
- International Business Management (Online)
MSc — 2025 entry International Business Management (Online)
Our online MSc International Business Management programme equips you to drive global expansion and strengthen an organisation’s international footprint. Position yourself as the go-to leader for businesses looking to enter new markets.
Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ this
course
As an online learner, you’ll build a broad set of skills in essential areas of international business management — including marketing, international trade, global strategy, and consumer insights.
Through in-depth course content, personalised faculty support, and a final applied business project, you’ll develop a strong global business mindset. This course prepares you to step confidently into more senior roles or explore new career directions.
Details
Diverse, global community
Join a vibrant, multicultural network of faculty and fellow students, each contributing unique global insights to the online classroom environment.
AACSB and AMBA accreditation
Surrey Business School is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business and the Association of MBAs.
No test scores required
Standardised test results aren’t part of our admissions process. What matters most is your passion and drive for a career in international business.
What you will study
This course equips you with a deep understanding of how globally successful businesses continue to thrive despite the complexities of today’s world.
Our MSc in International Business Management is crafted to help you grasp how companies extend and sustain their international presence amid modern challenges. You’ll explore how to lead multinational organisations, develop cross-border strategies, and apply key methods to navigate global business environments — all of which are in high demand by employers.
We’ll guide you through the process of shaping and executing international strategies, introducing you to the essential tools and insights managers need to thrive in diverse global markets. Ethical leadership and responsible management are also woven throughout the curriculum.
You’ll benefit from a dynamic mix of cutting-edge research and real-world case studies from international companies, learning why the adoption of progressive management approaches is crucial for global success.
The online MSc consists of 180 credits and is divided into 10 fully autonomous credit-bearing modules. Each module is worth 15 credits, except the final business project, which is worth 30 credits.
Modules
The programme has a carousel model to accommodate three intakes each year. Therefore, your start date will determine which module you take first.
Course options
Year 1
Semester 1
Compulsory
This module introduces students to the main principles of accounting and finance and demonstrates the importance of these to management decision-making.
This module provides students with both a theoretical and practical understanding of International Trade, considered from an international political economy (IPE) as well as management perspectives. This is done through the assessment of International Trade from different angles, predominantly from the international trade management view, the international trade operations dimension, the state’s perspective, from the international trade regime perspective (the GATT and WTO) but also from the perspective of the international society, regional cooperation and the perspective of business and industry.
Consumer Behaviour is evident in everyday life, therefore knowledge and understanding of this subject can be beneficial to personal decision-making as well as to marketing and strategy formulation, both in offline and online environments. The module Perspectives on Consumer Behaviour deals with a range of theoretical, practical techniques in understanding and researching consumer consumption behaviour and how such an understanding can be used to create successful and viable marketing strategies. This module gives students the opportunity to explore theories and leading-edge research findings and apply knowledge by conducting small group discussion and/or activities. Thus, reflective, and critical applications of relevant behavioural, cognitive, and socio-cultural approaches to consumption are discussed.
In an increasingly globalised business and business environment, it is necessary for management students to learn how to strategies internationally viable global strategies. This module covers a variety of topics such as global strategic analysis, global strategy formulation, and global strategy execution. Strategy-related subjects shape at least half of the contents in this programme.
Semester 2
Compulsory
In this module, students develop an in-depth understanding of current trends for Digital Innovation and how they affect businesses in the Digital Economy today. This will involve reviewing a range of key Digital Innovation topics and evaluating their business context including technology, business models, stakeholders and ecosystem. In conjunction, students will develop understanding for a methodology to evaluate Digital Innovation which they can apply to the different key topics for decision-making purposes.
The worldwide political and economic liberalization and continuous technological improvement in the last three decades have brought unprecedented flows of goods, services, labour and capital across national boundaries. International business today comprises a larger and ever-growing portion of the world’s business and global events and competition affects almost all companies. A company operating internationally will engage in modes of business that are different from those it is accustomed to domestically. International business management is the process of applying management concepts, theories, and techniques in a multinational environment so that firms can become and remain international in scope. Moreover, a comparative view of management and organization in internationally operating firms is provided to understand these processes in detail.
Management of Human Resources is an introductory module and available to students undertaking a range of MSc programmes. It is intended to provide a firm understanding of the theory and practice of Human Resource management and its strategic role in contemporary organisations. This module covers core functions of HRM and their integration within business strategy as well as contemporary topics concerning management of people. By the end of this module, the students will have gained a foundation knowledge base of HR as a function in organisations and its strategic role in achieving business objectives through people management.
