Saturday, 19 May 2012

Online Degrees in Logistics and Transportation: Program Summaries

Logistics and transportation degrees prepare students for careers in the transportation, storage and distribution of goods. Online programs are available at the associate's, bachelor's and master's degree levels.

Overview of an Online Logistics and Transportation Associate's Degree Program

Students in online associate degree programs learn about introductory logistics management within the transportation industry. Some schools offer courses that are transferable into a bachelor's degree program. Graduates are awarded an Associate of Science degree.

Program Information and Requirements

Associate's degree programs in logistics and transportation take approximately 18-24 months of full-time attendance to complete. These programs are offered both entirely online or in a hybrid format. Some schools require students to participate in an online orientation course to introduce them to the online course management system. All programs require access to a personal computer and high-speed Internet connection.

List of Common Online Courses

Coursework in these programs focus on introductory skills in logistics and transportation accounting, management and business principles. Some of the common courses are outlined below:

Business Law and Contracts Course

This class covers the regulatory and legal requirements associated with the transportation and logistics industry. Students learn to draft and negotiate contracts with service providers, freight carriers and warehouse companies. The coursework also covers employment and landlord-tenant laws, and laws associated with sales transactions.

Warehouse and Supply Chain Management Course

This class introduces students to the principles of warehousing analysis and supply chain management in the transportation industry. Topics in inventory control, forecasting, scheduling, financial analysis, cargo handling, productivity, project management and security are included.

Traffic and Transportation Management Course

Students use case studies to explore strategies in serving customers, managing finances, selecting facility location and improving production in transportation. The class also examines pricing, regulation, traffic management and labor issues.

Career Information for Graduates

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), although a high school education is required for entry in the field, an increasing number of workers in the truck transportation and warehousing industry have post-secondary education (www.bls.gov). The BLS reported this was partially due to the increased use of technology and computers in the industry.

Overview of an Online Logistics and Transportation Bachelor's Degree Program

Online bachelor's degree programs in transportation and logistics management are available. These programs focus on transportation and logistics research, planning, accounting, analysis, theories, practices and management. Typical prerequisites include a high-school diploma or its equivalent. General education courses in math, English, humanities and science are also typically required.

Program Information and Requirements

Full-time students can graduate in approximately four years after completing about 120 credit hours of coursework. Online programs require access to the Internet and most use e-mail for communication with faculty and peers. In addition, some schools require minimum hardware or memory specifications.

List of Common Online Courses

Bachelor's degree-level coursework includes general education requirements and courses in economics, statistics, and management in transportation and logistics. Some of the typical courses are described below.

Microeconomics Course

This class introduces students to the free enterprise system and law of supply and demand in the economy. Students also explore issues such as liability reform, competition, pricing, production, market structure and profit maximization.

Macroeconomics Course

Students analyze employment, investments, consumption, growth, inflation and international trade related to the U.S. economy. Applications such as privatization and counter-cyclical growth are also a focus of the class.

Business Statistics Concepts Course

This class introduces topics of central tendency and dispersion, probability and sampling. Students learn concepts involving hypothesis testing, dependent events and sample spaces in statistics.

Career Information for Graduates

The BLS reported that the number of jobs in the transportation and warehousing industry was expected to grow by 11% between 2008 and 2018. The growth in this industry will reflect growth in the U.S. economy, and as the economy grows, so will this field.

Overview of an Online Logistics and Transportation Master's Degree Program

Students can enroll in online Master of Science (MS) degree programs in logistics management, as well as Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs in the field. The programs focus on advanced skills in management, research, finance and marketing in logistics and transportation. Some typical requirements for entry include scores from the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), a resume, a personal statement and undergraduate transcripts. Some schools also require prerequisite courses in areas such as accounting, business, economics, marketing and algebra.

Program Information and Requirements

These master's degree programs require approximately 31-34 credit hours of coursework and a culminating project or capstone course. Depending on the school, a face-to-face academic course may be included in the curriculum. Some programs also require students to speak with an adviser to develop a graduate program plan.
Computer literacy is necessary for participation, and some schools require prospective students to pass a proficiency examination or complete an approved course before admittance. Students must have access to a personal computer and other school-specific delivery software or programs.

List of Common Online Courses

Graduate level coursework in logistics and transportation focuses on advanced study in research, systems and management. A few of the courses included in master's-degree programs are explained below.

Integrated Logistics Course

Participants of this class learn current strategies in designing and managing logistics system activities. The studies focus on effectively managing logistical duties such as transportation and packaging, customer service, return on assets, inventory management, material flow, purchasing, supply chain management and computerization.

Management of Information Systems Course

This class teaches students how to effectively design, manage and deploy information systems in business. Topics of exploration include life cycles, needs analysis, performance considerations and competitive technological strategies.

Managerial Economic Analysis Course

Students in this class learn to integrate economic theory in business decisions. Focus areas in this course include the principles of economic analysis, cost estimation and business applications.

Career Information for Graduates

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), most logistics managers learn through on-the-job training; however, several universities provide both undergraduate and graduate programs in the distribution of goods. In 2009, the BLS reported the median annual wage for transportation, storage and distribution managers at $79,490, and the general freight trucking industry provided the highest level of employment.

No comments:

Post a Comment