MSc INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS (Accredited by Association of MBAs)

The MSc International Business enables students to build effective management skills, understand management within the global context and develop a wide international network of associates.  This is achieved through the integration of a significant international element in the course which attracts individuals from around the world.  Courses evolve with the changing needs of a competitive world environment and teaching is based on high quality research.

Royal Holloway has received accreditation from the Association of MBAs in the UK (AMBA) for its MBA and MSc programmes in International Management. The Association’s service is internationally recognized as the global standard for all MBAs.

The course aims to help students:

• To understand and apply the core functional areas of management in an international context.
• To acquire specific expertise in a range of subjects (electives) that will broaden the scope of your learning in international management.
• To enhance their ability to think strategically and understand the essentials of business and organisations in order to manage change more effectively in the global business environment.
• Through the Business Research Project, to develop the ability to undertake independent business analysis and to frame solutions to complex business problems
• To improve skills of self-discipline, reflection, analysis, communication, and leadership.

Features of the programme

• Two years part time
• Joint delivery of taught modules by Royal Holloway and Rushmore Business School faculty
• Dissertation supervision by faculty from Royal Holloway, University of London
• Administrative and logistics support from Rushmore Business School
• Access to University online resources through Moodle
• Degrees awarded by the University of London

 

Programme Structure

Study materials The MSc programme has been designed on a modular basis.  Each module consists of a period 30 contact hours with lecturers.  It is a challenging and contemporary programme containing 11 modules, comprising, 7 core modules and 4 Electives.  The core module “Philosophy of Management” is non-examinable.

When students register, there will be provided with a comprehensive package of materials, which will consist of:

• A handbook giving you information on planning your studies and preparing for the examinations.
• Rules and Regulations.
• A booklet of tutor-marked assignments.

And foreach module, students are provided with:

• A study guide, written by subject specialists, containing the core content for the modules and case studies
• A reader, containing copies of articles and book chapters which have been specially selected from leading academic journals and books, either because they are considered classics or because they present the most recent developments in the field.
• One or two textbooks depending on the module.
• Past examination papers, where a module has previously been examined, and, for some papers, Examiners' reports

Core Modules (ASSESSED)

1. International Accounting & Finance
2. International Marketing
3. International HRM
4. International Strategy
5. International Business Economics
6. International Information Systems and Operations Management

Elective Modules 

1. International entrepreneurship
2. International Investment Management 
3. Knowledge Management
4. Corporate Social Responsibility

Plus Research project (Dissertation)


Modules not assessed

1. Philosophy of Management (Core)
2. Business Research Methods

Assessment

Examinations are will be held twice a year, in May and October
All core and elective modules (except the Research Course and Dissertation) are assessed by one unseen, three-hour written examination and a written assignment. The final mark for each module is based on both papers, with 80% of the mark based on your exam results.
Dissertation will consist of a 12,000-word report, excluding bibliographies, appendices and the project statement or summary.

Entrance requirements

A second class honours degree or the equivalent from a university or other institution acceptable to the University of London.
OR a first degree from a university or other institution acceptable to the University of London and a G-MAT score of 550 or over.
OR an equivalent professional qualification and a GMAT score of 550 or over.
Please note: All other applications will be considered on an individual basis at the discretion of the University.

Fees
Full course fee amount to Rs 410,000 dFSuprt to individuals following final year of first Degree and those fort to individuals following final year of first Degree and those fo

Financial Support to individuals following final year of first Degree and those following Masters Degree programmes

The HRDC will refund up to 50% of the course fees to eligible individuals following the final year of the first degree or those following a Masters Degree from a recognized University and run locally on a part time basis.

owing Masters De

How to apply for admission
Application forms may be obtained from:

The Rushmore Business School
4th Floor, Newry Complex
St Jean Road
Quatre-Bornes.
Tel 4544091
Website www.rbs.ac.mu

When applying for admission, completed application forms must be accompanied by:

• Copies of certificates and transcripts of results.
• Copy of National ID card
• Two recent passport size photographs.
• A non-refundable application fee of MUR 1,000 payable to the Rushmore Business School.

The Application form, supporting documentation and the application fee should be submitted by hand to:

The Director of Studies
Rushmore Business School
4th Floor, Newry Complex
St-Jean Road
Quatre-Bornes
Mauritius

Enquiry no:     + (230) 454 4991
Fax:                 + (230) 467 3801
Email:              registry@rbs.ac.mu
Website:          www.rbs.ac.mu

 

Module Specifications

Core modules

International Accounting & Finance
On this course, students will discuss the role of accounting information in external and internal decision making. They will learn to understand the properties of profit and the main techniques for measuring it. They will discuss the nature and role of the major financial statements, prepare basic financial statements, and become familiar with different regional and national influences on financial reporting requirements and expectations. They will be aware of the main features and drivers of growing international harmonization of accounting standards, and of the activities of the International Accounting Standards Board’s influence in particular. Moreover, they will discuss the advantages and the disadvantages of the current approach to financial reports and of suggested alternatives such as economic profit, sustainability, and shareholder value; undertake ratio analysis of balance sheets, profit and loss accounts and cash flow statements, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of such analysis. Students will integrate ratio analysis into a wider business analysis; understand national and regional influences of the levels and significance of these ratios; describe, identify and use relevant costing in management decision making; describe, identify and distinguish between fixed and variable costs; and calculate the break-even point for simple management decisions.

International Business Economics
Students on this course will demonstrate an understanding of economic analysis and reasoning relevant within a business context. They will display an appreciation of the economic underpinnings of business strategy through the theory of the firm and markets; evaluate how various models of competitive analysis can be used to assess strategic behaviour; formulate and respond to differing competitive scenarios at the firm level; and apply presentation and analytical skills to develop argument and evidence to support evaluations.

