MSc International Operations and Supply Chain Management
Every organisation, from small Social Enterprises to Global Multinationals with thousands of employees must manage its supply chain and business operations. Glasgow Caledonian University's Glasgow School for Business and Society has developed this Masters to meet this demand. The programme is informed by research, sector professionals and professional bodies. It is accredited by Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and transport (CILT).
This programme focuses on producing employable, responsible graduates, who are able to contribute effectively from the start of their employment. A unique aspect of the programme is that students can achieve Lean Yellow Belt certification as part of the course.
You will join with students from different cultures and backgrounds to develop an international awareness of managing business operations and supply chains. The opportunity of a work related activity combined with exploring examples, cases and contributions from leading commentators, scholars and researchers of operations management and supply chain management will result in an appreciation and understanding of theories and practices from different contexts around the globe.
Teacher led sessions from our academics who have extensive experience in teaching overseas are sensitive to cultural diversity, and within the curriculum draw on cross-cultural illustrations and ideas to enhance study and involve students. The teaching methods have a clear focus on employability and “real-world” skills development producing graduates that are fit for work. This is enabled by industry speakers, a work-related activity, and practical case studies/client projects.
Develop your knowledge and skills needed to succeed and contribute to the industry by:
- Participating in opportunities for cross-cultural interaction through experiential and problem-based learning
- Gaining professional development of essential and desirable graduate skills and competencies within operations and supply chain management
- Understand the supply chain networks in a global environment along with sustainable business operations, quality and supplier management to become a critical thinker and deliver performance improvement
- Successfully managing logistical and transport challenges as well as projects and finance whilst underpinning ethical and responsible management
Download the Programme Specification for a detailed breakdown of its structure, what you will learn and other useful information.
All entry requirements listed here should be used as a guide and represent the minimum required to be considered for entry. Applicants who are made a conditional offer of a place may be asked to achieve more than is stated.
Typical entry requirements
UK Honours degree 2:2 or equivalent
English language
Academic IELTS score of 6.0 (or equivalent) with no element below 5.5.
Please note: if you are from a majority English speaking country, you may not be required to provide further proof of your English Language proficiency.
Additional information
Other academic and vocational qualifications
Each application to GCU is considered on an individual basis. If you do not have the typical academic entry qualifications, but can demonstrate relevant work experience and/or credits from recognised professional bodies, you may be eligible to enter this course via the University's Recognition of Prior Learning scheme.
International pathways
Entry options for international applicants
If you are an international applicant and do not meet the academic requirements above you may be eligible for an International Graduate Diploma or Pre-sessional pre-masters programme at INTO Glasgow. Based in our Glasgow campus, successful completion of an INTO course with the required grades provides you with a guaranteed conditional offer of a place on this degree.
The tuition fees you pay are mostly determined by your fee status. What is my student fee status?
Tuition fees 2019/20
Home: £5500
RUK: £5500
EU: £5500
International: £12980
Fees are subject to change and published here for guidance only. Fees and refund policy.
Additional costs
As a student at the University, there are additional fees and costs which may or may not apply to you, but that you should be aware of.
Scholarships
We provide high-quality education for a fair price; as the University for the Common Good, we are committed to offering accessible higher education for talented students by keeping our tuition fees low and providing a generous scholarship package of over £2.5 million per year.
View our Postgraduate scholarships.
A Santander fee scholarship of £5,000 is available to study a full time Masters level programme at GCU. Find out more.
For new international students, particular care is taken around our induction events which begin on 13 September 2019 to welcome you to the UK and GCU prior to the start of teaching. There will be a whole host of fun and informative activities taking place during this period, including campus tours, city tours and social events where you can meet other international students. Where possible, we encourage you to arrange travel to allow you to arrive in time to enjoy these.
Global Supply Chain Management
You will develop a critical understanding of the concepts and principles of supply chain management, including strategies, processes, building strategic partnerships, the application of innovative technologies and supply chain integration. Through a supply chain business simulation challenge you will explore the current operations of existing global supply chains across different organisations and industry sectors.
Sustainable Operations Management
You will develop an understanding of the strategic and tactical importance of managing sustainable operations across a range of sectors and contexts on a global scale. The module encompasses the following key areas: Operations Management, Operations Design, Planning and Control of Operations, and introduces the concept of Operations Improvement.
Financial Management for Global Decision Makers
During this module you will be exposed to detailed analysis of financial statements (prepared in accordance with international accounting standards) short and long term financing decisions, financial governance and international taxation and accounting techniques for decision making, planning and control. This module will broaden your business knowledge and it will continue to be relevant throughout your future career.
International Logistics and Transport
In this module analytical and evaluative skills are developed through the critical examination of theories, models, tools and techniques employed in logistics and transport management. The purpose is to equip you with a foundation of essential knowledge of contemporary Logistics and Transport Management and its application in organisations, both domestically and internationally. Case studies are used extensively throughout this module to demonstrate the application of theories and enable students to practice their decision making skills.
Procurement and Quality Management
Sourcing, negotiation and relationship management are the key procurement topics in the module, while the quality management elements covers the evolution of quality systems, the use of standards and other approaches to drive performance improvement.
Project Management
Project Management is a key skill for managers in today's workplace. In this module you will cover the key aspects and fundamental activities that are involved in managing projects as well as examine the main phases of the project life cycle. The module provides an awareness of the issues involved in project planning and having control in both small and large scale projects. In addition to developing an understanding of the theoretical aspects of project management, you will use the latest project management software to set-up, manage and control projects Within the module, students will be encouraged to demonstrate responsible leadership by making ethical and innovative decisions regarding project plans, schedules, resources and outcomes.
Ethics, Governance and Responsible Leadership
By examining the private, public and social enterprise sectors, you will be equipped with a set of analytical tools and concepts to drive responsible decision-making, whilst highlighting the difference between compliance and ethically driven behaviours. You will gain a theoretical and practical understanding of real world issues, from a UK and global perspective, and learn from the PRME related principles and the Common Good attributes which are central to this module.
Applied Professional Practice
Following on from the knowledge you have gained in Ethics, Governance and Responsible Leadership and with a focus on self-reflection, in this module you will develop your professional competence by undertaking a professional engagement activity. The link between these two core modules reinforces the significance of ethical and responsible decision making and leadership within your future career.
Masters Research Project
The final element of the programme is the Masters Research Project which provides you with an opportunity to design and undertake a piece of original research. You will apply methods and theories that are commonly used within the field of International Operations and Supply Chain Management and with the support of internationally published literature demonstrate best practice in this field.
Due to the breadth of the course, past students have found employment across a wide range of sectors including Sourcing Group Specialist at RBS, Gist Logistics, Custom Solar, Doosan Babcock, Create Consulting Engineers, SAB Millar, PepsiCo, Zinc Group, BAE, Diageo, Enterprise Rent-a-car and Babcock International.