Program Overview

MA International Retail Business, Sustainability & Technologies

Why study MA International Retail Business, Sustainability & Technologies at Goldsmiths

This programme will provide you with fundamental knowledge of the retail industry, introduce you to a diverse range of contemporary issues, and teach you skills in creative and cutting-edge solutions based on core intellectual and practical frameworks.

• This Masters combines retail business/management studies with a deep exploration of sustainability principles and practice, technological solutions to contemporary challenges, and building the requisite skills of leadership to drive these solutions forward.
• The programme differs from conventional retail management courses that exclusively or predominantly focus on the narrow 'management' aspects of retail business. Instead, we adopt a multi-disciplinary approach that introduces you to a diverse range of contemporary issues, and provides knowledge and professional skills in cutting-edge solutions based on three core areas of expertise: International Retail Business, Sustainability and Leadership, and Retail Data and Technology.

Length

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

Fees

• Home - full-time: £13600
• Home - part-time: £6800
• International - full-time: £24350

Department

• Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship

Study across disciplines

• Since the term 'retail' includes all retailing sectors (for example, automobiles, groceries, electronics, fashion), this programme examines 'retail' not as a sole business subject, but as a multi-disciplinary integrated study field permeating myriad areas of social-cultural and economic life.
• The programme also aims to challenge established frameworks for understanding global retail business, with a strong emphasis on contextualisation and the incorporation of localised perspectives and frameworks.

Prepare for a career with a combination of theory and practice

• As one of the most highly globalised industries at a time of significant change, the retail sector has an urgent need for personnel (new recruits and middle-level managers) who not only understand core business principles and practices but also have the requisite mindset to engage with the social and cultural contexts within which their businesses operate.
• This programme's interdisciplinary approach augments a traditionally business studies approach to equip you with business management fundamentals in both theory and practice. You will also be exposed to relevant knowledge and critical understanding from other disciplines, set within a variety of economic, social, and cultural contexts that more closely reflect the true business world. You will come away with a much broader understanding of the retail sector and why certain business decisions should or should not be made. These essential critical thinking, analytical, and practical skills will make you extremely marketable in the retail world of the immediate future.

Engage with pressing contemporary issues

• The last two decades have seen the retail industry and its socio-cultural context encounter unprecedented challenges, which require a number of changes in approach, philosophy, and practice. Among the more important of these are the environmental pressures associated with the retail sector, linked to the ecological footprint of the products it sells, the resources it devours, the waste it generates, and the pressures associated with consumerism in general.
• The sector is also facing significant existential challenges as it struggles to navigate the rapid changes in globalisation, consumer preferences, and demographics, as well as the proliferation of social media, online retail platforms, and seismic shifts such as those caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The retail industry is currently facing a historic watershed as it responds to simultaneous demands for stability, adaptability, relevance, sustainability, social responsibility, inventiveness, technological innovation, and financial viability.

What you'll study

• Compulsory modules
  • International retail Management (30 credits)
  • Sustainability Thinking and Leadership: Consumption & Development (30 credits)
  • Retail Data and Technology (15 credits)
  • Dissertation (60 credits)
• Optional modules
  • You'll also take 60 credits of optional modules from the Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship.
  • The list of modules will change on an annual basis, and recent examples have included:
    • Creative Social Media (30 credits)
    • Culture, Tourism and Regeneration (30 credits)
    • Cultural Relations and Diplomacy II: Explorations (30 credits)
    • Entrepreneurial Modelling: From Idea to Articulation (15 credits)
    • Technological Innovation & Market Creation (15 credits)
    • Marketing Strategy (15 credits)
    • Consumer Behaviour (15 credits)
    • Creating Customer Experiences (15 Credits)
    • Leadership and Talent Management (15 credits)
    • Critical Social Media Practices (15 credits)
    • Consumer Citizenship and Visual Media (30 credits)
    • Social Media in Everyday Life: A Global Perspective (15 credits)

Teaching style

• Taught sessions and lectures provide overviews of themes, which students are encouraged to complement with intensive reading for presentation and discussion with peers at seminars.
• Assessments build on lectures and seminars, so students are expected to attend all taught sessions to build knowledge and their own understanding of their chosen discipline.

Entry requirements

• You should normally have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of upper second class standard in a subject relevant to the programme, or relevant equivalent experience.
• Entrepreneurs or industry professionals may gain entry by prior accredited learning, subject to stringent evaluation criteria.

International qualifications

• We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.
• If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate study.

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees

• These are the PG fees for students starting their programme in the 2025/2026 academic year.
• Home - full-time: £13600
• Home - part-time: £6800
• International - full-time: £24350

Funding opportunities

• Explore the Goldsmiths scholarships finder to find out what funding you may be eligible for.
• If you are a UK student you may be eligible for a postgraduate loan.
• Meanwhile our Careers Service can also offer advice on finding work during your studies.

Paying your fees

• Find out about paying your tuition fees.

Additional costs

• In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.
• There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.