Department of Logistics
The Department, founded in 1960, is the oldest tertiary academic department in South Africa to offer tuition in logistics and transport.
The following fields of study can be taken up to the
PhD level:
- Logistics Management
- Operations Research
- Transport Economics
All our
honours programmes entail coursework and a research seminar (of 30 credits). Our
master's programmes consist either of (1) research that culminates in a thesis (of 150 or 180 credits), or of (2) coursework and a research assignment (of 75 credits). Depending on the student's choice of assignment or thesis, the remaining credits are made up to 180 by coursework modules. The links under "Postgraduate qualifications" below lead to the relevant curricula. These programmes are residential.
Our doctorate programmes consist of research culminating in a thesis.
Because only a limited number of students can be accommodated in our programmes, students are selected on their academic performance.
areas of specialisation include -
Logistics management
Logistics management plans and coordinates the flow and storage of goods and services in the supply chain. Logisticians manage and coordinate activities in this value chain to ensure an efficient and effective flow of materials and information from the time a need arises until it is satisfied. Some of the many activities involved in logistics include: customer service, transport, purchasing, warehousing, materials handling, strategic planning, inventory control and forecasting.
Transport economics
This field is a branch of economics pertaining to the optimal distribution of scarce resources between the transport sector and other sectors, as well as within the transport sector itself. Within the transport sector transport economics will, for example, look at the equity of travel and freight charges, and also at subsidisation as an instrument for the redistribution of income. Transport economics is also involved in the economic evaluation of various transport projects.
Operations research and quantitative management
Mathematical, statistical and computer models are used in operations research and quantitative management to find optimal (or near optimal) solutions to complex problems. The underlying philosophy of these subjects is to improve systems efficiently and systematically, by improving one or more (sometimes conflicting) goals.
POSTGRADUATE QUALIFICATIONS
POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMAS
HONOURS DEGREES
MASTER'S DEGREES
DOCTORAL DEGREES