The 8 Best Supply Chain Management Courses 2024

Supply chain management is one of the most complex areas of business, and it’s hard to know everything you need to know to keep things running smoothly. This is due to supply chain management having many moving parts. You have to know where goods are stored, how they’re moved, who they go to, how much they cost to move or store, and more. That said, we’re here to help.

If you’re interested in expanding your knowledge base for supply chain management, you’re in the right place. We’ve created a list of the eight best supply chain management courses you can find online. Furthermore, we’re going to bring you through some things to keep an eye on to help you narrow down your options.

Orientation

We’re sure you’re eager to jump right into our list, but it’s important to know what you’re shopping for first. When it comes to supply chain management, there are many factors you need to consider. This way, you get the most value for your time and money. Remember, choosing courses is a time investment too! That said, we have a few ways to help you get narrow it down.

The Topic

First and foremost, supply chain management courses have a lot of variation. There are many topics to learn about, and each topic has its own value. That said, some people might benefit from different subjects. Furthermore, you might not find value in a course that teaches about warehouses if you don’t work in one.

That said, there are a few elements of supply chain management to keep an eye on. These include warehouse coordination, logistics, inventory, and overall management. While all of these topics fall under the umbrella of supply chain management, it’s important to choose a course based on the specific area you need the most improvement. For example, if you struggle with inventory management in a warehouse, you should consider courses that focus on inventory or warehouses.

Skill Level

Supply chain management can be complicated. There are many moving parts and management components you need to be familiar with. For this reason, we’re breaking down each course into one of three categories: beginner, intermediate, and advanced.

Beginner-level courses will help you build a foundation and determine if supply chain management is the right path for you. Intermediate-level courses ramp things up and focus more on the supply chain itself and how it works. These courses can also have industry-specific jargon and require prerequisites.

Then you have the most challenging classes, which are advanced-level courses. These courses tend to be longer, more in-depth, and more challenging than intermediate and beginning courses. Therefore, we only recommend advanced courses for people in the industry or people who have already studied supply chain management.

While we recommend choosing a class that’s appropriate for your skill level, we always encourage you to challenge yourself. So, if you’re feeling up for it, why not give a harder course a shot?

The Instructor

Another thing to look for in a supply chain management course is who is teaching it. There are dozens of great instructors in the industry, but it’s still a crowded field. That said, you want to look for instructors that have a background in business or supply chain management.

We also recommend prioritizing instructors who have been in the business before over those who were not. This is because supply chain management is complex and hands-on.

Price

The last thing to look for is the cost of a supply chain management course. These courses have a lot of content and tend to vary more than other industries. This is why you’ll find courses for over $100 on websites like Udemy and courses for as little as $19.99 on subscription-based platforms like SkillShare or LinkedIn Learning.

Still, you shouldn’t get too caught up in the price of these courses. When it comes to supply chain management, you want to get the most value possible, so it’s wise to shop based on your needs instead of looking for the best bargain.

Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to jump into our list. Read on to learn about the eight best supply chain management courses.

Course Breakdown

Top 8 Best Supply Chain Management Courses 2024


1. Supply Chain Fundamentals: Understanding the Basics

  • 3 hours $69.99 Our rating  
  • Course Highlights
  • Instructor: John Mandic
  • Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
  • Topic: General
  • Certificate: Yes

Why we like it

Supply Chain Fundamentals: Understanding the Basics is our top choice because it teaches you about all aspects of supply chain management. You’ll learn about everything as you build foundational knowledge on the subject.

John Mandic is an expert in the field of supply chain management. He's worked for several companies and understands the fundamentals of good supply chain management. This is what makes his course a great option because it's loaded with high-quality content condensed into a 3-hour course.

While it's longer than some other courses, you'll learn about the basics of supply chain management in all areas. Instead of keeping everything to only one field or topic, Mandic makes sure you're prepared for logistics, management, inventory, and more. That said, it's one of the best courses you can find for the time and money commitment.

Things to Consider

John Mandic is a great instructor and knows how to teach a great course. While we love the content provided, it's not perfect. Unfortunately, the general approach Mandic takes leaves good information out of the course. So, while you'll get the basics of supply chain management, you'll miss out on in-depth sections that deal with inventory and logistics.

Therefore, if you're looking for a more specific course, you'll want to go with an alternative for logistics and inventory management. For logistics, we recommend Logistics Foundations, and for inventory management, we recommend Inventory Management Foundations. These two courses are designed for more intermediate and advanced supply chain managers and include specific information on their respective subjects.

