Brayford Pool
September 2025 and February 2026
1 year
2 years (available to September 2025 intake only)
World events such as the Covid-19 Pandemic and Ukraine War serve to highlight the significant impact that supply chain and logistics management can have on businesses.
With recognised issues in supply chains and logistics, including the generation of harmful emissions, human rights and employment abuses, and criminality, the need for smart, innovative, and responsible management is of huge importance. The MSc in Supply Chain and Logistics Management has been designed with these issues in mind and allows graduates to develop the ability to tackle them, along with other issues associated with the sector, in a contemporary setting.
The course gives students the opportunity to explore practice in the context of relevant contemporary theory and research in the field of Supply Chain and Logistics Management from an international perspective, and develops their strategic vision, focusing on creative thinking and practical management.
The programme recognises that all organisations, local and global, are constantly changing and seeks to ensure that managers develop the necessary knowledge and competencies to cope with this. Lectures, seminars, case studies, and guest speakers aim to provide students with a rich and thorough understanding of the subject, and the confidence to apply their subject knowledge to add value to the global business arena as they approach careers in management or consultancy.
Accredited by Supply Chain, Logistics and Environment, and Sustainability Ins
Explore contemporary theory and practice
Hear from expert industry speakers
Gain real-world experience during company visits
Challenge-based assignments based on real world problems
Part-time study available
MSc Supply Chain and Logistics Management can be studied full-time (September and February takes) or part-time (available to September intake only).
The programme combines generic modules in business and management with more specialist modules in logistics, operations, and procurement and supply chain management. The generic modules are designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop an understanding of how people, and other resources are managed in organisations. Students are introduced to strategy and decision analysis as well as to approaches to address the challenges associated with successful project management. The specialist modules aim to provide the knowledge and techniques to analyse, appraise, and contribute to the design and management of successful logistical and global operations.
Each module typically consists of two or three weekly teaching hours over a teaching term. Four modules are usually studied per term, equating to eight to 12 hours per week. Part-time students usually study two modules per term, equating to four to six hours of contact time per week. Hours of study can vary from term to term for both full and part-time students and can be spread throughout the week.
Postgraduate level study involves a significant proportion of independent study, exploring the material covered in lectures and seminars. As a general guide, for every hour spent in class, students are expected to spend at least four to five hours in independent study.
Find out more about our online MSc Management with Supply Chain programme, delivered part-time over two years.
Meet Yann, a former student who, following his studies, completed several missions in Jordan, Congo, Mozambique with a French Humanitarian Organisation and now works in the Operations Team at ACLED.
The aim of this module is to enhance the students’ decision capabilities when confronted with strategic or operational choices. Students will have the opportunity to learn how decision analysis tools can be used to structure and analyse decision problems and how a mix of data and judgement can help decision makers to better achieve their objectives.
This module is designed to introduce students to a wide range of Logistics and Operations Strategies and to a number of Digital Information Systems topics that make significant contributions to the understanding of organisations as systems seeking to remain viable and competitive within their environment. It is designed to respond to the core Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) and Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) benchmarks and accreditation criteria that concern themselves with the associated topics and challenges surrounding the successful management of logistics and operations. The central theme is the alignment of processes and systems concerned with the delivery of the organisation’s overall strategy and meeting related operational objectives in both service and manufacturing environments.
In order to ensure organisational success, we must seek to manage relationships with upstream and downstream suppliers and customers to deliver increased customer value at less cost to the supply chain overall. It is often argued that an organisation is only as a good as its supply chain and that the global supply chain can be a key source of competitive advantage. In the age of globalisation, many organisations are only as good as their global supply chains. Global supply chains give the organisation access to strategic resources and enable them to compete in global markets. Procurement and Supply Chain Management as a discipline has changed considerably in many companies and organisations in the recent past. Considering the amount of money generally involved in the preparation and execution of procurement and supply decisions, this is not a surprise and it has been argued that an effective and efficient operating purchasing and supply function can make an important contribution to company results and also add significant value. Traditionally, the procurement department has acted as the intermediary which negotiates the agreements and contracts with suppliers and subsequently monitors their compliance to those agreements. However, this ‘traditional’ role is changing rapidly and procurement and supply chain managers are assuming more strategic roles within organisations, focused on achieving better performance from suppliers though approaches such as more active management of supplier relationships.
