International Business Management MSc

Why choose this course?

This course is ideal if you aspire to a career in consulting or general management in many sectors, including retail, media, healthcare, telecommunications, real estate, oil and gas, and energy. You will acquire the skills to become a dynamic business manager and work effectively in multicultural teams anywhere in the world.

You will apply your knowledge to practical business situations including a consultancy project with a real business. There is also the opportunity to specialise in a variety of business disciplines, including project management, marketing, and entrepreneurship to market yourself more competitively.

This course is accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA) and European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD).

Your assessments will reflect real business situations including undertaking a consultancy project with a real business instead of a dissertation. Recent students have worked with General Electric (GE), L'Oreal, Henkel, Kimberly-Clark and Arqiva.

You'll benefit from an international curriculum and our students come from all over the world to study, so you will finish the course with an international network of contacts.

Kingston Business School is one of only a few of the 120 UK business schools to be awarded an 'excellent' rating for its teaching quality by the Higher Education Funding Council.

International Business Management MSc

Mode Duration Start date
Full time 1 year September 2024
January 2025
Full time 2 years including professional placement September 2024
January 2025
Location Kingston Hill

Reasons to choose Kingston University

  • Kingston Business School is one of only 5% of the world's business schools to be accredited by AACSB International.
  • All students will gain direct industry experience through the Consultancy in Practice module, with the possibility of study exchange overseas.
  • You will have the opportunity to study for a recognised Prince2 qualification.
  • Free car parking at the Kingston Hill campus is available for students of this course. The campus can also be easily accessed by public transport. Halls accommodation is just a walk away from the classrooms.

Accreditations

EFMD Programme Accreditation System

EFMD Programme Accreditation System

EFMD Programme Accreditation System

This programme is accredited by the EFMD Programme Accreditation System (EPAS).

Association of MBAs (AMBA)

Association of MBAs (AMBA)

Association of MBAs (AMBA)

This course is accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA).

Kingston Business School Accreditations

Kingston Business School holds the prestigious international accreditation by the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) in recognition of the excellence of its business education. This accreditation has been earned by just 5% of the world's business schools and recognises the high quality and standard of our business degree offerings.

AACSB Accredited logo

Specialist careers support

You will take part in an Assessment Centre Experience, providing the opportunity to experience the pathway to employment with tailored feedback to help develop your employability skills for the world of graduate employment.

  • Develop your understanding of the jobs market, including current trends and opportunities, different recruitment processes and how to identify relevant roles
  • Receive personalised feedback reports to help you to improve and progress
  • Access additional webinars on top tips, employer expectations and best practice
Specialist careers support

Course Director Dr Ana M Pedraz provides an overview of the International Business Management MSc

Bhupesh talks about studying the International Business Management MSc as an international student from India.

About the Department of Strategy, Marketing and Innovation

The Department of Strategy, Marketing and Innovation comprises passionate and enterprising academics from a diverse range of backgrounds. Our undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications bring together research, practitioner insights and teaching expertise in the disciplines of marketing, international business, entrepreneurship, strategy and innovation.

Our courses are truly experiential, providing you with opportunities to undertake company visits, attend networking events and hear best practice from industry guest speakers.

What you will study

This course combines academic rigour with a strong practitioner focus, with a range of core modules, electives, specialisms and a Consultancy in Practice module.

Year 1

Optional Year 2

Core modules

Managing in Rapidly Changing Business Environments

15 credits

This module will develop your knowledge and understanding of the international business world, equipping you with the tools needed to assess changes in global business environments and configure organisations to adapt to these changing environments.

Topics include:

  • Country analysis techniques to guide international expansion
  • Free trade and protection
  • Introduction to common terms related to international business analysis
  • Internationalisation and multinational, global and transnational firms
  • Foreign direct investment and entry mode
Managing Operations and Financial Resources

30 credits

This module will enable you to understand and prepare management information to support sound business decision-making in the allocation of resources, control of costs and maximisation of profits in productive enterprises.

The module has two main components:

1. Operations and Supply Chain Management

You will examine the key elements of manufacturing and services, including capacity, quality and scheduling, and how processes manage them. You will study the fundamentals of supply chain management, addressing contemporary issues such as sustainable supply chains, supply chain risk management, global (out)sourcing and the impact of emerging digital technologies.

