International Business and Finance MSc module details

Block 1: International Business and Strategy

This module explores two critical questions in management today: ‘Why and how do firms go international?’ and ‘What determines the success and failure of firms in today’s international business environment?’ In this module, we will seek answers to these questions. In part 1 of the module, drawing on leading international business perspectives, such as monopolistic advantage theory, internalization theory and OLI, students will explore why and how firms go international. We will investigate how firms choose where to go, the mode of their entry (e.g., Greenfield, brownfield), and the type of activity or investment they make. In part 2 of the module, drawing on leading strategy perspectives, such as the resource-based view and the industry-based view, students will seek to explore what determines the success and failure of firms. Students will explore what strategy is, how firms design strategy, and how to implement it successfully. Part 3 of the module seeks to integrate the international business and strategy perspectives covered in parts 1 and 2 to better understand what determines success and failure in international markets. Students will apply the international business and strategy theoretical perspectives to a range of international business decisions and scenarios, such as joint ventures.  

Block 2: Strategic and Financial Decision-Making

This module will allow students to understand and analyse the information found in published financial accounts and other accessible data sources and to evaluate the financial performance of a business and make sustainable strategic decisions. 

Block 3: Critical Management and Organisation Studies

The module intends to bring students' attention to the historical roots of management and organizations studies. It will provide a portfolio of ideas that will allow students to gain a deep insight into the theoretical underpinnings and apply it to modern business practice. It will also encourage students to think critically and independently about contemporary issues related to the management of organizations. Students will debate mainstream assumptions and develop their own understanding of what it normatively means to have a socio-environmental impact. Content in this module includes insight from analytical frameworks such as financialization, intersectionality and cultural economy. 

Both critical management and organisation studies are expansive fields with academics publishing in prestigious journals such as Organization Studies, Journal of Management Studies, Organization Science and Human Relations. These theories have implication for business practice and deal with topical dilemmas.   

Block 4: International Finance and Accounting

This module provides students with a broad exposure to the political, economic and technical dimensions of the international finance regime. The regime is described - its institutions, markets, players - and the key adjustment mechanisms are explained - balance of payments, exchange rate systems, relative interest and inflation rates. The role of finance in the competitive struggle between nation states and multinational corporations to generate economic value is explored. Financial and risk appraisal of foreign trade and direct investment projects is demonstrated. This module is ideally suited toward those who wish to specialise in international studies or finance.  

The module will also include an external analysis of company performance via the interpretation of corporate annual reports. This interpretation will be set within the framework of the normative economic objective of shareholder wealth maximisation. It will, therefore, also involve a consideration of the process of shareholder value creation and the measurement of performance within this context. From an internal perspective the module will also consider the generation and analysis of information for management use. This will involve an analysis of management accounting and its general role within activities such as planning, control, performance management and decision-making. 

Block 5 & 6: One of the following:

Dissertation

This final 60 credit module is the bridge between a Postgraduate Diploma and an MSc. Therefore, the dissertation is a significant component of the MSc degree. It has two parts: understanding and investigating a topic, and producing a coherent piece of text that describes the results of the investigation. 

The aims of the dissertation are to develop student’s ability to work independently on a task that requires a wide range of analytical and self-organising skills and give them the opportunity to deepen their knowledge by investigating a topic in some depth. It also aims to enable students to utilise and integrate their learning from their programme of study by applying aspects of it to a particular topic of investigation. 

Consulting Project

This final 60 credit project module offers students the opportunity to critically apply knowledge gained throughout their study and has a real impact on a client organization.

The students can choose to work on a specific project which is showcased by an organization, a department within an existing organization, or a future organization (commercial, charity, governmental). The focus of the projects is related to innovation either by improving and/or changing existing processes, business and/or service models, structures, products, or services or developing new business and/or service models, products or services. Students may also self-sourced a project, subject to approval by the module team. 

Throughout the project, students will be supervised by an academic. Assignments will be marked by the supervisor and a sample of the marking internally moderated. Additional academic guidelines will support the operationalisation of the module.

 

Business Project Simulator

Business Project Simulator presents students with a valuable opportunity to thoughtfully apply the knowledge they have acquired throughout their studies, along with their workplace skills and attributes, to a practical and dynamically simulated real-life case. This case is meticulously designed to align with the programme of study, ensuring its relevance and applicability.

By the project's conclusion, students are expected to have cultivated a profound understanding of how the theoretical knowledge acquired during their coursework can be effectively applied to inform real-world decision-making. They will have developed the ability to navigate uncertainty when making decisions and establish a solid foundation for their decision-making skills, underpinned by rigorous principles of academic research.