype and end product testing. Example: Pre-testing data analysis for automotive component verification. This may include digital twinning to assist such areas as automotive components/systems testing could give a business the ability to stimulate testing scenarios and uncover data driven options for optimisation of its counterpart in real-time, in-order to introduce improvements in build, efficiency, sustainability or safety.

XYZ Machine Tools

We have invested £420,000 in seven new machines from specialist manufacturer XYZ Machine Tools, including: 
  • Three lathes
  • Two mills
  • Vertical Machining Centre
  • Turning Centre

These machines are used by our students, workshop technicians and engineering staff to develop real-world manufacturing skills. They replicate real-world machinery, so by learning how to operate these machines on our courses, our students can develop skills to use that are needed from employers. 

The lathes and the mills have a shared control system, which allow operators to switch from machine to machine very easily. This feature makes working on them more efficient for students who need to produce a large number of parts in a short space of time.

Environmental Lab

The environmental lab is part of the Centre for Low Carbon Research (CLCR) and is home of the bioenergy and bioprocessing research group at the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment. The suite is divided into three main areas a wet lab/pilot facility a fully equipped analytical suite and a microbiological lab. This newly refurbished facility offers state of the art analysis and testing of environmental samples as well as scientific evaluation of lab scale and pilot scale technologies and processes.

The analytical suite includes a broad range of instruments capable of testing the organic, inorganic and physical composition of samples. We also have instruments to test the composition and energy content of various fuel types.

The pilot facility is industry led and contains a 600 litre photobioreactor provided by our lead industrial sponsor Varicon Aqua Solutions Ltd. This is used to evaluate the cultivation of algae and the opportunities for bioremediation and carbon sequestration. A fully automated dosing system and harvesting and extraction system are also included in this facility

Our microbiological lab is currently used for the evaluation of biogas production from various feedstocks. We have state of the automated biomethane potential testing and we are working closely with major utilities and technology providers assessing feedstock pre-treatments for anaerobic digestion.

Learn more about the Centre for Low-Carbon Research

Makers Space

The Level 4 Makers Space is a bright communal space in Millennium Point in which students can find support in building their projects.

The Makers Space is equipped with a laser cutter, 3D printers, and a variety of electronic components like motion, proximity, humidity sensors, and many more.

Electric Vehicle (EV) Test Rig

The EV test rig enables the latest industry technologies to provide advancements in skills, research, design, development and production including understanding and application of:

  • Machine equipment digital control systems
  • System and component testing
  • Identifying and analysing performance data for verification against automotive industry specifications and regulations.

Hands-on use of the EV test rig and LabVIEW (systems engineering software for applications that require test, measurement, and control with rapid access to hardware and data insights) will enable students to understand and manipulate EV motors, gearboxes, connectors and invertors in order to reduce: mass, weight, costs, lead times and enhance critical safety – achieving automotive industry standards.

Additive Manufacturing Machine (3D Printer)

The additive manufacturing machine (AMM metal 3D printer) will enable students to experience transformation of computer aided design (CAD) from packages such as Autodesk to reality. Pre-processing software Materialise magic will be used to create a support structure to convert CAD files for layer manufacture. The software Eplus 3D EP Hatch is then used for process planning to optimise printing path settings based on data that has been sliced using epi to achieve the best printing results.

The AMM produces complex, intricate shapes and geometries for one-offs, prototypes and short runs to industry standard. The machine opens up new design possibilities to students across a multitude of applications, including: aerospace, biomedical, automotive, tooling and research.

The addition of the 3D scanner will enable students to bridge the gap between 3D scanning and CAD for applications:

  • Reverse Engineering
  • Convergent modelling
  • Synchronous modelling
  • Simulation
  • Generative design
  • Additive manufacturing

Students will use the EXscan Pro software package to run scans to provide real-time feedback for scanning data capture to generate a point cloud. EXscan Pro is then used to convert data to a preferred CAD file.

Material Testing - Split Zone Furnace

The testing System provides up to 100 kN (22,500 lbf) Force Capacity and 1200°C with variable temperature control on products and materials: Tensile, Compression, Bend tests.

Simulating working conditions pre-production to advance materials and component properties verification reducing product failure and recall. Students will experience use of Bluehill software for the purpose of machine control, data analysis and reporting of tests performed on metal for measurement to key international standards.


Engineering facilities

Our staff

Omer Ozturkoglu

Senior Lecturer of Supply Chain and Logistics

After earning a BSc and MSc degrees in Industrial Engineering in Turkey, Omer started his doctoral studies in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Auburn University (Alabama, USA) in 2006. He earned a Master’s in Industrial and Systems Engineering degree in 2010. He completed Ph.D. studies with a dissertation entitled “New...

More about Omer

Jahangir Akhtar

Associate Professor

Jahangir worked in the electronics and automotive industries on manufacturing systems and Supply Chain Management activities, prior to moving into the public sector to work on European funded Programs for Birmingham City Council and provide training support local Small and Medium Enterprises. He worked with GEC Avery and Rover Group and later...

More about Jahangir

Dr Reza Kia

Lecturer

Reza Kia received his Ph.D. degree in Industrial Engineering from Mazandaran University of Science and Technology in 2014, IRAN. By starting his PhD in 2008, he joined Islamic Azad University (IAU) in Iran as a lecturer and continued teaching along with working on his PhD. By finishing his PhD in 2014, he promoted to an assistant professor position...

More about Reza

Dr Volkan Cakir

Senior Lecturer of Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Dr. Volkan Cakir received his B.E. in 1992 from the Turkish Air Force Academy.  He started serving as a lieutenant at the 5th Air Base, Merzifon after completing the Logistics Branch School in Izmir, in 1993. 

More about Volkan