Logistics is an evolving business function that encompasses and coordinates activities such as inventory planning, warehousing, corporate traffic management, and procurement. Transportation management includes the planning and coordination of movements of freight and passengers for firms in the trucking, airline, railroad, and public transit industries. Together, these areas represent substantial cost centers, totaling at least $800 billion annually in the U.S. Managers in logistics and transportation must ensure that flows of product and people are conducted on-time, securely, and accompanied by excellent customer service, yet in a cost efficient manner. To be successful in this field, managers must be able to communicate and work well with others and also have good computer skills.

Recent demand for skilled logisticians and transportation experts has been strong. U.S.News and World Report named "Management in Supply Chain/Logistics one of the "20 Hot Job Tracks" for 1998. Examples of job titles of recent NU graduates include: Logistics Planner, Terminal Operations Manager (Trucking), Warehouse Supervisor, Railroad Management Trainee, Logistics Transportation Coordinator, Distribution Manager, Public Transit Management Trainee, Customs Broker Agent, and Plant Logistics Manager.

Our current LTM concentration graduates, numbering approximately 10 per year, are in demand in the marketplace. Recent graduates can be found at regional firms including Praxair, Kodak, Ingram Micro, Rich Products, Dunlop Tire, Delphi, Ryder Integrated Logistics, Norfolk Southern Railway, and customhouse brokers. LTM graduates are among the most marketable of business students, both locally and regionally.

Entry level salaries of NU logistics graduates typically range between 25,000 and $35,000, and $40,000 has been achieved by some.

Consider getting an education in an exciting field that will help differentiate you from the thousands of other business students who will be graduating in New York in the next few years.

For more information about Logistics Careers, visit the Council of Logistics Management at www.CLM1.org.

What is the Course of Study at Niagara University?

Undergraduate degrees in transportation management have been offered at NU since 1970. Today, with a customer service and quality orientation, preparation consists of a five-course concentration series within the College of Business' Commerce Department. LTM courses include Business Logistics, Transportation Systems, International Transportation and Customs, and two advanced courses dealing with computer applications, case problem solving, and other selected topics. Management, Economics, and Accounting courses within the College of Business are complemented by a liberal arts education strong in writing, communication, and ethics. The NU College of Business, which has a total of 600 students, has a teaching centered mission emphasizing leadership, ethics, and relevance to today's businesses and communities. While actively involved in applied research projects, the faculty deliver education and advisement with a "small-college" personal approach, helping students launch their careers with internships and professional contacts.

LTM 260. Transportation Systems

An introduction to the field of transportation and logistics management includes an overview of U.S. freight and passenger transportation networks by mode, government transportation policy, and current issues in the field. The importance of transportation in our economy and society is emphasized, and the course can be appreciated by students in all disciplines.

LTM 310. Business Logistics Management

The study of the activities that support the flow of products, supplies and raw materials throughout the supply chain. Topics include inventory control, corporate traffic management, warehousing, packaging, materials handling, and procurement. Customer service quality and leading edge logistics practices are emphasized.

The study of intermodalism, international freight flows, special packaging and handling requirements for export goods, outsourcing, third party facilitators of exports and imports, and customs regulations. The course addresses the special management challenges of international movements with a focus on U.S./Canadian trade and customers.

Topics in this course will focus on emerging logistics management practices, in-depth studies of transportation modal issues of current interest, practical discussions of ethical expectations, and reinforcement of communication skills. The business simulation game "Airline" is used and logistics cases are discussed.

Utilizing a practical approach to solving logistics and transportation problems, this course employs the case study method and hands-on exercises with microcomputer based software currently used in the field. Advanced topics required for effective management and control in transportation and logistics will be presented.