Master's Degree Programme in Logistics (in English): Master's Degree Programme in Logistics

Descriptions

Master’s program in Logistics is a customer-focused, industry-relevant and interactive one-year Master’s program, built on the educational needs of current needs of companies looking for opportunities to improve their competiveness through developing logistics functions in their business. The MEng (Logistics) degree provides the participating BEng student a foundation to function as a thoughtful team leader and a proactive collaborator in today's networked business environment. A Master in Engineering in Logistics is a competent management professional utilizing former engineering competences either in logistics or other relevant fields (e.g. mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, IT etc…) complemented with the latest knowledge in advanced logistical operations

Master's Program in Logistics focuses on either developing new businesses in logistics services and/or introducing new elements to build competitive advantages with the help of logistics related functions. The program in tailored for engineers who need to combine their technical knowledge with management competences and understanding of new advances in logistics processes.

The program can be characterized by five principles. Industry-relevant competence development (1) in constructed in close interaction with stakeholders (companies, organizations, customers, alumni). The class itself shall be a diversity of 20…30 different companies, as participants with 3-10 years of experience are working while studying. Selected five focal industry-relevant competence areas, prioritized in the program are specified the curriculum.
The Master’s program in Logistics is centered round building the participants’ Research and development competences (2), developed systematic procedures involving typical research approaches for IM. The student’s Master’s Thesis solves a relevant problem identified in the company and constructs a solution applicable for the case organization. Knowledge transfer into status reports and reports improve the participants’ communication skills in development projects.

International competences (3) develop in Master’s in Logistics program by the default of its name: the themes relate to international business, analyzed by the case analyses of successful companies and best practice identified by international logistics and business research. Additionally, the culturally diverse class membership itself is an experiment of multicultural collaboration. International, diverse expert speakers bring in external perspectives. Interactive communication activities in various topics improve the students’ communication skills.
Fourthly, Master’s program in Logistics provides the participant with tools and competences for life-long learning (4). Personal competence assessment of professional development needs at the start of the program lead the participant to identify personality strengths and weaknesses, and build a professional development plan on the path to Leading self, team and organization. This involves a selection of the six key professional competences, of which one can be chosen among recommended optional modules. Peer and mentor evaluation is used to guide the competence development.

Finally, the Logistics program broadens the engineering student’s expertise into areas of multidisciplinary integration (5). All of the courses represent more than one discipline alone, for the reason that all projects incorporate a variety of perspectives, competences and resources, and are thus simulating an environment met in a real business context. Especially the understanding of the corner stones of productivity and profitability is emphasized in the studies. Student backgrounds are mixed from various fields of engineering. All the courses rely on collaborate teaching with several experts to promote. All research clinics rely on co-teaching and student mentoring from different disciplinary perspectives (Logistics, business, methodology, academic writing).

Development

The origin of the program is a collaborate project with major companies and the advisory board of Industrial Management and organizations representing companies in the field of logistics. The Master's Thesis is done for the company. Moreover, the participant makes several company analyses during the programme.

Further information

More detailed contents is given in program's Curriculum Guide 2015 - 2016 including references to the readings for each course. The references are mainly articles in established journals, books and other material. These, including handouts by lecturers and external experts are distributed during the programme in the Metropolia internal learning platform Tube.
Grading is based on written assignments, team performance and presentations, and the Master's Thesis.