Welcome to your International Business Management course

Welcome to Staffordshire University’s MSc International Business Management.

The MSc International Business Management (MIBM) course is designed to enhance your employability, strategic focus and international business acumen of all successful students keen on developing deeper knowledge on international business. The course will also equip you with the key professional and leadership skills needed and will enable you to embark upon a variety of different career paths and help prepare you for management positions in global companies. Throughout this course, we will help you improve your decision-making skills to tackle the ever-dynamic global business world and become leaders of the future.

It will help develop your core managerial competencies in support of your management and professional ambitions in global business. You will develop the ability to think and work across boundaries and borders be equipped for the changing role of global business in today's interconnected society. You'll also learn about how businesses adapt to new opportunities and challenges including the Internet of Things, climate change and international cultural differences. As technology has advanced, global trade has become increasingly accessible. So global business is more competitive than ever and companies have new hurdles to overcome. Our MIBM course is geared towards developing your understanding of business in a global context, encourage you to apply your knowledge and finding innovative solutions.

We have high expectations of both our MIBM students and our staff. All students are expected to actively contribute to the MIBM journey by sharing your experience, expertise, questions, answers, and hunger for knowledge, development and success. Our staff all have industry experience and/or published research expertise that adds direct value to the modules they deliver, and they are expected to challenge you in your pursuit to attain enrich learning experience on our postgraduate programme. You are expected to be proactive in your learning, discover new insights on challenges and business practices and knowledge as “learning never stops”. We expect you to read not only all the learning materials but to also undertake wider reading around contemporary developments in international business practices and challenges. You will be expected explore a range of areas to help you see the bigger picture – from the key factors impacting future patterns of global economic growth to asset value measurement systems.

This is your MIBM, and it will be a good as you are willing to make it. Together, we are co-producers of the Staffs MIBM. Be prepared for the challenge as the pace of learning will be fast and our expectations high. The MIBM course is delivered through Problem Practice Based Learning, where real and live organisational issues, challenges and problems are discussed regularly throughout the classes.

The MIBM course will prepare you to be resilient, be open-minded and always challenge your intellectual ability and knowledge as it is essential for you to develop the capacity for independent, critical and creative thinking where you will develop the ability to analyse and synthesise differing approaches to the field of international business management and to evaluate critically these approaches within the business context. This preparation is key to your individual career aspirations and hence career advancement and employability.

We are all here to facilitate and support you through your studies, and you are here as a Staffordshire University’s Masters student to learn and develop new, exciting knowledge on a wide area of international business, foster your emotional intelligence as you will be expected to work with people of diverse cultures not only within the University settings but also within the business world. We want you to further enhance your ability to be astute to challenges of global business to enable you to a confident and well-informed contemporary global business practices and managerial requirements.

We hope you have an enjoyable and rewarding journey with us.

Your staff team

We want to make sure you know some of our team before you arrive. Hopefully this will help you recognise us and ensure you know who you can contact if you need any additional help and guidance.

Dr Ahmad Mlouk

Senior Lecturer

At Staffordshire Business School, Dr Mlouk has taught a wide range of subjects/modules at undergraduate, Postgraduate and professional levels. These modules included: Business Finance, Corporate Governance, Corporate Finance, International Corpo…

Ahmad's profile

Andrew Hanks

Senior Lecturer

Postgraduate HRM Award Leader Andy joined Staffordshire University in the summer of 2015 after spending four years at Keele University whilst he completed a PhD in Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations. Before entering academia as…

Andrew's profile

Bharati Singh

Course Director

Bharati is the Course Leader for the MBA and undergraduate Business Management and Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship courses. She teaches across the undergraduate, postgraduate and professional programmes within the Business School.

Bharati's profile

First activity

In Semester one, you will study 3 (three) core modules, these are:

Cross-cultural Management and Leadership where you will develop a thorough knowledge of the key concepts of cross-cultural management, on how HRM and management strategies can be used effectively to improve organisational performance. The module examines approaches to cross-cultural management and leadership and critically evaluates the strategies used in managing a diverse workforce. You will further experience hands-on team-building to developed “soft-skills” and foster professional skills that are required for cross-cultural leadership and teamwork.

Business Research Methods where you will develop understanding and ability to apply a range of learning and research methodologies and strategies that are appropriate to the field of business management in an international context. You will also develop critical skills to assess and evaluate the academic literature and other forms of research output that inform current debates within the fields of global business management.

Global Digital Marketing Decision where you will learn about what marketers need to consider when looking for opportunities in new overseas markets. You will learn about cultural differences and how these impact on digital marketing decisions. With the advent of digital channels, all companies can now be considered to have the potential to undertake some form of international trade, be they large or small.

Global markets result in rapidly changing customer’s needs, driven by cultural norms and an accelerating pace of technological change. You will address these challenges and how they impact on the digital marketing decisions facing marketers today. Addressing a detailed approach, you will learn how to assess an overseas market, using cultural frameworks and external trends. These will then be used to inform marketing decisions covering approaches to segmentation and the digital marketing mix. A combination of macro and micro environmental analysis will be undertaken with macro discussion addressing the broader cultural and environmental trends micro discussion making addressing the detail of adapting a digital marketing mix.

Course Delivery

The MIBM course will provide an advanced course of study of dynamic business management within a rapidly changing international business environment which will explore contemporary and comparative approaches to the practice of management and develop individuals of high capability who can apply their knowledge and skills within international and global businesses.

