MSc

International Business Management

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International Business Management at Winchester is a pre-experience course designed to offer you a broad management education, particularly if you have not previously studied business at undergraduate level, but are interested in developing a career in management. The knowledge and skills you develop on the programme are also of value if you have some previous business experience and are looking to advance your career further.

High rise buildings in a city centre

Course overview

Built around Winchester Business School’s commitment to the United Nations’ Principles of Responsible Management Education, the course explores themes of the international business environment. You develop as a manager capable of responding positively to global challenges in the twenty-first century.

Individually and in groups, you consider a range of management problems and issues from different perspectives, taught through a variety of methods specifically designed to stimulate and stretch your intellect. You develop your capacity to apply the necessary skills to solve real-life problems in management, and increase your awareness of the need to generate sustainable value for your organisation and for society at large.

You study core modules including Managing in a Global Environment, Principles of Responsible Management, Intercultural Business Communication and Strategic Management, and choose from optional modules such as Market-Led Strategic Change, Business Consulting, FinTech, Strategy and Entrepreneurship, and Sustainable Innovation. You also write a dissertation or a consultancy project which enables you to develop expertise in an area of international business of your choice.

Business management is useful for a wide variety of careers in both the public and private sectors.

What you need to know

Course start date

January 2025 (full-time) September 2025 (full-time and part-time)

Location

On campus, Winchester

Course length

  • 1 year full-time
  • 2 years part-time

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Typical offer

A first or second-class honours degree

Fees

From £9,550 pa

Course features

  • Gain skills and experience in strategy, leadership and intercultural business communication
  • Learn to work effectively in organisations and their rapidly-changing global context
  • Integrate theoretical knowledge with practical skills

Course details

Suitable for applicants from:

UK, EU, World

Work experience

Available through consultancy projects undertaken as part of the optional Business Consulting module.

Learning and teaching

Teaching takes place: Daytime and evenings

A wide range of teaching and learning methods are used including student-led discussions, debates, presentations, workshops involving a variety of active learning activities, independent study, web-based activities and lectures. Theory and practice are integrated and students are encouraged to capitalise on their current and/or prior experience.

The teaching team is supported by industry professionals and external academics.

Location

Taught elements of the course take place on campus in Winchester.

Assessment

Assessment methods include essays, reports, presentation, conference papers, case study analysis and research-based projects.

Our validated courses may adopt a range of means of assessing your learning. An indicative, and not necessarily comprehensive, list of assessment types you might encounter includes essays, portfolios, supervised independent work, presentations, written exams, or practical performances.

We ensure all students have an equal opportunity to achieve module learning outcomes. As such, where appropriate and necessary, students with recognised disabilities may have alternative assignments set that continue to test how successfully they have met the module's learning outcomes. Further details on assessment types used on the course you are interested in can be found on the course page, by attending an Open Day or Open Evening, or contacting our teaching staff.

Feedback

We are committed to providing timely and appropriate feedback to you on your academic progress and achievement in order to enable you to reflect on your progress and plan your academic and skills development effectively. You are also encouraged to seek additional feedback from your course tutors.

Further information

For more information about our regulations for this course, please see our Academic Regulations, Policies and Procedures.

Modules

Please note the modules listed are correct at the time of publishing. The University cannot guarantee the availability of all modules listed and modules may be subject to change. The University will notify applicants of any changes made to the core modules listed. For further information please refer to winchester.ac.uk/termsandconditions

Modules

Managing in a Global Environment 20 Credits

Empowering students who may not have a management background to rapidly adopt an awareness of, and some capacity for, managing in a challenging international environment. This module critically reflects on various global factors and their dynamics, and the ways in which these provide not only context, but also challenge and opportunity. The role of agents (commercial, statutory, multilateral, NGOs, voluntary bodies, and individuals) and related institutions are assessed in order to highlight a range of management issues and risks active in the global environment. Students are introduced to theories, approaches, and techniques for evaluating and managing in such global environments, including analytical frameworks, and the limits of risk assessment tools in making sense of complex and dynamic environments.

Principles of Responsible Management 20 Credits

Organisations are under increasing pressure from various stakeholders to embed environmental and social purpose into business systems and structures, and the module is designed to develop an understanding of opportunities and challenges for progressive and transformative organisational action. This module provides students with a conceptual and practical understanding of the principles of responsible management as presented in the United Nations PRME, and Global Compact frameworks. Emphasis will be given to the business perspective (both from an individual and organisational analytical lens), alongside other societal actors in a broader political-economic context, alongside ethical decisions shaping responsible business management practices.

