Cranfield University

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We provide education in all aspects of defence acquisition across the Defence and Security sectors. Our main clients are the UK MOD (our partner at Defence Academy), other UK Government Departments, industry and overseas students (civilian and military). Our courses range from one day up-skilling sessions to an MSc Programme. We offer the only MSc in Defence Acquisition Management in the UK. Please see the links below for details of the courses and how to apply to join our programmes. Should you require further assistance, please contact our Business Manager, Philip Poole, via cfda@cranfield.ac.uk.

Postgraduate courses

The MSc Defence Acquisition Management provides for multiple pathways that include, the General Acquisition theme, a Commercial theme and a Through Life Support theme

•  How to apply
•  Entry requirements
•  Fees.  For UK MoD sponsored students the DAM MSc is delivered at no cost to the student.  All other potential students should contact cfda@cranfield.ac.uk.  Further detailed information is also available from the Cranfield Defence and Security Academic Registry

All MSc Defence Acquisition Management modules can be taken as short stand-alone courses if not fully subscribed. The available modules are:

Core Modules – Year 1

1. Strategic management and introduction to acquisition.

Aim: To give students a clear understanding of the process of strategy development and the discipline of strategic management within a defence acquisition context together with an appreciation of the complexities of International Acquisition.

Aim: To introduce students to the principles and techniques underpinning Defence Resource Management.

Aim: To understand the role and importance of project management in implementing strategy and an understanding of the principles, techniques and applications of project management.

Aim: To give students a clear understanding of the range of procurement strategies, the means by which the defence customer engages with industry and the management and development of the customer-supplier relationship.

Aim: This module gives students the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to design and implement organisational improvement strategies that will deliver effective acquisition change.

Aim: The aim of this module is to prepare students to make a positive contribution to the development and management of knowledge within defence sector organisations. The module will examine how organisations can create, use and exploit knowledge.

Year 2: 6 modules are taken in the second year and will depend on the theme being followed:

1. Leading acquisition change*.

Aim: To build on the material introduced in the Managing Acquisition Change module and to provide students with the latest thinking in leadership in the context of delivering change within acquisition.

Aim: The module aim is to develop knowledge and understanding of analytical and modelling approaches used to support the planning and management of the supply network and to study the application of a selection of the techniques, including "soft" methodologies and statistics, to typical problems.

Aim: To enable students to analyse critically the process of management, decision-making methods and information system requirements, necessary for effective and efficient supply network management in Defence within the overall TLCM/DLOD context and where appropriate to contrast this with commercial practice.

Aim: This module considers how effective negotiations form an important part of supplier relations, within the defence and security sector. It is of particular value to balance the needs of the organisation with those of maintaining effective long-term supplier relations.

Aim: The module aims to enable the students to understand the basic principles of cost estimation and its place use within the acquisition and through life support processes.

Aim: To present the range of approaches to contracting for capability and to tie this back to the legal requirements associated with both national and international law.

Aim: To examine the fundamental factors which influence the availability of defence equipment and the through life cost of its support.

Aim: To develop and assess students’ understanding of the management of battlespace related science, innovation and technology (SIT) in the context of Through Life Capability Management (TLCM).

Aim: To enable students to analyse critically the challenges and key issues for the efficient and effective delivery of Through Life Support solutions in the Defence environment.

Aim: To develop knowledge and understanding of the contemporary academic concepts in leadership, and to contrast this with emerging conceptualisations of leadership in the UK Armed Services and MOD.

Aim: To apply economic and financial principles to the defence context, critically evaluating their contribution to the management of resources in the global defence environment.

Aim: This module aims to produce students who can apply Sustainability principles in Defence Capability Change Management and Through-Life Support

Aim: The module aim is to develop knowledge and understanding of the interdependency between individual, team and organisational performance in successful achievement of defence acquisition objectives.

Aim: To develop knowledge and understanding of the role of Systems and Systems of Systems Engineering in a Capability-based approach to Defence acquisition.

Aim: To understand the key issues surrounding the provision of an efficient and effective humanitarian logistics supply chain, and the interface with defence supply chains.

Aim: To give students a clear understanding of the comparative and international dimensions of defence acquisition, using concepts and theories from the disciplines of International Relations and Politics as well as relevant management fields.

Aim: To integrate the concepts, issues and approaches considered within the MSc programme so that the student can critically analyse capability management and its relationship to Defence policy, departmental planning and wider defence acquisition processes and practice.

* - new modules that will be delivered in 2012

Please contact cfda@cranfield.ac.uk for further information.

Short courses

CfDA also runs a number of short courses delivering business-specific benefits for those individuals who attend: