Logistics and Supply Chain Management MSc

Why choose this course?

The Logistics and Supply Chain Management MSc has been designed to prepare and develop your ability to carry out advanced analysis and research in the field of logistics and supply chain management within a global context.

This course will enable you to grow a network of logistics and supply chain management professionals during the course.

With full accreditation from the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS), and a solid syllabus built on concepts and ideas from Kingston University's renowned Operations Research and Management Science Group (ORMS), our logistics masters is a both an academic and a professional qualification. 

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Mode Duration Attendance Start date
Full time 1 year 4–5 days a week September 2021
Full time 2 years including professional placement 4–5 days a week plus placement year September 2021
Location Kingston Hill
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2020/21 entry

If you are planning to join this course in the academic year 2020/21 (i.e. between August 2020 and July 2021), please view the information about changes to courses for 2020/21 due to Covid-19.

Changes to courses for 2020/21 due to Covid-19

 

Continuing students

Students who are continuing their studies with Kingston University in 2020/21 should refer to their Course Handbook for information about specific changes that have been, or may be, made to their course or modules being delivered in 2020/21. Course Handbooks are located within the Canvas Course page.

Reasons to choose Kingston University

  • When combined with three or more years' experience in purchasing and supply management, this MSc leads to membership of the CIPS.
  • You will be subscribed to the student membership for the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), with access to its database and online materials.
  • Kingston Business School is one of only 5% of the world's business schools to be accredited by AACSB International.
  • Free car parking at the Kingston Hill campus is available for students of this course. The campus can also be easily accessed by public transport. Halls accommodation is just a walk away from the classrooms.

Kingston Business School Accreditations

Kingston Business School holds the prestigious international accreditation by the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) in recognition of the excellence of its business education. This accreditation has been earned by just 5% of the world's business schools and recognises the high quality and standard of our business degree offering.

Find out more about our accreditations
Kingston Business School Accreditations

Accreditation

Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS)

Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS)

Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS)

This course has been accredited by the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS). This means that once you have three or more years' experience in purchasing and supply management, you will become a full member of the Institute and be able to use the letters MCIPS after your name.

Being a member of the Institute will provide you with great opportunities and gives you access to a huge resource relating to supply chain and logistics issues.

What you will study

You will gain the practical skills as well as in-depth knowledge of the theory and practice to make an immediate and effective contribution in a logistics-related role. In addition to developing a solid understanding of global business from a strategic and operational perspective; you will cultivate a critical understanding of the external influences (e.g. political, economic, environmental, technical) which influence the roles of, and interrelationships between, supply chain partners and other stakeholders.

This course is delivered on a full-time basis over one year. You will be expected to attend scheduled sessions throughout the day (although not necessarily all day) between Monday and Friday.

In the first semester, you will develop a broad understanding of management concepts, theories and ideas, such as how to manage organisations and supply chains. This provides you with a solid foundation from both strategic and operational perspectives.

In the second semester and dissertation, you will put this knowledge to use through practical application to real situations. One example is through company visits, which students often arrange for themselves. These opportunities to engage with real supply chain managers build your confidence and ability to question established practice.

You will be encouraged to conduct your research project and dissertation on a specific issue that matches your career interests and put theory into practice.

Year 1

Year 2 (optional)

Core modules

Fundamentals of Business Management

30 credits

This module will provide you with an understanding of the main areas of business: marketing, finance, human resource management, operations management, information and IT management. It introduces you to the fundamentals of business theory and practice in a diverse and evolving international context to enable you to:

  • understand markets;
  • develop and implement functional strategies;
  • build and lead diverse teams;
  • prepare and analyse financial statements (profit and loss, balance sheet);
  • use the marketing mix and develop effective marketing plans;
  • identify and use IT and IS systems to drive strategy; and
  • use basic statistical tools and analyses
Logistics Management

30 credits

This module focuses on local, national and international logistics. You will study:

