Editor’s Note: This is a guest blog from our friend Kelli Harris, a consultant and recent college graduate in Logistics Management. Today, Kelly shares the top 14 Logistics and Supply Chain Management training programs and courses available in 2016.
Nowadays, to succeed in business, it is not enough to use marketing approaches; it is required to apply modern efficient methods of management to stream processes, such as logistics. Logistics as a practical activity steadily found its niche in the management of modern enterprises; it has great importance for the customers, suppliers of the company, its owners and shareholders. This science coordinates all structures of the company.
The main goal of business logistics is to create and ensure effective functioning of the integrated management system of material flows in the enterprise. The role of it in the modern company carries optimization and integration character.
Such management is important for success and development of your business. It is important to note the necessity to build strategy of company’s logistics system development and integrate it as a full-fledged component for not less than 10-15 years. However, wrong understanding and usage of logistics management is just a waste of time. To protect yourself and your business I offer you to take a look at this list of top programs and courses that will take place in 2016, which will help you to understand main concepts of this powerful tool and learn how to successfully apply it on practice.
University Courses.
If you had just decided to connect your future with logistics and supply chain management, then attending a university or college might be the best decision to gain deep and complete set of skills and knowledge in this field. Anyone who has desire to obtain this profession can apply to one of the universities that have this faculty and obtain Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degrees in Logistics.
1) Logistics and supply chain management faculty at Florida International University.
The new major in Logistics and Supply Chain Management gives college students an opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge in the field of logistics and supply chain management concepts, best practices, and modern instruments of trade that will improve their professionalism and open new doors for them.
2) Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management at Western Washington University.
This program is 48 months long and its cost is around $7,000. It gives you a unique opportunity to study at the great institution by the program that was created by world’s leading professionals, which develops strong analyzing, creative thinking, and logistic skills to raise the most efficient workers for this field.
3) OnCampus Texas.
This program is developed by University of North Texas and it offers international students to complete one year course related to logistics. There are three different programs offered – Aviation Logistics; Operations and Supply Chain Management; Logistics and Supply Chain Management, duration of every course is 12 months and it is accredited as a full year of college. The cost of such program is $25,000.
These are just few of possible options that will allow you to study logistics at the university, you are free to choose any of them or look for more institutions that provide such courses in the USA or other countries.
Short programs.
Also you can consider attending one of shorter programs. Below are presented some examples of such paid short courses related to logistics management that can be taken online, to find more opportunities consider searching them at ShortCourses or at AcademicCourses.
1) Course in E Logistics and Supply Chain Management by National University.
This is a short, part-time course that can be taken online. There are three offered starting dates – August 2016, January 2017 or May 2017. The course will introduce to you main concepts of public and private E-Marketplaces, Supply Chain Management and their usage in e-business.
2) Supply Chain Management. Strategy and Planning for Effective Operations by Northwestern University.
This program’s duration is only three days and it can be either taken online or at the University’s campus. The price for this course is 5,300 USD and it starts in September 2016. This program is not introductory like a previous one, its target audience is managers who are already knowledgeable in this field and it is aimed on professional improvement and growth. From these lessons you will learn to plan supply chains that enhance inventory network benefit, build and amplify production network coordination and joint effort, identify dangers and configuration hazard relief systems, explore production, purchasing, and distribution methodologies for a worldwide environment.
3) Business Operations Management by National University.
This is a full time course that you can attend online or at the campus; just like for another program provided by this university, starting dates are August 2016, January 2017, and May 2017. These lessons are not focused just on logistics management; they will touch all operations conducted within an organization and present them from clients’ perspective. Main parts of the course are quality issues, business administration, and physical design.
Free Online Classes.
If you are not sure yet whether this field will suit you, then taking free online classes is exactly what you need; such classes are excellent analogs to long-term and expensive university programs, but can give you not less knowledge and skills.
1) Courses at Study.com.
This is a platform that offers free distance courses for everyone, among a variety of various classes they have to offer two programs in this field. All classes that you take here are credited. The website provides all needed studying material, short teaching videos, assignments, quizzes, etc.
- Services Marketing, Marketing Channels & Supply Chain Management – This set of lessons teaches you about physical distribution of products and main six components that create supply chain integration. Here you can also learn about channel intermediaries and explore marketing channels.
- Competitive Advantage – Attending this course you are learning about SWOT, strategic marketing alternatives and business plans.
2) Non-Credited Lessons.
Another opportunity to study logistics for free is Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This university had created a non-profit platform that gathers many courses on various subjects that can be taken for free. To take one of such classes you have to look through a list of upcoming lessons and sign up for one of them, they are updated regularly so everyone can find something suitable. Regarding supply chain management or logistics, it offers quite a big selection. Here you can take courses like
- Logistics and Supply Chain Management
- Logistics Systems
- Management of Supply Networks for Products and Services
- Manufacturing System and Supply Chain Design
- Operations Strategy
- Systems Optimization: Models and Computation.
Author’s bio: Kelly J. Harris is a consultant regarding academic matters at the thesis writing service, recently she obtained degree in new for her field – logistics management. She is willing to share with us how anyone can study or improve their knowledge in this field and offers to look at top courses and programs in logistics management.