Business Communication for International Leadership MA

Overview

Business is now conducted on a global scale. If you want to be among the next generation of business leaders, you need to adapt accordingly, communicating effectively over national, social and cultural boundaries.

This Business Communication for International Leadership Master's degree course gives you the tools for conducting successful high-level business in an international setting. You'll develop your business leadership and communication skills while learning about working effectively in different cultural contexts.

When you graduate you'll be ready to work internationally in managerial and leadership positions, in areas such as marketing, international banking, human resource management, public relations, sustainability management, stakeholder management, logistics, and distribution management.

This course is designed for non-native speakers (for applicants whose first language is not English).  If you are a UK student, you can apply if English is not your first language.

Entry requirements​

This course is for students whose first language is not English (including UK students whose first language is not English).

Note this course is a top-up degree from September 2022, which means you'll start in year 2 or 3.

What you'll experience

Careers and opportunities

After you graduate, you can get help, advice and support for up to 5 years from the Careers and Employability service as you advance in your career.

When you graduate, you'll have a highly sought after skillset and could work in areas such as:

• Corporate communication
• Marketing
• Public relations
• Social enterprise
• Management consultancy
• Human resources
• Banking
• Logistics and distribution

Because of the course's focus on leadership and management, roles you could aspire to include:

• Head of corporate marketing
• Public relations specialist
• Sales director
• Management consultant
• HR manager
• Director of public engagement
• Global sustainability manager

You could also continue your studies at PhD level or set up a business with help and support from the University's Careers and Employability service.

Work experience and career planning

We can support you in looking for volunteer or part-time work experience while studying. This helps you to apply and further develop what you learn on the course and give your CV a boost.

Our Careers and Employability service can help you find positions in over 200 local and national organisations, including:

• Local theatres
• Museums
• Prison services
• NHS
• Adult social care
• Charities
• Retail
• IT support services

We've created business relationships with many organisations for student volunteering opportunities in the past. These include:

• Mary Rose Museum
• The Royal Navy
• Portsmouth Mediation Service
• Portsmouth City Council
• Citizens Advice Bureau
• British Heart Foundation
• Spurgeons Children's Charity

What you'll study on this MA Business Communication for International Leadership degree course

Each module on this Master's is worth 15 or 30 credits, with the exception of the dissertation module, which is worth 60 credits.

You'll study modules worth a total of 180 credits.

Changes to course content

We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.

Therefore, course content is revised and regularly reviewed.  This may result in changes being made in order to reflect developments in research, learning from practice and changes in policy at both national and local levels.

Teaching

Teaching methods on this course include:

• Seminars
• Workshop sessions
• One-to-one and group tutorials
• Academic skills development workshops

Teaching staff on this course include experienced experts in:

• International business
• International management
• Intercultural communication
• Professional communication
• Academic and language skills development
• Research methods

You can access all teaching resources on Moodle, our virtual learning environment, from anywhere with a web connection.

How you're assessed

You'll be assessed through:

• Simulation
• Case study analysis
• Oral presentations
• Report writing
• Written assessments
• Dissertation/major project
• Quizzes

You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark.

You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.

How you'll spend your time

A typical week

You'll typically spend 30–40 hours a week studying. This includes 12 hours a week in scheduled teaching activities.

The rest of your study time is self-directed, with support from staff when you need it. This includes activities such as:

• Guided and independent research and reading
• Preparing coursework
• Creating Powerpoint presentations
• Analysing case studies
• Forum discussions via Moodle
• Learning activities via Moodle, Padlet, Nearpod or podcasts
• Collaboration with other students in group work assignments
• Quizzes

Most teaching takes place during the day, Monday to Friday. There’s no teaching on Wednesday afternoons. You may occasionally need to go to University and course events in the evenings and at weekends.

Supporting your learning

You'll get support via video, phone and face-to-face from teaching and support staff when you need it. These include the following people and services:

Personal tutor

Your personal tutor helps you make the transition to independent study and gives you academic and personal support throughout your time at university.

As well as regular scheduled meetings with your personal tutor, they're also available at set times during the week if you want to chat with them about anything that can't wait until your next scheduled meeting.

Learning development tutors

You'll have help from a team of faculty learning development tutors. They can help you improve and develop your academic skills and support you in any area of your study.

They can help with:

• Improving your academic writing (for example, essays, reports, dissertations)
• Delivering presentations (including observing and filming presentations)
• Understanding and using assignment feedback
• Managing your time and workload
• Revision and exam techniques

Academic skills support

As well as support from faculty staff and your personal tutor, you can use the University’s Academic Skills Unit (ASK).

ASK provides one-to-one support in areas such as:

• academic writing
• note taking
• time management
• critical thinking
• presentation skills
• referencing
• working in groups
• revision, memory and exam techniques

If you have a disability or need extra support, the Additional Support and Disability Centre (ASDAC) will give you help, support and advice.

Library support

Library staff are available in person or by email, phone or online chat to help you make the most of the University’s library resources. You can also request one-to-one appointments and get support from a librarian who specialises in your subject area.

The library is open 24 hours a day, every day, in term time.

Maths and stats support

The Maths Café offers advice and assistance with mathematical skills in a friendly, informal environment. You can come to our daily drop-in sessions, develop your maths skills at a workshop or use our online resources.

Support with English

If English isn't your first language, you can improve your spoken and written English further by taking part in our free English for Academic Purposes programme.

​Course costs and funding

September 2022 and January 2023 start

• UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students: £9,400
• EU students: £9,400 a year (including Transition Scholarship)
• International students: £16,200

Funding your studies

Find out more how to fund your studies, including the scholarships and bursaries you could get. You can also find more about tuition fees and living costs, including what your tuition fees cover. 

If you're a UK student, you may be eligible for a Government postgraduate loan, which you can use to help with course fees and living costs.

Applying from outside the UK? Find out about funding options for international students.

Tuition fees terms and conditions

Scholarships

There are various scholarships available for UK and international students.

Additional course costs

These course-related costs aren’t included in the tuition fees. So you’ll need to budget for them when you plan your spending. 

Apply

Please only apply for this course if English is not your first language.

Note this course is a top-up degree from September 2022, which means you'll start in year 2 or 3.

Starting in September 2022

• Full-time study (1 year)

Starting in January 2023

• Full-time study (1 year)

International students

If you're from outside of the UK, you can apply directly to us (above) or you can get an agent to help with your application. Check your country page for details of agents in your region. To find out what to include in your application, head to the how to apply page of our international students section.

If you don’t meet the English language requirements for this course yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

Admissions terms and conditions

When you accept an offer to study at the University of Portsmouth, you also agree to abide by our Student Contract (which includes the University's relevant policies, rules and regulations). You should read and consider these before you apply.