  • introduction to logistics management;
  • procurement and logistics service providers;
  • warehousing management and materials handling;
  • inventory management;
  • transport systems and management;
  • contemporary issues in logistics;
  • customer service;
  • global business environment in relation to international logistics;
  • international marketing;
  • international logistics supply chain;
  • location decisions;
  • risk management in international logistics;
  • global transport systems;
  • international shipping;
  • port management;
  • carrier selection and intermediaries;
  • terms of sales, payment, trade documentation and insurance; and
  • outsourcing and global sourcing.
Operations and Supply Chain Management

30 credits

The operations management element consists of:

  • contextualising operations management;
  • the delivery process and service design;
  • managing capacity by effective design of processes, effective deployment of labour, materials and resources, and by managing demand;
  • supply chain management: maintaining a competitive operations strategy by the managing materials and information effectively throughout the various elements of the supply chain;
  • using technology in operations management;
  • approaches to quality management and performance improvement; and
  • operations strategy: the relationship between broader strategic decision making and detailed operational implementation.

The supply chain management element consists of:

  • fundamentals of supply chain management, including issues relating to power, transparency and buyer:supplier relationships;
  • supply chain management issues on a national, international and global level;
  • effective supply chain management as a source of competitive advantage; and
  • different approaches to managing supply chains.

You will undertake a company visit and conduct live research and consultancy with real companies. Each student explores one company's supply chain, even visiting the suppliers where products are produced. You analyse the whole process, identify problems and come up with solutions. Then you present your recommendations to the organisation and to your lecturer.

Strategic Operations and Outsourcing

30 credits

This module focuses on strategic aspects of operations management and outsourcing issues on a global/international level. It covers:

  • introduction to Strategic Operations and Outsourcing;
  • understanding the different levels of strategy within an organisation;
  • developing and implementing an operations and outsourcing strategy;
  • developing a resource-based or market-led operations strategy;
  • aligning operations to support and/or drive markets;
  • examining the alternative drivers, strategies and methods of outsourcing; and
  • understanding the practical aspects of outsourcing: legal, procurement, technology, managing suppliers and contemporary trends.
Supply Chain Research Proposal and Dissertation

60 credits

During this module, you will develop the skills and knowledge necessary to complete a research project successfully. You will investigate a specific business problem via a substantial piece of independent work, and demonstrate your proficiency in:

  • designing a research project;
  • applying appropriate methods;
  • collecting and analysing data; and
  • presenting results.

The professional placement year is optional.  It takes place after the full time year.  It allows students to do a 12-month work placement as part of their course. The work placement is an assessed part of the course and is therefore covered by a Tier 4 visa.

Find out more about the postgraduate work placement scheme.

Core module

Professional Placement

120 credits

The Professional Placement module is a core module for those students following a Master's programme that incorporates an extended professional placement that follows completion of the first 180 credits of taught modules and project or dissertation. It provides students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in an appropriate working environment, and to develop and enhance key employability skills and subject specific skills in their chosen subject.

It is the responsibility of individual students to locate and secure a suitable placement opportunity; this will normally involve one placement which must be completed over a minimum period of 10 months and within a maximum of 12 months. The placement must be approved by the module leader prior to commencement to ensure its suitability.

The information above reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. Updates may be made on an annual basis and revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year. The regulations governing this course are available on our website. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, this may not be offered.

Entry requirements

Typical offer

We welcome applications from anyone with a good honours (or equivalent) in any relevant discipline.

If you do not have an honours degree, you will need to show us evidence that you know enough about the relevant subjects to understand the course materials - for example, a professional qualification, training or work experience in a relevant field (contact the postgraduate admissions team to find out more).

Pre-Masters programme

If you don't meet these entry requirements, our Pre-Masters programme can prepare you for the course.

International

Please note: most students from countries outside the European Union/European Economic Area and classified as overseas fee paying, are not eligible to apply for part-time courses due to UK student visa regulations. For information on exceptions please visit the UKCISA website or email our CAS and Visa Compliance team.

