The Best Online Supply Chain Management Courses

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Contributor, Benzinga
February 5, 2020

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Many activities go into making sure a product gets from point A to B. You need a strategic plan to juggle all the different parts. Though you may be adept in your field, you could probably learn more. Fortunately, there’s a simple way to do it. It may not be easy, but you do have ready access to more information on supply chain management. Taking a supply chain management course is a great way to update your skills or learn a new one. Best of all, you can do it from the comfort of your own home.

Best Supply Chain Management Courses

What Makes a Great Supply Chain Management Course?

What’s great about online courses? You have a lot to choose from. Of course, that may also make it difficult to choose one. So here are a few points to consider when picking one for this broad topic:

Price

Are online classes free? Some can be if you don’t mind auditing a course. If you don’t need a certificate of completion or graded assignments, this is a great way to learn new information. Otherwise, education platform prices may vary.

Some platforms offer a pay-per-class strategy where you only pay for what you need. Others offer monthly subscription plans. They both have their own advantages depending on what you’re looking for in a learning platform.

Instructor’s Reputation and Knowledge

Next, you may want to check out who’s teaching the class. Some classes are offered by recognized industry experts while others are from people who have experience in the field.

Both have valuable information. However, the best instructor depends on where you are within your own knowledge base.

In addition, you may want to take a look at reviews from past students. The teaching style and class scope may also help you decide whether a class is right for you. You can see reviews on the course’s main page.

Skills Taught

Lastly, you already know that supply chain management is a very broad topic. Make sure the course offers the skills you want before you enroll. You can do this by taking a look at the syllabus.

Furthermore, some classes may have prerequisites, especially at higher levels. These prerequisites help prepare you for the new content that’s offered in the course. Since this is not like taking college classes, you can always enroll in any class regardless of whether you have the prerequisites met. However, know that the instructor may assume certain knowledge and skills and build the course from that.

The Best Online Supply Chain Management Courses

If you’re ready to dive into the world of supply chain management, here are a few to get started. They cover different price ranges to meet most budgets.

Best Online Supply Chain Management Courses for Beginners

New to supply chain management and searching for foundational knowledge? These course selections are an excellent place to start.

1. Master Control in Supply Chain Management and Logistics by edX

image1-17
Source: edX.org
  • Who's it for? Beginners
  • Price: Free

If you need an overview class about supply chain management, this is a good place to start.

This 7-week course is offered by Chalmers University of Technology (Gothenburg, Sweden) via the edX platform. This course covers topics like:

  • Forecasting methods
  • Safety stock calculations
  • Lot sizing methods
  • Capacity and material planning
  • Transport planning

The course is free to audit. However, there’s a separate $49 fee if you’d like an official certificate of completion.

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Supply Chain Fundamentals: Understanding the Basics

Beginner • 78 videos • 2.9 hours
Supply Chain Fundamentals: Understanding the Basics
securely through Supply Chain Fundamentals: Understanding the Basics's website

2. Supply Chain Fundamentals: Understanding the Basics by Udemy

Do you need an overview of supply chain management? This basic course on Udemy goes beyond theory and incorporates exercises and examples to illustrate what’s learned.

Keep in mind, however, that the course is meant for people who may not have experience in the field. So the focal points are on basic concepts.

The course is reasonably priced and quite comprehensive. In addition, you do receive a certificate of completion as well as lifetime access with the paid class fee. Expect to spend approximately 3 hours total on video instruction along with 40 questions and solutions.

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Blockchain in Supply Chain Management

Beginner • 34 videos • 2.2 hours
Blockchain in Supply Chain Management
securely through Blockchain in Supply Chain Management's website

3. Blockchain in Supply Chain Management by Udemy

You may already be adept at supply chain management. But you can add blockchain technology to your resume by taking this Udemy class.

Learn about blockchain technology and its application in supply chain management (SCM).

In addition, the instructor leads you through real business cases and applications. This is a hands-on course. So expect to use blockchain demo platforms throughout the class.

This one is a great addition to your supply chain management skills. And if it turns out the class isn’t for you? Udemy has a 30-day money back guarantee.

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Best Intermediate Online Supply Chain Management Courses

If you have supply chain management experience, you may find the following courses useful.