International human resource management and organisational behaviour
This course combines the key principles and analytical frameworks from the two separate courses: International human resource management and Leadership and behaviour in organizations (see above). They are taught as an integrated course for the MSc in International Management. They have selectively brought the two together not to create an over ambitious course, but in order to give a comprehensive account of the nature of work within the modern corporation. The operative word here is selective. University of London has chosen what they see as the key issues and dimensions of managing people at work, namely: selecting and recruiting staff from external and internal labour markets, rewarding and motivating them, fitting them into an organisational structure and culture, and seeing how they cope with organisational change, much of it driven by the internationalisation of business in the modern world. Overall, they have utilised what could be called a macro, sociological or organisational approach to the subject of people at work.

Information systems and operations management
This course combines the key principles and analytical frameworks from the two separate courses: International Operations management and Information systems (see above). They are taught as an integrated course for the MSc in International Management. This course will introduce students to some of the main topics in the important field of operations management – the activities which produce the goods and/or deliver the services required by customers. In today’s globalised economy, more and more organisations operate internationally, increasing the complexity and importance of operations management decision making. The course will also focus on the key information systems (IS) issues faced by organisations in today’s global business environment and will address the important organisational and managerial concerns in the development, implementation and effective management of information systems.

International Marketing
On this course, students will acquire an understanding of managerial marketing thought’s historical development – from its roots in classical economics in the USA to the normative tradition promoted by academics/consultants including Drucker, Levitt and Kotler in journals such as the HBR. Students will learn to demonstrate an understanding of popular normative marketing concepts such as the Mix and STP through application in practical case scenarios. They will appreciate the rhetorical force, practical influence and limitations of Drucker’s maxim that marketing is not merely a function but an organisational philosophy based on an ethos of customer orientation. Moreover, they will appreciate the scope of marketing activity in diverse sectors (including non-profit and public sectors) deriving from Kotler and Levy’s ‘broadening the marketing concept’ argument. In addition, the students will develop an awareness of some of the work that critiques the practical and theoretical assumptions of the managerial marketing tradition and which explores the idea of marketing as an intellectual domain.

International Strategy
On this course, students will evaluate the factors that need to be considered in analysing a firm’s external environment. They will learn to evaluate the internal core competences of a firm; formulate strategy for a firm; understand the nature of corporate strategy; and, in addition, understand the nature of international strategy.

Philosophy of Management
Students will evaluate the factors that need to be considered in analysing a firm’s management philosophy. They will also describe how philosophy is relevant to, and impacts upon, the management, organisation and operation of a business; identify and address central philosophical issues posed by management theory and practice; define and practise the methods of philosophy  such as conceptual analysis, identification of presuppositions, assessment of knowledge claims and arguments, and ethical reasoning. Moreover, students will systematically reflect on issues posed by management theory with reference to their own management practice, and describe how and why the thinking and approaches of some of the key Western philosophical thinkers are relevant to management. Students will link the organisational and operational culture of the organisations of which they have experience to the philosophy of management.

Business Research Methods
Students will learn to understand and apply the basic principles underlying ‘good’ business research methodologies, for instance relevant interviewing and questionnaire survey techniques to gather data. They will be able to devise and critically assess various research designs, and explain, produce, and display descriptive statistics from various data sets. They will demonstrate an awareness of the benefits and pitfalls of quantitative and qualitative techniques, and understand how to conduct, prepare, and present a dissertation.

Dissertation
The dissertation provides an excellent opportunity to analyse a management or business issue in depth and is written over the summer months. By the end of the dissertation, students should be able to plan and manage a project; define the aims of this project; identify the data sources and methods appropriate to conduct the project; identify the potential pitfalls to conducting such projects; execute the dissertation plan; and construct an effective argument with the dissertation.

Elective Courses

Corporate social responsibility
This course will provide students with more in-depth knowledge of CSR issues in the business world. The aim is to introduce the student to the tensions and trade-offs involved in the adoption of CSR by a firm in a competitive economy. Students will also learn to understand the role of central, regional and local government in providing a facilitating framework for CSR and encouraging its adoption. It will provide students with an understanding of the problems involved in implementing a CSR programme and the culture change necessary to achieve a successful CSR firm strategy for companies previously concerned only with shareholder value

Investment management
The course will provide students with a comprehensive overview of portfolio management in theory and practice. It will develop an understanding of the pricing of bonds, equities and derivatives and their risk/return characteristics and evaluate the relative merits of active and passive management from both a domestic and international perspective. Recent changes in international fund management and their implications will also be examined. The main valuation models for bonds and equities will be critically analysed, and the problems of international investment strategy and the relative merits of different approaches will be examined in detail. The current state of financial markets will be analysed with a view to devising a relevant portfolio strategy.

Knowledge Management

Students will discuss critically current theories, practices and techniques in knowledge management. They will learn to explain the concept of ‘Intellectual Capital’ and how it is managed and exploited in organisations. The students will discuss the effective design and implementation of information and knowledge management systems; demonstrate a critical understanding of knowledge management policies and strategies in organisations that enhance effectiveness; and apply a range of transferable skills viz. literature search, analytical skills, application of theory to real life situations, teamwork, motivation and interpersonal skills.

International entrepreneurship
This course will provide students with the intellectual and practical background to equip would-be entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge to set up their own international companies successfully. Students will gain an understanding of the key differences between large companies and SMEs and learn to appreciate the role of start-up and entrepreneurial activity in the hi-tech and Bio-pharma sectors. It will also provide students with an understanding of the financing options available to start-up and developing companies.

Course Starts: September 2009

Closing date for applications: 31 July 2009