Best Master’s in International Business Degree Programs

Haas does not have a Global concentration for their MBA, and this is because the traditional MBA here requires an international focus for all students. The International Business Development program, housed under the MBA degree, is widely acclaimed and integral to the way the faculty and staff choose to teach business at the graduate level.

Like many schools, Haas requires at least one foray into study abroad along with a language course for all students. For international students, this is further complemented by experiential global learning opportunities and electives that focus on a global perspective of issues such as geopolitics, policy, strategy and more. This structure is perfect for working professionals who are available full-time to complete this degree.

The Harvard MBA program is highly competitive, with less than one-tenth of one percent of students admitted every year. Graduating with a Harvard degree does make employment easier, however, as over 80 percent of students have a job offer before they graduate. The median starting salary for a Harvard MBA graduate is $118,000 per year.

Harvard focuses its MBA students on interactive teaching methods. Students are exposed to case method courses, field projects, study and work abroad opportunities as well international joint immersion projects with students from partner institutions. Each teaching method serves to simulate real-world scenarios, giving students experience as to how the business world works before they enter into a senior management position at a multinational company.

Stanford University is the only business school on this list to provide international business program students with the ability to personalize their education to best suit their needs. The school is also renown for their world-class faculty, many who have served in senior positions at multinational companies and teach full-time.

While Stanford does not currently have an international MBA, global experience is a requirement for their traditional MBA degree. Students must participate in the Global Management Immersion Experience, which sees candidates working and studying for at least a month during the summer in a company located overseas. Candidates also have the option to design their individualized immersion experience under the supervision of Stanford faculty and staff.

The Wharton School of Business, which is housed at the University of Pennsylvania, is home to a nationally ranked MBA program that now offers an international business careers concentration. The school boasts an 80 percent employment rate for their graduates by the time they complete their degree as well as an average starting salary of around $120,000 for entry-level positions.

The Global Learning concentration for the Wharton MBA is one of the most immersive on this list. Not only does the school offer dual-degree programs with other partnering institutions but it also offers global programs and courses that see students work with international institutions both on campus and during study abroad trips.

Students have the ability to choose which region they undergo their study and work abroad programs, including the MENA region, Asia, Europe and Latin America. The degree requires some form of international immersion participation, so students spend some time in the region of their choice will still studying for their degree.

Top global programs at Wharton include the Global Modular Courses, which are short courses that are delivered at partner institutions internationally; the Global Immersion Program, where students spend a prolonged period of time studying under international business leaders; and the Global Consulting Practicum, a program that partners students with other international business candidates from around the globe to solve multinational problems.

The University of California — Los Angeles’ business school, Anderson School of Management, is home to one of the most sought-after MBA programs in the country. This international business program is a specialization within the traditional MBA curriculum that is supported by internship opportunities with business giants such as Google and TED.

The degree program works on three tiers — academics, career transition, and extracurricular activities. Because most MBA candidates are full-time working professionals, this tiered program staggers requirements to best fit the student’s needs, allowing them to schedule for immersion trips overseas as well as internships.

The academic coursework is staggered over the year-long program in small, intensive chunks so that students can better prepare themselves for graduation. Courses tend to be between two and six weeks long and give students the ability to choose from a variety of subjects that interest them and help them advance their career goals.

Established in 1978, the Marshall School of Business is home to the International Business Education and Research MBA, known as the IBEAR MBA. It is a one-year full-time accelerated international MBA program for working professionals who are looking to advance into senior leadership roles within international businesses.

Students can expect a global focus in this program culminating in capstone project called the International Business Consulting Project. This project is facilitated by a real client who requires a consulting engagement by Marshall MBA candidates and pulls together the core curriculum and international courses the students have learned during their time at the school.

The IBCP is a unique opportunity that gives students the ability to work with real clients prior to graduating and often results in full-time employment offers even before the student has graduated. Since the program premiered, over 350 projects have been successfully completed for Fortune 500 companies, making it desirable for candidates who are looking for real work experience during their education.

Columbia University’s EMBA-Global MBA is a program that is done in partnership with London Business School and the University of Hong Kong. Students who enroll in this international business program will find themselves in good company as 85 percent of students are already employed by graduation with a starting salary of around $100,000.

The EMBA-Global MBA is divided into two regions — Europe and Asia. Students are rotated between business city hubs in both regions on a monthly basis and graduate with two MBA degrees and alumni privileges from each school, making it an attractive offer for candidates who are looking to move abroad for work.

The school has pioneered this program as a way to help students learn and understand international business from two perspectives. This makes it easier for MBA graduates to enter the international market as qualified candidates with a strong understanding of the differences in culture, policy, and business in each culture.

The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University is a strong contender for the best school for students who are seeking international business jobs. The school, which has an 86 percent employment record by graduation and the highest starting salary of this list at $131,000, is renown for its senior faculty and staff.

Fuqua is dedicated to providing students with an excellent education as well as a strong background in real-world experience in international business. The Global Executive MBA is designed for executives who can travel for school. For this reason, only students with 10 years of work experience and who hold a valid passport and visas are considered for MBA candidacy.

The Global Executive MBA degree is an international program that takes place over 15 months in seven cities across the globe. Students are required to travel for their core curriculum as well as learn a second language and have the option to further specialize if they so choose. This is a degree that is best for working professionals who are looking for a school that teaches them international business through immersion.

Yale University’s School of Management, known as Yale SOM, offers a unique perspective on the traditional MBA. Each MBA candidate is required through the curriculum to develop an international perspective on business. As this is the case, there is no specialized International Business degree available at Yale.

But students who are interested in international business jobs need not worry — the MBA experience at Yale is strong. Courses are taught in a variety of formats, including team teaching and the raw case format, all with a broad international perspective as the foundation.

The MBA core curriculum at Yale is based on the foundations of not only business but the way that organizations work in modern times. After a student completes the core curriculum, courses can move into more specialized areas like geopolitics or international business management. No matter what course a student takes, the Yale faculty will ensure that they understand how even the most specialized topics relate to business.

The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor’s Ross School of Business continues to be rated in the top ten business schools by Businessweek, an honor they’ve held since 1988. It’s also known for having a high rate of employment at graduation, with 86 percent of students being gainfully employed before receiving their diploma, as well as a high starting salary of $100,000 for entry-level positions.

Students who attend Ross are given access to not just a faculty with terminal degrees and an average of 10 years of work experience — they are also given access to current global leaders and the opportunity to connect through study and work abroad programs. Also available to Ross students is the large alumni network which helps students find internships and jobs that fit their skills and ambitions perfectly.

Ross has a strong international business degree that is buoyed by the school’s extracurricular activities. International business groups and clubs exist on campus to further enhance a student’s understanding of other cultures and how politics and business affect the international business stage.