Why study a master's in international business and management?

Studying the umbrella discipline of ‘Business and administrative studies’ as a postgraduate leads to higher than average starting salaries upwards of £34K, according to the Complete University Guide.

Little wonder it repeatedly earns a place in the top five in the Guide’s most popular subjects to study. Here, we set out the reasons to study global business in particular and how it can truly broaden your horizons.

1. Flexibility and breadth of subject

One of the most popular reasons to study a master’s in international business and management is the flexibility and diversity of the curriculum; ideal if you are interested in many aspects of international business.

Our course, for example, covers a range of topics: international business and finance, including financial systems, reporting and decision-making; global people management, across the entire employee life cycle and with a focus on factors which influence employee performance and engagement; and sustainable management and ethics, an increasingly essential consideration for every type of organisation.

Whether you have already decided to pursue a career in business and management or you do not yet have a definitive career path in mind, advancing your knowledge and skills through a more broad-based master’s in international business management offers an excellent choice.

View key terms international business professionals need to know:

2. Improve your employability

You will graduate from this master’s with a deep, well-rounded understanding of the modern international business world. You will possess the professional development skills to lead and manage both people and corporate relationships in a cross-cultural global environment.

This is a highly attractive skillset to employers in every sector the world over and can help you launch a career featuring international travel or based abroad.

Positions open to you may include: business development manager; marketing executive; project manager; management analyst; consultant; and entrepreneur.

You could go on to work in areas such as accounting, banking and international finance, HR and marketing, or use your knowledge to internationalise your own or your family’s business.

3. Build your business knowledge

The interconnectedness of the 21st century world presents incredible opportunities for international business, but operating within a dynamic, highly competitive global marketplace is not without difficulty.

Barriers to success, for example, include:

• Managing diverse, global or virtual teams and overcoming differences in working practices, languages and cultural norms (covered in-depth on our specialist MA in Intercultural Business Communication).

• Improving financial performance against a backdrop of different inflation rates and currency exchange rates, not to mention the complexities of foreign politics, policies, regulations and international relations.

• Planning future strategy and horizon scanning for opportunities and threats from international competitors that can compete with your business on anything and everything, including pricing, promotion, distribution, operations, and personnel.

The core knowledge you gain on an international business and management course – giving you a thorough grounding in operational and strategic management and the main business functions of international business – is essential preparation for the running of any business, organisation or charity.

4. Develop key management skills

Successful completion of our MSc will equips you with crucial management skills to respond to challenges and current developments within business and society.

You will learn to:

• Collect and analyse information to evaluate and address complex business management situations.

• Understand and apply appropriate techniques and skills to investigate business and management issues.

• Exercise judgement on the suitability and value of international business management practices or concepts.

As a result, you’ll be better equipped to make informed managerial decisions that consider ethical, economic and social implications, making you an asset to any organisation.

Furthermore, you’ll develop a range of transferrable skills, habits and characteristics, which are recognised by employers and help set you apart from those without this higher level of study.

These include:

• Active learning

• Communication

• Creative thinking

• Critical analysis and thinking

• Flexibility

• Independence

• Motivation

• Organisation

• Presentation

• Problem-solving

• Resilience

• Stress tolerance

• Team working

• Time management.

5. Gain a global perspective

In an ever-changing global business and economic environment, studying business from an international perspective is vital if you plan to work across international boundaries and cultures or for companies and organisations that do.

Having a greater understanding of globalisation and how interconnected each region of the world is economically, politically and socially will ultimately improve your management practice.

When considering the functions and processes of organisations, or individual and corporate behaviour and culture, you’ll demonstrate a greater awareness. You will also be more confident and competent when interacting with international customers, suppliers, partners, or colleagues.

Get an in-depth, globally relevant education in business and management with our part-time, online MSc in International Business and Management. Choose from three start dates per year: