International Business and Marketing BSc

You’ll study your International Business and Marketing degree at the world-renowned Leeds University Business School.

This course combines the core concepts and practices of international business with a specialisation in marketing. Accredited by both the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and the Institute of Export and International Trade, this course will help you stand out in a graduate job market and gain a head start for your career.

You’ll explore important topics including internationalisation, organisational behaviour and the challenges of managing across cultures, while developing the analytical and interpersonal skills needed to manage complex organisations across borders.

This course will also provide a practical understanding of the principles of marketing and marketing strategy, as well as consumer behaviour and international marketing.

Shape your learning with pathways   

This course offers pathways from year 2, which allow you to tailor your course to your specific interests or professional aspirations. The pathways provide modules that can be taken in particular areas and can be followed through to your final year. This unique level of personalisation and self-direction provides you with flexibility to meet your career goals, whilst helping you stand out from the crowd when you graduate. 

The pathways available on this course are:  

• Analytics
• Consulting
• Enterprise and Innovation
• Ethics and Sustainability

Course highlights

• Choose to take an optional year in industry to gain valuable practical experience, or immerse yourself in a new culture by spending a year studying in a different country at one of our many partner universities across the world.
• In your final year, you'll gain essential practice for your career in the interactive International Strategic Management module, where you’ll put your learning into practice and make strategic decisions while taking part in live business simulations.
• Develop important research and analytical skills and apply these in your final year to a year-long project on an international business topic of your choice.
• Receive exemptions on CIM professional qualifications upon graduation, thanks to our CIM accreditation, giving you a head start for a career in marketing.
• Benefit from research taking place at the world’s leading research centre for international business, the Centre for International Business at the University of Leeds (CIBUL). Here, we unite leading global experts and work alongside major private companies and public sector bodies.

Supporting your personal development

Throughout your studies, you'll benefit from the support of your Academic Personal Tutor who will work in partnership with you to maximise your personal and professional development.

You’ll also have access to support from the Business School’s Employability and Opportunity team who will help you explore opportunities to develop your professional network and gain work experience.

Read more about personal development support within the Business School.

Why study International Business at Leeds University Business School?

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Accreditation

Our International Business degrees are accredited by the Institute of Export and International Trade, which allows you to acquire an exporting qualification after your studies and strengthens your job prospects.

BSc International Business and Marketing is also accredited by the leading professional marketing body, The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).

Our degrees have a modular structure. This means that the theoretical and applied content within our compulsory modules provide you with the core knowledge and skills that you need.  

Alongside these compulsory modules, you’ll also have the opportunity to shape your course through optional, pathway and discovery modules. They’re a great way to tailor your study around your interests or career aspirations and help you stand out in a competitive graduate job market.  

• Optional modules are related to the field of international business and marketing enabling you to deepen your knowledge and skills within this area.  
• Pathways are optional modules which you can study in your second and final year. These are themed around key business disciplines, designed to complement your core knowledge and skills in international business and marketing and broaden your expertise. You can choose to study modules from up to two pathways during each year, with the opportunity to continue, choose a different pathway* or return your focus to optional international business and marketing modules as you progress between years.  
• Discovery modules give you opportunities to expand your intellectual horizons outside your subject area. They are categorised into Discovery Themes ranging from arts to sciences, and from theory to practice.   

Whether you choose optional, pathway or discovery modules, you’ll be shaping your course to suit your personal interests and career aspirations. In all years, you will be able to choose from a selection of modules that reflect the research interests and expertise of staff at Leeds.

*Subject to prerequisites in year 2.

Year 1

Your first year will give you a firm grounding in key areas of international business through compulsory modules. At the same time, you’ll learn the basic principles and concepts in marketing and how they are applied in different sectors and situations. Optional modules allow you to explore topics such as global entrepreneurship, sports analytics and effective decision making. You’ll also have the opportunity to broaden your knowledge by selecting discovery modules.

Year 2

In the following year you’ll learn more about research methods in international business and the challenges and strategies related to managing across cultures and international boundaries. In marketing, compulsory modules will give you an understanding of consumer behaviour and the marketing research which helps organisations to reach their target audiences more effectively. You’ll be able to pursue specialist interests through optional modules related to international business and marketing.