This module is designed to provide MSc students with a rigorous theoretical framework for analysing and understanding Marketing in national and international contexts. Integrating theoretical concepts and models with practical application, students explore the contribution that Marketing can make to successful businesses and multi-national enterprises (MNEs). Theory and case studies from the UK and across the globe are used to analyse environmental conditions, marketing competition, consumer behaviour, marketing strategy, marketing planning, tactics and operations, and the growing influence of technology.
Social media marketing is an emerging and rapidly developing discipline with substantive changes periodically occurring in industry and academic research. While much of social media marketing is focused on the promotional mix, it also is used for customer care, research and more. The field has shifted from one focused on the influence of individual consumers in social channels to one including bots, AI, and influencers. This module provides students with both academic (theories and concepts) and practical grounding underlying strategic decisions for the use of social media for marketing and the implications of the emerging developments in the area. Discussions, study cases and examples will bring these theories to life.
It is an unfortunate fact that the majority of global strategies fail in the stage of implementation. Many inner organisational and outer organisational factors affect the implementation of the global strategy. Thus, it is vital for management students to learn how to implement global strategies effectively. The module focuses on a range of topics such as the process of strategy implementation, and influential factors on implementing the global strategy. Strategy-related subjects shape at least half of the contents in this programme.
Semester 1 & 2
Compulsory
This compulsory module is designed to immerse students in a real-world business context through independent study and research. It encourages students to identify and explore a business topic that aligns with their academic and professional aspirations, ensuring relevance to their overall program of study. The module's structure supports self-directed study. It employs a strategic learning approach aimed at enhancing students' competencies in undertaking and reporting independent research. This module offers students the opportunity to apply theoretical principles and research methods in a practical setting. Feedback and outcomes from previous coursework should inform the development of a secondary research-based project that exemplifies a comprehensive understanding of the module's objectives and learning outcomes. The students will have opportunity to learn the techniques essential in writing business reports. The project is unsupervised, which means you will not be assigned a supervisor. Instead, some online support sessions will be conducted by the module leader to assist students to gain a comprehensive understanding of the requirements of the report and address any specific questions as they arise.
Optional modules for Year 1 (part-time) - FHEQ Level 7
The diet represents the modules which will be undertaken throughout the whole course. However, delivery of the module e.g., which order they will be undertaken will be specific depending on which entry point you join. This can be confirmed by contacting your programme lead.
Year 2
Semester 1
Compulsory
This module introduces students to the main principles of accounting and finance and demonstrates the importance of these to management decision-making.
This module provides students with both a theoretical and practical understanding of International Trade, considered from an international political economy (IPE) as well as management perspectives. This is done through the assessment of International Trade from different angles, predominantly from the international trade management view, the international trade operations dimension, the state’s perspective, from the international trade regime perspective (the GATT and WTO) but also from the perspective of the international society, regional cooperation and the perspective of business and industry.
Consumer Behaviour is evident in everyday life, therefore knowledge and understanding of this subject can be beneficial to personal decision-making as well as to marketing and strategy formulation, both in offline and online environments. The module Perspectives on Consumer Behaviour deals with a range of theoretical, practical techniques in understanding and researching consumer consumption behaviour and how such an understanding can be used to create successful and viable marketing strategies. This module gives students the opportunity to explore theories and leading-edge research findings and apply knowledge by conducting small group discussion and/or activities. Thus, reflective, and critical applications of relevant behavioural, cognitive, and socio-cultural approaches to consumption are discussed.
In an increasingly globalised business and business environment, it is necessary for management students to learn how to strategies internationally viable global strategies. This module covers a variety of topics such as global strategic analysis, global strategy formulation, and global strategy execution. Strategy-related subjects shape at least half of the contents in this programme.
Semester 2
Compulsory
In this module, students develop an in-depth understanding of current trends for Digital Innovation and how they affect businesses in the Digital Economy today. This will involve reviewing a range of key Digital Innovation topics and evaluating their business context including technology, business models, stakeholders and ecosystem. In conjunction, students will develop understanding for a methodology to evaluate Digital Innovation which they can apply to the different key topics for decision-making purposes.
