Business and Supply Chain Management

Business and supply chain management addresses the complex systems through which goods, materials, information and value move from raw material to end consumer. Supply chains underpin the entire global economy, connecting manufacturers, suppliers, logistics providers, retailers and customers across countries and continents, and the discipline of managing them draws on operations management, logistics, procurement, finance and strategy. Getting supply chains right means lower costs, better service and greater resilience; getting them wrong, as recent global disruptions have made clear, can bring entire industries to a halt.

At Aston University this four-year, full-time programme combines the core disciplines of business management with deep expertise in supply chain operations. You will study the strategic and operational dimensions of managing supply chains, including procurement, demand planning, inventory management, logistics, sustainability and the digital tools that are reshaping the field. A year abroad is incorporated into the programme, giving you an international perspective on a discipline that is by definition global in scope.

The curriculum is designed with strong industry input, emphasising experiential learning and the development of practical as well as analytical skills.

Graduates in business and supply chain management work in procurement, logistics, operations management, consulting, global sourcing, warehouse management, distribution and a growing range of roles connected to the digital transformation of supply chains. The NHS, retail sector, manufacturing, automotive, FMCG, aerospace and defence industries all employ supply chain professionals in substantial numbers. Many graduates also move into supply chain consulting or technology roles, working with the enterprise systems and data analytics platforms that modern supply chain management depends on.

Postgraduate study in supply chain management, operations, logistics or business analytics is a natural route for those who want to develop specialist expertise.