Supply Chain Management - Lean SCM Black Belt

Course Outline
The Postgraduate Diploma/Master of Supply Chain Management (Lean SCM Black Belt) is a part-time course. It is designed to teach you how to improve supply chain processes, while also providing cost reductions and added value for you and your organisation.

If you are a career-minded person who works in supply chain, manufacturing, quality, financial or related functions and you also have responsibility for continuous improvement within your organisation, this course is for you.

Successful supply chain management (SCM) requires strategic and operational alignment, and this is why the course includes:
- a strong emphasis on strategy
- information systems
- responsiveness
- leadership
- integrated project management

Adopting a Lean philosophy, you will apply Lean tools and complete a Lean SCM Black Belt project that achieves organisational and supply chain improvements.

The Postgraduate Diploma/Master of Supply Chain Management (Lean SCM Black Belt) is a practitioner-oriented course. It provides a structured approach to the key elements of supply chain design and management in order to maximise your work experience. The course is informed by best international practice and it includes contributions from our applied partners the Leading Edge Group, as well as from national and international guest speakers.

The course is delivered over two stages:
Part 1:
The duration of Part 1 is 18 months and it leads to a postgraduate diploma qualification.

Part 2:
Part 2 is for a further period of six months. If you achieve a 2.1 grade in Part 1, you may progress/convert to a master's degree.

It consists of seven modules (as outlined below) and the outcome of each module is a workplace assignment contributing to the development and implementation of a substantial organisational and SCM improvement project. This course is examined wholly by continuous assessment and there are no written examinations.

Why Choose This Course
This Postgraduate Diploma/Masters in Supply Chain Management will allow you to progress your education while you also further your career. At the same time it will provide benefits and opportunities for the organisation where you work.

Year 1 (Semester 1):
Strategic planning and implementation in supply chains (10 credits; 3 classroom days)

Advanced Lean Tools and practices in supply chain management (10 credits; 3 classroom days)

Year 1 (Semester 2):
Leadership, change and innovation management in supply chains (10 credits; 3 classroom days)

Driving Operational and Supply Chain Excellence through Lean Leadership (10 credits; 3 classroom days)

Information systems and technologies in supply chain process design and improvement (one and a half days in classroom and e-learning)

Year 2 (Semester 1):
Globalisation issues and Capstone Module seminars and workshops (15 credits; 4.5 classroom days)

Year 2 (Semester 2) – Optional:
Master's (Dissertation)

Progression: If you achieve a 2.1 or higher in the Postgraduate Diploma in SCM, you will be eligible to enter Part 2 and this course leads to a Master of Supply Chain Management. A master's (MSc) will be awarded on the satisfactory completion of a dissertation.

Requirements
You should have:
Minimum: Second Class Honours Grade II in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) in a relevant area and at least 4 years relevant industrial experience (including cross-functional team lead and Lean experience)

or

A portfolio of professional experience, deemed appropriate by the Academic Programme Director under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), containing the following: (i) at least 6 years of relevant management experience, including responsibility for teams and cross functional/supply chain teams, (ii) recognized professional qualification in a relevant area and/or applied Lean SCM experience (equivalent to a Green Belt level) (iii) application of learning or competence such as involvement in cross-functional projects, reports, reflective papers or journals.

and

Testimonials of learning or competence through sign-off by an appropriate signatory within the candidate's organization. Applicants must be in a position to affect organizational change.

Note: A foundation module (FE5201) to the value of 5 credits may be provided to candidates who do not have a pre-requisite background in Lean.

English Language Requirements
Applicants that are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university approved English language requirements.

For applicants with qualifications completed outside of Ireland:
Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements.

International/non-EU applicants
For full details of the non-EU application procedure please visit our how to apply pages for international students. In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.

For more information please contact the International Office.

How Do I Apply

1. Choose Course
Firstly choose your course. Applicants can apply for up to two courses under one application. Details of taught courses are available on our online prospectus.

2. Apply Online
Once you have chosen your course you can apply online at the online application portal. Applicants will need to apply before the course closing date. There is a non-refundable €50 application fee for all courses apart from the Education - Professional Master of Education - (Secondary School/Post-Primary Teacher Training) which has a €100 application fee.

Note: Applicants for the Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health Nursing must apply on the PAC website when the programme opens for applications.

3. Gather Supporting Documents
Scanned copies of the following documents will need to be uploaded to the online application portal in support of your application. Applicants may need to produce the original documents if you are accepted onto a course and register at UCC.

- Original qualification documents listed on your application including transcripts of results from institutions other than UCC
- Any supplementary items requested for your course.

Please log into the online application portal for more details.

4. Application processing timeline
Our online application portal opens for applications for most courses in early November of each year. Check specific course details.

5. Rounds
For courses that are in the rounds system (Irish and EU applicants), please check the rounds closing dates.

Questions on how to apply?
Please use our web enquiry form to contact us.

Additional Requirements (All Applicants)
Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following questions:

You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.

In addition to your previously declared qualifications, please outline any additional academic courses, self-learning and professional training relevant to this programme.

Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme.

What is your current occupation/speciality?

Please describe your portfolio of work or achievements. Enter N/A if this is not applicable to you.

Deferrals
Deferrals are not permitted on this course.

Assessment

You will be examined wholly by continuous assessment on this course. There are no written examinations.

In each module you will have to complete an applied written project.

For a 10 credit module, this will consist of approx 4,500 words.

For a 5 credit module, it will consist of approx 3,000 words.

A Lean SCM Black Belt project has to be implemented at the end of the Postgraduate Diploma.

The Capstone Module will allow you to present your findings through oral presentations, a poster session and a written report.

If you progress to the master's stage of the course, you will be required to complete a dissertation (13,000-15,000 words).

18 months Part-time for PG Dip; Add on for MSc 6 months Part-time subject to meeting entry requirements.

Additional Teaching Mode Information
Postgraduate Diploma: 18 months Part-time. Students attend 3 full-day module workshops every two months.

MSc: 2 years Part-time [including the Postgraduate Diploma which is 18 months + 6 months add on for MSc]. Students submit a dissertation which will be supported by a seminar series.

Blended Learning (30-70% Online): Programme/module which combines online or/and web-based learning with, face-to-face delivery.

The classroom element is very important to the programmes, and although there is a strong online learning aspect, student have to attend the classroom sessions that make up 19 classroom days (9am to 5pm) for the Postgraduate Diploma in total.

Start Date: 9 September 2019

Skills and Careers Information
Leadership and analytical skills to drive organisational change. Focuses on hard/technical skills associated with Lean implementation. Develops soft skills to support and use organisational systems/processes across a range of industries with transferable skills, including:
communication skills
research skills
conceptual skills
organisational/management skills.

Our career-minded students come from many business environments, including:
healthcare
medical devices
food and drink
financial services
life sciences.