2. Financial Resources Management

You will study the planning, organising, raising, and monitoring of the funds and assets that keep a business operating. You will learn how to calculate the costs associated with the production of products and the provision of services, and determine their price. You will explore budgeting approaches and how budgets are produced, as well as techniques used in evaluating the role of financial institutions and the economic environment in financial business decision making.

International Business Strategy

15 credits

The success of an organisation depends on its ability to make fast, widely supported and high-quality decisions on a frequent basis. This module introduces you to a range of processes by which organisations assimilate and process information, as well as interpret and make decisions within their environments.

These decisions tend to involve imitating competitors or differentiating themselves from them. Contemporary strategic decisions tend to involve learning, flexibility and adaptation rather than rigid, mechanistic processes of their planning era.

You will discover conceptual and analytical approaches and models to which help us to understand: a) the internal assets and capabilities of, as well as the political dynamics within an organisation, b) its relationships with suppliers, customers, regulatory bodies and other institutions, c) all of the above in the context of globalisation and international competition.

You will then consider the issues involved in understanding and designing strategic options, including those related to managing risk, managing expectations for accountability and ethical business behaviours, and financial and accounting factors.

Building Successful Organisations and Careers

30 credits

This module will develop your understanding of how people and teams operate within modern global organisations, and how to equip them with the practical skills needed to maximise their contribution.

You will learn how to:

  • Be a good communicator
  • Inspire trust through reputational credibility and business expertise
  • Be resilient in the face of uncertainty, change and pressure
  • Work across different cultures and value systems.

Teaching consists of lectures, case studies, career development workshops and guest speaker sessions. You will learn from both academics and practitioners, and you will undertake a real-life project based on a social enterprise or volunteering organisation, which will enable you to apply your knowledge and skills within a team and as part of an organisation.

Research Methods and Business Analytics

30 credits

This module will introduce you to the methodologies and tools used in conducting research in consultancy projects.

You will develop the practical skills that consultants use to gather and analyse information on a specific topic and turn information into actionable insights through analysis and interpretation. You will discover the exciting world of business intelligence and big data science, with a particular focus on its use to inform decision making.

As part of the module, you will investigate a business problem using appropriate theory and research methods, providing sound, evidence-based, managerial recommendations in the form of a research proposal.

Consultancy in Practice

30 credits

This module will equip you with the knowledge, understanding, skills and practical experience to conduct a consultancy project to solve a real business problem and make recommendations for clients.

You will work in groups while being supported by a series of lectures, seminars and workshops. You will produce a group presentation for the client, presenting your findings and recommendations, as well as submitting a professional consultancy report.

You will be encouraged to critically reflect and evaluate your learning, performance, development and experience, producing a personal development log.

Optional modules (choose 2)

Entrepreneurship in an International Context

15 credits

The module introduces you to the concepts of entrepreneurship and innovation from an international perspective.

You will develop a deep understanding of the role and relevance of enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation as critical features of economic and social development for all nations and types of organisation, public and private.

You will explore new venture and small business management realities, highlighting the difference in management between new/small and large established organisations. You will gain entrepreneurial management skills and the ability to cope with ambiguity, uncertainty, and complexity.

Innovation Management

15 credits

Organisations with a strong, consistent and successful focus on managing innovation outperform their competitors in terms of growth and financial performance.

Innovation management requires special knowledge and skills, which are different to standard strategic management theories and practices. This module introduces you to the main concepts and management tools for innovation activities within organisations - from small to large.

You will develop a deep understanding of the role and relevance of innovation within all kinds of organisations and you are asked to identify critical issues, skills and knowledge needed to implement innovation activities or projects.

The module uses a combination of learning and teaching strategies, such as case studies and practical examples of latest examples of innovations. You will carry out a practical innovation audit within an established organisation actively engaged in innovation.

International Marketing

15 credits

This module will develop your knowledge of marketing within an international context. You will explore the various challenges and opportunities faced by a firm when marketing its products and services beyond its domestic borders.

