Master of Science in Purchasing, Logistics and Supply Chain Management

at University of Bedfordshire - Luton Campus United Kingdom

Models of work are constantly evolving, but one thing does not change: people still need to be recruited, trained, motivated and paid to meet an organisation's requirements. If your interests lie in effective people management, this course puts you on the right path.

You begin your journey with a thorough grounding in business before exploring the many aspects of human resource management (HRM): professional practice; leadership and motivation; creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship; business systems including international business; selection and recruitment; employee relations; and employment law.

Learn from expert tutors as you carry out practical projects that emulate working as a professional manager, and develop your practical experience with an optional year’s paid work placement in a HRM role.

In your final year, study strategic HRM, examining real firms with a view to solving people problems, and carry out an independent research project.

Why choose this course?

• Develop your understanding of how HRM works with other business disciplines, knowledge that will enable you to fit into numerous types of organisation in the future - private, public or not-for-profit
• Learn from experts in their field, active within the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), and in both consultancy and research
• Challenge yourself with an optional sandwich year placement after your second year.
• If you want to step up into higher education, we also offer a degree path with an initial Foundation Year (see below)
• Equip yourself with a range of subject-specific and transferable skills suited to a career in specialist human management roles or professional business and management environments, both national and international

“The University has offered me numerous opportunities to develop my skills and expand my network, and has constantly pushed me outside of my comfort zone, helping me become a real HR professional. My lecturers have always been supportive and understanding, and put great effort into communicating with us. All in all, these have been the most important three years of my life!”

This course gives you the chance to study for a business degree with a potential accreditation* from a leading professional body in marketing.

If you have a committed interest in studying marketing as a major part of your degree experiences and see yourself developing a marketing-oriented career.

It will equip you for a career in marketing management where marketing knowledge combined with general business and soft skills in management are seen as a great advantage, and where your capability will see you comfortable in operating in many different task environments.

Why choose this course?

In order to remain competitive international businesses are looking for graduates who are able to work in a flexible, collaborative way in order to help provide innovative marketing solutions to often complex and open-ended problems.

This course is specifically designed to enable you to develop these skills through an exciting programme that links academic theory and real world business projects in realistic business and marketing settings.

Studying this course will help you to gain an insight into the reality of business and marketing that goes beyond what is discussed in the text books and will help you to engage with potential employers in a much more meaningful way

If you’re looking to explore your creativity, establish your own unique style and take contemporary fashion design by storm, our course has the dedicated facilities and equipment, track record and industry links to get your designs on the domestic and international catwalks.

Both our course and highly experienced academic team encourage you to experiment with designs, materials and garment-making while giving you the practical tools and wider experience you need to develop your individual creative approach.

Based at Alexon House, previously home to one of the UK's leading fashion houses, the course offers industry-standard manufacturing facilities and the latest textile processes with access to high-spec technology including digital textile printing and pattern cutting; computer-aided design; and 3D printing.

As part of our industry speaker series, you meet designers, artist, editors, curators and recruiters on a weekly basis while also getting the opportunity to join international trips to visit trade fairs and galleries.

You graduate ready for industry with a professional portfolio, following in the footsteps of previous graduates, who have gone on to work with Alexander McQueen, Mary Katranzou, Lulu Liu, Sopie Webster, Amanda Wakeley, Zandra Rhodes, Love Magazine and Denza International. Some of our graduates have started their own label, such as Aaugust, who won Young Designer of the Year at Africa Fashion Week London.

Why choose this course?

• You learn the specialised design and craft skills you need to make your mark in the domestic and international fashion industry
• You study in a dedicated, stimulating and lively studio environment with a sewing machine for every student
• Our close links with the industry and leading fashion designers mean you work on real briefs and live projects; you’re also encouraged to enter competitions and awards
• Your personal creative development is underpinned by a sound knowledge the history of fashion design; contemporary debates in fashion; multicultural and international contexts; and understanding of the wider visual world
• At Alexon House, you are part of a community spanning the art, design and creative industries, and can explore related disciplines such as digital photography, screen-printing and illustration
• You can challenge established designers when you prepare a garment collection and showcase your work on the runway at our Graduate Fashion Show
• There’s the option to take the course over four years and benefit from a fee-free work placement (see below) which will widen your experience, add to your CV and offer the opportunity to make useful contacts for the future
• If you have completed an appropriate foundation degree or HND, you can join this course at stage three

This course is ideal for computing graduates who want to prepare for a general career in IT without the need to specialise at this stage.
Subjects range from data modelling, embedded systems and systems architecture to intelligent agents, equipping you to fully understand the application of computing technology in real-world situations whilst gaining the practical business skills that employers seek.