Intercultural Business Communication 20 Credits

The purpose of this module is to enable students to develop a theoretical and practical understanding of communication approaches to and within international markets. It will introduce and explore intercultural communication theory and consider its application within the context of intercultural business communication. The module is interdisciplinary in nature, drawing on the fields of linguistics, cultural studies, sociology, anthropology, business, leadership and marketing. The module will consider in depth the most important factors for communicating successfully in an international business environment and for meeting the intercultural challenges that can typically arise within the varied circumstances of such business. Studies will cover cultural issues, linguistic and behavioural etiquette, communication methods, cultural blocks, values and stereotyping as well as the planned communications and marketing of global brands within international markets. These studies will engage with the most useful theoretical insights and current research that relate to these issues.

Strategic Management 20 Credits

The module provides a holistic overview of the strategic management process and a critical awareness of major issues associated with strategic decision making. Drawing upon traditional academic theories and current debates, the module examines and critically evaluates the practice and process of strategic management in different organisational settings. The module considers strategy as a whole by integrating the different phases of the strategic development process and through the application of key strategic management theories, models and frameworks critically analyses the strategic position, capability and choice of organisations.

Leadership in Organisations 20 Credits

This module develops students’ abilities to critically evaluate a range of leadership theories from classical thinking through to current approaches that are reflective of the ever-changing business environment. Students will develop insights into their own leadership skills, their understanding of others and their awareness of self. At the same time, they will evaluate leadership approaches in terms of both theoretical rigour and applicability to practice, and consider the complexity in engaging followership across international, organisational and cultural boundaries.  Learning will also emerge by working with peers from different countries who bring a range of values and perspectives on leadership requiring students to demonstrate flexibility in both their thinking and behaviour.  The module develops both the skills and the knowledge required of leaders in today’s complex, global business environment.

Optional Modules Credits
  • Strategy & Entrepreneurship - 20 Credits
  • Business Consulting - 20 Credits
  • Market-Led Strategic Change - 20 Credits
  • Financial Technology (FINTEC) - 20 Credits
  • Data Analytics and Modelling - 20 Credits
  • Sustainable Innovation and Change - 20 Credits
Capstone Project 60 Credits

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Entry requirements

A first or second-class honours degree

Normally a first or second-class Honours degree (or international equivalent). This programme is aimed at a wide range of students from different national and professional backgrounds.

Course enquiries and applications

Please note: It is only possible to study the course if joining in January full-time, whereas starting in September can be studied both full-time and part-time 

If you have any questions about applying to Winchester, please get in touch with our Admissions Team by calling +44 (0) 1962 827234 or sending us a message.

International points required

If English is not your first language: IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in writing or equivalent.

If you are living outside of the UK or Europe, you can find out more about how to join this course by emailing our International Recruitment Team at International@winchester.ac.uk.

2025/2026 Course Tuition Fees 

  UK / Channel Islands /
Isle of Man / Republic of Ireland

International

Full-time £9,550 £17,450
Part-time £4,775 £8,725
Total £9,550 £17,450

Additional tuition fee information

If you are a UK student starting your degree in January / September 2025, the first year will cost you £9,550**.

If finance is a worry for you, we are here to help. Take a look at the range of support we have on offer. This is a great investment you are making in your future, so make sure you know what is on offer to support you.

**The University of Winchester will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year.

Additional costs

As one of our students all of your teaching and assessments are included in your tuition fees, including, lectures/guest lectures and tutorials, seminars, laboratory sessions and specialist teaching facilities. You will also have access to a wide range of student support and IT services.

There might be additional costs you may encounter whilst studying. The following highlights the mandatory and optional costs for this course:

Optional

Core Text

Multiple copies of core text are held within the library and e-books are identified where possible, however due the popularity of some books, there will not be enough copies for every student. It is advised that students seek to purchase their own books - second hand copies are often available. Indicative cost is £350.

 

SCHOLARSHIPS, BURSARIES AND AWARDS

We have a variety of scholarship and bursaries available to support you financially with the cost of your course. To see if you’re eligible, please see our Scholarships and Awards.

CAREER PROSPECTS

International Business Management is useful for a wide variety of careers in both the public and private sectors. Our course sets you up to be a confident leader in a global fast-paced world.

 

OUR CAREERS SERVICE
Student with careers staff member
“The MSc programmes at Winchester provide you with an excellent foundation from which to pursue your career.” - Steve, MSc Graduate

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