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The details
Location: Online Mode of study: Part-time Qualification: Online professional course (20 credits) Study duration: 13 weeks
Start date: Awarding body: University of Essex Delivered by: Kaplan Open Learning For queries: Call +44 (0) 1206 489 358

Interested in learning more about sustainable procurement processes?  

Delve into the complex social, cultural and organisational structures that surround the field of procurement, with our online professional course.  You’ll explore potential supply chain risks, as well as how ethical issues and e-procurement have shaped the conduct of supply chain activities.  

This course covers a range of exciting topics, including:   

  • the strategic role of procurement in achieving commercial objectives 
  • emerging risk management tools, techniques and approaches 
  • ethics and sustainability in procurement 

At the end of the course, you’ll have the opportunity to study one of our popular postgraduate business courses.   

 

Why we’re great

  • Receive your certificate from the University of Essex, ranked #12 in the Guardian University Guide 2026.
  •  Explore a range of contemporary issues within the leadership and management of projects.
  • Enjoy 24/7 access to your study materials and eLibrary, on any device.
  • Gain 20 academic credits on successful completion, which are transferrable to further study on a PG Cert, PG Dip or full Masters degree.
  • Join a global community of students from over 140 countries worldwide.

You’ll study the following topics as part of the online professional course: 

 

  • Introduction to procurement and risks management  
  • Emerging issues in procurement  
  • Supplier selection and outsourcing  
  • ICT supporting procurement – eProcurement  
  • Strategies in procurement management 
  • Contracts and negotiation in procurement  
  • Public procurement  
  • Sustainability and ethics in procurement 
  • Concept of supply chain risks management  
  • Risk management concepts 
  • Emerging risk management tools, techniques and approaches 
  • Supply chain risk management and resilience 

Teaching methods 

Studying online gives you the freedom to complete your qualification when and where it suits you – at home, during your lunch hour or in a café.  

Our online professional courses are delivered through a virtual learning environment (VLE) instead of a traditional campus. This means you’ll have access to your study materials 24/7, including:  

  • multimedia lecturecasts made up of written content, short videos, animation, audio recordings, infographics, short tests and mini-assignments  
  • discussion forums for you to chat about the module content with fellow students  
  • live Q&A sessions with your tutors  
  • a comprehensive eLibrary of textbooks and academic journals  
  • support from academic staff and your dedicated Student Support team  

To ensure you receive high-quality tutor support, each class is capped at 20 students.  

 

Assessment methods  

You’ll be assessed exclusively through assignments. These include assessed discussion forums, written assignments and journal entries.  

We’re committed to providing frequent and transparent feedback in the following ways:  

  • our assessment criteria are designed to be simple and transparent  
  • you’ll always be aware of your current provisional grade, right from the start  
  • you’ll be able to clearly view your marks in your gradebook whenever you log on to the learning platform  
  • there’s a seven-day turnaround for marking and feedback of assessed work  
  • you’ll have regular contact with your Student Support team, with whom you can discuss any concerns as soon as they arise  

 

Study duration 

Our Global Procurement and Risk Management online professional course has a study duration of 13 weeks, including a one-week induction to help you settle into online study. 

 

The Global Procurement and Risk Management online professional course offers a range of opportunities in logistics and supply chain management. Upon successful completion, you’ll receive a digital certificate confirming you’ve achieved 20 academic credits at postgraduate level. You could work towards careers within warehouse management, procurement, freight transportation, inventory management and control, and distribution network design, to name a few. 

If you wish to further your studies, you could choose additional business online professional courses. Alternatively, you could progress on to the PG Cert Supply Chain Management and Global Logistics (60 credits); PG Dip Supply Chain Management and Global Logistics (120 credits) or the full MSc Supply Chain Management and Global Logistics (180 credits).   

Please note, acceptance on to a postgraduate qualification is subject to meeting the entry requirements of your chosen programme.  

For further information on our student demographic and the roles they work in, view our class profile. 

No formal qualifications or experience is necessary.  

As our courses are delivered in English, a high proficiency of English is required. If English isn’t your first language, your ability should be equivalent to an IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5. Don’t worry if you don’t hold an IELTS or equivalent qualification – we offer a free online English test to assess your proficiency.  

You don’t need to prove your English ability if you’re a national of, or have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in, any of these countries. 

Full tuition fee:

£1,429 UK / £1,492 International (2025-26) Δ

£1,468 UK / £1,543 International (2026-27) Δ  

  • Our online professional courses are fully inclusive – all teaching materials and required reading are included.  
  • Alumni discount of 10% of the tuition fee available if you’re a previous graduate with the University of Essex or University of Essex Online.    
  • We offer a 14-day moneyback guarantee, so if you decide your course isn’t for you during the first 14 days, we’ll give you a full refund. Terms and conditions apply.  

Δ All tuition fees shown are net of any applicable sales tax payable by you in your country of residence. Where we are required to add sales tax at the local statutory rate, this will be added to the tuition fees shown and confirmed during the payment process. 

What our students say

testimonials

Sharan Kumar Hoolass -BSc (Hons) Business and Computing

A highlight for me has been applying what I've learned immediately to my day-to-day duties.

Over the last five years, I’ve had the opportunity to work across many different roles in my career, including IT support, administration and data coordination. Each role highlighted the importance of technology in defining modern organisations and consumer journeys.  In my job, I’ve worked with digital tools that help organisations make smarter decisions. I wanted to learn how to use these technologies, why organisations use them and how technology can enhance strategy, efficiency and customer experience. That’s why applying for the BSc (Hons) Business and Computing felt like a natural next step for me. I chose the University of Essex Online because it allowed me to...

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