Logistics and Supply Chain Management (LSCM)

Program overview

This English-taught, European engineering Master’s brings together an international cohort to study logistics and supply chain management with a pronounced intercultural focus. The curriculum integrates technical, engineering and business perspectives so students can address supply chain challenges from multiple angles. A central emphasis is placed on methods and tools for working with business, financial and engineering data to develop efficient, evidence-based solutions.

The programme prepares graduates to take informed decisions across operational, tactical and strategic levels of logistics and supply chain management. Students learn to combine technological understanding with management thinking so they can evaluate trade-offs and implement integrated solutions in real-world contexts. The international classroom and cross-disciplinary content support skills needed to work in multinational teams and complex organisations.

Learning outcomes (what you will be able to do)

• Take a holistic approach to LSCM problems, accounting for management principles, human resources, environmental and quality concerns, and technological and economic factors
• Analyse, structure and discuss LSCM situations to identify problems and assess their complexity
• Choose and apply appropriate methodologies and strategies to design practicable LSCM solutions
• Compare alternatives, evaluate trade-offs and select the best solution to implement
• Build persuasive, evidence-based arguments to convince decision makers, identify suitable LSCM partners, and plan and coordinate projects to put solutions into practice

Curriculum overview

This program starts with a common first year that builds the foundational knowledge and core competencies required for logistics and supply chain management. The first semester concentrates on the conceptual and managerial basics—covering core subjects like logistics principles, systems thinking, decision-making and project management—while offering an elective between engineering and economics fundamentals. The second semester introduces practical and technical topics such as IT applications, materials handling and transport technologies, supply chain network design and flow management, general management skills, and the European dimensions of LSCM. Together, these modules give you both the theoretical framework and applied tools to operate in international supply chains.

In the second year you move into a focused specialization in logistics systems engineering and implementation, closely tied to the host university’s research and consultancy activities. The curriculum emphasizes the analysis, design, evaluation and practical deployment of materials handling, transport, and logistics control systems. You learn to specify and assess management and control systems, plan system implementation and ramp-up, and conclude the program with an independent master’s thesis that demonstrates your ability to conduct applied research or a practice-oriented project. This structure is well suited to students seeking hands-on engineering roles in logistics as well as those aiming for research-informed consultancy or operational leadership positions.

Core modules by semester

• First year — Semester 1 (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)
  • Basics of Logistics and Supply Chain Management
  • System Thinking
  • Decision Making
  • Project Management
  • Elective: Engineering Fundamentals or Economics Fundamentals
• First year — Semester 2 (Riga Technical University)
  • Information Technology
  • Materials Handling and Transportation Technology
  • Supply Chain Network and Flow Management
  • Generic Management Skills
  • LSCM European Dimension
• Second year — Semester 3 (Technische Hochschule Wildau)
  • Materials Handling System Design and Analysis
  • Logistics Management and Control System Specification and Evaluation
  • Logistics System Implementation and Ramp-up
• Second year — Semester 4
  • Master’s thesis

Key learning outcomes

• Master core logistics and supply chain theories and apply systems-thinking to complex problems
• Use decision-making and project-management methods to plan and execute logistics projects
• Apply IT and transport/handling technologies to design efficient supply chain networks and material flows
• Specify, evaluate and implement logistics management and control systems, including ramp-up into operation
• Understand European LSCM contexts and develop generic management skills for international teams
• Conduct independent applied research or project work culminating in a master’s thesis linked to real-world consultancy or research activities

Graduates are prepared for technical and managerial roles across the logistics and supply chain sector, including positions in operations management, supply chain planning and optimisation, materials handling and transport systems engineering, and logistics implementation teams. The combination of engineering methods, data handling and management skills also suits careers in consulting, supply chain analytics and research-linked roles.

The programme’s emphasis on implementation and project coordination equips students to lead cross‑functional projects, work with industrial partners on system roll-outs, or pursue further research in logistics systems and supply chain technologies.