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Sustainable Supply Chain Management (MSc)

  • Duration: 1 year
  • Mode: Full time

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Open day

Find out more about studying here as a postgraduate at our next Open Day.

Why study this course

Become a supply chain manager of the future and learn from academics at the forefront of their field.

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Gain research skills

Collaborate with an industrial partner on a research project while collecting primary data for your dissertation.

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Practice responsible management

Consider the full range of economic, social and environmental impacts of supply chains with a unique emphasis on sustainability.

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Customise your degree

Pursue your interests in e-business, responsible purchasing, trade or project management.

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Professional accreditation

Access exclusive industry intelligence, seek personal career advice and attend workshops and training with our CILT membership.

Supply chain managers are at the cutting edge of innovation, employing the latest technologies including artificial intelligence, block chain, big data analytics and automation to deliver their products and services effectively and efficiently.

The underside of such innovation is not nearly as progressive. Fierce competition within supply chains means that prices are driven down through outsourcing and subcontracting. In this race to the bottom, sustainability and ethics are often afterthoughts.

The business of changing the world is ours.

Our MSc in Sustainable Supply Chain Management has a unique focus on sustainability and ethical trading. We’ll help you become a professional capable of making decisions that consider the full range of economic, social and environmental impacts of supply chains.

Our experts will draw on academic and consultancy expertise to prepare you for global career opportunities, introducing you to all aspects of supply chain management, including procurement, supply and distribution of products. They’ll use internationally recognised research to give you a critical insight into cross-cutting issues such as the impact of technology, emergency and humanitarian operations, and environmental performance and responsibility.

Accreditations

“After my undergraduate degree, I became really interested in sustainability within the clothing industry. This course has been the perfect way to learn about economic, social and environmental sustainability and how these relate to businesses and global supply chains.”
Emily Baldwin MSc Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Where you'll study

Cardiff Business School

We’re an AACSB International and AMBA-accredited Business School with a clear mission: to make a positive impact in the communities of Wales and the world.

  • icon-chatGet in touch
  • Telephone+44 (0)29 2087 4674
  • MarkerColum Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF10 3EU

Admissions criteria

In order to be considered for an offer for this programme you will need to meet all of the entry requirements. Your application will not be progressed if the information and evidence listed is not provided.

With your online application you will need to provide:

  1. A copy of your degree certificate and transcripts which show you have achieved a 2:1 honours degree in any subject, or an equivalent international degree. If your degree certificate or result is pending, please upload any interim transcripts or provisional certificates.
  2. A copy of your IELTS certificate with an overall score of 6.5 with 6.0 in all subskills, or evidence of an accepted equivalent. Please include the date of your expected test if this qualification is pending. If you have alternative acceptable evidence, such as an undergraduate degree studied in the UK, please supply this in place of an IELTS.

If you do not have a degree, your application may be considered on the basis of your professional experience. Please provide additional evidence to support your application such as signed and dated employer references.

Application Deadline

We allocate places on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend you apply as early as possible. Applications normally close at the end of August but may close sooner if all places are filled.

Selection process

We will review your application and if you meet all of the entry requirements, we will make you an offer.

Find out more about English language requirements.

Applicants who require a Student visa to study in the UK must present an acceptable English language qualification in order to meet UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) requirements.

Criminal convictions

You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.

If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:

  • access to computers or devices that can store images
  • use of internet and communication tools/devices
  • curfews
  • freedom of movement
  • contact with people related to Cardiff University.

Course structure

This course runs from September to September. Between September and June you will study 120 credits of taught modules from a range of both compulsory core modules and a range of options.

Following on from this taught stage, you will undertake a dissertation project, submitted in September, with support from an academic supervisor.

The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2024/25 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2024.

In the first semester, you will study four modules worth 15 credits each. Two compulsory modules aim to give you a detailed understanding of sustainability and supply chain management approaches. The remaining two modules are drawn from a range of options that complement the compulsory components.

You will also study four 15 credit modules in the second semester. Here, one compulsory module provides research methods training to particularly support the dissertation. The remaining modules are drawn from a pool of options. There is a requirement to undertake at least one optional module specifically on sustainable supply chain management. The remaining two choices can be drawn from a wider range, of which a number further develop insights into sustainable supply chain management.

The taught phase concludes in June and, subject to successful completion, you will progress to the dissertation phase. Through the writing of the dissertation, you will acquire and develop research skills relevant to your choice of subject. The dissertation is submitted in early September.

The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.

Learning and assessment

How will I be taught?

Our teaching is heavily informed by research and combines academic rigour with practical relevance. Our internationally leading faculty consists of academics who are at the forefront of knowledge within their field. They bring the lessons learnt from their most recent research into the classroom, giving you access to up-to-date real-life examples and scenarios and critical business thinking. Reflecting the Business School’s wider strategy, Public Value is embedded within our teaching.

Many teaching and learning resources will be provided electronically through Learning Central. In order to successfully complete the course, you will need to work during and outside formal teaching sessions, and to make good use of the facilities provided.

Most modules involve a mixture of lectures and small group teaching (called classes, seminars, workshops or tutorials). In a lecture, the lecturer will mainly give an overview of a particular aspect of the module content. You will have opportunities to ask questions and be reflective in lectures. Classes and workshops provide you with the opportunity to practice techniques, discuss ideas, apply concepts and consolidate understanding of the topic.

In addition to timetabled classes, guest presentations by practitioners will also be available, enabling you to relate the knowledge provided by the lecturers to real-world examples.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment methods vary from module to module but, across your degree scheme as a whole, you can expect a mixture of exams, coursework, essays, practical work, presentations, and individual and group projects.

