Master's in Sustainable Supply Chain Analytics

This programme focuses on sustainable supply chains from the perspectives of information technology, business economics, and operations optimisation. It adopts a multidisciplinary approach, integrating these three fields to enhance the understanding and efficiency of supply chain processes. You will receive the official diploma of the Master’s in Management, Economics and Consumer studies, specifying a Master's in Sustainable Supply Chain Analytics.

The programme runs annually beginning in September each year. It consists of 120 credit points (ECTS), equivalent to two academic years. The academic year consists of 6 periods. Period 1,2,5 and 6 comprise six weeks of classes, one week of self-study and the exam week. In these periods, students often follow two courses worth 6 credits each. Period 3 and 4 entail of four weeks in which both the lectures and the exams take place. In these periods, students follow one course worth 6 credits. The expected workload is 40 hours per week.

For more detailed information about this mater's profile and learning outcomes, consult the Study Handbook.

You dive into a set of core courses—Sustainable Supply Chain Analytics, Material Flow Analytics, Business Economics Analytics, and Business Information Analytics—to build a solid foundation across business economics, IT, and operations optimisation. 

Programme-specific courses (30 ECTS) 

• Supply Chain Analytics (YSS32806) 

  This course offers a multidisciplinary basis for analysing complex business and supply chain decision problems by considering the trade-offs across the three pillars of sustainability.  A substantial part of the course includes a complex case from practice that will be analysed based on the three main perspectives of the program (information technology, business economics and operational optimisation).

• Business Information Analytics (INF37306) 

  This course focuses on business information systems and data analytics. Effective management depends on the ability to access, analyse and interpret timely business intelligence. This is often visualized through dashboards to identify potential issues, support strategic planning and capture emerging market opportunities.

  The business information systems component examines how information is designed, managed and exchanged within business processes, both internally and across supply chain networks. The data analytics component focuses on how data, particularly large and complex datasets, can be transformed into meaningful insights to support managerial decision-making, using statistical, mathematical and machine learning approaches.

• Material Flow Analytics (ORL34306) 

  Efficient, effective, and sustainable supply chains are essential for business’ success. Recent global disruptions, such as labour shortages, material scarcities, and rising transport costs, have shown how fragile supply networks can be and how vital data-driven decision-making has become. This course introduces analytics-based approaches to managing material and product flows across production and distribution stages. Students will learn how quantitative models and prescriptive analytics support decision-making in supply chain operations, helping organisations achieve efficiency, sustainability, and resilience.  

• Analytics for Business Economics (BEC30306) 

  Understanding and evaluating business economic data is key to shaping more sustainable and resilient agri-food systems. This skill is vital for professionals in research, business, finance, and policy who support strategic decision-making in an increasingly data-driven world.

  This course introduces students to the analysis and interpretation of business economic data, including production figures, prices, profits, risks, and sustainability indicators such as nitrogen emissions and resource buffers. Students will learn to use and critically assess a range of analytical tools, while also developing the ability to “think beyond the numbers”, recognizing how human behaviour, practical constraints and social factors influence real-world decisions.

• Academic Consultancy Training (YMC60809)

  In this course, teams of students work on a real-world consultancy project for an external client, which can be a government agency, private company or civil society organisation. Projects may involve developing new technologies, policy recommendations, business strategies, regional plans, communication strategies or research proposals. Students learn to synthesise diverse perspectives, collaborate effectively and communicate research-based recommendations that have real impact. 

Academic Master Cluster (12 ECTS) 

In the Academic Master Cluster, teams of 5 to 7 students from different disciplines are assigned to execute a transdisciplinary-oriented academic consultancy project for an external commissioner. 

Electives (18 ECTS) 

Within this master programme, students follow three elective master courses. These electives can be combined across disciplines to broaden knowledge, or selected within a specific field to deepen expertise in a particular topic. This can be in the fields of finance, supply chain management, information technology, business studies, data science, entrepreneurship, econometrics, consumer behaviour, biotech, sociology, and many others.  

Note that this is no limited to these courses. Students can follow any relevant master course that adds value to their master program, given it is of relevant difficulty and adds to the programme being studied.

Download the course's overview of the first year.

Thesis (36 ECTS) 

The thesis is your opportunity to deeply explore a topic that excites you within the fields of business economics, logistics, or information technology. Rather than only studying theories, you will engage directly with a real-world research question that connects to your interests and ambitions.

You’ll begin by selecting a topic and reviewing existing literature to identify research gaps. Guided by supervisors, you will then design and conduct your own quantitative study, collect and analyse data and present your findings in a formal research paper. The thesis experience allows you to demonstrate your analytical and critical thinking and research skills, while contributing meaningful insights to the field of Sustainable Supply Chain Analytics, forming your academic bridge to professional impact. 

Examples of our students' theses: 

• Data-driven understanding of trading patterns and prices in energy markets.
• Determining the optimal level of buffer capacity in the dairy processing industry.
• Managing Forecast Uncertainty in Dairy Supply Chains.
• Analysing supply chain risk management strategies in humanitarian organisations.
• Benefits and challenges of using virtual reality in education for students with AD(H)D.

Internship (24 ECTS) 

During the internship, you will gain hands-on experience within a company, government agency or organisation that operates in the complex world of supply chain networks. You’ll work alongside professionals to explore how organisations analyse, design and optimize supply chains across different contexts. You may contribute to projects such as evaluating a new distribution strategy, implementing inventory software or analysing potential business acquisitions.  

Through this immersive experience, you’ll apply theoretical insights to real-world challenges, strengthen your analytical and professional skills and conclude your internship with a research-based report that links your practical work to academic reflection. 

