MSc International Business
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Key Course Details
Fees
£10,150 (2025 / 2026)
Entry requirements
2:1 (or above) Honours degree (or equivalent) in a Business or Business-related discipline.
Mode of study
Blended learning – daily timetables available
Duration
1 year
Start dates
September and January intakes available
Locations
London City Campus or Birmingham Centre
Course Menu
Are you ready to put your creative and critical thinking skills into practice and improve your career prospects in international business?
Organisations are experiencing an increase in opportunities to expand internationally and meet the growing demand for goods and services thanks to increased trade, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), travel, the internet, and cultural exchange.
Our MSc International Business programme has been specifically designed to address the processes required to meet international business challenges head on. You’ll learn about strategy, enterprise, innovation, marketing, leadership, finance, corporate governance, ethics, and more.
You’ll also have the opportunity to undertake projects with real-world organisations, as part of the International Business Consulting module, and gain vital ‘in-business’ experience via our on-campus small business clinic. This provides you with direct access to industry and offers the ability to build an associated skills base for international business.
Did you know?
Swansea University was awarded Welsh University of the Year 2025 (The Times Good University Guide 2025), is a top 40 UK university for Career Prospects (Guardian University Guide, 2025) and ranked as a top 40 UK university overall by the Complete University Guide 2026.
We are also ranked 29th in the UK (The Guardian University Guide 2025) and 9th in the UK for the percentage of graduates in sustained employment, further study, or both one year after graduating (UK Government’s Longitudinal Education Outcomes 2024).
How you’re taught
This MSc International Business is a blended learning full-time postgraduate degree and will take one year to complete. The course is taught through a combination of on-campus and online learning, and will include lectures, tutorials, seminars, and lab sessions.
You have the flexibility to fit your studies around your existing commitments, like work or family, thanks to a choice of blended learning timetables:
• Daytime students: two days per week, with one on-campus and one online
• Evening/weekend students: two evenings on campus and one day online at the weekend
Learn more about our study options here at Swansea University Centres.
You will be taught by expert academics who will utilise their knowledge of the latest developments in international business to keep your learning current and grounded in real-world experience.
Access to a laptop/PC is required for this programme.
You will have access to Canvas – our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Canvas is a web-based learning environment where you can access interactive teaching materials, extra-curricular skills sessions, and more.
You will also have access to our Academic Community of Excellence (ACE) Team, who offer online and face-to-face support to help you with your academic development. The ACE Team provide a range of support services and guidance that you can utilise throughout your studies with us.
Learn more about the ACE Team and the various other student support services we offer.
Assessment methods
Assessment for this postgraduate degree in international business will be through a mixture of practical work, presentation, report writing, individual projects, and examinations.
What you will learn
Through modules in marketing, innovation, strategy, consulting, governance and ethics, leadership, and finance, you will develop the skills needed to tackle business challenges within an international context. You will also explore real-world issues like economic growth, environmental sustainability, government policy, and entrepreneurial behaviour.
Through your study of international business, you will:
• Develop a critical awareness of issues in international business environments
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the techniques applicable to international business
• Put your creative and critical thinking skills into practice
What careers are available with this Master's?
Completing this MSc International Business will significantly improve your career prospects by showcasing your newfound knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the field.
Here are some examples of the possible graduate careers you could gain access to after completing your Master’s degree:
- Business Adviser
- International Business
- Development Manager
- Management Consultant
- Business Analyst
- Business Researcher
MoDULES
All modules are worth a total of 15 credits unless stated otherwise
Marketing Management
This module is designed to teach you how to analyse buyer and market behaviour. You will explore all aspects of marketing, including how to identify appropriate markets and develop products to suit the chosen markets. It also offers you an overview of the various factors to consider when developing and executing marketing campaigns.
Innovation, Enterprise, and Strategy in International Contexts
This module provides you with the latest insights from the areas of Innovation, Enterprise, and Strategy. It will equip you with the tools and knowledge to navigate key challenges within the international business environment.
The module will examine approaches to the realisation of new goods, services, and processes, set against a backdrop of rapid global political, social, technological, economic, and legal. There will be a focus on the identification, creation, and capture of additional value in a range of strategic settings within a global context.
Through the multidisciplinary perspectives of strategic management, innovation management, entrepreneurial behaviour, and international business, you will examine Innovation, Enterprise, and Strategy in international contexts.
International Business Environment
This module will give you an understanding of the international economy, how and why countries trade, why multinational businesses exist, and the ideas and assumptions these processes are based on.
The module is framed through three stages:
1. Economic growth and development.
This stage examines the trajectories of diverse types of national and regional economies over time. It also covers the impacts of current issues, such as environmental sustainability, as well as the importance of economic growth versus other measures of wellbeing.
2. International economies
This stage will introduce you to how globalised economies are managed in the real world.
3. International institutions
This stage analyses the key roles played by a variety of institutions in the international business environment.
These three themes have been selected for their frequency of appearance in international business news, election campaigns, and other types of public discussion. Each topic is treated rigorously, with reference to current scholarship. Relevant government policy is examined from multiple angles and you are invited to engage in policy analysis, evaluation of existing policy formulation, and new potential policy.
