Overview
Prepare you with the knowledge and professional skills to lead and manage business towards a world of opportunities.
Summary
The MSc International Business aims to allow students to acquire mastery of both the macro and micro contexts of international business, and is designed to enable students to acquire, develop, and integrate international business theory, and develop the skills to then apply this in terms of international business practice. The Masters dissertation provides the opportunity to conceive, design and implement satisfactorily a substantial research project within the broad subject area of international business.
The Extended MSc in International Businessaims to provide an alternative route to postgraduate study at Ulster via the Graduate Certificate in Business. The pre-masters model has been designed essentially as a bridging mechanism for home and international students to progress from undergraduate to postgraduate study at Ulster and will lead to a distinct award, the Graduate Certificate in Business.
The Graduate Certificate in Business takes cognisance of the fact that many international (as well as home) students holding ordinary Bachelor Degrees or equivalent, do not have sufficient academic standing to allow them to meet the entry criteria for study at Masters' level.
Students who have successfully completed the Graduate Certificate in Business and, on achieving an overall average of 50% across all 3 modules, will be in a position to progress to the MSc in International Business. They will be deemed to have met the entry requirements for Master's level study by having demonstrated suitable levels of proficiency in Academic writing skills; Study skills at postgraduate level; Postgraduate research skills; and Discipline-based knowledge and understanding.
The aim of the MSc in International Business is to provide students with an applied knowledge of both the macro- and micro- contexts of international business. Students will acquire, develop and integrate international business theory and develop their skills to then apply this in terms of international business practice. The MSc International Business programme will adopt an enquiry based approach to develop professionals who can drive business success and challenge the accepted conventions of the business world by developing business strategies in real life business contexts and delivering effective business solutions. The programme will develop a range of skills including digital, effective communication and analytical skills, creative thinking, adaptability and resilience, to enhance employability and the lifelong learning capabilities of graduates.
Students who have successfully completed the taught modules associated with the Postgraduate Diploma in International Business to undertake a Master's Dissertation/International Business Project. The Master's Dissertation/International Business Project provides students with the opportunity to conceive, design and implement satisfactorily a substantial research project within the broad subject area of International Business.
The general aim of the Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma stages of the International Business programme is to inculcate in students a knowledge of skills in, and an aptitude for, international business. This programme aims to allow students to acquire mastery of both the macro and micro contexts of international business. These programmes will include the ability to acquire, develop, integrate international business theory and develop the skills to then apply this in terms of international business practice.
We’d love to hear from you!
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
- Course specific information
- Fees and Finance
- Admissions
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
About this course
About
The Extended MSc International Business programme consists of 11 taught modules and an applied piece of work in the form of a Dissertation/Applied Research Project (worth 60 credit points). The programme is normally delivered over 4 semesters and will carry 240 credits, 60 at level 6 and 180 at level 7.
The first semester comprises three 20 credit modules delivered at level 6 (Research Methods for Postgraduate Students - BMG575; Academic Essentials - BMG625; Enterprise Development -BMG626). The second/third semesters comprise eight 15 credit modules at level 7 (Global Business in Context - BMG705; International Finance - BMG704; Global Marketing & Sales Development - MKT744; The Digital Landscape - BMG814; International HRM - BMG935; International Business Research Skills - BMG871; International Entrepreneurship - BMG936 and Global Strategy Development & Implementation - BMG872). Students must successfully complete the 11 taught modules (3 at level 6 and 8 at level 7) before they can progress to the Dissertation - BMG847/International Business Project - BMG858 (worth 60 credit points) in their final semester.
Students normally complete the programme over four to five semesters. If students choose not to progress to the final semester of the MSc programme, but have passed the requisite number of taught modules (eight at level 7 - up to a value of 120 credit points), they may exit the programme with the award of a Postgraduate Diploma in International Business. Students who have passed four taught modules (60 credit points at level 7), may exit the programme with the award of a Postgraduate Certificate in International Business. Additionally, students who have passed the following core modules (at level 6): Academic Essentials, Research Methods for Postgraduate Students and Enterprise Development may exit the programme with the award of a Graduate Certificate in Business.
Full-time students who complete 120 credits (i.e. to Postgraduate Diploma level) are eligible to undertake the Advanced Practice pathway by completing either the Internship & Professional Development Project (BMG861,60 credits) or Applied Consulting Project (BMG862,60 credits).
If students choose not to progress to the final year (PT)/semester (FT) of the MSc International Business and HRM pathway programme, but have passed the requisite number of taught modules (eight at level 7 - up to a value of 120 credit points), they may exit the programme with the award of a Postgraduate Diploma in International Business with HRM (they will have completed the requisite specialism modules). Students who have passed four level 7 taught modules (60 credit points), may exit the programme with the award of a Postgraduate Certificate in International Business.
