FREE Trial with Benzinga Pro happening right now!
Businesses use supply chains to operate more effectively and help minimize costs when distributing products to consumers. If you’re interested in a career in supply chain management, an online course can bring you up to speed. You can also take more advanced classes to further your knowledge or discover more advanced techniques if you already work in the field.
When you’re ready to get started, Benzinga has you covered with a list of offerings for all skill levels worth considering.
Quick Look: Best Supply Chain Courses
Take a sneak peek at Benzinga’s top picks:
- Supply Chain Fundamentals: Understanding the Basics by Udemy
- Supply Chain Basics for Everyone by LinkedIn Learning
- Supply Chain Planning by Rutgers University
- Supply Chain Operations Metrics and KPIs by Udemy
- Inventory Management A-Z: Supply Chain and Business Operations by Udemy
- Logistics and Supply Chains - Fundamentals, Design, Operations by Udemy
- Excel Supply Chain Analysis: Solving Inventory Problems by LinkedIn Learning
- Supply Chain for Management Consultants and Business Analysts by Udemy
- Supply Chain Excellence by Rutgers University
What Makes a Supply Chain Course Great?
A quick online search for supply chain courses presents several options. How do you know which are best? Look for these characteristics as you review classes to find the best fit.
Led by Experienced Professionals
The best supply chain courses are instructed by subject-matter experts with industry experience. They should also have the ability to teach vital concepts in a way that’s easy to comprehend. Check reviews from past and current students to learn more about the facilitator’s teaching style.
Affordable
Don’t spend a fortune on a supply chain class if money’s tight. Start with free or low-priced options and work your way up to paid offerings as your budget permits.
Self-Paced
There’s a lot to learn about supply chain management. So, you want a course that allows you to work at your own pace when it’s convenient. Otherwise, you risk rushing through the segments just to meet pressing deadlines and not getting the most from your online learning experience.
Our Top Picks
We conducted extensive research to bring you our top selections. They are from leading online learning providers Coursera, LinkedIn Learning and Udemy.
Below, you will find the classes organized by skill level: beginners, intermediate students and advanced students. There’s also a description and price point for each option to help you make an informed decision.
Supply Chain Courses for Beginners
Start with these introductory courses if you are new to supply chain management.
1. Supply Chain Fundamentals: Understanding the Basics by Udemy
Who it's for: Beginners
Price: On sale
Interested in a career as a supply chain professional? This Udemy bestseller will equip you with the skills needed to secure an entry-level position and excel in your role. It’s also suitable for individuals who work in the field and need a refresher on the basics.
Supply Chain Fundamentals: Understanding the Basics consists of these segments:
- Demand
- Manufacturing
- Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP)
- Master Scheduling
- Material Requirements Planning
- Capacity Planning
- Production Activity Control
- Manufacturing Planning and Control (MPC)
- Inventory
- Focus on the Customer
- Sustainability
Licensed professional engineer John Mandic provides detailed instruction through 76 video lectures. He also offers 15 downloadable resources to supplement the core concepts introduced in the lessons.
2. Supply Chain Basics for Everyone by LinkedIn Learning
Who it's for: Beginners
Price: Included with the monthly membership
Supply Chain Basics for Everyone is a series from subject-matter expert Daniel Stanton. Students get a behind-the-scenes look at how supply chains function. You’ll also learn how to apply the essentials of supply chain management to minimize risks and better handle your company’s cash flow through real-life demonstrations.
You can view a list of video lectures below:
- An introduction to supply chain
- What is a supply chain?
- How much should I buy?
- Where should I buy things?
- When should I shop?
- Is that really a bargain?
- Which product should I choose?
- What happens when I’m done with this?
- How can I make my supply chain more efficient?
- How should I prepare for disruptions?
- How to apply supply chain principles to your daily life
It’s free to enroll with a monthly LinkedIn Learning membership. Not yet a member? Sign up for a 1-month trial membership to test drive the course.
3. Supply Chain Planning by Rutgers University
Who it's for: Beginners
Price: Free
This introductory course is a component of the Supply Chain Management Specialization from Rutgers University. It introduces students to supply chain planning and teaches them how to analyze demand data, build various forecasting techniques and select the best strategy to forecast future demand.
Supply Chain Planning is facilitated by Associate Professor Rudolf Leuschner, Ph.D. and consists of 4 modules:
- Simple Forecasting Methods, Naive Forecast and Cumulative Mean
- Forecast Accuracy and Moving Average
- Exponential Smoothing and Forecast Selection
- Supply Chain Planning
Each module includes video lectures and readings. You will also take a series of quizzes to assess your comprehension and identify concepts you should spend more time studying.
There’s no cost to enroll. Expect to spend 14 hours working through the material.
Intermediate Supply Chain Courses
These intermediate courses are ideal for individuals who understand the basics of supply chains.
4. Supply Chain Operations Metrics and KPIs by Udemy
Who it's for: Intermediate students
Price: On sale
Supply Chain Operations Metrics and KPIs is presented by Operational Excellence Training. You will learn how to evaluate your current supply chain's functionality, identify performance gaps, and implement changes to optimize your supply chain network.
