BSc (Hons) Business and Supply Chain Management

Specialise in the industry that focuses on the efficient flow of goods and services from production to consumption in business operations.

Our course combines the essential business theory and practice from Aston Business School with supply chain expertise to prepare you for an exciting career. Affiliated with the NOVUS Trust, you will receive professional mentoring, attend industry seminars, go on-site visits, and gain exclusive access to placement opportunities.

BSc (Hons) Business and Supply Chain Management

• You will develop a thorough understanding of supply chain management and support companies to satisfy industry needs and wants. Our course combines the essential business theory and practice from Aston Business School with supply chain expertise to prepare you for an exciting career.

What we will provide

• We will offer you a unique blend of business principles and specialised supply chain expertise. With close ties to the NOVUS Trust, industry connections, and world-leading facilities, you'll gain the knowledge, skills, and opportunities needed for a successful career in this dynamic field.

What you will provide 

• You will be encouraged to find innovative solutions for optimising supply chain operations in a dynamic industry. Through dedication, continuous learning, and practical experience, you will enhance your ability to analyse data, identify patterns, and make strategic choices. 

What skills we teach

• You will learn the fundamental principles of supply chain management and the intricate processes involved in meeting customer demands and preferences effectively. This will enable you to delve deeper into the responsibilities of procurement, manufacturing, and logistics, while also exploring the essential aspects of planning, organisation, and resource management required to effectively oversee a global supply chain.

Placement year

• You will have the opportunity to undertake a placement year, gaining practical experience in the field. This valuable placement will enhance your understanding of business operations and supply chain management, while also strengthening your employability prospects. Students will have the opportunity to apply for membership in the Institute of Logistics and Transport, depending on their experience.

Career prospects

• Our business and supply chain graduates are highly sought-after, and through our NOVUS scheme, after graduation, you could be employed with one of the 27 companies involved which includes Wincanton, Arla, Sainsbury’s, DHL or Kingfisher.

How you will learn

• Our teaching and learning approach is diverse, with a strong emphasis on project-based learning. Industry guest lecturers regularly visit to share their real-world expertise and enrich your educational experience. You will be assessed through a variety of methods which includes coursework, presentations, and exams.

Course objectives

• Provides you with the opportunities to realise your academic potential through appropriately conceived learning experiences.
• Provides you with an understanding of the physical and managerial processes involved with logistics generally, with specific reference to the integrated management of the end-to-end supply chain.
• Provides you with appropriately structured curricula, combining teaching in theoretical and knowledge-based principles with practical training skills.
• Ensures that development and modification of the programme prepare you to able to respond appropriately to the rapidly changing industrial environment.
• Prepares you with the specific academic and professional skills which are in demand by employers in UK and international business.
• Prepares you with the generic transferable skills to enable you to make a valuable contribution to business and society.
• Offers you the opportunity to obtain relevant industrial experience by providing the option of a sandwich year.
• Introduce you to the principles of the research process and their relevance to modern methods of management within the contexts of transport and the supply chain.
• Helps you create an awareness of self-development as a component of education and to develop the skills and attributes of lifelong learning.

Modules and learning outcomes

Year 1 modules
In your first year you will study the following core modules:

Module Title Credits

• Study and Research Skills 15
• Building Professional Relationships 15
• Introduction To Supply Chain Management 15
• Introductory Programming for Engineering and Physical Sciences 15
• Interdisciplinary Design Project 15
• Power Skills 15

Year 2 modules
In your second year you will study the following core modules:
Module Title Credits

• Supply Chain Analytics and Optimisation 15
• Supply Chain Simulation Modelling 15
• Purchasing Principles for International Supply Chains 15
• Relationships and Collaboration in the Supply Chain 15
• Land Transport 15
• Air and Maritime Transport 15

Placement year modules

• You will spend your third year on placement. You will be fully supported throughout the process by our award-winning Careers and Placements team.

Module Title Credits

• EPS Placement Year 120

Placement year outcomes
On successful completion of the placement year, you will be able to:

• Develop an understanding of business and the relevant commercial environment and/or intercultural study and their role within it
• Gain knowledge of key aspects of good practice relevant to industry and/or intercultural study context
• Develop new knowledge and understanding appropriate to the industrial, business, study or research sector related to degree programme
• Communicate effectively in a variety of ways in a professional and industrial environment and/or in an intercultural study context.

Final year modules
In your final year, you will study the following core modules:

Module Title Credits

• Final Year Project 30
• Supply Chain and Procurement Strategy 15
• Game-Based Simulation 15
• Sustainable Supply Chains 15
• Contemporary Developments in Supply Chain 15

Assessment

• Our teaching and learning approach is diverse, with a strong emphasis on project-based learning. Industry guest lecturers regularly visit to share their real-world expertise and enrich your educational experience. You will be assessed through a variety of methods including coursework, presentations, and exams.

Career prospects

• As the retail and manufacturing industries continue to expand, graduates with business and supply chain management knowledge and skills are highly sought after. You will be equipped to pursue careers in supply chain management, purchasing and procurement, logistics analysis, and distribution management.  Previous graduates have secured positions with companies such as Jaguar Land Rover, L'Oréal, Caterpillar, Unilever, and GSK.