Some of the topics explored in this module include:

  • Marketing environments
  • Cultural diversity
  • Research in an international context
  • Emerging markets
  • International market selection
  • Market entry strategies
  • International marking mix decisions.

You will also analyse the impact of the internet and new technology trends such as artificial intelligence on various facets of international marketing.

Buyer Behaviour

15 credits

This module focuses on how people buy and use products, and how they react to marketing action.

On this module you will:

  • apply this buyer behaviour information to specify marketing goals and define an effective services strategy
  • critically evaluate the latest research developments in buyer behaviour, such as customer loyalty, satisfaction, advertising effectiveness, branding, pricing and store atmospherics
  • take a scientific approach, based on evidence and theory, to understand the practical application of research findings and to identify areas where further investigation may be needed
  • evaluate the most appropriate methods of investigation and analysis.
Agile Project Management

15 credits

On this module you will turn knowledge of Agile project management tools and techniques into the skills businesses require to bring about strategic change, within a technology-driven context as well as other business areas.

You will explore how Agile approaches require specific organisational and cultural environments that are suited to the key values and manifestos that are so important to the success of these types of projects.

You will work in groups to develop coherent user stories, adopt timebox planning techniques and generate burndown charts to track the delivery of the most important themes that will deliver the greatest benefits back into the business.

Praxis: Project, Programme and Portfolio Management

15 credits

This module looks at managing multiple complex projects in close alignment with an organisation's business strategy to enhance the management of business activities, both on a strategic and operational level to create and sustain competitive advantage in international markets.

You will learn how to develop portfolios that link to strategic objectives, before developing benefit maps to help organisations to track progress and measure against organisational goals. You will also plan a project from start to finish, using product breakdown techniques and online tools such as MS Project.

Risk and ethics workshops will provide you with practical tools for identifying, assessing and mitigating the most important risks and ethical challenges that face project and programme managers working in today's complex business landscapes.

International Money and Finance

15 credits

This module offers an intuitive analysis of the international financial management environment.

You will study the role and functions of international financial markets (FX, capital markets) and institutions, and assess the tools that can be employed by firms' managers to assess and control for risk in these markets.

You will learn about international economic linkages, monetary systems and parity conditions in international financial markets. Several real-world examples and journal articles are used to bring together theoretical considerations and practise.

Financial Investments

15 credits

This module will provide you with a broad understanding of the field of investment.

The main topics include:

  • The UK stock market
  • Stock valuation
  • Investment strategies for equities
  • Financial derivatives
  • Portfolio diversification
  • Optimal portfolio construction
  • Financial risk management.

You will have access to our very own Bloomberg Trading Room and software packages to explore real-time financial data.

Managing Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development

15 credits

This module will help you develop a critical understanding of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainable development (SD), and recognise their development and growing importance.

You will learn contrasting methods while you evaluate CSR and SD practices that are applied to various business functions and how to manage organisations and their activities in a socially responsible way.

Participatory Approaches to Solving Environmental Challenges

15 credits

Participatory approaches have become increasingly widespread in recent years, and they recognise the publics and other stakeholders' right to be involved in environmental decision making, but also expects them to take on a variety of responsibilities.

This module explores the diversity of participatory approaches, from global policy to local action. You will examine the benefits and challenges of participatory approaches involving a range of stakeholders in a number of contexts, and consider those who may be excluded and questions of social justice.

You will explore the complexities of implementing these policies and methods through case studies which focus on key issues and the challenges of balancing a range of competing needs.

International Business Management optional year

The professional placement year is optional. It takes place after the full time year. It allows students to do a 12-month work placement as part of their course. The work placement is an assessed part of the course and is therefore covered by a Student Route visa.

Find out more about the postgraduate work placement scheme.

Professional placement year

Professional Placement

120 credits

The Professional Placement module is a core module for those students following a masters programme that incorporates an extended professional placement that follows completion of the first 180 credits of taught modules and project or dissertation. It provides students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in an appropriate working environment, and to develop and enhance key employability skills and subject specific skills in their chosen subject.

It is the responsibility of individual students to locate and secure a suitable placement opportunity; this will normally involve one placement which must be completed over a minimum period of 10 months and within a maximum of 12 months. The placement must be approved by the module leader prior to commencement to ensure its suitability.