International Business Consulting
During this practical, project-based module you will undertake business consultancy for an enterprise venture or social enterprise through an on-campus small business clinic or via a placement.
This will take place during one teaching block and will be focused on an opportunity or issue with relevance to the international business environment.
International Corporate Governance and Ethics
During the 1980s, the collapse of well-known companies (e.g. Carrian Group, Texaco, Qintex) brought the mismanagement and unethical practices of those who own and/or run companies into focus. Despite the proliferation of corporate governance codes, regulation, and guidance over the past 30 years (along with academic literature and research) the number of bankruptcies (e.g. Enron, Arcadia Group), business scandals (e.g. Volkswagen, BP), and accusations of corporate malpractice (e.g. Facebook) has persisted. Using this as a backdrop throughout this module, you will explore the theories, mechanisms, and debates about how companies should be managed, controlled, and directed.
Though interactive workshops, you will be encouraged to engage critically with government policy and academic literature on corporate governance and ethics. You will then apply this knowledge to explore its relevance and application in different companies and sectors.
This module requires much debate, discussion, and analysis. It is designed to be as interactive and participatory as possible, based on the fact that corporate governance and ethics are a contested; dynamic; and rapidly-changing field of theory and practice.
This unit will prepare you for CFA Level 1.
Leadership
Despite living in more supposedly democratic times with flatter organisations and empowered employees, leadership continues to be a strong topic for discussion and is regularly sought after. It also remains a perennial issue in organisation studies, with significant questions concerning how best to understand the theory and develop strong leadership.
During this module, you will be exposed to a range of classical and contemporary approaches to the study of leadership. You will examine the practical implications of these approaches for strategic leadership and the management of change.
Digital Marketing
Digital technology continues to touch and shape almost all aspects of modern marketing exchanges. This module aims to provide you with an in-depth understanding of the business (and business development) challenges and opportunities presented by the introduction of new technology.
You will learn the key concepts that underpin the creation of sustainable business models within the digital environment through modern marketing techniques. Specific emphasis will be placed on how disruptive technology can be used to effect and evolve multi-channel marketing.
The module is both practical and academic, providing you with hands-on experience and developing both your digital skills (including social, site design, search engine, and app development) and the necessary business, research, and presentation skills required to build and deploy a real-life dynamic digital marketing solution.
International Corporate Finance
During this module, you will explore the theoretical and empirical aspects of corporate finance in an international perspective. You’ll expand your knowledge base in the areas of:
• International monetary system
• Theories and determinants of foreign exchange rates
• Sources of international financing
• Investments
• Capital structure
• Risk exposures and management
• Cross-border mergers
• Acquisitions and corporate governance
This module will be especially pertinent to you if you have an appropriate business, finance, or economics background.
International Business – Dissertation (Optional) – 60 Credits
In this module, you will develop fundamental research skills. You will develop supervised research work, which will lead to a dissertation in the field of International Business.
You will choose your specific research topic following a consultation with your supervisor and should provide a degree of synthesis of the various course components. You should be able to demonstrate that you can apply the knowledge and skills gained and that you understand the wider context of the programme.
International Business – Independent Project (Optional) – 60 credits
During this module, you will develop consultancy-relevant research skills and produce independently researched analysis of an international business-relevant project.
You will choose your specific project topic in consultation with your supervisor and an industrial/commercial/public sector/organisation client. The module is intended to allow the utilisation of various course components to an explicitly applied, practical, real-world issue. You should be able to demonstrate that you can apply the knowledge and skills gained in this context, as well as an understanding of the wider context of the programme.
With support from your supervisor and the Business Clinic where appropriate, it will be your responsibility to identify and obtain agreement from the client.
Entry requirements
Academic requirements
- A minimum 2:1 in a business or business-related discipline (e.g. marketing, human resource management, economics, entrepreneurship) undergraduate degree or equivalent
English language requirements
- IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 5.5 in each component) or equivalent English test
If your first degree was not instructed in English, or if English is not your first language, you may be required to demonstrate your English language abilities through a recognised English test. QA Higher Education offers an English language test – please contact us to find out more.
All applications will be considered on an individual basis.
Not sure if you meet the requirements? Don’t worry, our team can guide you and help you understand how your qualifications and experience align with this programme. Please submit an enquiry and we’ll be happy to help.
Fees & funding
UK tuition fees 2025/26
- £10,150
Your tuition fees cover the cost of teaching, access to resources, registration costs, and Student Support Services. They do not include the cost of course books, stationary, and photocopying/printing costs, accommodation, living costs, travel, hobbies, sports, or other leisure activities.
Additional costs
Access to a laptop/PC with a microphone, speakers, webcam, and a reliable internet connection is required for accessing your online sessions and learning, and completing your assessments.
Funding options
For more information on funding options including Student Finance and scholarships, please visit our finance page.
APPLY
You can apply online to study this programme through the application links on this page.
As part of your application, you are required to provide some supporting documents (examples below):
• Your passport personal details page
• A personal statement (more than 250 words)
• Copies of previous qualifications, including final certificates and transcripts, translated into English (if not in English)
• Your CV (if required)
JANUARY 2026
London Rosebery Avenue Centre
Birmingham Louisa Ryland House Centre
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