In keeping with the spirit of LIBS Masters programme, this module seeks to enable and facilitate innovation and creativity in terms of project focus, form and output as well as presenting a clear opportunity for students to develop and nurture key transferable business skills such as team working and leadership effectiveness, respecting individual and cultural diversity, professional communication in a range of complex contexts and reflecting on their own knowledge and understanding, prioritising self-development in new high-level skills. To achieve this, students will be expected to address a given business topic as a team, with each individual student undertaking a given managerial role. Although in a team, students will take responsibility for their own learning as they negotiate the form and output of final portfolio elements with an allocated academic supervisor who will act as the Project Sponsor. Individual Reflective Logs will be a key supporting element which will be agreed between students and supervisor, thereby ensuring mutuality of intent, process, practice and format of final submissions and overall assessment.
With the rapidly changing context of modern business, the process of introducing novel technologies, products, infrastructures, or systems has become vital yet more challenging due to often conflicting stakeholder requirements, irreversible investments, operating constraints, and associated risks. Therefore, any business change has to be project-managed as the current emphasis in business is on flexible, rapid response to customer demands. Managers increasingly require a project competence with a systems-oriented management style that cuts across traditional functional roles throughout the project life-cycle. Project management is thus considered a crucial management philosophy of how organisations manage fluctuating business environments and bring to life something innovative or simply never accomplished before. This module provides students with the opportunity to develop an essential understanding of the fundamentals of project management. It covers a variety of concepts and their practical application including project scope, time, cost, quality, stakeholders, and communication.
In the global contemporary setting, ethical and sustainable practice are a key focus within all aspects of business and in particular the responsible approach and management of the supply chain network. The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply recognise that the global supply chain sector has a moral obligation to do better in the fight against modern slavery, intolerable working conditions as well as bribery and corruption. Equally, the supply network of organisations is estimated to be responsible for as much as 90% of harmful emissions that are damaging our planet. As such, supply chain activities are identified as a primary concern in the global pursuit to reduce greenhouse gas and many other damaging emissions to decrease the negative impact of climate change and human activity. Therefore, responsible supply chain strategy is gaining direct attention and is recognised as a major evolving challenge for many organisations as they strive to meet their moral, legal, and humanistic aspirations and targets to ensure a prosperous future for all and as such, organisational recognition as a responsible global citizen.
Strategy is the heart of every organisation. This module explores how strategy is conceived, how it affects the organisation and how the organisation can be designed to realise its strategy efficiently and effectively. The module aims to support students in developing their strategic thinking skills through a review of diverse theories, models and practical exercises.
The Supply Chain is a process concerned with the planning, implementation and control of the effective, cost-efficient flow and storage of goods and materials as well as related information, from the point of origin to the point of consumption for the purpose of meeting the end beneficiary’s requirements. The Humanitarian Supply Chain will typically involve military, governmental and private organisations of various sizes, motivations and abilities. Supply chain activities are approximated to account for as much as 60-80% of the total cost of the humanitarian response. Therefore, efficient and effective humanitarian supply chain management is vital from an economic standpoint, in addition to the moral imperative that is underlying humanitarian operations. Both academic and professional interest in humanitarian supply chains has grown significantly in recent years. Moreover, recent thinking in this area has also focussed on ethical and environmental aspects of the supply chain, tied strongly to a number of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.
We want you to have all the information you need to make an informed decision on where and what you want to study. In addition to the information provided on this course page, our What You Need to Know page offers explanations on key topics including programme validation/revalidation, additional costs, and contact hours.
A variety of assessment methods are utilised during this course, including essays and oral presentations as well as group work. These assessments are designed to develop skills that will be useful for your career.
Essays involve written assignments where you will be expected to structure and develop arguments based on research and critical analysis of alternative perspectives and courses of action. Oral presentations provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate and develop communication and influencing skills that are highly valued in business and management roles. Group work helps you to develop key skill sets for success in the workplace.