How will I be supported?

The University offers a wealth of support for postgraduate. These include:

Learning Central

Learning Central is the University’s virtual learning environment.  All programme and module materials are posted here for students to access before, during and after lectures.

Libraries

You will have access to libraries across campus which hold over 1.1 million printed books. You will also have access to more than 1.5 million online books, journals, resources and databases.

Personal Tutor System

You will be allocated a Personal Tutor. This member of academic staff will maintain an overview of your learning and educational experiences. If you are experiencing difficulties, your Personal Tutor will be there to listen and where possible provide professional guidance or else direct you to the appropriate source of support.

The Student Advisory Service

A free, impartial, non-judgemental and confidential service on a wide range of personal, financial and academic matters is available to you.

Disability & Dyslexia Service

Confidential advice and support is provided for you if you are disabled or have a specific learning difficulty (dyslexia) or long term medical condition.

Counselling Service

The Cardiff University Counselling Service provides members of the university community with an opportunity to examine issues that prevent them from maximising their full potential and to explore options for change. The Counselling Service is confidential and free of charge. It has had international recognition as a Centre for Excellence for individual and group counselling.

What skills will I practise and develop?

The Learning Outcomes for this Programme describe what you will be able to do as a result of your study at Cardiff University. They will help you to understand what is expected of you. 

The Learning Outcomes for this Programme can be found below:

Knowledge & Understanding:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

  1. an ability to interpret and evaluate the principles, theory, philosophy and practice of supply chain management
  2. a systematic and in-depth knowledge of the concept of sustainability in a business context, and how this is influencing supply chain management
  3. a critical awareness of contemporary debates in sustainable supply chain management as identified by leading research
  4. an appreciation of emerging empirical trends and issues in supply chains and the ability to analyse their impact on sustainability.

Intellectual Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

  1. an ability to relate and apply the principles of sustainable supply chain management to practical environments
  2. a capability in techniques applicable to problem solving and research in sustainable supply chain management
  3. a competence in capturing the interdisciplinary nature of supply chains and their sustainability.
  4. an ability to apply knowledge in an original way when researching sustainability issues in supply chains

Professional Practical Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

  1. an ability to evaluate the trade-offs and impacts of sustainable supply chain management decision making taking into account economic, environmental and societal impacts.
  2. originality and autonomy in tackling and solving a range of different problems in the context of the sustainable supply chain management.
  3. a capability to deal with complex issues in a systematic and creative way.
  4. a competence in analysing complex problems on the basis of rigorous data and communicate clearly their solutions to specialist or non-specialist audiences.

Transferable/Key Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

  1. a competence in communicating ideas, principles and theories effectively by oral, written and practical means.
  2. an ability to work effectively in a team and as an individual
  3. a capability in the usage of IT (e.g. the Internet, spreadsheets, word processing) in an applied learning environment.
  4. a capacity to work to a range of timescales to fit the requirements of programme tasks and outputs.

Tuition fees for 2024 entry

Your tuition fees and how you pay them will depend on your fee status. Your fee status could be home, island or overseas.

Learn how we decide your fee status

Fees for home status

Year Tuition fee Deposit
Year one £12,200 None

Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland

If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss national, your tuition fees for 2024/25 be in line with the overseas fees for international students, unless you qualify for home fee status. UKCISA have provided information about Brexit and tuition fees.

Fees for island status

Learn more about the postgraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

Fees for overseas status

Year Tuition fee Deposit
Year one £27,200 £2,500

More information about tuition fees and deposits, including for part-time and continuing students.

Financial support

Financial support may be available to individuals who meet certain criteria. For more information visit our funding section. Please note that these sources of financial support are limited and therefore not everyone who meets the criteria are guaranteed to receive the support.

Additional costs

Living costs

We’re based in one of the UK’s most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff.

Funding

Master's Scholarships

An award open to UK students intending to study one of our taught master’s degrees.

Postgraduate loans

If you are starting your master’s degree in September 2024 or later, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan to support your study at Cardiff University.

Alumni Discount

The alumni discount is available for Cardiff University graduates who are planning to start an eligible master's in 2024/25.

Careers and placements

At Cardiff Business School, you’ll receive a career-changing education from world-leading academics that have different points of view. They’ll challenge your thinking as you consider the world of business from a range of alternative perspectives.

On our MSc in Sustainable Supply Chain Management, you’ll benefit from the knowledge and expertise of our Career Enhancer Team. They’re ready and waiting to identify events and opportunities to help you achieve your future aspirations.

We’ve developed relationships that range from the largest multinationals to the smallest micro-businesses, and include a wide variety of social enterprises and cooperatives. We use these networks to deliver value for our students through:

  • real-world case studies and insights
  • collaboration with our Public Value Entrepreneurs in Residence
  • guest lectures from Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport members
  • field trips and workshops.

This wide ranging and varied learning experience will help enhance your career and demonstrate how you can make a difference along the way.

Our MSc Sustainable Supply Chain Management will give you the opportunity to follow a wide variety of careers with global multi-national companies or smaller SME enterprises.

You'll be equipped to take up both leadership and operational positions, as well as pursuing policy-making and academic career paths – a number of former students on related programmes have subsequently completed their PhD in a related subject.

Placements

Within the dissertation phase you are offered the opportunity (subject to academic performance) to undertake a project in conjunction with an industrial partner. This provides you with a chance to gain knowledge of industrial practice, while contributing primary data for the dissertation study. A limited number of projects are available each year, and a competitive process is undertaken to identify students suitable for the project.

Next steps

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HESA Data: Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited 2021. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data. Data is from the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20, published by HESA in June 2022.