Studies & Degrees in Logistics
Logistics Study Programs
Logistics is the management of how goods, and the information about them, move and are stored on the way from producer to customer. The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) defines logistics management as the part of supply chain management that plans, implements and controls the efficient, effective flow and storage of goods, services and related information between the point of origin and the point of consumption, in order to meet customers' requirements. The definition includes the reverse flow: returns, repairs and recycling.
Students learn transport management by road, rail, sea and air, warehousing and materials handling, inventory management, order fulfilment, the design of logistics networks, and supply and demand planning, which are the activities CSCMP lists as typical of the field. Programmes add purchasing, international trade and customs, the information systems that track goods, and the business subjects behind them: the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) mentions accounting, economics and procurement.
Qualifications and levels
- Vocational training in Spain. The official higher vocational qualification Técnico Superior en Transporte y Logística lasts 2,000 hours and belongs to the commerce and marketing family. It leads to jobs such as logistics operator, warehouse manager, transport logistics technician and reverse logistics technician. Entry normally requires the Bachiller or an equivalent qualification.
- Bachelor's degrees. Logistics is taught as a degree of its own, usually together with supply chain management, or as a specialisation within business or industrial engineering. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the United States offers a Bachelor of Science in Logistics and Supply Chain Management of 120 credits, on campus and online. In Spain a bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits.
- Master's degrees. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. The Máster universitario en Logística y Comercio Internacional of the Universitat Abat Oliba CEU in Barcelona has 60 ECTS credits over 10 months. It is taught in blended mode, in Spanish and English, with 30 places, and is aimed at graduates in business, economics and marketing and at engineers. In the United Kingdom, the Logistics and Supply Chain Management MSc of Cranfield University lasts one year full time, with 60% taught modules and 40% individual project; the next intake starts on 28 September 2026.
- Short courses and professional certificates. Business schools, chambers of commerce and online centres teach shorter programmes in warehouse management, transport or international trade. The BLS notes that certification is not required for logisticians, but shows professional competence and a broad knowledge of logistics.
For programmes outside the official system, ask the school what recognition the qualification has.
Where to study logistics
SpainExchange lists 37 active schools for logistics. Spain has 18, the United States five and the United Kingdom three. Germany and Slovenia have two each, and New Zealand, Greece, Australia, Denmark, Russia, Austria and Thailand one each.
In Spain the list includes universities such as the Universitat Abat Oliba CEU, the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and the Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca, business schools such as EAE Business School, Cerem and the Escuela de Negocios Cámara Valencia, and distance-learning centres such as SEAS and CCC Centro de Estudios. Abroad it includes Cranfield University, the Universität Duisburg-Essen, the Montanuniversität Leoben in Austria, Massey University in New Zealand, the School of Economics and Business of the University of Ljubljana, and in the United States the University of North Texas, the University of Maryland, Wright State University and Ferris State University.
Programmes in Spain are taught mainly in Spanish, and some master's programmes combine Spanish and English. Because the work is international by nature, English is useful in almost any logistics job.
Careers
Graduates work for manufacturers, retailers and online shops, transport and shipping companies, freight forwarders, logistics operators, ports and airports, and also for public bodies and aid organisations. Typical roles are logistics or supply chain analyst, transport planner, warehouse or distribution centre manager, purchasing officer and customs or international trade specialist.
The BLS describes logisticians as the people who analyse and coordinate an organisation's supply chain, the system that moves a product from supplier to consumer. It counted 255,100 logistician jobs in the United States in 2025 and projects employment to grow 18 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations. According to the BLS, logisticians typically need a bachelor's degree, although less education may be sufficient for some jobs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between logistics and supply chain management?
According to the CSCMP definition, logistics management is one part of supply chain management: the part that plans and controls the flow and storage of goods and related information. Supply chain management also covers manufacturing operations and coordination with areas such as marketing, sales and finance.
Do I need a university degree to work in logistics?
Not for every job. The BLS states that logisticians typically need a bachelor's degree, although less education may be sufficient for some jobs. In Spain the higher vocational qualification in Transporte y Logística, of 2,000 hours, prepares for technical and supervisory posts.
How long does a master's in logistics take?
About one academic year in the examples here: the official master's at the Universitat Abat Oliba CEU has 60 ECTS credits over 10 months, and the MSc at Cranfield University lasts one year full time.
Can I study logistics in English in Spain?
Partly. The master's at the Universitat Abat Oliba CEU lists Spanish and English as its languages.