Please note

Optional modules only run if there is enough demand. If we have an insufficient number of students interested in an optional module, that module will not be offered for this course.

After you graduate

Graduates are presented with a range of opportunities in the employment market. Our alumni have either set up their own business, worked in SMEs, consultancy or multinational companies.

Entry requirements

Typical offer

A 2:2 or above honours degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline.

Candidates with non-standard qualifications but with relevant experience are welcome to apply.

Pre-Masters programme

If you don't meet these entry requirements, our Pre-Masters programme can prepare you for the course.

International

Please note: most students from countries outside the European Union/European Economic Area and classified as overseas fee paying, are not eligible to apply for part-time courses due to UK student visa regulations. For information on exceptions please visit the UKCISA website or email our CAS and Visa Compliance team.

All non-UK applicants must meet our English language requirement, which is Academic IELTS of 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0. Make sure you read our full guidance about English language requirements, which includes details of other qualifications we consider.

Applicants who do not meet the English language requirements could be eligible to join our pre-sessional English language course.

Applicants from recognised majority-English-speaking countries (MESCs) do not need to meet these requirements.

Country-specific information

You will find more information on country-specific entry requirements in the International section of our website.

Find your country:

Teaching and assessment

Guided independent study (self-managed time)

When not attending timetabled sessions, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This typically will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, the library and CANVAS, the online virtual learning platform.

Support for postgraduate students

As a student at Kingston University, we will make sure you have access to appropriate advice regarding your academic development. You will also be able to use the University's support services

Your workload

International Business Management

  • 22% of your time is spent in timetabled learning and teaching activity
  • Scheduled learning and teaching: 258 hours
  • Guided independent study (self-managed time): 942 hours

International Business Management with Entrepreneurship

  • 21% of your time is spent in timetabled learning and teaching activity
  • Scheduled learning and teaching: 315 hours
  • Guided independent study (self-managed time): 1185 hours

International Business Management with Marketing

  • 22% of your time is spent in timetabled learning and teaching activity
  • Scheduled learning and teaching: 324 hours
  • Guided independent study (self-managed time): 1176 hours

International Business Management with Project Management

  • 22% of your time is spent in timetabled learning and teaching activity
  • Scheduled learning and teaching: 324 hours
  • Guided independent study (self-managed time): 1176 hours

Professional Placement Year

  • 100% of your time is spent on guided independent study (self-managed time) and placement
  • Guided independent study (self-managed time): 50 hours
  • Placement: 1150 hours

(Contact hours may vary depending on your modules)

Please note: the above breakdowns are a guide calculated on core modules only. Depending on optional modules chosen, this breakdown may change.

How you will be assessed

Assessment typically comprises exams (e.g. test or exam), practical (e.g. presentations, performance) and coursework (e.g. essays, reports, self-assessment, portfolios, dissertation). The approximate percentage for how you will be assessed on this course is as follows, though depends to some extent on the optional modules you choose:

International Business Management

  • 95% Coursework
  • 5% Practical
  • 0% Exam

International Business Management with Entrepreneurship

  • 97% Coursework
  • 3% Practical
  • 0% Exam

International Business Management with Marketing

  • 97% Coursework
  • 3% Practical
  • 0% Exam

International Business Management with Project Management

  • 96% Coursework
  • 4% Practical
  • 0% Exam

Professional Placement Year

  • 100% Coursework

Please note: the above breakdowns are a guide calculated on core modules only. Depending on optional modules chosen, this breakdown may change.

Feedback summary

We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 20 working days.

Class sizes

You will be part of an intimate cohort of students which provides dedicated academic guidance and advice and the opportunity to build a life-long network of colleagues. Some modules are common across other postgraduate programmes; therefore you will be taught alongside students who are on these courses within the Business School.

Who teaches this course?

You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on this course. The team includes senior academics and professional practitioners with industry experience. The following group of staff members are currently involved in the delivery of different elements of this course. This pool is subject to change at any time within the academic year.

Fees for this course

2024/25 fees for this course

Home 2024/25

  • MSc full time £12,900

International 2024/25

  • MSc full time £18,900

2023/24 fees for this course

Home 2023/24

  • MSc full time £12,100

International 2023/24

  • MSc full time £17,500

Fees for the optional placement year

If you choose to take a placement as part of this course, you will be invoiced for the placement fee in Year 2. Find out more about the postgraduate work placement scheme and the costs for the placement year.