The worldwide political and economic liberalization and continuous technological improvement in the last three decades have brought unprecedented flows of goods, services, labour and capital across national boundaries. International business today comprises a larger and ever-growing portion of the world’s business and global events and competition affects almost all companies. A company operating internationally will engage in modes of business that are different from those it is accustomed to domestically. International business management is the process of applying management concepts, theories, and techniques in a multinational environment so that firms can become and remain international in scope. Moreover, a comparative view of management and organization in internationally operating firms is provided to understand these processes in detail.
Management of Human Resources is an introductory module and available to students undertaking a range of MSc programmes. It is intended to provide a firm understanding of the theory and practice of Human Resource management and its strategic role in contemporary organisations. This module covers core functions of HRM and their integration within business strategy as well as contemporary topics concerning management of people. By the end of this module, the students will have gained a foundation knowledge base of HR as a function in organisations and its strategic role in achieving business objectives through people management.
This module is designed to provide MSc students with a rigorous theoretical framework for analysing and understanding Marketing in national and international contexts. Integrating theoretical concepts and models with practical application, students explore the contribution that Marketing can make to successful businesses and multi-national enterprises (MNEs). Theory and case studies from the UK and across the globe are used to analyse environmental conditions, marketing competition, consumer behaviour, marketing strategy, marketing planning, tactics and operations, and the growing influence of technology.
Social media marketing is an emerging and rapidly developing discipline with substantive changes periodically occurring in industry and academic research. While much of social media marketing is focused on the promotional mix, it also is used for customer care, research and more. The field has shifted from one focused on the influence of individual consumers in social channels to one including bots, AI, and influencers. This module provides students with both academic (theories and concepts) and practical grounding underlying strategic decisions for the use of social media for marketing and the implications of the emerging developments in the area. Discussions, study cases and examples will bring these theories to life.
It is an unfortunate fact that the majority of global strategies fail in the stage of implementation. Many inner organisational and outer organisational factors affect the implementation of the global strategy. Thus, it is vital for management students to learn how to implement global strategies effectively. The module focuses on a range of topics such as the process of strategy implementation, and influential factors on implementing the global strategy. Strategy-related subjects shape at least half of the contents in this programme.
Semester 1 & 2
Compulsory
This compulsory module is designed to immerse students in a real-world business context through independent study and research. It encourages students to identify and explore a business topic that aligns with their academic and professional aspirations, ensuring relevance to their overall program of study. The module's structure supports self-directed study. It employs a strategic learning approach aimed at enhancing students' competencies in undertaking and reporting independent research. This module offers students the opportunity to apply theoretical principles and research methods in a practical setting. Feedback and outcomes from previous coursework should inform the development of a secondary research-based project that exemplifies a comprehensive understanding of the module's objectives and learning outcomes. The students will have opportunity to learn the techniques essential in writing business reports. The project is unsupervised, which means you will not be assigned a supervisor. Instead, some online support sessions will be conducted by the module leader to assist students to gain a comprehensive understanding of the requirements of the report and address any specific questions as they arise.
Optional modules for Year 2 (part-time) - FHEQ Level 7
The diet represents the modules which will be undertaken throughout the whole course. However, delivery of the module e.g., which order they will be undertaken will be specific depending on which entry point you join. This can be confirmed by contacting your programme lead.
Year 1
Semester 1
Compulsory
This module introduces students to the main principles of accounting and finance and demonstrates the importance of these to management decision-making.
This module provides students with both a theoretical and practical understanding of International Trade, considered from an international political economy (IPE) as well as management perspectives. This is done through the assessment of International Trade from different angles, predominantly from the international trade management view, the international trade operations dimension, the state’s perspective, from the international trade regime perspective (the GATT and WTO) but also from the perspective of the international society, regional cooperation and the perspective of business and industry.
Consumer Behaviour is evident in everyday life, therefore knowledge and understanding of this subject can be beneficial to personal decision-making as well as to marketing and strategy formulation, both in offline and online environments. The module Perspectives on Consumer Behaviour deals with a range of theoretical, practical techniques in understanding and researching consumer consumption behaviour and how such an understanding can be used to create successful and viable marketing strategies. This module gives students the opportunity to explore theories and leading-edge research findings and apply knowledge by conducting small group discussion and/or activities. Thus, reflective, and critical applications of relevant behavioural, cognitive, and socio-cultural approaches to consumption are discussed.
