MASTER'S in INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS and GLOBAL AFFAIRS

Program Curriculum

The MIBGA focuses on preparing its graduates for fulfilling lives and careers in the 21st century global setting. With a dual emphasis on theory and practice, the program’s academic components utilize an instructional methodology combining rigorous presentation of concepts, case study discussions, applied projects, and business simulations.

The MIBGA has three instructional components:
1. The preparatory program,
2. The global environment sequence,
3. The business core module.

1. The preparatory program

The preparatory program is designed to ensure students are academically prepared in accounting, finance, and statistics. Utilizing an intensive modular format, the program seeks to provide a basic understanding of these subject areas and the skills necessary for their efficient application, and introduces students to the particular challenges they may encounter in their MIBGA studies.

All preparatory program courses are graded Pass/Fail.

Students with an undergraduate degree in business are not required to complete the preparatory program.

Although not all MIBGA students will be required to complete the preparatory program, they are strongly encouraged to do so. The University has witnessed a significant correlation between completion of the preparatory program and success in graduate studies. MIBGA students who feel they may be inadequately prepared for graduate study and desire additional preparation – even though they are not required to do so – will certainly benefit from the program.



2. The global environment sequence

The global environment sequence (GES) seeks to develop students’ understanding of the general global business setting.

The GES is divided into two segments.

GES I immediately follows the PP and focuses on management, entrepreneurship, and the cultural and social environment of business in a global context. GES I also covers the critical subjects of financial accounting, European political economy and international relations against this backdrop.

GES II focuses on human factors, leadership, and on the economics of development and international finance. It includes a capstone seminar that brings together all MIBGA subject matter in an integrated way and permits students to apply what they have learned through a final project.

3. The business core module

The business core module (BCM) is sandwiched between GES I and II.

The BCM is designed to ensure students acquire the knowledge underpinning effective international business management. It builds on GES I and prepares students for GES II by providing a thorough grounding in a range of business functions in the international setting. These functions include international marketing and economics, as well as the global legal environment of business.

The BCM includes the course Global Strategy – Microeconomics of Competitiveness. This highly innovative course was created at Harvard University by Professor Michael E. Porter, and the staff and affiliates of the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School. It is taught at IUM as part of the University’s collaboration with the Institute as an affiliate institution. For more information on Global Strategy –Microeconomics of Competitiveness, please visit: http://www.isc.hbs.edu/moc.htm