All non-UK applicants must meet our English language requirement, which is Academic IELTS of 6.5 overall with no element below 5.5. Make sure you read our full guidance about English language requirements, which includes details of other qualifications we consider.

Applicants who do not meet the English language requirements could be eligible to join our pre-sessional English language course.

Applicants from a recognised majority English speaking countries (MESCs) do not need to meet these requirements.

Teaching and assessment

Guided independent study

When not attending timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This typically will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, the library and CANVAS, the online virtual learning platform.

Support for postgraduate students

As a student at Kingston University, we will make sure you have access to appropriate advice regarding your academic development. You will also be able to use the University's support services. 

Your workload

Logistics and Supply Chain Management MSc

  • 13% of your time is spent in timetabled teaching and learning activity

Professional Placement Year

  • 100% of your time is spent on guided independent study and placement

Contact hours may vary depending on your modules.

Logistics and Supply Chain Management MSc

Professional Placement Year

Logistics and Supply Chain Management MSc
  • Scheduled teaching and learning: 234 hours
  • Guided independent study: 1566 hours
Professional Placement Year
  • Guided independent study: 50 hours

How you will be assessed

Assessment typically comprises exams (eg test or exam), practical (eg presentations, performance) and coursework (eg essays, reports, self-assessment, portfolios, dissertation). The approximate percentage for how you will be assessed on this course is as follows, though depends to some extent on the optional modules you choose:

Logistics and Supply Chain Management MSc

Professional Placement Year

Logistics and Supply Chain Management MSc
  • Coursework: 78%
  • Practical: 12%
  • Exam: 10%
Professional Placement Year
  • Coursework: 100%

Feedback summary

We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 20 working days.

Class sizes

You will be part of an intimate cohort of students which provides dedicated academic guidance and advice and the opportunity to build a life-long network of colleagues. Some modules are common across other postgraduate programmes therefore you will be taught alongside students who are on these courses within the Business School.

Fees for this course

2021/22 fees for this course

Home 2021/22

  • MSc full time £10,330

International 2021/22

  • MSc full time £15,800

2020/21 fees for this course

Home and European Union 2020/21

  • MSc full time £10,080

Overseas (not EU) 2020/21

  • MSc full time £15,300

Fees for the optional placement year

If you choose to take a placement as part of this course, you will be invoiced for the placement fee in Year 2. Find out more about the postgraduate work placement scheme and the costs for the placement year.

Funding and bursaries

Kingston University offers a range of postgraduate scholarships, including:

If you are an international student, find out more about scholarships and bursaries.

We also offer the following discounts for Kingston University alumni:

After you graduate

As a Logistics and Supply Chain Management graduates you'll have a huge spectrum of companies and positions to work in, for example providing third party logistics, aerospace and electrical/electronic products and technology-based firms.

Some recent LSCM graduates are currently working in the following roles and companies:

  • International Project Manager at International Brand Investment Corporation (IBIC)
  • Supply Chain Analyst at Thames Tideway Tunnel
  • Logistics Coordinator at World Food Programme (UN)
  • Supply Demand Manager at BSH Northern Europe
  • Procurement Consultant (IT) for University of Arts London
  • Head of Operations at Candy Kittens
  • Supply Chain Manager at GlaxoSmithKline

Changes to courses for 2020/21 due to Covid-19

Changes detailed here are for students joining this course in the academic year 2020/21 (i.e. between August 2020 and July 2021).

Course information (changes for 2020/21 entry)

Composition of the course

We do not anticipate making any changes to the composition of the course, i.e. the number of modules or credits in a year for part-time postgraduate courses, as a result of the pandemic.

In order to safeguard our students' health and safety and to minimise the risk of disruption to their studies, the University has postponed all Study Abroad programmes for outgoing students in the first teaching block of 2020/21 (from September 2020 to December 2020). The University will review this decision before the second teaching block and will take into account relevant government advice at that time.