The 35 lectures are categorized as follows:
- Course Introduction and Overview
- Supply Chain Reliability
- Supply Chain Responsiveness
- Supply Chain Agility
- Supply Chain Costs
- Supply Chain Asset Management
- Best Practices
Plus, there are 2 downloadable resources that students can reference while working through the course.
It’s ideal if you’re familiar with basic supply chain terminology when you enroll.
5. Inventory Management A-Z: Supply Chain and Business Operations by Udemy
Who it's for: Intermediate students
Price: On sale
Inventory Management A-Z: Supply Chain and Business Operations is another Udemy bestseller. It’s designed for professionals who want to master business inventory management in the workplace and become an integral part of the supply chain management team.
Management consultant Laurence Gartside walks you through these topics to help level up your skills and knowledge:
- Introduction to Inventory Management
- What Is Inventory?
- Why Do We Need Inventory?
- Costs of Inventory
- Measuring Performance
- Part Classification
- Inventory Dynamics
- Economic Order Quantity
- EQQ Advanced: Price Break Model
- Order Timing and Inventory Control
- Safety Stock Calculations
Enroll today for full lifetime access to 3.5 hours of on-demand video, 12 downloadable resources and 2 practice tests. You’ll also get a certificate of completion when you finish the course.
6. Logistics and Supply Chains – Fundamentals, Design, Operations by Udemy
Who it's for: Intermediate students
Price: On sale
Logistics and Supply Chains – Fundamentals, Design, Operations is another exceptional offering from Operational Excellence Training. It features 31.5 hours of on-demand video, 3 articles and 66 downloadable resources to help you better manage every component of your supply chain from start to finish.
There are lessons on supply chain management and logistics strategy, supply chain integration, demand management, material flow, capacity and customer relationship management. You will also learn more about inventory and warehouse management, global logistics management, reverse logistics and more.
Join over 13,000 students who’ve taken this course to learn how to level up their knowledge. You can register today in just minutes and access the materials right away.
Advanced Supply Chain Courses
Current supply chain management professionals will find these advanced courses useful.
7. Excel Supply Chain Analysis: Solving Inventory Problems by LinkedIn Learning
Who it's for: Advanced students
Price: Included with the monthly membership
Excel Supply Chain Analysis: Solving Inventory Problems is led by expert Curt Frye. The class core objective is to teach you how to create viable inventory policies through a supply chain.
Take a look at the course syllabus:
- Calculating Order Size for Deterministic Demand
- Calculating Economic Order Quantity with Backorders
- Analyzing Single Period (Newsvendor) Problems
- Analyzing Continuous Review Inventory Policies
Enrollment is included with a monthly LinkedIn Learning membership, or you can get started for free with a 1-month free trial. You also have the option to purchase the course for a 1-time fee of $39.99.
8. Supply Chain Management for Consultants and Business Analysts by Udemy
Who it's for: Advanced students
Price: On sale
Supply Chain for Management Consultants and Business Analysts walks you through a series of case studies to help you better understand supply chain activities and improve your supply chain to operate more effectively. You’ll also learn how to identify ways to curb expenses and calculate projected cost-savings in Excel. There’s also detailed instruction to help you implement these upgrades to your supply chain system.
Led by performance improvement expert Asen Gyczew, this advanced course includes these sections:
- General Information on Supply Chain
- Retail – Examples of Business Analyses of Supply Chain
- FMCG – Examples of Business Analyses of Supply Chain
- SMCG – Examples of Business Analyses of Supply Chain
- Commodity – Examples of Business Analyses of Supply Chain
- Distribution Model – General Information
- Sales Forecasting and Customer Service – General Information
- Production Planning – General Information
- Purchasing – General Information
Even better, you can enroll with confidence knowing the course comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re unsatisfied for any reason.
9. Supply Chain Excellence by Rutgers University
Who it's for: Advanced students
Price: Free
Supply Chain Excellence is also offered by Rutgers University and facilitated by Associate Rudolf Leuschner, Ph.D. It is part of the Supply Chain Excellence MasterTrack™ Certificate and prepares you to elevate your career as a supply chain professional.
This 3-week course entails these modules:
- Managing Product Flow
- Managing Information Flow
- Managing Financial Flow
It’s free to register. Prepare to spend 13 hours working through the video lectures, readings and taking the quizzes.
Find the Best Supply Chain Course for You
Online supply chain courses can help prepare you for a rewarding entry-level opportunity or promotion if you already work in a related role. Consider an option from our list of top recommendations to acquire the necessary skills or sharpen your knowledge.
They are facilitated by industry experts committed to helping you learn everything you need to know to succeed. Plus, some you can enroll for a fee that won’t break the bank, and work on the lessons and supplements when your schedule permits.
Southern New Hampshire University Online
SNHU Online Offers:
- Flexible schedules
- Affordable tuition
- Online tutoring
- Access to electronic research materials
- Specialized academic advising
- Supportive online community