MA (Hons) International Business Management
The course
- Delivery type
- Day
- Duration
- 4 years (full-time)
- Intake date
- September, January
- Location
- Dubai
Contact
-
Contact
Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus
-
Telephone
+971 4 571 7000
Overview
The MA (Hons) in International Business Management programme allows students to develop specialist knowledge and interpersonal skills needed to thrive in a business setup.
This programme offers a range of dynamic lectures, tutorials and interactive workshops and are taught by leading academics of the Edinburgh Business School.
In Year 1, students will be required to take up certain mandatory courses to gain a solid, universal understanding of the key principles and practices of modern business. By maintaining a consistent programme of study across all seven International Business Management pathways in Year 1, students can easily switch to their specialism as they move into their second year.
Year 2 introduces functional areas of business and management such as marketing, operations management and human resource management. In years 3 and 4 students can chose from a variety of subjects that best suit their career aspirations.
In addition to specialist business knowledge, students will develop important transferable skills, such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication and team working, as well as creativity, confidence and research abilities. These skills will help them succeed in their careers and personal life.
The Edinburgh Business School approach
This degree ensures that all studies reflect current thinking and practices adopted by successful organisations and their leaders. Our courses involve case study-driven assignments, applied group projects and guest lectures from industry leaders.
The Professional Development Track
The Professional Development Track (PDT) offers practice-focused courses preparing students to take up challenging roles upon graduation. The four PDT courses have been designed in response to the needs of practitioners and employers and will help students analyse, report and present ideas in a professional setting, whilst teaching them the nuances of operating in a corporate setup.
Go Global – study in Edinburgh and Malaysia
Heriot-Watt University’s unique Go Global programme is open to those studying undergraduate International Business Management degrees at the Edinburgh Business School. Those enrolled for the programme stand a chance to spend one semester or up to two full academic years at our campuses in Edinburgh and Malaysia. The chance to travel, study and gain experience in three different countries with different business cultures will help students stand out as global citizens and give an edge in recruitment upon graduation.
In the past, students have shared their inter-campus transfer experience, highlighting on how it has helped build their confidence, broaden their horizons and given them new perspectives.
Accreditation
The Dubai Campus is accredited by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) and fully licensed to teach its degrees in Dubai. All graduates receive a British degree that is accredited by Royal Charter in the UK.
Student profile

The University has been successful in creating an extremely interactive learning environment for students helping them excel in academics.
Go Global
With Go Global, Heriot-Watt's global student programme, you can carry your studies to new places and experience new cultures, expanding your horizons on the way.
You'll discover what it means to be a true global citizen and emerge prepared for wherever your career journey will take you.
Course content
Year 1
This common year covers broad disciplines that provides a solid basis for years to come. Additionally, professional skills allow students to be future-fit when entering the job market. These courses are:
- Management in a Global Context
- Introduction to Accounting and Finance
- Introduction to Economics
- Introduction to Marketing
- Academic Skills
- Becoming a Professional
- Discovering Business
Year 2
This year allows students to grasp the complexities of core functional business areas, that are covered in courses such as:
- Human Resource Management
- Fundamentals of Marketing
- Quantitive Methods
- Operations Management
- Enterprise: Concepts and Issues
- Business Skills
- Business Entities
- Marketing Perspectives
- Organisational Behaviour
Year 3
- Courses offered in year 3 primarily cover key analytical & strategic skills, as linked to current market conditions. They include:
- Global Strategic Marketing*
- Logistics and Supply Chain Management
- Strategic Management
- Critical Approaches to Management
- Business Research Methods
- Innovation Management
- Critical Approaches to Management
- Integrated Marketing Communications
- Resourcing and Talent Management
- Project Management
- Business Venturing
Year 4
Your final year allows you to strengthen your own specialism, ultimately shaping your career positioning and personal brand.
- Dissertation
- Strategy Execution*
- International Business
- Managing Business Performance
- Leisure Marketing
- Business Ethics*
- Digital Marketing
- Marketing and Management in SMEs
- Diversity Management
* Subject to availability, and dependent on roll-out schedules, pre-requisites and timetabling
Career
When studying International Business Management, you can expect career opportunities in the following areas:
- Management Consultancy
- Business Operations Management
- Market Research Analysis
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Production Management
- Quality Control
- Logistics Management
- Human Resource Management
- Business Interpreting
- Marketing
- Retail Management
- Advertising Management
- Project Management
- Contracts Management
Entry requirements
Our normal entry criteria are listed below. However, please note that the final decision remains at the discretion of the course director after evaluating scores of individual relevant subjects.
Students who are eligible to be admitted directly into second year can choose to join the first year, where available. Similarly, students who are eligible to be admitted into the Advanced DEP programme can choose to join the DEP programme instead.
Year 1 entry- January only
- GCE A-Level CCD (or BBBB at AS-Level)
- CBSE or equivalent 65%
- American High School Diploma + SAT 1s - 1000
- UAE Tawjihiyya 80%
- International Baccalaureate 24 points
- BTEC Level 3 Ext Diploma MMM
- Foundation year Successful completion of Heriot-Watt University Degree Entry Programme (Management) with a BBBB.
- African WAEC / NECO / WASSCE B2 including English and Maths
- FBISE grade 12 or equivalent – 70%
- Curriculum Russian/Kazakhstan (Attestat) with minimum grade of 5 + IELTS 6.0
- EmSAT minimum 1400 English and 1200 Maths
Year 2 entry
- GCE A-Level CCC in relevant business subjects
- International Baccalaureate 27 points
- CBSE 75%
- American High School 70% + 3 AP at grade 4 OR Minimum 3 SAT 2’s 500 each
- Higher National Diploma (HND) PPP
- BTEC Level 3 Ext Diploma DDD
- FBISE grade 12 or equivalent – 85%
- Students with an HND, an OND Upper Credit or have completed first year at a Nigerian University with strong grades, will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Transfer students from other universities may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
To find out about the entry requirements for this programme, please send an email to dubaienquiries@hw.ac.uk
English language requirements
Where English was not the medium of instruction at secondary school, applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 Academic (with no element below 5.5).
Fees and funding
- AED 61152 per year*
* All tuition fees inclusive of VAT
Scholarships and bursaries
See our range of degree entry, undergraduate, postgraduate taught and PhD scholarships and discounts.