Program Overview

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Business and Supply Chain Management BSc (Hons)

Overview

Gain global logistics and supply chain skills that keep the world moving in one of the UK’s biggest supply chain hubs with great placement opportunities.

Key Information

UCAS Code:

J9N1, J9N5

Accreditation:

This course is Accredited

Typical Offer:

112-120 UCAS points from 3 A levels, or equivalent

Study Mode and Duration

• 3 years full-time
• 4 years sandwich with work placement
• 4 years with foundation year
• 5 years sandwich with foundation year and work placement

Start Date

• September 2025

Course Information

Overview

Supply chain management contributes to every aspect of business, not to mention everyday life. Recent events like Covid and Brexit have shown how important supply chains are. Ensuring the right products are in the right place at the right time — and at the right cost — is vital to life as we know it. So is ensuring those supply chains are sustainable safe for the environment.

On this degree you'll investigate risk and strategic management, logistics management, and learn how to procure goods and manage supply lines. You'll use professional industry software, systems and tools to help you explore the ethics and sustainability of global supply chains.

With a focus on global procurement and the sourcing and purchasing of goods, you’ll graduate with more than just an understanding of logistics and the movement of goods. You’ll build your specialist knowledge and understanding of business in general so that you graduate with a set of management and specific skills that are in demand in the workplace.

You can boost your employability and apply you degree knowledge with a paid industry placement year before or after your third year. As Portsmouth is a vital supply chain hub there are great local opportunities to do a placement year with companies like IBM and Boeing, as well as other roles across the UK.

"Demand for supply chain talent is at an all-time high, as more and more companies have recognised how important supply chain management is to their success."

DHL

Course Highlights

• Stand out in the employment market with your knowledge of procurement and a valued skill set
• Get hands on experience of using SAP software and reporting in our SAP suite.
• Choose from specialist module options including business analytics and data modelling — skills that are in-demand in the industry
• Gain core management skills such as risk management and leadership alongside your specialist supply chain skills
• Benefit from the support of our dedicated Placement Team to help you secure a paid placement year
• Improve your global employability by spending a year abroad at a partner university in Europe, Asia, Australia or North America
• Learn from academics who have supply chain industry experience and research expertise in data driven supply chains
• Opt to do a foundation year with ICP to get uni-ready ahead of this course, then take up a guaranteed place on this full Bachelor's degree when you successfully finish your foundation year

Accreditation

Chartered Management Institute CMI HE partner

No. 3

influential business school in the world

Financial Times Teaching Power Rankings 2021

Top 30

for student satisfaction

(Times Higher Education, 2024)

We have partnered with the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) so that you can gain a value added professional qualification alongside your degree. Students on our BA (Hons) Business and Supply Chain Management can be awarded a CMI Level 5 Certificate in Management and Leadership upon successful completion of their degree programme. Upon joining their degree course, students become members of the CMI and are able to access a range of benefits, resources and events to support their professional development.

The University of Portsmouth has earned business accreditation from the AACSB in recognition of the outstanding quality of its business and management education. Less than six percent of the world's schools offering business degree programs hold AACSB business accreditation.

Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements (September 2025 start)

BSc (Hons) Foundation year

• A levels - BBB-BBC
• UCAS points - 112-120 points from 3 A levels, or equivalent
• T-levels - Merit
• BTECs (Extended Diplomas) - DDM-DMM
• International Baccalaureate - 29

You may need to have studied specific subjects or GCSEs - see full entry requirements and other qualifications we accept.

English Language Requirements

• English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.

See alternative English language qualifications.

We also accept other standard English tests and qualifications, as long as they meet the minimum requirements of your course.

If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

Ideal Skills and Qualities for this Course

Supply chains are evolving constantly to adapt to business challenges. Communication and negotiation skills, adaptability, and creativity are becoming increasingly important. We're looking for enthusiastic people who can demonstrate good communication and presentation skills.

