Overview
International business rewards those who can integrate strategy, culture, finance and institutions across jurisdictions. This MSc develops analytical frameworks for market entry, multinational enterprise design, global marketing and supply networks, while cultivating the leadership skills required for cross-cultural teams. Case work spans exporters, multinationals, joint ventures and trade promotion bodies. Edinburgh campus options connect you to Scotland's international business ecosystem; online cohorts join live global seminars.
MSc International Business is taught as one award, not a list of unrelated modules. The published length is 24 months, and the credit total is 36. Students move from International Business Environment & Institutions through International Business Environment & Institutions; Cross-Cultural Management & Global Leadership; International Economics & Trade Policy; Research Methods for International Managers; Global Strategy & Multinational Enterprise Design; International Marketing & Brand Architecture, and finish on MSc International Business Capstone.
Each course has a question, a method, and a submission. In this field, students diagnose one organisation and carry a decision through to a recommendation. Reading is a case, a short financial extract, and a stakeholder note. The artefact a marker expects is a consulting brief a manager could use.
The award is built so that a graduate can do the following in practice: Diagnose institutions, distance and competitive conditions in target markets Design market-entry and operating models for international expansion Manage global brands, channels and supply networks under risk
Teaching assumes the student can read a source, attempt a problem before the seminar, and revise after feedback. Attendance at live seminars is part of the design. The capstone or final course must use the methods of the earlier courses; a project that ignores them does not pass.
The pages for each course name the topics that are examined. Those topics are the syllabus. A brochure line is not a substitute for them.
The programme draws on IB theory taught at top research schools (entry mode choice, internalisation, institutional distance) while remaining practice-dense through market entry memos and a live internationalisation capstone.
Who This Programme Is For
- ✦Managers in exporters or multinationals preparing for regional roles
- ✦Consultants specialising in market entry and expansion
- ✦Trade, investment and economic development professionals
- ✦Founders planning cross-border scale
Faculty spotlight
Professor Margaret Ashford researches multinational strategy; Dr. Raj Patel teaches trade logistics and foreign exchange risk for operators.
Programme Structure & Delivery
Coursework
Interactive modules, weekly readings, recorded and live seminars, and collaborative discussions with peers worldwide.
Assessment
Module assignments, proctored examinations, and capstone projects designed to demonstrate mastery of the field.
Learning Outcomes
- ✦Diagnose institutions, distance and competitive conditions in target markets
- ✦Design market-entry and operating models for international expansion
- ✦Manage global brands, channels and supply networks under risk
- ✦Assess political, currency and operational exposure in cross-border plans
- ✦Lead multicultural teams with effective communication norms
Career Pathways
- ✦International Business Development Manager
- ✦Regional Operations / Country Manager track
- ✦Global Strategy Consultant
- ✦Export & Trade Finance Specialist
- ✦Multinational Marketing Manager
Assessment
Modules are assessed through a published mix of coursework, applied projects, and examinations. Exam windows are announced in advance so students in other time zones are not forced into overnight sittings. Alternative arrangements are available where documented.