Topics for these assignments are informed by current topical research and practical supply chain and logistics challenges, as faced by the teaching team and student body. Key features include a module based on a Challenge Based Learning strategy (Digital Logistics and Operations Strategy), with students addressing a real-life strategic, practical challenge given to them by local industry, and the final module, Portfolio Based Supply Chain and Logistics Project, which sees students complete a team-based piece of work, underpinned by personal reflection, again linked to the practical business world.
The University of Lincoln's policy on assessment feedback aims to ensure that academics will return in-course assessments to you promptly - usually within 15 working days after the submission date.
This course has been accredited by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS), and the Institute of Environment Management and Assessment (IEMA).
Dr Gary Ramsden, Dr Syed Tariq, Dr Samuel Afranie, and Mr Chaz McKnight pride themselves on their professional practical experience, offering many years of knowledge and expertise in the defence, communication and humanitarian sectors. Sustainability is high on their agenda, as is the application of new, disruptive technology. Above all, they aim to make their course material interactive and fun as they adopt a student-focused approach to learning.
The University of Lincoln is the recognised preferred provider for academic development opportunities in logistics and operations for the UK Ministry of Defence. It offers defence programmes in logistics and operations at degree, masters, and PhD research levels. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has seen academic experts at the University make a telling contribution to the response effort across all elements of the logistics and supply chain discipline.
Students on this programme can benefit from working alongside an experienced team of staff consisting of academically and professionally qualified lecturers with relevant industrial experience. They are able to engage in real-world projects and attend guest lectures from visiting speakers drawn from across a wide cross section of business sectors and industrial expertise.
Our academics are involved in the University of Lincoln’s Marketing Research Group, which aims to enhance knowledge and offer insights for marketing and consumer studies in various local or global contexts. Research puts an emphasis on creating and fostering sustainable values and resources for markets, consumers, and related stakeholders.
During the programme, you may have the opportunity to visit a company to get a better understanding of how logistics operates in practice. Students have previously visited a Caterpillar Site in Leicester. All costs related to this trip are covered by the School.
Throughout the course, students will have the opportunity to interact with industry speakers working on a variety of supply chain and logistics problems.
Past speakers include the Associate Director of Customer Logistics at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, the Head of Teaching and Learning at The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS), and a Senior Civil Servant and Commercial Specialist at the Complex Transactions Team within the UK Government Cabinet Office.
Postgraduate Application Support
Applying for a postgraduate programme at Lincoln is easy. Find out more about the application process and what you'll need to complete on our How to Apply page. Here, you'll also be able to find out more about the entry requirements we accept and how to contact us for dedicated support during the process.
Second class honours degree or equivalent. (Professional experience will also be considered. Please contact the programme leader for further information).
If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/ for information on equivalent qualifications.
Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/englishlanguagerequirements/.
If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-session English and Academic Study Skills courses. https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/pre-sessionalenglishandacademicstudyskills/ . These specialist courses are designed to help students meet the English language requirements for their intended programme of study.
You will need to have funding in place for your studies before you arrive at the University. Our fees vary depending on the course, mode of study, and whether you are a UK or international student. You can view the breakdown of fees for this programme below.
The University offers a range of merit-based, subject-specific, and country-focused scholarships for UK and international students. To help support students from outside of the UK, we offer a number of international scholarships which range from £1,000 up to the value of 50 per cent of tuition fees. For full details and information about eligibility, visit our scholarships and bursaries pages.
Postgraduate Funding Options
Find out more about the optional available to support your postgraduate study, from Master's Loans to scholarship opportunities. You can also find out more about how to pay your fees and access support from our helpful advisors.
This programme is designed to prepare students for a number of careers in operations management, logistics, distribution, transport, retail, consultancy, and other related areas. Former students have been hired by UK organisations such as Bombardier, Jaguar Land Rover, and RB.
For more information about this course, please contact the Programme Leader.
Chaz Mcknight
cmcknight@lincoln.ac.uk
Lincoln International Business School works with students and organisations to enhance the contribution of business to society. For students, that means developing their business skills and knowledge to improve their career readiness.The University of Lincoln is a member of AACSB, a global nonprofit association connecting educators, students, and businesses to achieve a common goal: to create the next generation of great leaders.
To get a real feel for what it is like to study at the University of Lincoln, we hold a number of dedicated postgraduate events and activities throughout the year for you to take part in.