Changes can be made to courses as part of normal enhancement processes in order to keep our courses up to date with current developments in that subject area and to provide a high quality student experience. Any such changes made to the composition of the course will be highlighted to students during the induction period.

Modules

We do not anticipate making any changes to module titles and summaries or to the availability of modules as a result of the pandemic.

Changes can be made to modules as part of normal enhancement processes in order to keep our courses up to date with current developments in that subject area and to provide a high quality student experience. Any such changes made to module titles and/or availability of modules will be highlighted to students during the induction period.

Length of course

We expect to deliver the course within the planned timescales to enable successful students to progress through and graduate from the course without delay.

In exceptional circumstances the sequence of learning and teaching activities may be changed, e.g. re-sequencing those modules that can be delivered more effectively under the current restrictions with those which would be more difficult to deliver, such as practical modules and placements.

Entry requirements (changes for 2020/21 entry)

We have not changed entry requirements as a result of the pandemic. However, the range of accepted alternatives have increased as has the way in which we select students, which now includes virtual interviews and online portfolios.

Entry requirements for international students

We have not changed entry requirements for international students as a result of the pandemic. However, in response to the pandemic, we now accept a much broader list of English language exams for entry to the course; the level of these exams remain the same.

Teaching (changes for 2020/21 entry)

Changes to the way the course will be delivered

Due to the current pandemic the course's teaching and learning activities will be delivered through both online and on-campus methods (blended learning) in 2020/21. In order to provide all students with a comparable on-campus experience, the University has committed to ensuring that all courses provide at least 30% of their teaching and learning activities on-campus.

While physical distancing measures remain in place, you will receive your learning and teaching via a blend of on-campus and on-line activities. Should your circumstances prevent your attendance at on-campus sessions, you will still be able to engage with your course in a way that allows you to progress. Where this is not possible, support will be available to consider what options are open to you.

Changes to teaching in the event of a further lockdown or adjustments in government advice

The University will continue to closely monitor government announcements and advice in relation to the current pandemic and, where required, will take any necessary action in order to comply with such advice.

In the event that a further lockdown is enforced the University will aim to deliver the course fully online. This may require some additional changes being made to planned teaching and learning activities, including assessments. The majority of our courses are prepared to be delivered fully online if the situation requires it. Where the quality of the student experience may be compromised significantly, or the course is unable to be delivered fully online, the University may need to suspend the delivery of that course until a time that it can be delivered appropriately. Students will be supported in these situations to ensure they are able to make the right choices for their particular circumstances.

In the event that the current social distancing restrictions are fully lifted and the University is able to resume normal delivery of teaching and learning activities, courses will assess whether it is in the students' interest to resume normal delivery. In some cases it may be better to continue and complete modules under the planned blended delivery mode.

Changes to the overall breakdown of scheduled teaching hours, placements and guided independent study hours for Year 1

Changes to the overall breakdown of scheduled teaching hours, placements and guided independent study hours will not be made as a result of the pandemic. However, it is possible that some adjustments might be made at module level, e.g. a few more scheduled activities, in order to help ensure student engagement with blended learning.

Any changes made to the overall breakdown of scheduled teaching hours, placements and guided independent study hours for the course will be highlighted to students during the induction period.

'Scheduled teaching' includes teaching that is online either live or recorded / on demand.

Timetable

Your individualised timetable for teaching block 1 (i.e. from September 2020 to December 2020) should be available by the end of August 2020. Timetables for teaching block 2 (i.e. from January 2021) will not be available until the autumn. Whilst we make every effort to ensure timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week between 9am and 9pm. To accommodate smaller group sizes and social distancing, we will need to maximise the time available for teaching. This means, we may have to use Wednesday afternoons and enrichment week for additional teaching slots. Timetables for part-time students will depend on the modules selected.