Why choose this course?

• Study a broad range of IT disciplines including online database applications, intelligent agents, programming embedded systems, professional project management systems architecture, network systems, distributed and parallel architectures and cryptography and cryptanalysis
• Explore and analyse current trends in the continually expanding area of internet technologies including wireless internet and network configurations and enjoy opportunities to work with innovative distributed environments and architectures
• Develop practical and business skills necessary for a wide range of careers in IT from management to high-level web application development or system administration
• Gain in-depth skills in network management and administration (allowing you to work as a Network Manager) including essential security aspects, grid-computing and fault tolerance
• Benefit from developing expertise equipping you for a career as an IT Consultant, Programmer, Systems/Business Analyst, in web development/web services or in further study on an MSc by Research, MPhil or PhD.

Marketing graduates, with understanding of the dynamics of modern business marketing, are highly employable, and this professionally-accredited degree will ensure you are up-to-date with developments in communications, digital and social media as well as essential business functions like finance, HRM and operations.

Marketing embraces psychology, consumer behaviour, management, innovation, sociology and popular culture and is central to life in the 21st century.

After studying buyer behaviour, marketing data analysis, branding, competition, and media and communications, you will combine it all in practical assignments.

Why choose this course?

• Learn from staff with extensive industry experience as you engage with real marketing projects
• Study the latest marketing developments ensuring you graduate with up-to-date knowledge
• Develop your career opportunities with an optional placement and links to industry practitioners
• Gain knowledge of marketing and communications areas including management, marketing in contemporary contexts, marketing data and international business
• Explore a range of potential career options including sales, brand management, business development, market research, communications and customer liaison
• Benefit from studying a degree accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), with an optional placement (sandwich) year.

In each year of study, you will be involved in  practical marketing projects from real companies and you will interact with professional practitioners, allowing you to engage with theory and practice and encourage you to make links between your studies and workplace practice.

This provides you with an understanding of modern business marketing and will ensure that you are up-to-date with developments in communications, digital and social media, as well as business functions like finance, HRM and operations.

Our professionally-accredited course will provide you with the opportunity to take the Introductory Certificate in Marketing qualification awarded by the renowned Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), with further exemption opportunities for the CIM Professional Certificate and CIM Professional Diploma.

After graduation, this could provide a great way to start your marketing career and save you time and money towards your professional marketing qualification

This course aims to enable you to develop the necessary skills for, and knowledge, practice and understanding of, the events industry.

You will become a self-directed, self-regulated reflexive learner, using an awareness of opportunities for careers or further study in the event industry.

With a good grounding in business and marketing the course offers students an industry focus in event management with good employment opportunities across a range of roles in both marketing and events e.g. Strategic Event Designer, Trade Show Manager, Events Marketing Communication Managers, Social Media Event Managers, Sporting Events Manager.

This inter-disciplinary course combines key subject areas of business, marketing and event management in a practice-oriented way that allows you to develop a deep theoretical understanding and practical knowledge of events management.

The University of Bedfordshire is a member of The Association for Tourism in Higher Education (ATHE). ATHE is the subject association for tourism in higher education in the UK. It represents universities that are leading providers of tourism programmes.

Why choose this course?

• Benefit from a course that opens up career opportunities as an Event Manager, Festival Organiser/Co-ordinator, Exhibitioner Organiser, Events Marketing Communications Manager or Conference and Events Manager, and offers access to a wide choice of further study.
• Learn essential skills for careers in the events industry, in a department with close links to local cultural, sporting and business organisations.
• Study areas including: event planning and operations; risk and crisis management for events, events and destination marketing, event planning in practice; and marketing communications through a combination of classroom-based learning and fieldwork activities.
• Gain additional insights through field trips to organisations like Luton Town Football Club, Twickenham and Woburn Abbey, and working on annual events hosted by your Department.
• Explore the relevant theory and research areas and learn how to apply them through practice, working on real-life briefs and case studies.