1. Supply Chain Management: Be Global by Coursera

image5-1
Source: Coursera.org
  • Who's it for? Intermediate
  • Price: On sale

Get a competitive edge in the global market. This Coursera class addresses a variety of topics including:

  • Key drivers of global supply chain effectiveness
  • Creating supply chain networks
  • Identify success, failures, pitfalls and risks
  • Sustainability evaluations

This course is available for free if you choose to audit it. Otherwise, take advantage of the 7-day free trial. If you like it, you can pay $50 per month for access to the course after the trial ends. The monthly subscription also includes all Specializations courses on Coursera.

In addition, this class is one of four courses offered towards a specialization degree. But you don’t need to aim for the degree to take the course.

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2. Supply Chain Foundations by LinkedIn Learning

Screen-Shot-2020-06-11-at-10.36.11-AM
Source: linkedin.com/learning

Dive further into supply chain management with this course on Lynda. The class covers a variety of topics including:

  • Identify key parts of a supply chain
  • Keys to successful global supply chains
  • Choosing a supplier
  • Working with supply chain management in various industries

Take advantage of instructor Eddie Davila’s vast knowledge on the subject. As the associate chair at Arizona State University, he has a lot of information to impart.

Enroll in the course with a paid subscription to Lynda’s learning platform. And if you aren’t already a member? You get your first month free.

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Operations and Supply Chain Management

Intermediate • 21 videos • 1.3 hours
Operations and Supply Chain Management
securely through Operations and Supply Chain Management's website

3. Operations and Supply Chain Management by Udemy

Learn how to optimize your company’s operations and SCM with this course on Udemy. This is a relatively short course with 1.5 hours of video instruction, quizzes, and exercises. The class covers a variety of topics from identifying characteristics of SCM in service organizations to performance indicators in supply chain areas.

Keep in mind, though, that this class focuses on SCM in the manufacturing and service industries. So, if you’re hoping for a general application class, this one may not be for you.

But you do receive full lifetime access to all the learning materials. And you also get a certificate of completion when you finish the class.

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Best Advanced Online Supply Chain Management Courses

Are you an expert at supply chain management? These courses will enhance your talents.

1. Supply Chain Technology and Systems by edX

image6-1
Source: edx.org

Kick start your SCM education with this course from MITx. This edX course is part of the MicroMasters Program for Supply Chain Management. But you don’t have to take the certification to enroll in the course.

In this advanced class, you’ll learn about IT fundamentals, supply chain software, and data analysis. Since this is an advanced class, edX has quite a few prerequisites that you need to clear before taking the class. Take a look at the recommended classes prior to enrolling in this one.

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2. Supply Chains for Manufacturing I by edX

image9
Source: edx.org

If you want to boost your knowledge of concepts and models for supply chain and manufacturing system planning, this is the way to do it. This edX course covers operational tactics for different supply chain scenarios like:

  • Inventory placement
  • Risk pooling
  • Information sharing
  • Integrated planning and collaboration

The course is part of the edX MicroMasters program. However, you can enroll in the class for free. If you need a verified certificate for the class, though, a fee will apply.

Since this is an advanced course, you do need to have a graduate-level (or equivalent) understanding of Logistics Systems or Operations Management.

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Supply Chain Risk Management

All Levels • 20 videos • 2.8 hours
Supply Chain Risk Management
securely through Supply Chain Risk Management's website

3. Supply Chain Risk Management by Udemy

Okay, so this class isn’t necessarily for advanced level learners. However, the topic of risk management is an important one. Build supply chain security, manage risks and reduce disruptions are just some topics that this class covers.

The course is helpful for students and business professionals to understand how to recognize risks. It also helps SCM professionals develop and implement risk management plans.

The class is heavily discounted like many on Udemy. But you may find it worthwhile if you learn how to make your supply chain more resilient.

And if you find this class isn’t for you? It’s backed by the Udemy 30-day money back guarantee. So try it risk-free.

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Final Thoughts

Boosting your knowledge of supply chain management is simple. Who knew that taking an online course in your spare time could help make some headway into a new career or give your resume a facelift? Students may also take courses online to boost their understanding of assignments.

Lastly, there are so many courses to choose from on a variety of educational platforms. Do a little research and find the right one for you. Whether it’s a free audit or you’re paying for a certificate, a little knowledge can go a long way in your career.

Want to find more professional development courses? Take a look at Benzinga's picks for the the best event planning classes, best online business management courses and the best public relations courses.

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