You don't need to be particularly good at maths for this degree, but we are looking for analytical and enquiring minds who enjoy solving problems.

Joining this Course in the 2nd Year

This course is open to both international and UK students. If you're an international student who doesn't quite meet our entry requirements you can join this degree course in the 2nd year after completing the undergraduate pathway to Business and Management at International College Portsmouth.

Facilities

SAP Next Generation Lab

Gain practical skills with cloud-based software such as SAP and S&P Capital IQ, in our dedicated lab.

Business Simulation Suite

Experience the boardroom in our replica business suite.

Careers and Opportunities

Logistics and supply chain management today is emerging as a highly desirable sector for employment providing an exciting high-tech career. This is due to the deployment of cutting-edge technologies in many of the key areas.

Harald Hamley , Teaching fellow, University of Portsmouth

Supply chain management is needed everywhere and there's a great shortage of supply chain skills in the UK. You could work in retail, healthcare, manufacturing, shipping and freight, charities or the public sector - the choice is yours.

Pay is good; the average salary for all UK procurement and supply chain professionals is £49,743 (CIPS Salary Guide 2022) and there are many varied routes for career progression, including working overseas.

Roles you can go on to with this degree include:

• supply chain management
• purchasing and procurement
• procurement management
• logistics analysis
• distribution management
• supply coordination

Previous graduates have gone on to work for companies such as:

• Marks and Spencer
• Apple
• Amazon
• DHL
• UPS
• Automotive (RR)
• Procter and Gamble (P&G)

Alternatively you could go on to specialist postgraduate study, or set up your own business with the help and support of the University.

"Roles in logistics and supply chain management can provide challenging and satisfying careers which typically combine the responsibility for 'day-to-day' operations with long term projects implementing major business changes."

Prospects October 2021

Work Placement Year

You can boost your employability by taking an optional paid placement after your second or third year.

Previous students have had placements in organisations such as:

• Intel
• Sony
• Johnson and Johnson
• Land Rover
• Aldi
• Nissan

Many of our students are offered a graduate job by their placement employer.

The average salary for a 12-month paid placement is £19,800 for students in the Faculty of Business and Law. It could be more or less than this amount depending on your placement. You'll only pay a very small percentage of your tuition fee for this year.

You could also set up your own business, or take a voluntary placement during this year.

Modules

Foundation Year

If you're not sure you meet the entry requirements, or need some help to get uni-ready, then we offer this course with a foundation year to bring you up to speed.

• ICT Skills - 10 credits
• Interactive Learning Skills and Communication - 20 credits
• Business Management - 20 credits
• Mathematics for Business - 20 credits
• Economics - 20 credits
• Business Studies - 10 credits
• Accounting - 20 credits
• Business Law - 20 credits

Core Modules

• Business Accounting - 20 credits
• Business Operations and Systems Management - 20 credits
• Discovering the Supply Chain Professional - 0 credits
• Introduction to Business Analytics - 20 credits
• Managing People in Organisations - 20 credits
• Marketing Principles and Practice - 20 credits
• Preparing Future Managers - 20 credits

Core Modules

• Business Logistics Management - 20 credits
• Leadership, Ethics, Governance and Sustainability - 20 credits
• Risk Management and Supply Chain Vulnerability - 20 credits
• Legal Issues in Procurement and Supply - 20 credits
• Procurement and Supply - 20 credits

Optional Modules

• Business Analytics in Practice - 20 credits
• Digital Commerce - 20 credits
• Financial Decision Making and Control - 20 credits
• International Business - 20 credits

Core Modules

• Dissertation - HR and Operations Management - 40 credits
• Operations Strategy and the Supply Chain - 20 credits
• Business Improvement and Creativity - 20 credits

Optional Modules

• Business Consultancy Project - 20 credits
• Critical Leadership: Theory and Practice - 20 credits
• Cross Cultural Awareness for Business - 20 credits
• Strategic and International Management - 20 credits
• Project Management for Enterprise - 20 credits
• Responsible and Sustainable Business - 20 credits
• Strategic Management - 20 credits

Teaching

The majority of your timetabled teaching will be face-to-face and will include:

• lectures
• seminars
• business suite sessions
• one-on-one tutorials

We pride ourselves on the academic support we offer our students. In addition to our dedicated teaching team, you'll have a personal tutor, student engagement officers and study support staff to help you throughout your studies.