The underpinning approach and hence philosophy throughout the MIBM course is Problem and Practice Based Learning (PPBL). Learning activities are tailored to this approach by engaging with authentic and challenging real problems, allowing students to evolve understanding, and analytical skills; hence facilitating development of key management & leadership competencies. You will need to develop your ability to think logically, laterally, practically and independently so that you can operate effectively in a wide range of business roles within international organisations. You will also develop a range of transferable skills and competencies necessary to function successfully in a constantly changing and highly competitive international business environment.

The focus will therefore be on active learning facilitated through face to face. Active learning is centred on communication, discussion & hence learning based on dialectic rather than didactic learning which replaces more traditional teacher led classroom engagement. F2F class sessions will therefore be an opportunity for teaching staff to demonstrate their enthusiasm and mastery of the subject and hence engaging MIBM students in learning. We expect all out Masters students to undertake preparatory reading prior to attending any class sessions as you are expected to engage and be active learners.

Many approaches to PPBL will be innovative and novel – pushing the boundaries of learning and knowledge in the MIBM subject areas. The class sessions aim to be dynamic where students are valued contributors to constructive, collaborative and technology-based learning.

The PPBL philosophy aims to set in context the latest theories, models and frameworks throughout all modules. Each module is designed to develop five key competencies required for effective management & leadership.


Full-time MIBM students will study over 12 months as follows:

Semester 1: 3 (three) modules (60 credits)
Semester 2: 3 (three) modules (60 credits)
Semester 3: 1 (one) module (20 credits) and a Dissertation (40 credits)

The methods of teaching and learning used will vary according to the nature of the subject matter but will have a wide diversity from more formal lectures to more student-centred activities including tutorials, seminars, case studies, management simulation/exercises, group work, workshops, project work, role play plus virtual learning environments in addition to independent study, desk based/empirical research activity and intensive delivery of International Consultancy in Practice during Semester 3 in June. This a core module on the MIBM where students will have the opportunity for experience vital for strategic thinkers and innovator undertake in-depth analysis of real-life case studies based on visits to a variety of multinational companies whilst on an international residential/study trip.


All of our MIBM classes will be face-to-face. You are expected to attend all the classes. The class types are as follows:

Lecture: 1-hour per week

Seminars/Tutorials: 2-hours per week. The Seminar/Tutorial class size will be approximately 30 per class.

If you have any questions or require any clarification, please contact the MIBM Course Leader, Fatimah Moran, who will happily assist you.

Her email address is: F.M.Moran@staffs.ac.uk   

We look forward to welcoming you to our Stoke campus.

Check out our blog

We have a large selection of blogs written by both staff and students for you to browse through. They cover a wide variety of topics such as student projects, study trips, staff research, business advice and even where to go for great food in the local area.

Take a look

Equipment and Software

Mandatory equipment and facilities include: 

  • A laptop computer  
  • A reliable Broadband internet connection at your place of residence 
  • Access to Staffordshire University’s Virtual Learning Environment ‘Blackboard’  
  • Access to your Staffordshire University e-mail inbox  
  • Access to key Staffordshire University websites  
  • Access to the Staffordshire University online Library Portal for the Library Catalogue and links to e-Resources (such as subscribed e-books and journals)  

Desirable equipment and facilities include: 

  • A headset for listening to audio content   
  • A microphone for creating audio content  
  • A webcam   
  • Access to Microsoft™ Office 365 products (such as, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Teams, etc.) which are provided by the university  
  • Access to remote tutorials and Webinars (primarily using Blackboard Collaborate online videoconferencing)  

  Software you will need to have on your computer includes: 

  • Web browser (Google Chrome tends to work best with Blackboard)  
  • Word-processing programme   
  • Adobe Acrobat – for reading on-line documents and electronic journals – this can be downloaded for free  

 You will need to be a proficient computer user, though technical help will be available if you have trouble with specific applications or tasks. The amount of time you will need to spend connected to the internet per week will be very variable. Most weeks it will be several hours. You can also download all the reading onto your own laptop and safely store it for future use.  

 Software link: https://staffsuniversity.sharepoint.com/sites/software/SitePages/Home.aspx

Academic skills

Whether you're joining us from school or college, or you're returning to education after some time away, everyone can benefit from the Academic Study Skills resources provided by the University library.

The Academic Skills team is here to support you throughout your academic journey and to help you gain the skills you need to reach your full potential. They can assist with academic reading and writing skills, give advice on how best to plan assignments, and help improve your time management.

The library's Academic Skills Guides offer the key information to make studying easier and give a comprehensive guide to the learning resources and services we offer.

Staffs CampusConnect

Staffs CampusConnect is our student-led community app for new students. Connect with other people from your course, hometown or country, and even those with similar interests.

To register, please ensure you use your Applicant ID (Student Number) that you received in your offer letter, and the email address you used in your application to us.

Register for CampusConnect

Welcome website

Our welcome website will provide you the link to your new student life. It's all about how you find your place at university, including everything from how to meet friends, feel confident in doing your academic work, being a member of your Student Union and getting involved in Union Societies, Academic Societies, Sports, Volunteering or representing your peers in your School.

Part of this Welcome Week - we have an exciting program of University and course level activities planned for you for your first week in September. We are also building an extended program for you to join a series of events throughout the first half of the autumn term. Further details will be shared with you via the Welcome website and Students' Union pages over the coming weeks.

Welcome website

Campus map

Use our campus map to familiarise yourself with our campus before you arrive.

Campus map (PDF)

Check your email

Please make sure you check your personal email account regularly over the next few weeks. We will be sending you lots of information about Welcome Week.

We are really looking forward to you joining the School of Justice, Security and Sustainability in September. If you have any questions, please contact your Course Leader, Fatimah Moran mailto:f.m.moran@staffs.ac.uk

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