Students who complete the Postgraduate Diploma in International Business with HRM programme are eligible to undertake the Advanced Practice pathway by completing either the Internship & Professional Development Project (BMG861, 60 credits) or the Applied Consulting Project (BMG862, 60 credits).
If students choose not to progress to the final year (PT)/semester (FT) of the MSc International Business with Data Analytics programme, but have passed the requisite number of taught modules (eight at level 7 - up to a value of 120 credit points), they may exit the programme with the award of a Postgraduate Diploma in International Business with Data Analytics (they will have completed the requisite specialism modules). Students who have passed four level 7 taught modules (60 credit points), may exit the programme with the award of a Postgraduate Certificate in International Business.
Students who successfully complete the Postgraduate Diploma in International Business with Data Analytics programme are eligible to undertake the Advanced Practice pathway by completing either the Internship & Professional Development Project (BMG861, 60 credits) or the Applied Consulting Project (BMG862, 60 credits).
Attendance
All 3 Graduate Certificate modules are delivered over a 12-week teaching block in each semester. Upon successful completion of the Graduate Ceritifcate (with average of 50% or more), will allow students to progress to MSc International Business. Students who score an average of 40-49% overall, will exit with a Graduate Certificate award only.
MSc modules are delivered in a six-week block format.
The part-time MSc is completed in 2-3 years. Full-time participants can also exit with a PgCert after successful completion of one semester (four modules) or alternatively exit with a PgDip after successful completion of two semesters (eight modules).
Start dates
Teaching, Learning and Assessment
Assessment is 100% coursework assessed
These pre-Masters and Masters programmes offers various methods of teaching and learning to address the needs of industry and the economy in today's fast-changing world.
Studying and interacting with students and academic staff in an international setting, creates a network of contacts and links to local knowledge on an international stage. This masters degree offers directed tutor and peer learning, providing guidance and support throughout the entire programme, in addition to technical assistance.
Attendance and Independent Study
The content for each course is summarised on the relevant course page, along with an overview of the modules that make up the course.
Each course is approved by the University and meets the expectations of:
-
Attendance and Independent Study
As part of your course induction, you will be provided with details of the organisation and management of the course, including attendance and assessment requirements - usually in the form of a timetable. For full-time courses, the precise timetable for each semester is not confirmed until close to the start date and may be subject to some change in the early weeks as all courses settle into their planned patterns. For part-time courses which require attendance on particular days and times, an expectation of the days and periods of attendance will be included in the letter of offer. A course handbook is also made available.
Courses comprise modules for which the notional effort involved is indicated by its credit rating. Each credit point represents 10 hours of student effort. Undergraduate courses typically contain 10, 20, or 40 credit modules (more usually 20) and postgraduate courses typically 15 or 30 credit modules.
The normal study load expectation for an undergraduate full-time course of study in the standard academic year is 120 credit points. This amounts to around 36-42 hours of expected teaching and learning per week, inclusive of attendance requirements for lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical work, fieldwork or other scheduled classes, private study, and assessment. Teaching and learning activities will be in-person and/or online depending on the nature of the course. Part-time study load is the same as full-time pro-rata, with each credit point representing 10 hours of student effort.
Postgraduate Master’s courses typically comprise 180 credits, taken in three semesters when studied full-time. A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) comprises 60 credits and can usually be completed on a part-time basis in one year. A 120-credit Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) can usually be completed on a part-time basis in two years.
Class contact times vary by course and type of module. Typically, for a module predominantly delivered through lectures you can expect at least 3 contact hours per week (lectures/seminars/tutorials). Laboratory classes often require a greater intensity of attendance in blocks. Some modules may combine lecture and laboratory. The precise model will depend on the course you apply for and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. Prospective students will be consulted about any significant changes.
-
Assessment
Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessments. This feedback may be issued individually and/or issued to the group and you will be encouraged to act on this feedback for your own development.
Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification, the assessment timetable and the assessment brief. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised. The module pass mark for undergraduate courses is 40%. The module pass mark for postgraduate courses is 50%.
-
Calculation of the Final Award
The class of Honours awarded in Bachelor’s degrees is usually determined by calculation of an aggregate mark based on performance across the modules at Levels 5 and 6, (which correspond to the second and third year of full-time attendance).