In an increasingly globalised business and business environment, it is necessary for management students to learn how to strategies internationally viable global strategies. This module covers a variety of topics such as global strategic analysis, global strategy formulation, and global strategy execution. Strategy-related subjects shape at least half of the contents in this programme.
Semester 2
Compulsory
In this module, students develop an in-depth understanding of current trends for Digital Innovation and how they affect businesses in the Digital Economy today. This will involve reviewing a range of key Digital Innovation topics and evaluating their business context including technology, business models, stakeholders and ecosystem. In conjunction, students will develop understanding for a methodology to evaluate Digital Innovation which they can apply to the different key topics for decision-making purposes.
The worldwide political and economic liberalization and continuous technological improvement in the last three decades have brought unprecedented flows of goods, services, labour and capital across national boundaries. International business today comprises a larger and ever-growing portion of the world’s business and global events and competition affects almost all companies. A company operating internationally will engage in modes of business that are different from those it is accustomed to domestically. International business management is the process of applying management concepts, theories, and techniques in a multinational environment so that firms can become and remain international in scope. Moreover, a comparative view of management and organization in internationally operating firms is provided to understand these processes in detail.
Management of Human Resources is an introductory module and available to students undertaking a range of MSc programmes. It is intended to provide a firm understanding of the theory and practice of Human Resource management and its strategic role in contemporary organisations. This module covers core functions of HRM and their integration within business strategy as well as contemporary topics concerning management of people. By the end of this module, the students will have gained a foundation knowledge base of HR as a function in organisations and its strategic role in achieving business objectives through people management.
This module is designed to provide MSc students with a rigorous theoretical framework for analysing and understanding Marketing in national and international contexts. Integrating theoretical concepts and models with practical application, students explore the contribution that Marketing can make to successful businesses and multi-national enterprises (MNEs). Theory and case studies from the UK and across the globe are used to analyse environmental conditions, marketing competition, consumer behaviour, marketing strategy, marketing planning, tactics and operations, and the growing influence of technology.
Social media marketing is an emerging and rapidly developing discipline with substantive changes periodically occurring in industry and academic research. While much of social media marketing is focused on the promotional mix, it also is used for customer care, research and more. The field has shifted from one focused on the influence of individual consumers in social channels to one including bots, AI, and influencers. This module provides students with both academic (theories and concepts) and practical grounding underlying strategic decisions for the use of social media for marketing and the implications of the emerging developments in the area. Discussions, study cases and examples will bring these theories to life.
It is an unfortunate fact that the majority of global strategies fail in the stage of implementation. Many inner organisational and outer organisational factors affect the implementation of the global strategy. Thus, it is vital for management students to learn how to implement global strategies effectively. The module focuses on a range of topics such as the process of strategy implementation, and influential factors on implementing the global strategy. Strategy-related subjects shape at least half of the contents in this programme.
Semester 1 & 2
Compulsory
This compulsory module is designed to immerse students in a real-world business context through independent study and research. It encourages students to identify and explore a business topic that aligns with their academic and professional aspirations, ensuring relevance to their overall program of study. The module's structure supports self-directed study. It employs a strategic learning approach aimed at enhancing students' competencies in undertaking and reporting independent research. This module offers students the opportunity to apply theoretical principles and research methods in a practical setting. Feedback and outcomes from previous coursework should inform the development of a secondary research-based project that exemplifies a comprehensive understanding of the module's objectives and learning outcomes. The students will have opportunity to learn the techniques essential in writing business reports. The project is unsupervised, which means you will not be assigned a supervisor. Instead, some online support sessions will be conducted by the module leader to assist students to gain a comprehensive understanding of the requirements of the report and address any specific questions as they arise.
Optional modules for Year 1 (part-time) - FHEQ Level 7
The diet represents the modules which will be undertaken throughout the whole course. However, delivery of the module e.g., which order they will be undertaken will be specific depending on which entry point you join. This can be confirmed by contacting your programme lead.
Year 2
Semester 1
Compulsory
This module introduces students to the main principles of accounting and finance and demonstrates the importance of these to management decision-making.
This module provides students with both a theoretical and practical understanding of International Trade, considered from an international political economy (IPE) as well as management perspectives. This is done through the assessment of International Trade from different angles, predominantly from the international trade management view, the international trade operations dimension, the state’s perspective, from the international trade regime perspective (the GATT and WTO) but also from the perspective of the international society, regional cooperation and the perspective of business and industry.
