BSc (Hons) Supply Chain Management

The BSc (Hons) Supply Chain Management course at Arden provides you with the real-world skills, knowledge, and competencies you need to start or progress your career in supply chain and logistics. This course has been created with in-depth consultation with leading employers in the sector to ensure that you graduate with the up-to-date, practical abilities that employers need right now.

Studying your degree in supply chain and logistics with us means you’ll be taught and supported by lecturers with extensive professional experience at companies. The team behind this course have also been instrumental in commercial and policy formation of supply chains with the European Commission and the UK Government. Because of our extensive industry links, including with member organisations of the UK’s NOVUS Trust network, we’re able to present you with real business problems during your degree. This will allow you to develop a thorough and in-depth understanding of the industry and the real-world challenges you’ll face in your future career. Importantly, you’ll find that the course takes a systematic view to logistics and supply chain, with each module building on the knowledge gained in the previous one, with interconnected content that helps you accumulate new skills in a logical sequence. 

The course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) and the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS). This offers full exemption from the educational requirements for Chartered Membership of both CILT and CIPS, providing you with access to a wealth of industry resources, and speeding up your journey to Chartered Membership of CILT. 

What makes Arden University special?

• Education for everyone, everywhere- Whether you're constrained by location, cost, time, or other life commitments, we're passionate about giving you access to higher education that fits into your busy, modern life.
• You decide how and where to study- We offer a wide range of flexible undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in both our online and blended study modes.
• Full support both online and on-site- We're also proud to offer non-standard entry, meaning your work experience and previous qualifications are taken into account when assessing your application.
• Strong focus on employability- You will gain in-depth subject knowledge and transferable skills that employers from a huge range of industries will value. Many of our courses at Arden are also accredited by leading professional bodies in the UK.

Course details and modules

• For any business looking to make their logistics and supply chain operations more efficient, taking advantage of the latest developments in logistics and supply chain is crucial.  Our CILT and CIPS accredited BSc (Hons) Supply Chain Management course will engage and inspire you through course modules that have been devised by our faculty of experienced supply chain practitioners to give your studies a ‘real world’ focus. The course takes a logical, sequential approach to supply chain, where each subject module builds on the knowledge of the previous one with interconnected content to help build on your understanding and knowledge. The course also focuses on hands-on, real-world skills so that you’ll graduate with practical experience you can apply in the workplace.

Modules
You have 3-9 years to complete this course, which means you can take up to 3 years to complete each level. Most of our students, however, aim to complete the course within 3 to 6 years.

Level 4
Core:

• Business Research Methods and Analysis (20 credits)
• Business Consulting (20 credits)
• Principles of Procurement and Contract Management (20 credits)
• Governance in a Global Business Environment (20 credits)
• Introduction to Project Management (20 credits)
• Elective:
• Digital Skills and Professional Development (20 credits)
• Technology and Innovation (20 credits)

Level 5
Core:

• Operations and Supply Chain Management (20 credits)
• Agile Project Management (20 credits)
• Sustainable and Circular Supply Chain Management (20 credits)
• Applied Logistics Management (20 credits)
• Operational Risk and Resilience (20 credits)
• Elective:
• Digital & Social Media Marketing (20 credits)
• AI and Big Data Analytics (20 credits)

Level 6

• Digital Supply Chain 4.0 (20 credits)
• Strategic Supply Chain Management (20 credits)
• Quality Management (20 credits)
• Social Value Networks (20 credits)
• Logistics & Supply Chain Research Project (40 credits)

Career prospects

• Graduates with skills in logistics and supply chain management are important to any business that offers a service or product, so the career opportunities are huge. This is one of the few areas that touches almost every industry, and has employment opportunities globally. Our logistics and supply chain lecturers are all highly experienced professionals from the sector. They have strong links to the industry and understand how to help you identify career opportunities both nationally and globally. Logistics and supply chain is also a great industry to work in if you like the idea of working for household name brands such as Apple, Amazon, Cargolux, Hilton Hotels, McDonalds, Phillips, and Tesco. Our lecturers have held senior positions in supply chain with these companies and so are perfectly placed to guide your future career success. On the course you’ll also have regular guest speaker events from prominent figures in the industry, giving you even more opportunity to network, ask questions, and develop your career.

What will the BSc (Hons) Supply Chain Management do for me?

• Your course will focus strongly on real-world practice, giving you the opportunity to apply what you learn to real business scenarios. Guest speakers and lecturers from industry will also inform you about the latest developments in the sector as you progress through your studies. 

Studying the BSc (Hons) Supply Chain Management with us is your opportunity to:

• Understand business research methods and analysis
• Understand business Consulting and the global business environment 
• Learn fundamental skills in project management
• Develop skills in operations and supply chain management 
• Learn about the principles of procurement 
• Understand sustainable and circular supply chain management
• Learn about applied logistics management
• Develop skills in digital analytics and digital supply chain 4.0
• Understand the importance of quality management
• Gain multifunctional skills that will maximise your employability and career potential.
• According to the 2022 CIPS Procurement Salary Guide, 56% of employers request MCIPS or studying towards it when recruiting.
• Employees with CIPS credentials earn an average of 21% more than those without.

What can I do after Arden University?

• The BSc (Hons) Supply Chain Management will help you develop the skills you need to accelerate your career in the logistics and supply chain sector. The course has been extensively informed by leading names in industry including Amazon, Mail, Kuehne & Nagel, Coca Cola, and Nestlé, who have identified current skills gaps in supply chain across the global workforce. This means you’ll learn skills and competencies that are needed today by some of the world’s most prominent and influential employers. So whether you want to join or continue working for an already established business, start your own company, or become a consultant, the course will give you everything you need to explore multiple career paths. 

Some roles you may want to consider after graduation include: 

• Logistics manager
• Supply chain manager
• Supply chain solution analyst
• Strategic sourcing manager
• Buyer
• Procurement manager/specialist
• Commodities manager
• Quality manager
• Production planner
• Purchasing manager