You’ll also have the option to broaden your study of business and marketing through pathway modules to include areas such as consulting, analytics, enterprise and innovation and sustainability and ethics. A choice of discovery modules will also be offered. 

Final year

You’ll engage with the very latest research in international business in your final year while developing your knowledge of international strategic management. You’ll compete in an international business simulation, giving you the opportunity to develop and apply your knowledge of business strategies and theories in a practical team-based environment.

Compulsory modules will build your knowledge of marketing strategy and promotional management, as well as the challenges and opportunities of marketing on an international level. Through your choice of optional modules, you could explore topics such as European business, managing social media and freight transport, logistics and the environment. You’ll also have the option to continue to study topics via pathway modules in enterprise consultancy, business ethics, innovative thinking and data analytics. Discovery modules will also be available for you to choose from.

The course culminates with an independently researched dissertation on an international business topic of your choice, which showcases the knowledge and skills you’ve acquired.

<p><h3>Course structure</h3><p>The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcourses.leeds.ac.uk%2Fcourseterms&amp;data=05%7C01%7CR.L.Holdsworth%40leeds.ac.uk%7C4a17db9dc73d495c29e108db4bebabad%7Cbdeaeda8c81d45ce863e5232a535b7cb%7C1%7C0%7C638187247806644901%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=p1XXmbznzU2Ko6r%2FqL4z2SVJ7%2FDLZo0WSzc%2FftoS%2FXM%3D&amp;reserved=0">terms and conditions</a>.</p><p>Most courses consist of compulsory and optional modules. There may be some optional modules omitted below. This is because they are currently being refreshed to make sure students have the best possible experience. Before you enter each year, full details of all modules for that year will be provided.</p><p><a href="https://webprod3.leeds.ac.uk/catalogue/dynprogrammes.asp?Y=202324&amp;P=BSIBUS%26MK-R">For more information please read International Business and Marketing BSc in the course catalogue</a>.</p><h3>Year 1</h3><p><strong>Compulsory modules </strong></p><ul><li>Academic and Professional Development for Studies in Marketing (20 credits)</li><li>Principles of International Business (20 credits)</li><li>Organisational Behaviour (20 credits)</li><li>Fundamentals of Marketing (20 credits)</li><li>Economics for Management (20 credits)</li></ul><p><strong>Optional modules</strong></p><ul><li>Starting your own Business (10 credits)</li><li>Global Entrepreneurship (10 credits)</li><li>Introduction to Sports Analytics (10 credits)</li><li>Understanding Statistics in the Social Sciences (10 credits)</li><li>Introduction to Effective Decision Making (10 credits)</li></ul><h3>Year 2</h3><p><strong>Compulsory modules </strong></p><ul><li>Consumer Behaviour (20 credits)</li><li>Cross-Cultural Management (20 credits)</li><li>Research Methods in International Business (20 credits)</li><li>Marketing Research (20 credits)</li><li>Managing International Business (20 credits)</li></ul><p><strong>Optional modules</strong></p><ul><li>From Study to Work (10 credits)</li><li>Contemporary Topics in International Business (10 credits)</li><li>Small Business Internationalisation and Growth (10 credits)</li><li>Advanced Management Decision Making (10 credits)</li><li>How Managers Make Decisions (10 credits)</li><li>Experiencing the World of Work (10 credits)</li></ul><p><strong>Pathway modules </strong></p><p>Analytics pathway</p><ul><li>Visualising and Analysing Data Effectively (10 credits)</li><li>Understanding Data in the Social Sciences (10 credits)</li></ul><p>Consulting pathway</p><ul><li><p>Evidence Based Consultancy (10 credits)</p></li></ul><p>Enterprise and Innovation pathway</p><ul><li>Entrepreneurship in Theory and Practice (10 credits)</li><li>New Enterprise Planning (20 credits)</li><li>Managing Innovation in Business (10 credits)</li><li>Leading and Managing Small Businesses (10 credits)</li></ul><p>Ethics and Sustainability pathway</p><ul><li>Corporate Social Responsibility (10 credits)</li><li>Leadership Ethics (10 credits)</li></ul><h3>Final year</h3><p><strong>Compulsory modules </strong></p><ul><li>International Marketing (10 credits)</li><li>International Business Dissertation (40 credits)</li><li>Advertising and Promotional Management (10 credits)</li><li>Marketing Strategy (20 credits)</li><li>International Strategic Management (20 credits)</li></ul><p><strong>Optional modules </strong></p><ul><li>European Business (10 credits)</li><li>Transnational Corporations in the World Economy (10 credits)</li><li>Managing Social Media and Digital Work (20 credits)</li><li>Global Perspectives on Work and Employment (20 credits)</li><li>Managing Global Value Chains (10 credits)</li><li>Freight Transport, Logistics and the Environment (10 credits)</li><li>Social Impact Start-up Academy (20 credits)</li></ul><p><strong>Pathway modules </strong></p><p>Analytics pathway</p><ul><li>Data Analytics for Business (20 credits)</li><li>People Analytics: Strategy and Practice (20 credits)</li></ul><p>Consulting pathway</p><ul><li>Contemporary Management Consulting (20 credits)</li><li>Enterprise Consultancy (20 credits)</li></ul><p>Enterprise and Innovation pathway</p><ul><li>Critical Perspective in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (20 credits)</li><li>Innovation Thinking and Practice (10 credits)</li></ul><p>Ethics and Sustainability pathway</p><ul><li>Business Ethics (20 credits)</li><li>Gender and Equality at Work in Comparative Perspective (20 credits)</li><li>Diversity Management (20 credits)</li></ul></p>