The global aviation industry is expanding rapidly, and our close proximity to London Luton Airport – the UK’s fastest-growing major airport - means you can enjoy a truly hands-on approach to learning.

Using the latest interactive teaching technologies, this course equips you with the knowledge and experience you need to establish your career in this field, covering a range of business, leadership and specialist areas including aviation law; business planning and entrepreneurship; crisis management and communication; and aviation safety and security.

With our campus close to London Luton Airport, you have plenty of opportunities to take up work placements with airlines and related organisations, placing you in an ideal position to get real-life experience, build your CV and make contacts for the future.

Why choose this course?

• Expand your knowledge of the global airline and airport industry with a highly committed and motivating team of teaching experts
• Learn in small and engaging teaching environments using up-to-the-minute interactive technologies
• Benefit from a course that uses a hands-on, practical approach, including the use of strategic airline simulation
• Develop a range of specialist and transferable management skills which are valued by employers and which prepare you for a graduate career in the aviation and airport industries
• If you wish to step up to higher education, you can take advantage of our Foundation Year, which gives you guaranteed entry to the Undergraduate course

The study of finance is key to understanding how businesses operate, governments exercise policies and countries operate and compete with each other.

This course will provide you with an intimate knowledge of the structural issues economies are facing and the way they are being realised in today’s economics affairs through the dominance of financial institutions.

Through blended learning you will study the theoretical background and work with industry on real business problems to develop the personal and professional skills you need to be a key player in this global, knowledge-based economy

Why choose this course?

• Study the related areas of economics, financial markets and portfolio management, accounting and finance and strategic management
• Gain advanced knowledge of financial organisations and institutions, as well as of government policies and the critical capabilities to apply theory to complex issues
• Explore your enterprise, creativity and independence – the skills required by employers - through your dissertation unit
• Develop your employability by undertaking a work placement with the opportunity to work on a live project
• Benefit from studying with a Business School that has partners across the world enabling you to examine the cross-culture perspectives essential to organisations in the global markets

The MBA is a flagship generalist management qualification designed to meet the needs of early career individuals and is structured to support your aspirations for fast track career progression through the development of leadership and strategic management skills and a contemporary understanding of business.

The course adopts a practice-led curriculum and aims to develop an advanced knowledge of organisations and their effective management in the dynamic competitive global context, and the ability to creatively apply this knowledge and understanding to complex issues to systematically and innovatively enhance strategic business and management practice.

This offers a challenging learning opportunity to encourage the integration of theory and practice supported by experienced academics with substantial management experience.

Through practice events you will work with academics and professors of practice on live consultancy projects with leading employers in organisations across private, public and not-for-profit sectors to support your personal and professional development as a creative and innovative leader with the knowledge and skills needed in the global, knowledge-based economy.

You will develop the attributes and skills expected of post-graduates, as recognised by professional and industry bodies such as the Chartered Management Institute and the Confederation of British Industry, including team-working, negotiation skills, leadership, confidence and the ability to apply critical and creative thinking to complex and unclear problems to develop innovative solutions.

This degree aims to enhance your professional prospects by developing your capability to apply the latest thinking relating to organisational development and change in the competitive global context. Successful completion of the MBA highlights your potential to have a real impact on the transformation of the organisation you join.

This course is integrative, blending accounting and business finance theory to solve problems faced by managers on a daily basis. You will also further develop the necessary quantitative, research, and presentation skills required for successful career in business or further academic study.

Your studies will be enhanced by the integration of theory and practice into those situations where vital financial decisions have to be made.

Why choose this course?

• Benefit from a wide range of teaching experiences such as lectures, seminars, and workshops, fieldwork, practice weeks, external visits, on-line activities, individual and group work tasks and invited guest speakers from the tourism and aviation industry.
• Learn through a range of integrated, project based activities which will set the tourism and aviation industry in the context of business.
• Investigate the sensitive and positive effects cultures have on tourism and aviation. In your final year, we start to elaborate on the sustainable aspects of international tourism.
• Benefit from teaching informed by research and professional practice that our tutors draw upon to illustrate current issues in the tourism and aviation industry globally.