The MSc in International Business Management is a one-year, full-time taught programme. For those students joining in February at UEL, there will be an additional 4 months for the completion of the dissertation. Its broad aims are for its graduates are to:

• Achieve a sound theoretical and conceptual grounding in business management, including a systematic understanding of international organisations, their context and management
• Develop a range of personal and analytical skills, including effective communication and the ability to assume a variety of team and leadership roles
• Understand how their new knowledge can be employed effectively in an international business context
• Be able to collect, analyse and synthesise qualitative and quantitative information from across a range of business areas, in order to support complex and creative decision-making in different organisational scenarios
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of contemporary issues in international business and of the validity of relevant published research, together with its implications for potentially new business practice

Thus equipped, our graduates will be helped with their career progression as managers in an international context and provided with a rich foundation for the development managerial and leadership competencies.

The programme builds on UEL’s long experience of offering a wide range of postgraduate programmes in the UK and abroad and offers a number of distinctive features:

• Emphasis from the outset on developing practical competencies in leadership and management to enhance graduates’ employability in managerial posts
• Development of competencies relevant to an international business environment, including the analysis of relevant qualitative and quantitative data
• Development of a range of other effective skills, embracing communication and personal effectiveness
• Placement opportunities to undertake business research
• Consequent opportunities for further employment in the UK
• Accreditation by the Chartered Management Institute, leading to Associate Membership
• Significant support for study skills at postgraduate level e.g. in advanced English language
• February as well as September intake (Olympia College has three intakes: September, January and May)

Applications will be accepted from graduates with little or no management-level work experience and a degree in virtually any discipline, although preference will be given to those with a background in the social sciences, engineering or law. Applicants should have at least GCSE Maths Grade C (or equivalent) and a 2:2 honours degree or its equivalent.

In the case of applicants whose first language is not English, then IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) is required. International qualifications will be checked for appropriate matriculation to UK Higher Education postgraduate programmes.
Students that apply to enter stages of the programme may be admitted through normal Accreditation of Experiential Learning (AEL) or Accreditation of Certificated Learning (ACL) processes. Therefore, such applicants must be able to demonstrate and evidence that they have the required learning outcomes as listed in the modules for which they are seeking exemption.

The programme is taught at the Business School, a new purpose-built facility in Docklands and at our collaborative partner Olympia College, Malaysia. . The Business School is one of the largest schools at the University of East London, with over 2,000 students on campus, taught by some 60 academic staff.

There is a very high investment in appropriate technology and the Business School has extensive computing facilities.

The learning environment sets out to promote active and reflective learning by participants, with extensive scope for group work and problem-based learning, using case studies and analyses. This is achieved through four main forms of learning and study.

Lectures – which set the context for learning, introduce themes, and structure regular reading. The aim is an interactive experience in which programme participants can draw on – and challenge – module tutors.

Seminars – which offer scope for exploring case studies, group work in preparing presentations, and exploring the literature.

Self-directed learning – based on a framework provided for each module, involving structured reading and problem-solving.

There is range of assessment methods on the programme. Each module is assessed separately, using different mixes of assessment – such as coursework assignments, group presentations and reports, and exams. The aim is to assess a range of skills.

Assessment takes place during the semester in which the module is taught, and as a rule there are two assessment tasks in each taught module.

Our postgraduate programmes adhere strictly to the University regulations on assessment, designed to ensure fairness and maintain the quality of our awards. All work for assessment is double marked and quality is monitored by external examiners.

The learning outcomes of this programme reflect the approach taken by the UK Quality Assurance Agency in its guidelines for masters programmes in business and management. Masters programmes add value to first degrees by enabling individuals to develop in three ways that are central to a career in a commercial business or international organisation.

First, they develop an integrated understanding of the field: that is, they enable students to see business in its context, and in its relationship to other central dimensions of business life.

Secondly, they require participants to become critically aware in their engagement with the subject; that is, they enable students to assess evidence for and against a point of view, to challenge the presuppositions of a theory, and to be equipped to engage in research to corroborate or refute an argument.

Thirdly, our students will develop a skill-set relevant to international employment, including recognised managerial competencies and the capacity to undertake both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ analysis. Cross-cultural sensitivity will enable their application of these skills in multi-national and multi-cultural environment

These skills are central in fostering the mature, positive, yet critical approach which organisations need if they are to develop and thrive in a complex and rapidly changing economic, business and political context.

There are also opportunities for a short placement with a business organisation between the end of the taught programme and the submission of the dissertation, which will further serve to enhance our graduates’ employability.

The dissertation is a central element of the programme and the assessment of learning outcomes, being worth one-third of the total marks available

Our students have 2 choices for the completion of their dissertation, after having followed tuition on research methods:

• To undertake individual primary research in an internationally oriented business organisation and make recommendations for change in response to a specific problem or issue, such as entry into an international market place or the management of cross-country operations
• To participate in a business simulation based on a scenario involving a range of decisions relevant to the effective management of an organisation operating in an international context. Students are assessed on their group’s decision-making, but also on a detailed individual report - not currently available to overseas partners.

The major rationale for the business simulation is that it generates complex and realistic primary data, allowing learning outcomes to be achieved identical to those of an individual dissertation. Consequently, the simulation is a highly effective substitute for research in a ‘live’ organisation. This is particularly useful for international students who may find it very difficult to negotiate access to businesses for research.

This programme offers students added value in terms of:

• Taking place in London: a Global centre of International Business;
• Being delivered on an award-winning, modern, purpose built university campus;
• Providing access to one of London’s most highly acclaimed Libraries and Learning Resource Centres;
• Providing an opportunity to study alongside, and learn from a diverse range of International students; and
•  Being delivered by a highly qualified and experienced team of International academics.

Graduates from the programme can be expected to find employment in entry-level managerial posts in organisations operating internationally and located in a range of jurisdictions. In some cases, for example, the programme might serve to help an individual (and their employing organisation) develop specialist competencies needed to promote organisational development, such as a move to international operations.

Our graduates will be helped in their career progression as international managers and provided with a rich foundation for the development of their managerial and leadership competencies in the future.

The programme aims to provide consistent and continuing support for students through staff involved in teaching, administration and programme management. A key contact point is the Business School Helpdesk, which can help with a range of student enquiries. Academic support will be provided by module leaders and the programme leader

There is also help with particular linguistic needs through UEL’s Academic English Study Support service (AESS), delivered by the English Language Centre. Dedicated support is also available from staff experienced in the enhancement of numeracy skills.

In general support is provided through,

• The programme leader acting as your personal tutor (or another colleague teaching on the programme)
• accessible and supportive module tutors,
• student support centre with dedicated staff,
• induction process that aims to develop key skills for UK study,
• an ongoing parallel support programme of English language and study skills,
• an on-line facility for learning skills.
• large learning resource facility with on-line databases,
• self-study areas.

You will benefit from our state-of-art Business School building and Learning Resources centre at our Docklands campus, which is within easy reach of the City and very close to the rapidly developing financial centre of Canary Wharf. The campus and UEL are also at the heart of a vibrant and growing area preparing for the 2012 Olympics.

Further, there will be the opportunity for some participants to go on work placement with one of our network of employers.