Level 6 modules contribute 70% of the aggregate mark and Level 5 contributes 30% to the calculation of the class of the award. Classification of integrated Master’s degrees with Honours include a Level 7 component. The calculation in this case is: 50% Level 7, 30% Level 6, 20% Level 5. At least half the Level 5 modules must be studied at the University for Level 5 to be included in the calculation of the class.
All other qualifications have an overall grade determined by results in modules from the final level of study.
In Masters degrees of more than 200 credit points the final 120 points usually determine the overall grading.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
Academic profile
The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 60% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.
Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (19%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (22%) or Lecturers (57%).
We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic and learning support staff (85%) are recognised as fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advance HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.
The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise. The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff. This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.
Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
Standard entry conditions
We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.
Entry Requirements
Applicants must have gained:
A third class, pass or ordinary degree, or equivalent from a University of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, or from a recognised national awarding body or from institution of another country which has been recognised as being of an equivalent standard; and
In exceptional circumstances, as an alternative, where an individual has substantial and significant experiential learning, a portfolio of written evidence demonstrating the meeting of graduate qualities (including subject specific outcomes, as determined by the Course Committee) may be considered as an alternative entrance route. Evidence used to demonstrate graduate qualities may not be used for exemption against modules within the programme.
English Language Requirements
English language requirements for international applicants
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.
Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.
Exemptions and transferability
Studies pursued and examinations passed in respect of other qualifications awarded by Ulster University or by another university or other educational institution, or evidence from the accreditation of prior experiential learning, may be accepted as exempting candidates from part of the programme.
Careers & opportunities
Career options
Student and employer needs are reflected in the development of this programme and evidenced in the career destinations and further development of our graduates. The nature of the provision is such that it equips individuals for employment in a wide range of international roles within the public and private sectors and a significant number of graduates are successful in gaining promotion in their chosen fields or alter their career paths following completion of their programme of study.
Businesses are increasingly conducted on a global scale, making this future-focused course ideal if you wish to progress in a business or international career and achieve your ambitions.
Developing skills that are industry-focused and transferrable, you will be the ideal candidate for jobs in a variety of fields and sectors e.g.
· Leadership
· Problem-solving
· Planning
· Data analysis
· Finance
· Marketing
Professional Recognition
Accreditations reflect the excellence of our teaching, research, and knowledge exchange and ensure our programmes realise the highest expectations. By studying at Ulster University you’ll gain insight and be at the forefront of current industry practices, while our many accredited degree programmes open doors to the world’s top professional organisations, making you more attractive to future employers and giving you a competitive edge in the job market.
Accredited by the Institute of Export and International Trade (IOE) for the purposes of exemptions from some professional examinations
Fees and funding
Tuition Fee Loans Available
Students domiciled in Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and UK students can apply to Student Finance NI for a Tuition Fee loan of up to £6,500 (subject to eligibility).
Important Notice - Annual Fees Information
The fee illustrated covers the entire duration of the course.
Annual Increase Disclaimer
-
Important Notice: Annual Fees Increase
Annual Fees Increase Disclaimer
Fees illustrated are based on academic year 25/26 entry and are subject to an annual increase.
If your study continues into future academic years your fees are subject to an annual increase. Please take this into consideration when you estimate your total fees for a degree.
Additional mandatory costs are highlighted where they are known in advance. There are other costs associated with university study.
Visit our Fees pages for full details of fees.
Correct at the time of publishing. Terms and conditions apply.
View Available Scholarships
See if you can access financial or other forms of support, including mentorship to excel in your studies.
Additional mandatory costs
It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees.
Where a course has additional mandatory expenses (in addition to tuition fees) we make every effort to highlight them above. We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free Wi-Fi are also available on each of the campuses.
There are additional fees for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as a part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs, as well as tuition fees.
See the tuition fees on our student guide for most up to date costs.
Disclaimer
- We prepare our prospectus and online information about our courses with care and every effort is made to ensure that the information is accurate. The printed version of the prospectus is, however, published at least a year before the courses begin. Information included in the prospectus may, therefore, change. This includes, but is not limited to changes to the terms, content, delivery, location, method of assessments or lengths of the courses described. Not all circumstances are foreseeable, but changes will normally be made for one of the following reasons:
- to meet external, professional, or accredited body requirements;
- to provide for exceptional circumstances due to reasons beyond our reasonable control;
- to improve or enhance your experience, or to adopt changes recommended in student feedback, with the aim of improving the student experience and or student outcomes; and/or
- to ensure appropriate academic standards are met, for example in response to external examiners feedback.