Consumer Behaviour is evident in everyday life, therefore knowledge and understanding of this subject can be beneficial to personal decision-making as well as to marketing and strategy formulation, both in offline and online environments. The module Perspectives on Consumer Behaviour deals with a range of theoretical, practical techniques in understanding and researching consumer consumption behaviour and how such an understanding can be used to create successful and viable marketing strategies. This module gives students the opportunity to explore theories and leading-edge research findings and apply knowledge by conducting small group discussion and/or activities. Thus, reflective, and critical applications of relevant behavioural, cognitive, and socio-cultural approaches to consumption are discussed.
In an increasingly globalised business and business environment, it is necessary for management students to learn how to strategies internationally viable global strategies. This module covers a variety of topics such as global strategic analysis, global strategy formulation, and global strategy execution. Strategy-related subjects shape at least half of the contents in this programme.
Semester 2
Compulsory
In this module, students develop an in-depth understanding of current trends for Digital Innovation and how they affect businesses in the Digital Economy today. This will involve reviewing a range of key Digital Innovation topics and evaluating their business context including technology, business models, stakeholders and ecosystem. In conjunction, students will develop understanding for a methodology to evaluate Digital Innovation which they can apply to the different key topics for decision-making purposes.
The worldwide political and economic liberalization and continuous technological improvement in the last three decades have brought unprecedented flows of goods, services, labour and capital across national boundaries. International business today comprises a larger and ever-growing portion of the world’s business and global events and competition affects almost all companies. A company operating internationally will engage in modes of business that are different from those it is accustomed to domestically. International business management is the process of applying management concepts, theories, and techniques in a multinational environment so that firms can become and remain international in scope. Moreover, a comparative view of management and organization in internationally operating firms is provided to understand these processes in detail.
Management of Human Resources is an introductory module and available to students undertaking a range of MSc programmes. It is intended to provide a firm understanding of the theory and practice of Human Resource management and its strategic role in contemporary organisations. This module covers core functions of HRM and their integration within business strategy as well as contemporary topics concerning management of people. By the end of this module, the students will have gained a foundation knowledge base of HR as a function in organisations and its strategic role in achieving business objectives through people management.
This module is designed to provide MSc students with a rigorous theoretical framework for analysing and understanding Marketing in national and international contexts. Integrating theoretical concepts and models with practical application, students explore the contribution that Marketing can make to successful businesses and multi-national enterprises (MNEs). Theory and case studies from the UK and across the globe are used to analyse environmental conditions, marketing competition, consumer behaviour, marketing strategy, marketing planning, tactics and operations, and the growing influence of technology.
Social media marketing is an emerging and rapidly developing discipline with substantive changes periodically occurring in industry and academic research. While much of social media marketing is focused on the promotional mix, it also is used for customer care, research and more. The field has shifted from one focused on the influence of individual consumers in social channels to one including bots, AI, and influencers. This module provides students with both academic (theories and concepts) and practical grounding underlying strategic decisions for the use of social media for marketing and the implications of the emerging developments in the area. Discussions, study cases and examples will bring these theories to life.
It is an unfortunate fact that the majority of global strategies fail in the stage of implementation. Many inner organisational and outer organisational factors affect the implementation of the global strategy. Thus, it is vital for management students to learn how to implement global strategies effectively. The module focuses on a range of topics such as the process of strategy implementation, and influential factors on implementing the global strategy. Strategy-related subjects shape at least half of the contents in this programme.
Semester 1 & 2
Compulsory
This compulsory module is designed to immerse students in a real-world business context through independent study and research. It encourages students to identify and explore a business topic that aligns with their academic and professional aspirations, ensuring relevance to their overall program of study. The module's structure supports self-directed study. It employs a strategic learning approach aimed at enhancing students' competencies in undertaking and reporting independent research. This module offers students the opportunity to apply theoretical principles and research methods in a practical setting. Feedback and outcomes from previous coursework should inform the development of a secondary research-based project that exemplifies a comprehensive understanding of the module's objectives and learning outcomes. The students will have opportunity to learn the techniques essential in writing business reports. The project is unsupervised, which means you will not be assigned a supervisor. Instead, some online support sessions will be conducted by the module leader to assist students to gain a comprehensive understanding of the requirements of the report and address any specific questions as they arise.
Optional modules for Year 2 (part-time) - FHEQ Level 7
The diet represents the modules which will be undertaken throughout the whole course. However, delivery of the module e.g., which order they will be undertaken will be specific depending on which entry point you join. This can be confirmed by contacting your programme lead.