Curriculum
Term 1 — Global Business Foundations
IB501International Business Environment & Institutions- IB501-M1 · System boundary, constraint, and actors — International Business Environment & Institutions
- IB501-M2 · Indicators, sources of error, and a better measure — International Business Environment & Institutions
- IB501-M3 · Two options on cost, time, and downside — International Business Environment & Institutions
- IB501-M4 · Safety, environmental limit, and who bears the risk — International Business Environment & Institutions
- IB501-M5 · A site, grid, or product decision — International Business Environment & Institutions
- IB501-M6 · A recommendation with evidence and residual risk — International Business Environment & Institutions
3 creditsIB502Cross-Cultural Management & Global Leadership- IB502-M1 · Position, rivals, and the choice in front of the organisation — Cross-Cultural Management & Global Leadership
- IB502-M2 · A financial result and the operational cause — Cross-Cultural Management & Global Leadership
- IB502-M3 · The decision, the team, resistance, and the plan — Cross-Cultural Management & Global Leadership
- IB502-M4 · Stakeholders and what they can block — Cross-Cultural Management & Global Leadership
- IB502-M5 · Ethics and the limit of the recommendation — Cross-Cultural Management & Global Leadership
- IB502-M6 · A consulting brief: problem, evidence, recommendation, defence — Cross-Cultural Management & Global Leadership
3 creditsIB503International Economics & Trade Policy- IB503-M1 · Forum, rule, and parties — International Economics & Trade Policy
- IB503-M2 · Claim, counterclaim, and the facts that would change the result — International Economics & Trade Policy
- IB503-M3 · A clause, briefing, or policy note for a named audience — International Economics & Trade Policy
- IB503-M4 · Sources, revision, and the strength of the authority — International Economics & Trade Policy
- IB503-M5 · Institutions and the limit of the award — International Economics & Trade Policy
- IB503-M6 · A supervised paper: question, sources, argument, and defence — International Economics & Trade Policy
3 creditsIB504Research Methods for International Managers- IB504-M1 · Position, rivals, and the choice in front of the organisation — Research Methods for International Managers
- IB504-M2 · A financial result and the operational cause — Research Methods for International Managers
- IB504-M3 · The decision, the team, resistance, and the plan — Research Methods for International Managers
- IB504-M4 · Stakeholders and what they can block — Research Methods for International Managers
- IB504-M5 · Ethics and the limit of the recommendation — Research Methods for International Managers
- IB504-M6 · A consulting brief: problem, evidence, recommendation, defence — Research Methods for International Managers
3 creditsTerm 2 — Strategy & Operations Across Borders
IB505Global Strategy & Multinational Enterprise Design- IB505-M1 · Position, rivals, and the choice in front of the organisation — Global Strategy & Multinational Enterprise Design
- IB505-M2 · A financial result and the operational cause — Global Strategy & Multinational Enterprise Design
- IB505-M3 · The decision, the team, resistance, and the plan — Global Strategy & Multinational Enterprise Design
- IB505-M4 · Stakeholders and what they can block — Global Strategy & Multinational Enterprise Design
- IB505-M5 · Ethics and the limit of the recommendation — Global Strategy & Multinational Enterprise Design
- IB505-M6 · A consulting brief: problem, evidence, recommendation, defence — Global Strategy & Multinational Enterprise Design
3 creditsIB506International Marketing & Brand Architecture- IB506-M1 · Audience, offer, and the evidence for both — International Marketing & Brand Architecture
- IB506-M2 · Channel choice and what the channel cannot do — International Marketing & Brand Architecture
- IB506-M3 · Message, proof, and a measure of response — International Marketing & Brand Architecture
- IB506-M4 · Ethics of persuasion and claims that must not be made — International Marketing & Brand Architecture
- IB506-M5 · A campaign or content decision with a budget line — International Marketing & Brand Architecture
- IB506-M6 · A recommendation a client could act on — International Marketing & Brand Architecture
3 creditsIB507Global Supply Chains & Trade Logistics- IB507-M1 · Order, nodes, delay, and a flow map — Global Supply Chains & Trade Logistics
- IB507-M2 · Demand, capacity, stock, and stock-out — Global Supply Chains & Trade Logistics
- IB507-M3 · A break in the chain and the response — Global Supply Chains & Trade Logistics
- IB507-M4 · Cost, time, and who pays for the buffer — Global Supply Chains & Trade Logistics
