APICS CSCP

APICS The Association for Operations Management is the global leader and premier source of the body of knowledge in operations management, serving more than 42,000 members globally. APICS’ education and certification programs are recognized worldwide as the standard of professional competence in production and inventory management, operations management and supply chain management. For more information please visit www.apics.org

Designation Introduction:

The APICS CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional) program is the first comprehensive educational program tailored for operations and supply chain management professionals, to demonstrate mastery of supply chain management best practices.

It is designed for individuals and organizations looking to develop or enhance skills to create and execute a supply chain strategy that meets customer needs, reduces cost, and increases profits.

The APICS CSCP program addresses the entire supply chain—extending past your internal operations—from your suppliers, through your company, to your end customers.

Who can benefit from the APICS CSCP Program?

The CSCP designation is for professionals who are interested in increasing their knowledge and expertise in the field of supply chain management. This designation is ideal for you and your organization if you are:

  • Interested in more depth of knowledge and understanding in the areas of supplier and customer relations, international trade, the use of information technology to enable the supply chain, and physical logistics

  • A professional who is consulting or teaching supply chain functions

  • Employed in the field of supply chain management

  • Working with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems

  • An employer wanting to create a common standard of understanding, vocabulary, resources, and frameworks within your company to address your supply chain challenges and opportunities

  • An employer or manager wanting to create a common standard of competency across your organization

Course Components:

The 2008 APICS CSCP Learning System is a comprehensive professional development and exam preparation program. It organizes information from more than 150 references into four modules that combine print materials with interactive online tools to deliver a customized learning experience.

Print-Based Materials

The APICS CSCP Learning System contains four print modules offering more than 800+ pages of material with Progress check questions at the end of each section. The following is a brief overview of what you will cover:

Module 1: Supply Chain Management Fundamentals

• Understand how successful supply chain management adds value to your organization
• Learn how to develop a supply chain strategy that aligns with corporate strategy

Module 2: Building Competitive Operations, Planning, and Logistics

• Understand natural dynamics within the supply chain to optimize performance and profitability
• Evaluate the process constraints and choices within global logistics to establish a plan linked to overall strategy

Module 3: Managing Customer and Supplier Relationships

• Effectively use customer data to improve service performance and increase value to suppliers and customers
• Understand the strategic importance of purchasing and supplier relationships

Module 4: Using Information Technology to Enable Supply Chain Management

• Understand the innovative technologies enabling collaborative commerce and global visibility
• Apply technology to enhance performance of distribution, reverse logistics, and global supply chain communications

Interactive Online tools

The online tools help you determine your initial level of knowledge, create a study plan based on your individual needs, reinforce your studies with practice tests, and track your learning progress through progress reports. The online portion of the course consists of the following components:

  • Pre-test to determine your strengths and weaknesses and help you create a customized study plan based on your individual needs

  • Timed module-specific tests with immediate feedback, answer rationales, and reference to the relevant sections in the text so you can review problem areas

  • Timed post-test to determine your progress

  • Online progress report revealing what you’ve completed to date and how well you have mastered the material

  • e-Flashcards with relevant terms and definitions

  • Online glossary for quick reference

  • Practice test bank of more than 600 multiple-choice questions

  • Online Information Center: Access to updates, related links, and test taking tips.

APICS CSCP Exam Eligibility Requirements

All APICS CSCP candidates must meet one of the following criteria to be eligible to take the APICS CSCP exam:

  • Bachelors degree or equivalent plus two years of related business experience*

  • APICS CFPIM, APICS CPIM, APICS CIRM, or C.P.M. designation plus two years of related business experience*

  • Five years of related business experience*

*APICS defines “related business experience” as work that is directly connected to some aspect of the supply chain.

Exam Content and Deadlines:

The CSCP exam is a comprehensive four-hour exam with 175 questions taken from more than 150 references and is administered 2 times per year as follows:

Eligibility Application Deadline

Exam Registration Deadline

Exam Date

January 18

February 1

March 15

April 25

May 9

June 21

October 17

October 31

December 13

Maintaining Your Credentials

 After completing the APICS CSCP program, designees must participate in the Certification Maintenance program.

APICS CSCP Certification maintenance will enable individuals with the APICS CSCP designation to demonstrate ongoing knowledge in their field and commitment to lifelong learning through professional development activities.

Every five years following initial certification, APICS CSCP designees will maintain their certification status through a system of points (75 for APICS CSCP) based on their involvement in the following four activity categories:

I. Continuing education (CE)

II. Presentations, publications, and educational development (PPED)

III. Service to the supply chain profession (SSCP)

IV. Professional membership (PM)

Click here for a detailed Learning System Schedule

Click here to register or get more info.