Year 1
Semester 1
Compulsory
This module introduces students to the main principles of accounting and finance and demonstrates the importance of these to management decision-making.
This module provides students with both a theoretical and practical understanding of International Trade, considered from an international political economy (IPE) as well as management perspectives. This is done through the assessment of International Trade from different angles, predominantly from the international trade management view, the international trade operations dimension, the state’s perspective, from the international trade regime perspective (the GATT and WTO) but also from the perspective of the international society, regional cooperation and the perspective of business and industry.
Consumer Behaviour is evident in everyday life, therefore knowledge and understanding of this subject can be beneficial to personal decision-making as well as to marketing and strategy formulation, both in offline and online environments. The module Perspectives on Consumer Behaviour deals with a range of theoretical, practical techniques in understanding and researching consumer consumption behaviour and how such an understanding can be used to create successful and viable marketing strategies. This module gives students the opportunity to explore theories and leading-edge research findings and apply knowledge by conducting small group discussion and/or activities. Thus, reflective, and critical applications of relevant behavioural, cognitive, and socio-cultural approaches to consumption are discussed.
In an increasingly globalised business and business environment, it is necessary for management students to learn how to strategies internationally viable global strategies. This module covers a variety of topics such as global strategic analysis, global strategy formulation, and global strategy execution. Strategy-related subjects shape at least half of the contents in this programme.
Semester 2
Compulsory
In this module, students develop an in-depth understanding of current trends for Digital Innovation and how they affect businesses in the Digital Economy today. This will involve reviewing a range of key Digital Innovation topics and evaluating their business context including technology, business models, stakeholders and ecosystem. In conjunction, students will develop understanding for a methodology to evaluate Digital Innovation which they can apply to the different key topics for decision-making purposes.
The worldwide political and economic liberalization and continuous technological improvement in the last three decades have brought unprecedented flows of goods, services, labour and capital across national boundaries. International business today comprises a larger and ever-growing portion of the world’s business and global events and competition affects almost all companies. A company operating internationally will engage in modes of business that are different from those it is accustomed to domestically. International business management is the process of applying management concepts, theories, and techniques in a multinational environment so that firms can become and remain international in scope. Moreover, a comparative view of management and organization in internationally operating firms is provided to understand these processes in detail.
Management of Human Resources is an introductory module and available to students undertaking a range of MSc programmes. It is intended to provide a firm understanding of the theory and practice of Human Resource management and its strategic role in contemporary organisations. This module covers core functions of HRM and their integration within business strategy as well as contemporary topics concerning management of people. By the end of this module, the students will have gained a foundation knowledge base of HR as a function in organisations and its strategic role in achieving business objectives through people management.
This module is designed to provide MSc students with a rigorous theoretical framework for analysing and understanding Marketing in national and international contexts. Integrating theoretical concepts and models with practical application, students explore the contribution that Marketing can make to successful businesses and multi-national enterprises (MNEs). Theory and case studies from the UK and across the globe are used to analyse environmental conditions, marketing competition, consumer behaviour, marketing strategy, marketing planning, tactics and operations, and the growing influence of technology.
Social media marketing is an emerging and rapidly developing discipline with substantive changes periodically occurring in industry and academic research. While much of social media marketing is focused on the promotional mix, it also is used for customer care, research and more. The field has shifted from one focused on the influence of individual consumers in social channels to one including bots, AI, and influencers. This module provides students with both academic (theories and concepts) and practical grounding underlying strategic decisions for the use of social media for marketing and the implications of the emerging developments in the area. Discussions, study cases and examples will bring these theories to life.
It is an unfortunate fact that the majority of global strategies fail in the stage of implementation. Many inner organisational and outer organisational factors affect the implementation of the global strategy. Thus, it is vital for management students to learn how to implement global strategies effectively. The module focuses on a range of topics such as the process of strategy implementation, and influential factors on implementing the global strategy. Strategy-related subjects shape at least half of the contents in this programme.