- IB507-M5 · One lane, site, or corridor — Global Supply Chains & Trade Logistics
- IB507-M6 · A change recommendation with cost and risk — Global Supply Chains & Trade Logistics
3 creditsIB508International Finance & Foreign Exchange Risk- IB508-M1 · Statements: income, position, and cash — International Finance & Foreign Exchange Risk
- IB508-M2 · Recognition, ratios, and what the numbers cannot show — International Finance & Foreign Exchange Risk
- IB508-M3 · Cash flows, discount rates, and sensitivity — International Finance & Foreign Exchange Risk
- IB508-M4 · Market, credit, and operating risk — International Finance & Foreign Exchange Risk
- IB508-M5 · Controls, exceptions, and reporting — International Finance & Foreign Exchange Risk
- IB508-M6 · An investment or operating recommendation — International Finance & Foreign Exchange Risk
3 creditsTerm 3 — Integration & Capstone
IB601Emerging Markets, FDI & Political Risk- IB601-M1 · Audience, offer, and the evidence for both — Emerging Markets, FDI & Political Risk
- IB601-M2 · Channel choice and what the channel cannot do — Emerging Markets, FDI & Political Risk
- IB601-M3 · Message, proof, and a measure of response — Emerging Markets, FDI & Political Risk
- IB601-M4 · Ethics of persuasion and claims that must not be made — Emerging Markets, FDI & Political Risk
- IB601-M5 · A campaign or content decision with a budget line — Emerging Markets, FDI & Political Risk
- IB601-M6 · A recommendation a client could act on — Emerging Markets, FDI & Political Risk
3 creditsIB602International Business Ethics & Sustainability- IB602-M1 · System boundary, constraint, and actors — International Business Ethics & Sustainability
- IB602-M2 · Indicators, sources of error, and a better measure — International Business Ethics & Sustainability
- IB602-M3 · Two options on cost, time, and downside — International Business Ethics & Sustainability
- IB602-M4 · Safety, environmental limit, and who bears the risk — International Business Ethics & Sustainability
- IB602-M5 · A site, grid, or product decision — International Business Ethics & Sustainability
- IB602-M6 · A recommendation with evidence and residual risk — International Business Ethics & Sustainability
3 creditsIB603MSc International Business Capstone- IB603-M1 · Position, rivals, and the choice in front of the organisation — MSc International Business Capstone
- IB603-M2 · A financial result and the operational cause — MSc International Business Capstone
- IB603-M3 · The decision, the team, resistance, and the plan — MSc International Business Capstone
- IB603-M4 · Stakeholders and what they can block — MSc International Business Capstone
- IB603-M5 · Ethics and the limit of the recommendation — MSc International Business Capstone
- IB603-M6 · A consulting brief: problem, evidence, recommendation, defence — MSc International Business Capstone
6 creditsAdmission requirements
Academic entry
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution (minimum 2:2 or GPA 2.5/4.0)
English language
- English proficiency: IELTS 5.5, TOEFL 46, or equivalent (waived for prior English-medium study)
Documents
- Statement of Purpose (500 words minimum) outlining your goals and fit for the programme
- Two academic or professional references with contact details
- CV or résumé documenting relevant education and professional experience
Programme questions
How long is the MSc International Business?+
The published duration is 24 months. Teaching language: English. Actual time-to-complete depends on mode and any recognised prior learning.
Can I study this from my country?+
This is a fully online award. You study from your country. No student visa and no campus relocation are required.
What does it cost?+
Degree tuition for this award is published as £0 / tuition-free on the online pathway. Examination or administrative fees may apply at checkout — never an annual tuition invoice. Check the Fees page for any extras.
What are the entry requirements?+
Requirements are grouped on this page (academic, English, documents). Equivalent qualifications are considered. English may be waived after prior English-medium study.
How is the programme assessed?+
Assessment is typically a mix of coursework, projects, and examinations. Doctoral awards include a thesis or dissertation and an oral examination. Details sit in the programme specification and module outlines.
Will this award be recognised where I live?+
Recognition of the award for local employment, professional licence, or ministry attestation is decided by your employer or regulator. Durham University publishes verification pages for certificates. We do not claim automatic equivalence in every country.
How do I apply?+
Start an application on this website. Progress is saved from the first step. Admissions: admissions@durhm.co.uk.