Who It's For

If you're looking to brush up on the basics of supply chain management or want to get started in the industry, this course is a great choice. John Mandic goes a great job of making it seem easy, and the course is short and to the point. While it might be too long for some students, it's perfect for people who need general education on supply chain management. For the time and value, it's hard to beat. Plus, you get a certificate upon completion.

Pros

  • Covers most areas of supply chain management
  • John Mandic is well-known in the industry and knows the ins and outs of supply chain management
  • Great value for time and money commitment

Cons

  • Doesn't get into specific details for logistics or inventory management


2. Best Value: Supply Chain for Management Consultants

  • 5.5 hours $124.99 Our rating  
  • Course Highlights
  • Instructor: Asen Gyczew
  • Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate
  • Topic: Management
  • Certificate: Yes

Why we like it

Supply Chain for Management Consultants is one of our favorite courses because of the value it offers. While it’s more expensive than most, it also beats most courses by several hours in length.

Supply Chain Management for Management Consultants is a great course for the management aspect of dealing with supply chains. The course goes into detail about how a supply chain works, how they're profitable, and why things can fail. This course is also taught by an instructor that's been in the supply chain industry before, so he knows what he's talking about and breaks concepts down without too much jargon.

Supply Chain Management for Management Consultants is also one of the longest courses you can get. This gives the instructor plenty of time to get through each topic. Instead of rushing through to keep things general, the 5.5-hour course is more comprehensive than most supply chain management courses available. Furthermore, this course offers information about handling supply chains through Google Sheets and Excel.

Things to Consider

While Supply Chain Management for Management Consultants is a great course, it's not perfect and comes up short in a few areas. First and foremost, we don't recommend this course for beginners. This is because of the complex information and Excel guidelines. If you're not familiar with the industry, you might not get a lot of value out of the course. If you're looking for a more beginner-friendly option, we recommend Supply Chain Fundamentals: Understanding the Basics.

This course is also expensive and time-consuming. We always recommend taking your time with something as complex as supply chain management, but it's important to choose a course that works for you. If you're looking for a shorter course, Supply Chain Fundamentals for Complete Beginners is a great alternative.

Who It's For

Supply Chain Management for Management Consultants is one of the best choices for supply chain managers. If you're already working in the industry, this course will boost your skills and help you add value to your work immediately. While it's longer and more expensive than most courses, it boasts impressive value.

Pros

  • Long course filled with detail
  • Taught by someone with success in the industry
  • Helps with Excel and Google Sheets

Cons

  • Too long for some students
  • Expensive


3. Supply Chain: Planning of Resources & Detailed Scheduling

  • 2.5 hours $69.99 Our rating  
  • Course Highlights
  • Instructor: John Mandic
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
  • Topic: Planning
  • Certificate: Yes

Why we like it

This is one of our top choices because of its level of detail. It’s a comprehensive course that shows you how to prepare for the world of supply chain management.

While John Mandic is known for teaching general supply chain courses, he's also great at getting specific. One example is his Supply Chain: Planning of Resources & Detailed Scheduling course. This course is packed with information on how to manage inventory, handle logistics, and how to manage costs. While it's less beginner-friendly than his other courses, it's a good fit for people of all skill levels–even for someone with minimal knowledge, there is value here.

Supply Chain: Planning of Resources & Detailed Scheduling is also a great course because of its content. While it comes with 2.5 hours of video training, it also comes packed with additional resources to help with your education and a certificate you can show your boss or put on a resume. Therefore, it offers well-rounded information that builds the foundation for your supply chain management career.

Things to Consider

Supply Chain Management: Planning of Resources & Detailed Scheduling is a great course, but it doesn't account for beginners. This is because it contains complex information that might be hard to comprehend for people with minimal knowledge in the industry. Unfortunately, this reserves the course for more intermediate and advanced supply chain managers.

If you're looking for a more beginner-friendly course, Supply Chain Fundamentals for Complete Beginners is a great choice. It comes loaded with great information, but it's shorter, more digestible, and appropriate for all skill levels.

Who It's For

Supply Chain Management: Planning of Resources & Detailed Scheduling is for someone who works in the industry and needs help with scheduling and staying organized. While the course doesn't cover everything and isn't designed for beginners, it offers great value for more experienced supply chain managers. It's also great to take alongside college courses to help you improve your knowledge.

Pros

  • Great for organization
  • Great for planning and execution
  • In-depth content spread out well

Cons

  • Not suitable for beginners
  • Only focuses on planning and scheduling; not logistics or management


4. Operations and Supply Chain Management

  • 1.5 hours $124.99 Our rating  
  • Course Highlights
  • Instructor: Sorin Dumitrascu
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
  • Topic: Logistics, Inventory Management

Why we like it

We love Operations and Supply Chain Management because it performs as advertised. It’s a short course that shows you how logistics and inventory management work together.

Operations and Supply Chain Management is a masterclass for working with complex supply chains. The course goes over things like the key drivers of supply chain management, the criteria for combining different supply chains, areas where supply chains struggle, and how this ties into the service industry and other services organizations. This is helpful because it covers most industries that have complex supply chain issues.

Operations and Supply Chain Management is also taught by a great instructor. Sorin Dumitrascu is well-known in the industry and has worked for several service-based organizations. The hands-on experience helps break down key concepts that might be hard to understand otherwise.

Things to Consider

While Operations and Supply Chain Management is a great course, it's specifically for service-based industries. While many supply chains are designed for the service industry, this doesn't account for other industries that have complex supply chains.

If you work in an industry that this course leaves out, we recommend going with a more general course like Supply Chain Fundamentals: Understanding the Basics. While it misses some of the more specific details, it does a great job of giving you the basics.

Who It's For

If you work in the service industry or you're studying to work in it, Operations and Supply Chain Management is a great choice. It comes with everything you need to learn the ins and outs of the industry. While it's a longer course and more specific, it offers a lot of value. Furthermore, this is a great choice for people of all skill levels.

Pros

  • Great for the service industry
  • Goes into detail about inventory and logistics
  • Taught by a great instructor with hands-on experience

Cons

  • Industry-specific information


5. Supply Chain Fundamentals for Complete Beginners

  • 10 minutes $19.99 Our rating  
  • Course Highlights
  • Instructor: Jean-Paul Tournay
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Topic: General
  • Certificate: No

Why we like it

Supply Chain Fundamentals for Complete Beginners is one of our favorite courses because of its beginner-friendly approach. In fact, it’s one of the shortest courses around and still manages to provide great value.

Supply Chain Fundamentals for Complete Beginners is an interesting course. While Jean-Paul Tournay is a great coach and teacher, the course is only ten minutes. While this makes it less valuable for more advanced or intermediate-level students, it's helpful for beginners. This is because the instructor covers many topics quickly. While everything is quick, Jean-Paul Tournay does a great job of making it valuable and impactful.

As for content, Supply Chain Fundamentals for Complete Beginners breaks every part of the supply chain. You'll learn about how it works, how logistics function, and how to plan events or inventory. That said, the course doesn't expand on these areas—it simply presents them to you.

Things to Consider

Supply Chain Fundamentals for Complete Beginners is quick, which is one of its biggest issues. While the content is great for people that don't know much about supply chain management, it lacks value for more intermediate and advanced students. This is because it doesn't offer anything in great detail.

If you're in the market for more advanced instruction, you'll want to go for courses like Inventory Management Foundations or Logistics Foundations. These courses focus on the intricacies of supply chain management and do a great job of breaking everything down.

Who It's For

If you're not in the supply chain industry yet or are thinking about attending school for it, this course is a great choice. While it's on the shorter side, it will take you through the basics of supply chain management and show you what to expect. That said, it's only a good choice if you're curious about supply chain management as it doesn't cover anything in detail.

Pros

  • Short and easy
  • Great for beginners
  • Covers every area of supply chain management briefly

Cons

  • Too short to get into detail
  • Only suitable for beginners


6. Inventory Management Foundations

  • 1 hour, 20 minutes $29.99 Our rating  
  • Course Highlights
  • Instructor: Steven Brown
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Topic: Inventory Management
  • Certificate: Yes

Why we like it

Inventory Management Foundations is one of our favorite courses because it lays out the foundations for good inventory management practices. While it’s brief, Steven Brown gets the point across quickly and effectively.

Inventory Management Foundations is all about managing inventory and resources. Supply chains are complex because you need to manage supplies coming in, going out, and storage. While doing this sounds simple on paper, improper inventory management can lead to many issues. For example, storing too many goods can cause things to expire or cost you too much money without a great return.

For this reason, Inventory Management Foundations is designed to help you with this. The course breaks every aspect of inventory management down in a simple and digestible way. While it's just over an hour-long, it also comes with additional materials and a certificate upon completion.