Assessment

Assessment depends on the modules that you take, but assessment methods are likely to include:

• essays
• presentations
• projects
• exams
• reflective work
• computer-based assignments

Teaching Staff Profiles

These are some of the expert staff who’ll teach you on this degree course.

• Professor Banu Lokman
• Professor of Operational Research
• Associate Head (Research and Innovation)
• Operations and Systems Management
• Faculty of Business and Law
• PhD Supervisor

How You'll Spend Your Time

One of the main differences between school or college and university is how much control you have over your learning.

We use a blended learning approach to teaching, which means you’ll take part in both face-to-face and online activities during your studies. As well as attending your timetabled classes you'll study independently in your free time, supported by staff and our virtual learning environment, Moodle.

Supporting You

The amount of timetabled teaching you'll get on your degree might be less than what you're used to at school or college, but you'll also get support via video, phone and face-to-face from teaching and support staff to enhance your learning experience and help you succeed. You can build your personalised network of support from the following people and services:

• Personal tutor
• Student engagement officers
• Maths and statistics support
• Business study support tutors
• Academic skills support
• Library support
• Wellbeing and mental health support
• Disability advice and additional support

Course Costs and Funding

Tuition Fees (September 2025 start)

BSc (Hons) Foundation year

• UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students – £9,535 a year (may be subject to annual increase)
• EU students – £9,535 a year, including our Transition Scholarship (may be subject to annual increase)
• International students – £17,200 a year (subject to annual increase)

You won't pay any extra tuition fees to another university for taking part in a study/work abroad activity if you choose to do it for the whole academic year. During a year abroad you'll only have to pay a reduced fee to the University of Portsmouth.

• UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students – £5,760 per year (may be subject to annual increase)

Please note this foundation year with ICP isn't currently open to EU or International students.

Additional Course Costs

• Accommodation and living costs
• Recommended reading
• General costs
• Final year project
• Placement year and study abroad tuition fees

Apply

September 2025 start

BSc (Hons) Foundation year

To start BSc (Hons) Business and Supply Chain Management in 2025, apply through UCAS. You'll need:

• the UCAS course code – J9N1
• our institution code – P80

Apply now through UCAS

If you'd prefer to apply directly, use our online application form.

You can also sign up to an Open Day to:

• Tour our campus, facilities and halls of residence
• Speak with lecturers and chat with our students
• Get information about where to live, how to fund your studies and which clubs and societies to join

If you're new to the application process, read our guide on applying for an undergraduate course.

To start BSc (Hons) Business and Supply Chain Management with Foundation Year in 2025, apply through UCAS. You'll need:

• the UCAS course code – J9N5
• our institution code – P80

Apply now through UCAS

If you'd prefer to apply directly, use our online application form:

• Apply direct for September 2025 entry.

Please note this foundation year with ICP isn't currently open to EU or International students.

You can also sign up to an Open Day to:

• Tour our campus, facilities and halls of residence
• Speak with lecturers and chat with our students
• Get information about where to live, how to fund your studies and which clubs and societies to join

If you're new to the application process, read our guide on applying for an undergraduate course.

Applying from Outside the UK

International and EU students

As an international student you'll apply using the same process as UK students, but you’ll need to consider a few extra things.

You can get an agent to help with your application. Check your country page for details of agents in your region.

Find out what additional information you need in our international students section.

If you don't meet the English language requirements for this course yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

Admissions Terms and Conditions

When you accept an offer to study at the University of Portsmouth, you also agree to abide by our Student Contract (which includes the University's relevant policies, rules and regulations). You should read and consider these before you apply.