Master of Science (MSc) in Purchasing and Supply Chain

Purchasing or supply chain: what are we talking about?

Purchasing and supply chain are two closely related careers, but each follows its own logic. Purchasing brings together supplier selection, the negotiation of terms and sourcing: the active search for the best offers available on the market, whereas supply chain takes over with the planning and management of flows, from procurement through to final delivery. A Master of Science (MSc) in this domain prepares for both dimensions, to different degrees depending on the programme chosen; it is part of the full range of Master of Science (MSc) programmes at Excelia Business School. The degree leads to the Grade de Master and is listed at level 7 of France's National Register of Professional Certifications, whose workings are detailed in our degrees listed on the RNCP; this recognition of the degree is also accompanied by the quadruple accreditation (EQUIS, AACSB, AMBA and EFMD Master), which places Excelia Business School among the fewer than 1% of business schools worldwide.

Careers in purchasing and supply chain

At Excelia Business School, an MSc in this domain opens up concrete roles, on the purchasing side as much as on the logistics side. This first strand, delivered by the MSc in Integrated Purchasing and Supply Chain Management, develops strategic and operational skills, ranging from supplier evaluation to negotiation and through to supply risk management, in a context where the international dimension of our programmes takes on its full meaning, since the projects carried out in companies so often go beyond borders. It prepares for positions as purchasing manager, supply chain manager or logistics director. Profiles more oriented towards risk management and the sustainability of the chain, for their part, move into roles as purchasing director, purchasing and procurement manager or procurement sourcing manager. Career opportunities in the domain lie broadly in purchasing, procurement and supply chain management, in France as well as internationally, whatever the sector of activity. This distinction between the two directions is not always easy to settle on your own: to refine it on the basis of your background and your goals, you can book an appointment with an Excelia Business School adviser.

The sustainable dimension of purchasing and supply chain

Sustainability has moved to the heart of this domain: it is necessary to design, plan and manage sustainable and integrated supply systems, anticipating and preventing risks and exceptional situations. The Master of Science (MSc) in Sustainable Global Supply Chain Management covers precisely this field: it is not limited to passing on conventional management tools, it teaches you to rethink them so that a supply chain remains reliable, including when a situation falls outside the planned framework. At Excelia Business School, this programme leads to the Grade de Master and trains profiles able to hold these two requirements together: managing day to day and anticipating the exceptional.

Entry level, work-study and application

The programme takes place over 12 or 24 months depending on the entry level: a first year of the master's for applicants holding a Bac+3, direct entry into the second year for those who already hold a Bac+4. In both cases, admission is based on the review of an application file that brings together a CV and a professional information sheet, followed by a motivation interview. Part of the offering is accessible through work-study at Excelia Business School, the rhythm and arrangements of which depend on the programme chosen; when work-study is selected, the employer covers all of the training fees as soon as the professionalisation or apprenticeship contract is signed. At Excelia Business School, support towards employment relies on the Talent Centre: one-to-one coaching, interview preparation, work on applications, support that begins even before the degree is obtained. The MSc offering is spread across the La Rochelle, Tours, Orléans and Paris-Cachan campuses, and the language of instruction also varies from one programme to another, between French and English depending on the programmes.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between purchasing and supply chain?

Purchasing concerns the choice of suppliers, the negotiation of terms and the sourcing of the products and services an organisation needs. Supply chain, for its part, concerns the planning and management of flows, from procurement through to delivery. A Master of Science (MSc) in the purchasing and supply chain domain at Excelia Business School provides training in both dimensions, to different degrees depending on the programme chosen.

Do you need a technical profile for a purchasing and supply chain MSc?

No: this MSc does not require an engineering degree. It develops strategic and operational skills, ranging from negotiation to risk management and the steering of projects carried out internationally, accessible to profiles from a background in management, commerce or administration.

Are the purchasing and supply chain MSc programmes available on a work-study basis?

Part of the offering in the purchasing and supply chain domain is available on a work-study basis. The rhythm and arrangements depend on the programme chosen; in all cases, the training fees are covered by the employer as soon as the professionalisation or apprenticeship contract is signed.

What is the entry level for a purchasing and supply chain MSc?

The programme takes place over 12 or 24 months depending on the entry level: a first year of the master's for a Bac+3 profile, direct entry into the second year for a Bac+4 profile. Admission is based on the review of an application file (CV, professional information sheet) and a motivation interview.

What careers are open after a purchasing and supply chain MSc?

An MSc in this domain opens the way to positions such as purchasing manager, supply chain manager, logistics director or procurement sourcing manager, in France as well as internationally.