MBA in International Business

Course details

The Graduate Business School at Griffith College Dublin provides MBA and MSc programmes in International Business. These MBA courses are available on a full and part-time basis. Students who have sufficient professional work experience can choose to do the MBA in International Business programme and those without the requisite experience are directed to the MSc programme. This MBA program prepares graduates for the world of international business by providing an educational experience which is strongly vocational, academically rigorous and intellectually challenging - a key stepping stone to a career in international business management.

MBA/MSc in International Business - A Tripartite Experience

Griffith Graduate Business School has endorsed and embraced the Bologna spirit of the transfer and progression of students between institutions in different countries and in doing so, a number of close working relationships have been developed.

The College’s APL policies provide an opportunity for students with previous academic studies at Masters level in a Business/Management discipline to apply for APL exemption to a maximum 30 ECTS Credits from modules of the GCD MBA/MSc in International Business programme in Dublin.

One such opportunity provides students with a Tripartite Experience, allowing the unique prospect of studying in Berlin, Paris and Dublin, whereby modules from SRH Hochschule in Berlin and INSEEC Grand Ecole in Paris provide APL exemption from modules of the Griffith College MBA/MSc in International Business programme in Dublin. Based on these normal APL exemption arrangements, the learning objectives and curriculum content of individual modules in these institutions are mapped closely to GCD modules.

Students completing the Griffith College degree will have attended modules in Dublin totalling 30 ECTS Credits and will be supervised by a GCD Supervisor for the MBA/MSc dissertation. Those who complete their dissertation under GCD supervision will be awarded the GCD MBA/MSc in International Business.

Such students will, within this overall experience, undertake an internship, arranged by SRH Hoschule Berlin and INSEEC Grande Ecole, Paris, which, while formally not part of the GCD programme, nevertheless adds significantly to the breadth and depth of the management experience.

Organisation

The students will have the opportunity of experiencing academic life, business life and student life in each of these three major European cities. Based on APL exemptions granted (30 ECTS Credits) from their studies in Berlin and Paris, the students complete the remaining ECTS credits at Griffith College and will complete their dissertation under the supervision of Graduate Business School supervisors in the normal way. The total experience of having studied in three major European cities, having experienced at first hand the cultural diversity, business and social of these three cities will undoubtedly add to their broader educational experience in obtaining their MBA/MSc in International Business. Over the next few years, other cities may be added to this initial list of locations.

International diversity

The multicultural environment promotes a greater understanding of different business settings and contexts and gives students the experience of working in culturally diverse teams. These team interactions developed in GBS translate to international business networks for the future. Colleagues in college may become global business partners in the future.

Practical Industry Links:

The Graduate Business School lecturing team have outstanding industry experience, which they bring into the classroom.

Value Competitive Pricing:

The cost of the MBA at Griffith College Dublin is very competitive.

Tax Relief:

Griffith College students can avail of tax relief on all QQI validated undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

Flexibility 

Study Modes: Full-time, Part-time, distance/online, block (weekly or weekend sessions), or any combination of these suitable for a particular group of students.

Student Focused Teaching Groups: Class size, structure and assessment tailored to meet the demands of each individual module.

Accreditation of Prior Learning Experience (APL/APEL): Griffith College welcomes applications from those with prior academic and/or professional learning experience relevant to the GBS programme of their choice.

Teaching Methods: Including active learning through lectures, tutorials, workshops, peer assessment and industry-led visits and seminars.

The range of modules in this business masters are delivered specialising in various aspects of international business  including:

• Financial management
• International strategy
• International marketing management
• HR management
• Corporate responsibility
• Entrepreneurship and Leadership.

The MBA Programme is designed for graduates with a good honours primary degree in a business related discipline who also have relevant business and management experience. 

• Stage 1 - a one semester taught programme in International Business (30 ECTS credits).
• Stage 2 – a one semester taught programme (30 ECTS credits) leading cumulatively to the Postgraduate Diploma in International Business (60 ECTS credits) should the student exit at that stage.
• Stage 3A – a one semester dissertation based programme, where the students have regular contact with their dissertation supervisor, leading cumulatively to the MBA in International Business (90 ECTS credits).

Good honours graduates from a non-business studies related discipline will be directed to take the special purpose programme, a bridging programme for non-cognate degree holders - the Certificate in International Business, or another acceptable foundation programme. The Certificate in International Business, prepares students from non-business backgrounds for the in-depth business focussed tuition of the MSc programme.

Students who have no relevant prior business experience may also be accepted. They will proceed, after Stage 2, to the MSc Stage 3B

Stage 3B – a one semester dissertation based programme, where the students make regular contact with their dissertation supervisor, leading cumulatively to the MSc International Business.

They may exit at this stage with an MSc degree or they will go on to Stage 4 in order to obtain their MBA through experiential learning – that is learning through the work place, being guided by a mentor and being required to produce monthly progress reports leading to two major final reports – a Management Competency Report and a Company/Sector Report.

• Stage 4 - normally between six months and two years, depending on prior experience, but certainly within five years.  Note that in order to be awarded the MBA student hands back their MSc parchment and then receives their MBA Parchment, and so they effectively transfer from MSc to MBA on the completion of Stage 4 (120 ECTS credits).

Some students may decide to return to their own or some other country in order to obtain such work experience. Griffith College will continue to supervise and mentor such learners wherever they may be until they complete their MBA (within the given five year time limit). Such students may wish to return to Ireland as visitors in order to graduate with their MBA. Most students, however, see great advantage in obtaining their MBA work experience in Ireland.