Semester 1 & 2
Compulsory
This compulsory module is designed to immerse students in a real-world business context through independent study and research. It encourages students to identify and explore a business topic that aligns with their academic and professional aspirations, ensuring relevance to their overall program of study. The module's structure supports self-directed study. It employs a strategic learning approach aimed at enhancing students' competencies in undertaking and reporting independent research. This module offers students the opportunity to apply theoretical principles and research methods in a practical setting. Feedback and outcomes from previous coursework should inform the development of a secondary research-based project that exemplifies a comprehensive understanding of the module's objectives and learning outcomes. The students will have opportunity to learn the techniques essential in writing business reports. The project is unsupervised, which means you will not be assigned a supervisor. Instead, some online support sessions will be conducted by the module leader to assist students to gain a comprehensive understanding of the requirements of the report and address any specific questions as they arise.
Optional modules for Year 1 (part-time) - FHEQ Level 7
The diet represents the modules which will be undertaken throughout the whole course. However, delivery of the module e.g., which order they will be undertaken will be specific depending on which entry point you join. This can be confirmed by contacting your programme lead.
Year 2
Semester 1
Compulsory
This module introduces students to the main principles of accounting and finance and demonstrates the importance of these to management decision-making.
This module provides students with both a theoretical and practical understanding of International Trade, considered from an international political economy (IPE) as well as management perspectives. This is done through the assessment of International Trade from different angles, predominantly from the international trade management view, the international trade operations dimension, the state’s perspective, from the international trade regime perspective (the GATT and WTO) but also from the perspective of the international society, regional cooperation and the perspective of business and industry.
Consumer Behaviour is evident in everyday life, therefore knowledge and understanding of this subject can be beneficial to personal decision-making as well as to marketing and strategy formulation, both in offline and online environments. The module Perspectives on Consumer Behaviour deals with a range of theoretical, practical techniques in understanding and researching consumer consumption behaviour and how such an understanding can be used to create successful and viable marketing strategies. This module gives students the opportunity to explore theories and leading-edge research findings and apply knowledge by conducting small group discussion and/or activities. Thus, reflective, and critical applications of relevant behavioural, cognitive, and socio-cultural approaches to consumption are discussed.
In an increasingly globalised business and business environment, it is necessary for management students to learn how to strategies internationally viable global strategies. This module covers a variety of topics such as global strategic analysis, global strategy formulation, and global strategy execution. Strategy-related subjects shape at least half of the contents in this programme.
Semester 2
Compulsory
In this module, students develop an in-depth understanding of current trends for Digital Innovation and how they affect businesses in the Digital Economy today. This will involve reviewing a range of key Digital Innovation topics and evaluating their business context including technology, business models, stakeholders and ecosystem. In conjunction, students will develop understanding for a methodology to evaluate Digital Innovation which they can apply to the different key topics for decision-making purposes.
The worldwide political and economic liberalization and continuous technological improvement in the last three decades have brought unprecedented flows of goods, services, labour and capital across national boundaries. International business today comprises a larger and ever-growing portion of the world’s business and global events and competition affects almost all companies. A company operating internationally will engage in modes of business that are different from those it is accustomed to domestically. International business management is the process of applying management concepts, theories, and techniques in a multinational environment so that firms can become and remain international in scope. Moreover, a comparative view of management and organization in internationally operating firms is provided to understand these processes in detail.
Management of Human Resources is an introductory module and available to students undertaking a range of MSc programmes. It is intended to provide a firm understanding of the theory and practice of Human Resource management and its strategic role in contemporary organisations. This module covers core functions of HRM and their integration within business strategy as well as contemporary topics concerning management of people. By the end of this module, the students will have gained a foundation knowledge base of HR as a function in organisations and its strategic role in achieving business objectives through people management.
This module is designed to provide MSc students with a rigorous theoretical framework for analysing and understanding Marketing in national and international contexts. Integrating theoretical concepts and models with practical application, students explore the contribution that Marketing can make to successful businesses and multi-national enterprises (MNEs). Theory and case studies from the UK and across the globe are used to analyse environmental conditions, marketing competition, consumer behaviour, marketing strategy, marketing planning, tactics and operations, and the growing influence of technology.
Social media marketing is an emerging and rapidly developing discipline with substantive changes periodically occurring in industry and academic research. While much of social media marketing is focused on the promotional mix, it also is used for customer care, research and more. The field has shifted from one focused on the influence of individual consumers in social channels to one including bots, AI, and influencers. This module provides students with both academic (theories and concepts) and practical grounding underlying strategic decisions for the use of social media for marketing and the implications of the emerging developments in the area. Discussions, study cases and examples will bring these theories to life.
