Course description

• Focus on applied analysis in international business sectors, markets and marketing as well as international policy and global strategy
• Network with business leaders who provide guest lectures, consultancy projects, case studies and professional mentoring
• Gain vital hands-on experience in our Financial Markets Lab, using real-world data for research into companies and markets across the globe
• Be inspired by a teaching team with industry experience, extensive contacts and a strong profile for influential research
• Learn alongside students from around the world, sharing experiences to deepen your understanding of global business and cultural diversity
• You could also study MSc International Business and Finance, MSc International Business or MSc International Business and HRM.

In tune with today’s business world

Leading employers worldwide increasingly expect their senior staff to have a specialist postgraduate degree like our MSc International Business and Marketing. Our MSc is designed to nurture the next generation of forward-thinking, energetic and ambitious business and marketing professionals with a truly global outlook.

This multidisciplinary course is an excellent choice if you want to develop a thorough understanding of the economic, marketing, strategic, legal and cultural factors facing international business. It brings together disciplines such as strategy, international economics, marketing, brand management and law.

Drawing on real-world case studies, you’ll hone your skills in applied research as you conduct wide-ranging business, marketing, international economic and market analysis. You’ll also focus on how to create and implement strategic marketing plans which address business challenges in original ways.

Learning at the cutting edge

Our impressive Financial Markets Lab is the ideal setting for you to gain hands-on experience, working with the same information and technology used by financial and business professionals all over the world. You’ll gain vital insights into extracting and analysing real-time market and international economic and financial data, undertaking applied analysis using appropriate statistical software. You will receive training from Bloomberg specialists and can work towards the Bloomberg Market Concepts Certificate alongside your degree to boost your professional profile.

Powerful partnerships to inspire you

The MSc International Business and Marketing is designed and delivered with input from business leaders operating at local, national and international levels. We collaborate directly with prestigious names such as Lloyds Bank, Smiths of Derby, Eversheds, Price Waterhouse Cooper, PKF Cooper Parry, Bloomberg and major marketing analytic firms including GI Solutions Group.

Many of our business partners contribute to the MSc with thought-provoking guest lectures and masterclasses. You’ll hear first-hand what happens at the sharp end of business and marketing across vastly different organisational cultures.

You can also extend your contacts through networking at Institute of Directors workshops, company taster days and events held by our Network of Entrepreneurs. Our annual Marketing 2020 programme – a rare opportunity to hear from some of the country’s leading marketers – sets the scene for the future of the profession.

Company visits will give you fresh insights too. Previous examples include behind-the-scenes tours of the Pride Park Stadium, Derby Arena, Crown Derby and high performance engineering company epm:technology.

Benefit from professional mentoring

We offer you the opportunity to receive mentoring from influential business figures who are happy to share their experiences and insights with you. Our mentors range from international trade experts and banking specialists to senior marketing managers from our partner companies.

Career development planning is an integral part of your studies and you’ll benefit from the support of a personal tutor. You’ll also have access to our first-class professional career service throughout your studies and even after you’ve graduated.

Build an impressive portfolio of skills

You could also contribute to specialist research projects in the region or work in a team of marketing consultants with our partners. Recent examples include an economic impact study of the Buxton Festival, branding ideas for Haddon Hall, and customer research for the Derwent Rural Counselling Service.

In addition, we support you to take part in competitions such as the IBM University Business Challenge and the University Trading Challenge. You could even publish your research in our monthly Economic Bulletin and our academic journal, Critical Perspectives on Business Management.

How you will learn

The MSc International Business and Marketing entails a combination of campus teaching and online study support. You’ll be inspired by a mix of lectures, group work, discussions, practical workshops, computer lab classes, case study analysis, data analysis and personal networking.

For the Independent Study module, alongside the taught classes, you’ll be allocated an academic supervisor who will support you in developing and planning a relevant research study project.

The course benefits from significant input from external experts and employers, so you will have the opportunity to meet senior professionals working in organisations across international markets and to develop your networking skills.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• A second class or higher undergraduate degree in a relevant area including: business, economics, marketing, management, accounting or finance, or another degree with sufficient relevant business experience.
• If English is not your first language, you will also need IELTS 6.5 with 5.5 in each skills area.