Examples of companies where our students do their internship: 

• Slimstock: predicting the down lift for cannibalised products during promotions.
• Arla: the design of a price model for the high-protein product portfolio of Arla Foods.
• SPAR: working on supply chain, data structure, planning, and visualisation. 

 Download the courses overview for the second year.

• Lectures: lecturers teach the main contents of the course you are following.
• Tutorials: smaller session for individual or group assignments.
• Practicals: computer-based practical sessions to learn to work with specific programs and perform analyses.
• Problem-Based Learning (PBL): working in teams to solve complex cases under supervision.
• Self-study: time you can arrange yourself to study the materials taught in the lectures or to repeat the contents of the tutorials and/or practicals.

With Sustainable Supply Chain Analytics, we like to have a personal bond with our students. In our small-scale study, you have your own study advisor who knows your name and is available to advise and assist you with all facets of studying with WUR. From personal intake, advice on electives, to brainstorming about thesis topics and looking for internships. We value this personal connection and invite you to get comfortable in your own master program and shape it as you like, with the guidance you need.

Related programmes:

• Master's in Economics of Sustainability
• Master's in Sustainable Business and Innovation
• Master's in Biotechnology
• Master's in Consumer Studies
• Master's in Governance of Sustainability Transformations

Graduates from Sustainable Supply Chain Analytics have numerous career opportunities in generalist roles, consulting, and management positions in the business sector and governmental departments. Graduates also start PhD-trajectories or take on advisory roles.

Interested in the Master's in Supply Chain Analytics? In general, we aim for students with a background in Business Administration, Business Economics, Logistics, or Operations Research. Find out whether your knowledge and skills match the entry level of the programme. 

This page describes the previous knowledge and skills required for admission to the Sustainable Supply Chain Analytics programme specifically. For the additional general admission requirements of Wageningen University & Research, application deadlines and the application procedure, visit How to apply for a master's programme?

Required knowledge and skills 

Purpose and reason for the admission requirements 

The criterion used for admission is:

1. A Wageningen University & Research's BSc degree in Business and Consumer Studies, or a bachelor's with a Minor in Supply Chain Analytics, or equivalent.
2. A bachelor degree combined with an assessment of the student's expertise in the following topics:
   1. ≥18 ECTS in at least two of the following disciplines:
      • Business economics (accounting, financial management)
      • Decision theory (logistics, operations research)
      • Information technology
   2. ≥5 ECTS in Mathematics (linear algebra, (differential) calculus)
   3. ≥5 ECTS in Statistics (linear regression, hypothesis testing)

Not all topics mentioned need to be mastered at the same level; they will be weighed by the Admission Board per individual application. The Admission Board will determine whether you are eligible for the master's programme or refer you to a pre-master's programme covering your deficiencies.   

Method of assessment whether this norm is met 

• Transcript of records displaying the content of previous course subjects and project work;
• Curriculum vitae displaying relevant work, internship and/or project experience on an academic level in a relevant field if applicable. 

Scores attributed by the Admission Board 

Admitted / not admitted / admitted under condition of obtaining the BSc or MSc degree / not admitted with offer of pre-master. 

Compensation of knowledge gaps 

GPA 

The Admission Board may allow and/or suggest compensation of knowledge gaps by: 

• a GPA≥7.0* for the previous education, for small discrepancies, as new knowledge is sufficiently easily acquired;
• a GPA≥7.0* and an individual pre-master's programme for larger discrepancies that can be compensated in ≤30 ECTS and one year of study. 

*Check the general admission page for the International credentials evaluation guide for international equivalencies to a Dutch GPA>7.0. This guide includes compensating factors for a slightly lower GPA that the Admission Board may include in their judgment. 

Pre-master's 

A pre-master's programme can be constructed based on the deficiencies of your bachelor's to the entry requirements of the master's programme. A pre-master's runs from 12 ECTS up and to 30ECTS, depending on your situation. An example below is applicable to a university of applied science student lacking a statistical background. Please note that from this example, no rights can be derived. 

Contact the study advisor directly via mme.msc@wur.nl to discuss your possibilities at WUR, options for pre-masters' based on your transcript of grades, and how to mitigate knowledge gaps if you are still in the process of obtaining your degree. Find out more about pre-master's programmes. 

Study programmes with knowledge gaps 

University of Applied Sciences (NL: HBO) students often are required to follow additional courses in a pre-master's or as a minor programme during their previous study programme to cover the required previous knowledge. This usually consists of courses on: mathematics, quantitative research methodology and statistics, business economics, operations research and/or information technology. 

Unconditional admission to this MSc from: 

BC Bachelor Management and Consumer Studies Students who cannot be directly admitted to a Wageningen University master's study programme because of deficiencies in their previously completed bachelor's education may eliminate these deficiencies by following a pre-master's programme. A Wageningen University pre-master's programme consists of a maximum of 30 credits and is determined individually. It has to be obtained within one academic year.

All information about the costs of this programme can be found on this page.

Wageningen offers a diverse, enjoyable, and amiable student community. Despite being a small town, you get to know people from all over the world because of Wageningen University & Research's global atmosphere. Everything in town is relatively accessible by bicycle, and the campus is contemporary and green. Whether it's a sporting event, a party, or a laid-back evening with friends at one of the student associations, there's always something going on. Additionally, there are parks, forests, and a river nearby, so if you enjoy the outdoors, you're in the right area. It's a fantastic combination of learning, socialising, and taking in the scenery. 

All information about student life in Wageningen can be found on this page.