It is an unfortunate fact that the majority of global strategies fail in the stage of implementation. Many inner organisational and outer organisational factors affect the implementation of the global strategy. Thus, it is vital for management students to learn how to implement global strategies effectively. The module focuses on a range of topics such as the process of strategy implementation, and influential factors on implementing the global strategy. Strategy-related subjects shape at least half of the contents in this programme.
Semester 1 & 2
Compulsory
This compulsory module is designed to immerse students in a real-world business context through independent study and research. It encourages students to identify and explore a business topic that aligns with their academic and professional aspirations, ensuring relevance to their overall program of study. The module's structure supports self-directed study. It employs a strategic learning approach aimed at enhancing students' competencies in undertaking and reporting independent research. This module offers students the opportunity to apply theoretical principles and research methods in a practical setting. Feedback and outcomes from previous coursework should inform the development of a secondary research-based project that exemplifies a comprehensive understanding of the module's objectives and learning outcomes. The students will have opportunity to learn the techniques essential in writing business reports. The project is unsupervised, which means you will not be assigned a supervisor. Instead, some online support sessions will be conducted by the module leader to assist students to gain a comprehensive understanding of the requirements of the report and address any specific questions as they arise.
Optional modules for Year 2 (part-time) - FHEQ Level 7
The diet represents the modules which will be undertaken throughout the whole course. However, delivery of the module e.g., which order they will be undertaken will be specific depending on which entry point you join. This can be confirmed by contacting your programme lead.
Tuition and fees are subject to change and may increase each academic year. Tuition does not include technology platform licensing, or support services.
Once you have been accepted on the course, .
June 2025 - Part-time - 2 years
- UK/Overseas
- £7,600 per year
September 2025 - Part-time - 2 years
- UK/Overseas
- £7,600 per year
February 2026 - Part-time - 2 years
- UK/Overseas
- £7,600 per year
In a fast-changing world, flexible learning is essential. This online course is built to fit around your life, offering a user-friendly platform, robust academic support, and high-quality teaching.
- Take part in live Zoom sessions every two weeks, offering the chance to engage in thoughtful discussion with instructors and peers.
- Work through interactive tasks on a custom platform designed to reflect best practices in digital education.
- Benefit from comprehensive career services, including personalised coaching, interview guidance, self-evaluation tools and salary benchmarks.
- Receive ongoing support from a dedicated student success advisor, who will guide you throughout your studies.
Culturally diverse faculty, rich learning experience
As part of the MSc International Business Management course, you’ll learn from faculty at Surrey Business School who bring a wealth of global experience. With backgrounds spanning academia and industry, they bring real-world insights into the virtual classroom.
Many faculty members have long-standing ties to the School and are deeply embedded in the field of international business management. Their expertise reflects the school’s commitment to global business education — and they’re ready to share it with you.
The online MSc International Business Management can help prepare you for roles across industries and sectors. Graduates have gone on to assume roles as:
- Management consultants
- Business development managers
- Regional managers
- Country managers
- Strategic business analysts
- Entrepreneurs
- Supply chain managers
We seek applicants who want to be strategic business managers on an international scale.
Applicants must have a minimum of a lower second-class honours (2:2) UK undergraduate degree, or a recognised equivalent international qualification.
International students in the United Kingdom
Search for entry requirements for your country to find the grade and qualifications we will accept.
We may be able to take relevant work experience into consideration if you don’t meet these requirements. If you have at least one year of relevant experience in a full-time graduate-level role (or a minimum of two years’ experience in a relevant graduate-level part-time role), please provide full details of your role and responsibilities in your personal statement and CV when you submit your application.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence of your English language level. We accept results from the IELTS Academic with a minimum score of 6.5 overall, with 6.0 in each element.
Application requirements
For further information, please see our .
Terms and conditions
When you accept an offer to study at the Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ, you are agreeing to follow our policies and procedures, student regulations, and terms and conditions.
We provide these terms and conditions in two stages:
- First when we make an offer.
- Second when students accept their offer and register to study with us (registration terms and conditions will vary depending on your course and academic year).
View our generic registration terms and conditions (PDF) for the 2024/25 academic year, as a guide on what to expect.
Disclaimer
This online prospectus has been published in advance of the academic year to which it applies.
Whilst we have done everything possible to ensure this information is accurate, some changes may happen between publishing and the start of the course.
It is important to check this website for any updates before you apply for a course with us. Read our full disclaimer.