The programme takes a mixed theoretical and practical approach to provide you with the tools, techniques and knowledge for the study of supply chains and the way they work. As a result, you will learn and then apply the skills needed for the successful management of these vital commercial links that enable products and services to move from producer to consumer.
The course is completed on a full-time basis over one year and is designed to enable you to study the subject with no previous experience in business or management.
The course opens up significant opportunities for you to study and learn abroad through international study tours and summer schools organised with our overseas partners as well as the possibility of completing your dissertation abroad.
The Business School has an excellent reputation for its academic standards and teaching quality, and we are in an elite UK group that has been accredited by the three major business accreditation bodies, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the Association of MBAs and the European Quality Improvement System.
You will also be able to participate in events and activities in the School that will add to the sum of your business-related knowledge.
You will study core and optional modules as well as completing a dissertation. Core modules include global supply chain leadership, sustainable supply chain management, operations and supply chain management, strategy, business analytics and Digital, Resilient and Sustainable Procurement.
Course structure
Year 1 modules
Core modules:
Global Supply Chain Leadership
gives you an in-depth insight into how decisions are made in the modern global supply chain using examples of real-life case studies. The module introduces the theories and practices of leadership and outlines the challenges faced by supply chain managers.
Sustainable Supply Chain Management
explores how businesses and their extended supply chains are having an impact on sustainability, be it environmental, economic or social. The module considers the critical drivers, key barriers, and successes in implementing the principles of sustainability.
Operations and Supply Chain Management
provides an understanding of the complexities of managing operations and supply chains in the manufacturing sector in particular but also in the service sector.
Strategy
explores success or lack of success in business by considering strategy and its effectiveness in the existing external business environment and the internal relationship between strategy and business resources and capabilities.
Business Analytics
will develop critical insights into the decision-making processes essential for contemporary business and management. This module is designed to develop your capabilities in data analytics, covering descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive methods, and provides hands-on experience with real-world business challenges.
Organisational Behaviour
covers key issues concerning the behaviour of individuals in organisations.
Research Methods and Dissertation (General Management or International or Business Project route)
provides the necessary training to undertake advanced-level research. You will investigate a relevant topic, and, using material from core and optional modules, complete a dissertation or business project. Dissertation can be undertaken here at Durham or abroad at a partner university.
You have the option to choose between a traditional dissertation format or a business project. The business project involves working with an external organization to carry out a business issue-led investigation, addressing specific management challenges across a range of organizations. This practical approach allows you to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world problems, gaining invaluable experience and insights.
This module will introduce you to a variety of research methods in the social sciences, including both quantitative and qualitative methods. You will learn to review research studies, understand their theoretical principles, and evaluate their methods and findings, equipping you with the skills necessary for conducting rigorous academic or applied research.
Optional modules:
In recent years, optional modules have included:
- Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation
- Decision Making and Business Options Modelling
- Digital Marketing
- East Asian Business and Management
- Employee Reward Strategy
- Financial Management
- Global Business
- Global Sport Business
- International Study Tour
- Project Management
- Responsible Business
- Thinking Entrepreneurially
- A language module such as those offered by the University’s Centre for Foreign Language Study.