Things to Consider

While this course is great for inventory management, it doesn't focus on the more general aspects of supply chain management. For example, it doesn't cover a lot about how supply chains function and why they're established to begin with. If you're interested in a more general course that has more content, Operations and Supply Chain Management is a great alternative.

Who It's For

If you're interested in managing resources in a warehouse and feel overwhelmed, this is a great choice. While it won't help you with more general aspects of supply chain management, it will show you everything you need to know about managing your inventory. It's also a great course for beginners who aren't too familiar with supply management.

Pros

  • Helps with inventory and warehouses
  • Short and simple
  • To the point and not a lot of fluff

Cons

  • Only focuses on inventory management
  • Not enough content for more advanced-level students


7. Logistics Foundations

  • 1 hour, 44 minutes $29.99 Our rating  
  • Course Highlights
  • Instructor: Steven Brown
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
  • Topic: Logistics
  • Certificate: Yes

Why we like it

We love Logistics Foundations because it deals with the less appealing aspects of supply chain management. It’s hard to find a great course that teaches you about the analytical side of the industry.

Logistics Foundations is one of the few logistics-focused courses you can find online. The course is designed to help people with all logistical aspects of supply chain management. Steven Brown breaks down key concepts of inventory management, supply strategies, and everything about recording and tracking data. Additionally, the course shows you how to overcome obstacles that come up when things go wrong.

Logistics Foundations also has content to keep you engaged. While many courses allow you to sit and listen, Steven Brown makes sure you're working hard by giving you quizzes and other content. While this makes the course more challenging, it also makes it rewarding. Plus, you get a certificate you can use on your resume or with your company.

Things to Consider

While Logistics Foundations is a great course, it doesn't cover everything you need to know about supply chain management. It leaves out supply chain strategies and the intricacies of managing inventory.

If you're looking for a more well-rounded alternative that includes supply chain strategies, Implementing Supply Chain Management is a great alternative.

Who It's For

If you're curious about the logistical side of supply chain management, this course is a great choice. It comes with everything you need to get a feel for the logistical side of supply chain management. While it doesn't cover everything, it serves its purpose and offers great value for what it costs. Plus, there are many opportunities to continue your education with the same instructor.

Pros

  • The instructor has many options for continuing your education
  • Great for the logistical side of supply chain management
  • Beginner-friendly

Cons

  • Only focuses on the logistical aspects of supply chain management


8. Implementing Supply Chain Management

  • 1 hour, 25 minutes $29.99 Our rating  
  • Course Highlights
  • Instructor: Daniel Stanton
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
  • Topic: General
  • Certificate: Yes

Why we like it

Implementing Supply Chain Management is one of our favorite choices because it shows you how to implement everything you know about supply chain management. It’s one of the best choices for practical applications.

Daniel Stanton is one of the best in the industry when it comes to supply chain strategies. He's been a part of several projects that involve supply chain strategies, and most of his work has been successful. For this reason, Stanton offers great hands-on experience, and his courses are more well-rounded.

With this course, Stanton focuses on teaching you about how to implement strategies. He goes over some great supply chain management strategies and how to implement them into your organization quickly and effectively. That said, it's a course that doesn't come around often, and its content is unique compared to more basic supply chain management courses you'll come across.

Things to Consider

While this course serves its purpose, it leaves out a lot of details. This means that you won't get a full summary of what supply chains are or how they function. Instead, it's mostly focused on how to implement existing strategies that you can learn quickly.

If you're looking for a more balanced approach to supply chain management, Supply Chain Fundamentals: Understanding the Basics is a great alternative. It's longer, covers the basics, and goes into more detail.

Who It's For

While many courses focus on supply chain management and the fundamentals of a supply chain, this is perfect for managers looking to implement great strategies. If you're looking for something new to help you manage your supply chain, this course is a great choice. Furthermore, the course is a great choice for students who are looking for new ideas.

Pros

  • Helps you implement supply chain strategies
  • Covers the basics of supply chains
  • Short and simple

Cons

  • Not the best option for beginners
  • Very specific


FAQ

Man holding boxesWe're sure you have questions, so we've gathered the most popular questions to answer for you.

There are many ways to learn supply chain management both online and in-person. For learning online, you can look into courses found on platforms like Udemy, SkillShare, and LinkedIn Learning. For in-person studying, you’ll want to consider universities and bachelor’s programs.