- If there are insufficient enrolments to make a course viable, it may be necessary for the University to withdraw a course. If you have received an offer for a course that we subsequently have to close, we will contact you as soon as possible to discuss alternative courses. If you do not wish to study any alternative courses at the University, you may withdraw your application by informing us by email to admissions@ulster.ac.uk.
- Please note that the University’s website is the most up-to-date source of information regarding courses, campuses and facilities and we strongly recommend that you always visit the website before making any commitments.
- We will include a durable PDF when we send you an offer letter which will highlight any changes made to our prospectus or online information about our courses. You should read this carefully and ensure you fully understand what you are agreeing to before accepting a place on one of our courses.
- The University will always try to deliver the course as described in the durable PDF you receive with your offer letter.
- At any point after an offer has been made, students will be notified of any course changes in writing (usually by email) as soon as reasonably practicable and we will take all reasonable steps to minimise their impact where possible. The University will, where possible and reasonably practicable, seek the express consent of the student in regard to any changes concerning material or pre-contract information.
- The University website will be updated to reflect the changed course information as soon as reasonably practicable.
- If, after due consideration, you decide that you no longer want to study your course or to study at the University, because of the changes, you may withdraw your application or terminate your contract with the University. In order to do so, you should notify us in writing by emailing admissions@ulster.ac.uk (and update UCAS if applicable). We will, on request, recommend alternative courses that you could study with us, or suggest a suitable course at an alternative higher education provider.
- Providing the University has complied with the requirements of all applicable consumer protection laws, the University does not accept responsibility for the consequences of any modification, relocation or cancellation of any course, or part of a course, offered by the University. The University will give due and proper consideration to the effects thereof on individual students and taken the steps necessary to minimise the impact of such effects on those affected.
- The University is not liable for disruption to its provision of educational or other services caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control providing it takes all reasonable steps to minimise the resultant disruption to such services.
Sustainability at Ulster
Ulster continues to develop and support sustainability initiatives with our staff, students, and external partners across various aspects of teaching, research, professional services operations, and governance.
At Ulster every person, course, research project, and professional service area on every campus either does or can contribute in some way towards the global sustainability and climate change agenda.
We are guided by both our University Strategy People, Place and Partnerships: Delivering Sustainable Futures for All and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Our work in this area is already being recognised globally. Most recently by the 2024 Times Higher Education Impact rating where we were recognised as Joint 5th Globally for Outreach Activities and Joint Top 20 Globally for Sustainable Development Goal 17: Partnership for the Goals.
Visit our Sustainability at Ulster destination to learn more about how the University strategy and the activities of Ulster University support each of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Ulster University Business School - Sustainability in Focus
Ulster University Business School (UUBS) aims to be a thought-leader for sustainable business futures.
Our mission is to embolden staff, students and all our stakeholders to become sustainable business futures leaders. We aim to support and showcase sustainability research and education across Ulster University Business School.
We do so by embedding the sustainable futures agenda into five remits: sustainability performance, research and knowledge exchange, learning and teaching, student experience and communications and engagement. We are a member of PRME – the Principles for Responsible Management Education concordat.
Contact: uubssustainability@ulster.ac.uk
-
Learning and Teaching
We support and develop ‘Education for Sustainable Development’ within the Faculty’s Learning & teaching portfolio. We do so by providing bespoke staff training on ESD and curating an ESD Resources Hub.
All UUBS undergraduate and post-graduate course are mapped against the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and students are actively involved in learning for sustainable development.
We seek to enhance the student experience by encouraging our students to become actively involved in sustainability initiatives, such as Carbon Literacy Training, the Big Spring Clean and collaborating with the Northern Ireland Resource Network.
-
Research and Knowledge Exchange
We develop, support and disseminate sustainability-themed research within the Faculty and beyond. Our annual sustainability research networking event creates new research strands within the Faculty’s research portfolio.
We actively support out PhD community to embed sustainability in their research and provide training on methods and critical thinking on sustainability.
We partner with other institutions, such as Queen’s University Belfast and Atlantic Technological University to broaden our sustainability research and create interdisciplinary research links.
-
Communications and Engagement
UUBS has a dedicated Sustainability Committee, tasked with developing dedicated internal and external communications and engagement activities promoting the sustainability work of the Faculty.
We host an annual Sustainability Business Breakfast, attend and speak at notable sustainability events, such as the SustainExchange Summit, the Belfast Re[Act] Festival and the NI Science Festival.
Our sustainability work is monitored on our bespoke UUBS SDG Dashboard on our dedicated UUBS sustainability webpages. Our sustainability performance team oversees the Faculty’s Academy Restaurant’s Green Academy programme and associated eco-certifications Green Key and Green Tourism Gold Award.
