Career in Supply Chain Management & Logistics: What to study? (2024)

Author: Leonardo Carlo Calisse — Last update: 12 October 2021

Supply Chain Management is all about getting things from A to B: materials, products, equipment. And in an increasingly globalised world, this field offers a promising career perspective. But what should you study for a career in Supply Chain Management or Logistics? Read on to find out:

Why study Supply Chain Management?

The last few decades have seen tremendous growth in world trade: Products are manufactured in one place, then shipped and sold in other places all over the world. Globalisation has been the major driver of economic growth.

That means that for many large organisations, managing their supply chains has become increasingly important. In fact, many of the world’s most successful businesses owe their success to efficient supply chain management.

Career perspectives are ideal for graduates with a degree in Supply Chain Management or Logistics. Expect to work in a fascinating context with many international assignments. And things are going to become even more exciting in the coming years and decades: Innovations like autonomous warehouses, self-driving trucks and ships, drones, or even Hyperloop will certainly shake things up. A university education focusing on supply chain management will guarantee plenty of job options!

What should I study for a career in Supply Chain Management & Logistics?

For most positions, companies will hire graduates from Business Studies or MBA programmes, as long as you have had the chance to take courses about SCM and Logistics. And because these subjects are so important to so many corporations, they are covered at least to some extent in virtually every general business study programme.

But of course, graduates from specialised Bachelors or Masters in Logistics will have a huge advantage over other applicants! After all, they possess a lot of expert knowledge already at graduation. There are many universities throughout Europe where you can get a Supply Chain degree. Our programme search helps you find the right Bachelor or Master degree programme.

The best universities for studying Supply Chain Management & Logistics

While Logistics and Supply Chain management is an area that is significantly growing in popularity, there aren’t really any reliable rankings. Due to the fact that it is a very practice-oriented subject, it can be difficult to appropriately rank universities and business schools offering these courses.

One valid approach to finding competitive degrees in this field is by looking in or near cities that are logistics hubs. For example, large harbour cities such as Antwerp (Belgium) or Hamburg (Germany), or cities with important cargo airports like London (UK) or Amsterdam (Netherlands) are a good starting place to look for universities with promising study options. Make sure to also compare and check the curriculum of the courses you’re interested in, to determine they cover the areas you are most excited about.

Here is a selection of some of the best universities and business schools offering degrees in Supply Chain Management & Logistics:

Universities that offer :

• KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Belgium)
• Jönköping University (Sweden)
• SRH North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany)
• Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania)

Universities that offer :

• emlyon Business School (France)
• International Graduate Center (Germany)
• Linnaeus University (Sweden)
• TBS Education (France)

What do you learn in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Logistics & SCM?

Logistics and Supply Chain Management degrees can be extremely valuable when looking for a job in this field. Whether to pursue this subject at Bachelor’s or Master’s level (or both) depends on your specific educational background and career goals.

If you are already set on a career in Logistics or Supply Chain Management, taking a specialized undergraduate degree is a smart bet. These programs will enable you to acquire much more in-depth knowledge early on. This can give you a step-up on other students who take a more generalized Bachelor with only a few electives focused on Logistics or Supply Chain Management.

In addition, any SCM or Logistics Bachelor will still include subjects from other essential business areas in the first year or two, such as finance, marketing, and economics. However, by pursuing a more specialized degree, it will be harder to change careers later. Although, you may be able to adjust your curriculum if you become interested in a different career path, or if you decide to specialize in a particular sphere of SCM.

Overall, a typical Bachelor’s in this field will cover some or all of the following topics:

• Business Administration, Management, Accounting, Strategy
• Operations Management, Quantitative Business, Optimisation
• Supply Chain IT, Business Intelligence, Data Analytics
• International Trade, Law and Customs
• Cross-Cultural and Business Communication
• Transport Management
• Warehousing
• Sustainable Logistics, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
• ...and more

Master programs in Logistics and Supply Chain Management usually accept students with previous Business or Logistics-related degrees, such as Industrial Management. Certain Logistics MBA options also admit graduates with more technical backgrounds, such as Engineering.