Assessment (changes for 2020/21 entry)

Changes can be made to modules, including how they are assessed, as part of normal enhancement processes in order to keep our modules up to date with current developments in that subject area. Due to the current restrictions in place, i.e. social distancing, it is anticipated that many formal on-campus examinations, including practical examinations, will be replaced with alternative assessments which can be completed online. These changes will be considered and approved through the University's processes to ensure that student assessments will be able to demonstrate they have achieved the expected learning outcomes. The approval process will also assess whether the change impacts the status of any professional body accreditation the course benefits from.

Any changes to the overall methods of assessment for the course will be highlighted to students during the induction period.

Staff (changes for 2020/21 entry)

No changes are expected to the general level of experience or status of staff involved in delivering the course.

As a result of the social distancing restrictions in place, on-campus teaching activities may need to be split into smaller groups which may require the support of teaching assistants and student mentors, who will be managed by experienced staff.

Fees, funding and additional costs (changes for 2020/21 entry)

Tuition fees

There will be no changes to published tuition fees for 2020/21.

Additional costs (e.g. field trips, materials, equipment, etc.)

As a result of the blended delivery of courses in 2020/21, where a significant proportion of the teaching will be done online, students will need a personal laptop or computer and access to the internet to participate in online teaching and learning activities. Students who are able to travel will have access to computers on campus, however, it should be noted that access to on-campus facilities will be restricted due to social distancing requirements.

The University is considering how best to provide support to students who do not have access to suitable hardware and software requirements and access to the internet. Identifying students who require this type of support is an important milestone for the University in our journey to ensure equity of access while we continue to deliver our blended approach. Information about the support that will be available will be provided to students during the induction period.

Funding

There will be no changes to any existing University funding arrangements for 2020/21. Currently there are no indications from the UK government that there will be any changes to government funding arrangements.

Fees and funding for international students

There will be no changes to published tuition fees or funding arrangements specifically relating to international students for 2020/21.

Work placements and field trips (changes for 2020/21 entry)

Placements (including work and clinical placements) and field trips included as part of the course will go ahead as planned. However, to ensure students are able to gain maximum value from these activities, it may be necessary to reschedule them to later in the year when current restrictions have been lifted. We acknowledge that this year it may be more difficult for students to secure appropriate placements. In those situations, students will be guided and supported through the various options that will be available to them, including switching courses or interrupting their studies until a time when they can complete their placement.

Any proposed changes to placements or field trips would go through University's agreed processes where the impact of the change will be carefully considered. Students will be advised of any changes that may become necessary and appropriate support will be available to students to guide them through the various options that may be available to them.

In the interest of the health and wellbeing of our students, the University will ensure that appropriate risk assessments are made before students are sent on a placement.

Courses which require placements or field trips to be completed in order to pass relevant modules will have contingency plans in place in the event that a placement or field trip cannot be completed due to another lockdown or more stringent social distancing measures.

Voluntary placements or field trips may be rescheduled, or, as a last resort, cancelled if it becomes difficult to deliver them and doing so is in the interest of the health and safety of our staff and students.

Award, qualification and accreditation (changes for 2020/21 entry)

Qualification

No changes will be made to the qualification awarded, e.g. MSc, as a result of the pandemic.

Changes can be made to courses, including the qualification awarded (although very rare), as part of normal enhancement processes in order to keep our courses up to date with current developments in that subject area. Any changes made to the qualification awarded for the course will be highlighted to students during the induction period.

Additional (changes for 2020/21 entry)

International students

International students should maintain awareness of the UK government's and their home country's government advice on possible travel restrictions. The University will closely monitor advice and guidance published by the UK government and assess its impact on our international students. Appropriate advice and guidance will be provided as and when required.

Students who are unable to attend on-campus learning and teaching activities

The University will ensure students who are unable to attend on-campus learning and teaching activities are able to effectively engage with their studies remotely. For certain courses an inability to attend on-campus learning and teaching activities may not be in the students best interest, as it may impede their chances of succeeding in the course or lead to them receiving a poor learning experience. In such cases students will be advised and guided through the various options available to them, such as deferring their studies until they can engage fully with the course.