Program Overview

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International Business - MSc

Overview

Prepare you with the knowledge and professional skills to lead and manage business towards a world of opportunities.

Summary

The MSc International Business aims to allow students to acquire mastery of both the macro and micro contexts of international business, and is designed to enable students to acquire, develop, and integrate international business theory, and develop the skills to then apply this in terms of international business practice. The Masters dissertation provides the opportunity to conceive, design and implement satisfactorily a substantial research project within the broad subject area of international business.

About this course

About

This programme will enable students to acquire a knowledge and understanding of the political, social and cultural aspects of different trade blocs, particularly the European Union, Asia and the USA.

This programme is designed to provide a coherent academic progression for students who will explore the overall environment in which international business takes place. Core management techniques are analysed from varying perspectives to understand their application on an international scale.

The unique selling point of this programme is the richness that evident from the diverse student base which progresses through this programme of study. Sharing experiences from varied cultural, economic and employment backgrounds is invaluable.

Attendance

All modules are delivered in a six-week block format.

The part-time MSc is completed in 2-3 years. Full-time participants can also exit with a PgCert after successful completion of one semester (four modules) or alternatively exit with a PgDip after successful completion of two semesters (eight modules).

Start dates

• September 2025
• January 2026

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

Assessment is 100% coursework assessed

This Masters offers various methods of teaching and learning to address the needs of industry and the economy in today's fast-changing world.

Studying and interacting with students and academic staff in an international setting, creates a network of contacts and links to local knowledge on an international stage. This masters degree offers directed tutor and peer learning, providing guidance and support throughout the entire programme, in addition to technical assistance.

Standard entry conditions

Entry Requirements

Applicants must:

• have gained a second class honours degree or better from a university of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, or from a recognised national awarding body or from an institution or another country which has been recognised as being of an equivalent standard, or
• an equivalent standard (normally 50%) in a Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate, Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma or an approved alternative qualification;
• provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English (GCSE grade C or equivalent); the minimum English language requirements for non-native English speakers, are IELTS 6.0 (with no contributing band at less than 5.5).

English Language Requirements

English language requirements for international applicants The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.

Exemptions and transferability

Studies pursued and examinations passed in respect of other qualifications awarded by Ulster University or by another university or other educational institution, or evidence from the accreditation of prior experiential learning, may be accepted as exempting candidates from part of the programme provided that:

• they shall register as students of the University for modules amounting to at least the final third of the credit value of the award at the highest level.
• If students are exiting with the PgDip or PgCert, they need to have registered as students of the University for modules amounting to at least the final 50% of the credit value of the award at the highest level.
• exemption is not permitted from the International Management or International Business Environment modules, as these are core modules within the programme. Nor will the Dissertation module be exempted, due to the need to complete at least 50% of the credit value at the MSc level.

Careers & opportunities

Careers & opportunities

Career options

Student and employer needs are reflected in the development of this programme and evidenced in the career destinations and further development of our graduates. The nature of the provision is such that it equips individuals for employment in a wide range of international roles within the public and private sectors and a significant number of graduates are successful in gaining promotion in their chosen fields or alter their career paths following completion of their programme of study.

A sample of graduate employers includes:

• Marriott Hotel Group
• PWC
• KPMG (Germany)
• Deloitte
• Laterooms.com
• Halfords
• Smile Communications
• The European Space Agency
• NI Civil Service
• O Neills International Sports Ltd
• First Derivatives PLC

Professional Recognition

Accreditations reflect the excellence of our teaching, research, and knowledge exchange and ensure our programmes realise the highest expectations. By studying at Ulster University you’ll gain insight and be at the forefront of current industry practices, while our many accredited degree programmes open doors to the world’s top professional organisations, making you more attractive to future employers and giving you a competitive edge in the job market.

The Institute of Export and International Trade (IOE)

Accredited by the Institute of Export and International Trade (IOE) for the purposes of exemptions from some professional examinations

Fees and funding

Tuition Fee Loans Available

Students domiciled in Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and UK students can apply to Student Finance NI for a Tuition Fee loan of up to £6,500 (subject to eligibility).

Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and EU Settlement Status Fees

£7,240.00

International Fees

£17,810.00

Fees Notice - January Start

Important Notice: Fees information for programmes with a January 2026 start date

Ulster University has two main intakes for Academic Year 25/26 – 1. September 2025 and 2. January 2026. Many of our programmes which start in January will continue into Academic Year 26/27 and consequently any modules undertaken in Academic Year 26/27 will be charged at our 26/27 prices.

If your study continues into future academic years your fees are subject to an annual increase. Please take this into consideration when you estimate your total fees for a degree.

International Students

International Student fees for programmes commencing in January 2026

Students from Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and Great Britain

For those who are starting a programme in January which continues into Academic Year 26/27, 26/27 fees are currently not available. To help with budget planning please refer to the 25/26 fees. These are subject to increase.

Visit our Fees pages for full details of fees

Additional mandatory costs are highlighted where they are known in advance. There are other costs associated with university study.

Fees are subject to annual increase. Correct at the time of publishing. Terms and conditions apply.

Sustainability at Ulster

Ulster continues to develop and support sustainability initiatives with our staff, students, and external partners across various aspects of teaching, research, professional services operations, and governance.

At Ulster every person, course, research project, and professional service area on every campus either does or can contribute in some way towards the global sustainability and climate change agenda.

We are guided by both our University Strategy People, Place and Partnerships: Delivering Sustainable Futures for All and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Our work in this area is already being recognised globally. Most recently by the 2024 Times Higher Education Impact rating where we were recognised as Joint 5th Globally for Outreach Activities and Joint Top 20 Globally for Sustainable Development Goal 17: Partnership for the Goals.

Visit our Sustainability at Ulster destination to learn more about how the University strategy and the activities of Ulster University support each of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Sustainability at Ulster University (opens in new window)

Ulster University Business School - Sustainability in Focus

Ulster University Business School (UUBS) aims to be a thought-leader for sustainable business futures.

Our mission is to embolden staff, students and all our stakeholders to become sustainable business futures leaders. We aim to support and showcase sustainability research and education across Ulster University Business School.

We do so by embedding the sustainable futures agenda into five remits: sustainability performance, research and knowledge exchange, learning and teaching, student experience and communications and engagement. We are a member of PRME – the Principles for Responsible Management Education concordat.

Contact: sustainability@ulster.ac.uk

Learning and Teaching

We support and develop ‘Education for Sustainable Development’ within the Faculty’s Learning & teaching portfolio. We do so by providing bespoke staff training on ESD and curating an ESD Resources Hub.

All UUBS undergraduate and post-graduate course are mapped against the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and students are actively involved in learning for sustainable development.

We seek to enhance the student experience by encouraging our students to become actively involved in sustainability initiatives, such as Carbon Literacy Training, the Big Spring Clean and collaborating with the Northern Ireland Resource Network.

Research and Knowledge Exchange

We develop, support and disseminate sustainability-themed research within the Faculty and beyond. Our annual sustainability research networking event creates new research strands within the Faculty’s research portfolio.

We actively support out PhD community to embed sustainability in their research and provide training on methods and critical thinking on sustainability.

We partner with other institutions, such as Queen’s University Belfast and Atlantic Technological University to broaden our sustainability research and create interdisciplinary research links.

Communications and Engagement

UUBS has a dedicated Sustainability Committee, tasked with developing dedicated internal and external communications and engagement activities promoting the sustainability work of the Faculty.

We host an annual Sustainability Business Breakfast, attend and speak at notable sustainability events, such as the SustainExchange Summit, the Belfast Re[Act] Festival and the NI Science Festival.

Our sustainability work is monitored on our bespoke UUBS SDG Dashboard on our dedicated UUBS sustainability webpages. Our sustainability performance team oversees the Faculty’s Academy Restaurant’s Green Academy programme and associated eco-certifications Green Key and Green Tourism Gold Award.