These degrees will usually be centred on teaching you how to manage and transform the supply chain of any company, while covering technological breakthroughs in the Logistics sector, such as 3D printing or Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. After completing one of these programs, you will be able to make innovative decisions on business Logistics and apply research creatively in difficult scenarios. You will also become well-versed in how to deal with the complex challenges of managing supply chains, both domestic and international. Many of these degrees also usually include a significant practical component, helping you apply your learnings in real life.

For students that are not able to attend a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in person, there is an increasing amount of Logistics and SCM programs available online. These usually offer similar career prospects to traditional schooling, although networking with classmates may be more difficult in a distance course.

What skills do I need?

• Analytical skills are key for a career in supply chain management. You should have fun solving problems with data, calculation models and forecasts.
• The ability to understand, and also teach others, the technical aspects of supply chains in the industry you will be working in.
• Knowing additional languages and other cultures is a plus in any job - but even more so when you have to handle global supply chains and many international suppliers or customers. Studying abroad is the perfect way to prepare for an international role. You might particularly want to look for degrees that encourage you to do an additional student exchange semester!
• Be ready to learn and adapt throughout your career. That is certainly true for any industry. When it comes to supply chains, logistics, and transport, the coming years will see technological advances, legal developments as well as many large economics trends shaping the industry.

Where can I work with a degree in Supply Chain Management?

With a degree in Logistics or Supply Chain Management, you are well-equipped to work in a wide range of industries. In fact, it is not unusual for professionals to switch between industries after a few years of work experience: Many of the relevant best practices are the same or at least similar.

The following list shows just a few examples of the types of companies that would hire graduates from Supply Chain Engineering degrees or similar fields:

• 🎮 Consumer electronics (Apple, Samsung)
• 🚘 Automotive sector (Volkswagen, Tesla)
• ✈️ Aviation (Airbus, Boeing)
• 🏗️ Machinery (Caterpillar, Volvo)
• ⛰️ Resources & mining (Glencore, BHP Billiton)
• 🚢 Logistics, transportation & shipping (Maersk, Kuehne + Nagel, DHL)
• 🛒 Retail (Amazon, H&M, Carrefour)
• 🗣️ Consulting (McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group, EY, KPMG)

Typical roles and job titles

Your responsibilities may vary from position to position. The most typical job titles and tasks include:

• Buyer, Purchaser or Purchase Manager: You identify and select new suppliers, negotiate deals and evaluate existing suppliers.
• Operations Planner or Production Coordinator: You manage production schedules, forecast the future needs of supplies and coordinate those requirements with other departments.
• Inventory Specialist: You are responsible for the level and quality of inventory, monitor and optimise the inventory flow and the processes in distribution centers.
• Transportation Coordinator: You handle relationships with logistics carriers and ensure that products get delivered on schedule.
• Supply Chain Manager: Depending on the industry and company, this role might combine many of the responsibilities listed for the other job titles above.
• Warehouse Manager: With technological progress, warehouses are becoming more and more advanced - and there are many roles for smart graduates to plan, manage and optimise operations and processes.

Top reasons to study Supply Chain Management & Logistics

If you want to learn how to make an impact on the dynamic and ever-changing business world, Supply Chain Management & Logistics is a great choice for you. Almost every aspect of modern life is affected by the Logistics sector, and careers in this field are highly promising. Here are some of the top reasons to pursue this field:

1. All-time high job demand: Due to trade globalization, logistics is an incredibly fast-growing field, with an almost 20-year high in open positions. This also means that finding an internship during your studies will be relatively easy.
2. High salaries: Average salaries for Business roles in Logistics & SCM are very high, and there are abundant opportunities to quickly advance to upper-management positions.
3. You can make a positive impact on the world: Because of the far-reaching roots of Logistics, if your dream is to make the world a better, more sustainable place to live in, you have a great shot at achieving this in the field of SCM.

What are similar subjects I can study?

As mentioned, Logistics and Supply Chain Management programs include elements of other Business disciplines. If you are still unsure which sector you want to focus on, these other options are other great stepping stones to promising careers:

• Business Administration: General Business Degrees cover many areas related to Logistics, and they usually offer specialisations linked to Supply Chain management.
• International Business: Due to the relevance of international trade in Logistics, International Business programs often overlap significantly with this field.
• Industrial Management: If you’re more specifically interested in the technical aspects of Logistics, such as warehouse operations or quality control, this is a good option.