Postgraduate loans

If you are a UK student, resident in England and are aged under the age of 60, you will be able to apply for a loan to study for a postgraduate degree. For more information, read the postgraduate loan information on the government's website.

Scholarships and bursaries

Kingston University offers a range of postgraduate scholarships, including:

If you are an international student, find out more about scholarships and bursaries.

We also offer the following discounts for Kingston University alumni:

Additional costs

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs that are not covered by tuition fees which students will need to consider when planning their studies. Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, access to shared IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

Where a course has additional expenses, we make every effort to highlight them. These may include optional field trips, materials (e.g. art, design, engineering), security checks such as DBS, uniforms, specialist clothing or professional memberships.

Textbooks

Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment.

Computer equipment

There are open-access networked computers available across the University, plus laptops available to loan. You may find it useful to have your own PC, laptop or tablet which you can use around campus and in halls of residence. Free WiFi is available on each of the campuses. You may wish to purchase your own computer, which can cost from £100 to £3,000 depending on your course requirements.

Photocopying and printing

In the majority of cases written coursework can be submitted online. There may be instances when you will be required to submit work in a printed format. Printing, binding and photocopying costs are not included in your tuition fees, this may cost up to £100 per year.

Travel

Travel costs are not included in your tuition fees but we do have a free intersite bus service which links the campuses, Surbiton train station, Kingston-upon-Thames train station, Norbiton train station and halls of residence.

Placements

Students may wish to visit a client for a consultancy project. The approximate cost would be £100.

Students who choose to take a placement will need to allow for travel costs. Cost will depend on the location of the placement. If placement is based in London travel costs may vary from £0 to £200 per month, for 12 months.

Field trips

There may be optional trips within London and overseas, which would incur an additional cost.

Additional costs (course specific)

If the Design Thinking elective module is selected, students will raise funds and invest in their start-up company. Each team of four will need to raise £1000.

Kingston Business School: be who you want to be

At Kingston Business School we lead

What our students say

My undergraduate degree was in International Relations - I chose to study International Business Management at Masters level because I wanted to challenge myself and gain the skills needed to enhance my future career. Although I have not yet decided exactly what I plan to do after graduating, this course has provided the opportunity to select from a wide range of modules which has helped me to understand the different areas of business I might choose to go into.

I have really enjoyed the International Project Management, Buyer Behaviour and International Business Strategy with Simulation modules. I have strengthened my management skills and I am considering applying to Project Management roles after graduating. The International Business Strategy with Simulation module has given me a flavour of creating my own business, which has inspired me to explore the possibility of setting up a business in the future.

Overall, I am finding this course extremely insightful and I have been able to really utilise it to mould my future career.

Vlera Stulqaku

The International Business Management MSc I am studying has been one of the best experiences I ever had. I am a European student from France, and I decided to do my masters at Kingston University. After considering a number of universities in England I found Kingston University was ideal for me. I did my bachelors degree in the north of England, but I wanted to change and discover a new life. Kingston is a real melting pot and a good place to live for students as it is not far away from London.

The International Business Management MSc course offered by Kingston Business School met all my expectations. The content of this masters programme is an interesting mix and has taught me a lot about business, communication, management and finance terms. During my second semester, I chose the consultancy practice module; it consisted in working for a company and helping it to improve a business area (in this case marketing and communications). This module was for me the opportunity to be introduced to the business market and has transformed my knowledge into action and my competency in a real situation.

This year abroad has been very useful to my future career: my course combines business with language, which gives me knowledge and capabilities but also valuable learning experiences, which are a considerable asset for my personal and my professional development. I am confident that my choice of studying abroad will increase my competitiveness in the international business field after my graduation.

I am really enjoying my time and my experience of being one of Kingston University's students, the course is very enjoyable and I highly recommend it to anyone who is searching for an unforgettable experience and thinking about an international business career.

Audrey Aznar: "One of the best experiences I ever had"

Course changes and regulations

The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Course changes explained.

Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.

Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.