When it comes to managing a supply chain, there is definitely math involved. This is because a lot of supply chain management deals with probability, statistics, and predictive modeling. While the industry has tools to help you learn about these models as you train, you’ll fare better with a background in statistics.

Many qualifications can help you with supply chain management. That said, most people that work in the industry hold a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, logistics, sales, business administration, and more. Additionally, some helpful qualifications include customer service and business experience.

Supply chain management can be a rewarding career with a lot of growth potential. While the starting pay can be low, some supply chain management jobs earn more than six figures per year. In fact, some supply chain management jobs can help you earn even more depending on the industry.

Supply chain management is a hard thing to study because it’s an in-depth field. With many variations and requirements for the job, studying supply chain management requires patience, practice, and a big-time commitment. This is why many online supply chain management courses are longer than courses in other fields.



Extra Credit

Many connected buildings by supply lines

Seeing the best supply chain management courses is only the first step for making the right choice. While seeing each course should give you an idea of what you need, our extra credit section will help you narrow down your options. We’re going to take you through a few scenarios and recommend the best courses for each one.

Getting the Basics

Getting Started in supply chain management is easier said than done. With many options, career paths, and course designs, finding the best fit can seem impossible. Luckily, some great beginner-level courses take you through the basics of each supply chain management topic. While these classes lack the depth of more advanced courses, they can help you get started.

For beginners, our favorite course is Supply Chain Fundamentals for Complete Beginners. While it’s a shorter course than some others on the list, it takes you through the basics in a way that’s quick and easy to understand. In fact, you also get the best value for your money.

Planning

Supply chains require a lot of planning, scheduling, and resource management. This involves a lot of time, skill, and concentration. While planning is one of the harder parts of supply chain management in practice, it’s also one of the easiest parts to learn. Plus, many courses can firm up your scheduling and planning abilities in less than an hour.

For example, Supply Chain: Planning of Resources & Detailed Scheduling gives you all of the tools you need to successfully plan and manage a supply chain. While it’s longer and more complex than basic supply chain management courses, it’s worth the money and time commitment.

Managing Inventory

Inventory management is another crucial aspect of supply chain management. As a supply chain manager, you need to know what you have in stock, how much of your assets are going out, and what you have coming in. If any of these areas get broken up, it can lead to shortages or overspending. That said, managing inventory can be simple with the right instruction. In fact, managing inventory is one of the easier parts of supply chain management to learn.

That said, our favorite course for inventory management is Inventory Management Foundations. The course doesn’t get too in-depth, but it’s loaded with all of the fundamentals for good inventory management. You’ll learn about how to keep track of inventory, why it fluctuates, and more.

Logistics

Logistics is complicated because you need to understand most areas of supply chain management to have a chance. For this reason, enrolling in a logistics course can help you with the analytical side of supply chain management. These courses teach you about managing supply, allocating supply, and how to manage people and assets. Overall, you’ll learn about how to run a supply chain from the perspective of numbers.

Keeping this in mind, our favorite course for logistics is Logistics Foundations. While you won’t learn everything, you’ll learn about the basics of logistics and get an idea of what else you can study to boost your analytical skills. When it comes to logistics, this is one of the best options for your time and money.

Getting Ready for Management

Supply chains also need great managers to make sure everything is running smoothly. Without a great manager or management team, supply chains become less valuable, lose money, and run with poor efficiency. So, if you’re looking to boost your management skills, we have a course for you.

Our favorite choice for management-level employees is Implementing Supply Chain Management. The course will help you identify areas where you come up short and iron them out. Additionally, this course teaches about the fundamentals that make a good supply chain manager.

Getting the Most Value

Shopping for courses is challenging, so one of the best ways to see how good a course can be is by measuring its length compared to the price. This is a great way to determine how valuable a course is. That said, you should also look at the contents of the course and make sure it’s well-rounded.

If you’re looking to get the most value one of our favorite choices is Supply Chain for Management Consultants. It’s a 5.5-hour course that goes over every aspect of supply chain management. You’ll learn about logistics, management, inventory, and more. Overall, it’s the complete package.

Wake Up the Supply Chain Manager in You

Supply chain management is a rewarding field with a lot of growth potential. If you play your cards right, you can have a fruitful career with a lot of opportunities for career development. That said, getting started is easier said than done. This is why we recommend choosing a few supply chain management courses to help you get a feel for what working in the industry entails. Still, supply chain management isn’t impossible to master. With a big-time commitment, you can end up earning a great wage, respect, and more!