Learning and teaching

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

We use a variety of assessment methods to help you develop a range of transferable skills that you’ll need in professional life. These are likely to include coursework, exams, oral presentations, group reports and dissertations.

Specialist facilities

At Leeds University Business School, you’ll have access to specialist facilities including state-of-the-art lecture theatres, collaborative learning and teaching spaces with the latest interactive technology and modern study spaces with dedicated computer clusters. Read more about our Business School facilities.

Explore our virtual campus tour.

Entry requirements

A-level: AAA

GCSE: 5 GCSEs at grade C/4 or higher including Mathematics grade B/5 and English Language grade B/6 or equivalent, or an appropriate English language qualification.*

*If you have a B/6 in GCSE English Literature we will accept a Grade B/5 or C/4 in GCSE English Language.

Other course specific tests:

Read more about UK and Republic of Ireland accepted qualifications for this course.

• Access to HE Diploma

  Typically, we consider the Access to Higher Education Diploma to be suitable for UK applicants who will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Applicants must complete a Business-related diploma of 60 credits with 45 credits at Level 3. A minimum of 30 Level 3 credits must be awarded at Distinction level and 15 at Merit. Applicants are expected to meet the GCSE Maths and English Language minimum requirements for their chosen degree programme.

  Please note that applicants presenting this qualification may be called for interview (where they must also present a recent piece of academic writing for review) - this requirement is assessed upon receipt of the application.

• BTEC

  We will accept the RQF BTEC National Extended Diploma in Business with Distinction* Distinction Distinction (an academic A Level is not required). For the QCF BTEC National Extended Diploma in Business, or other BTEC qualifications alongside academic A-levels, please see our BTEC entry requirements.

• Cambridge Pre-U

  D3, D3, M2 or D2, M1, M1. Please note that this requirement excludes the Cambridge Pre-U Certificate in Global Perspectives and Independent Research. We also consider applicants who offer a combination of Pre-U and A-Level qualifications. Please contact lubsugadmissions@leeds.ac.uk for further advice.

• International Baccalaureate

  35 points overall including 5 in Standard level Maths courses or 4 in Higher level Maths courses, and 5 in English (Standard or Higher Level), with 17 points from Higher Level subjects.

  For those candidates who meet our Maths or English requirements through another qualification, these minimum points for Maths or English in the IB Diploma do not apply. If you are presenting Literature and Performance as one of your International Baccalaureate subjects, you will need to present a separate English qualification.

• Irish Leaving Certificate (higher Level)

  Applicants must obtain 6 H2 grades in the Irish Leaving Certificate (Higher Level). Maths and English Language will be accepted at Ordinary level in lieu of GCSEs. A grade of O3 is required for GCSE B/5 (Maths) or GCSE B/6 (English).

• Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers

  Scottish Highers and Scottish Advanced Highers are acceptable for entry onto our degree programmes in the following combinations: six Highers at AAAAAA (taken across Levels 5 and 6) or one Advanced Higher at A with five Highers at AAABB, or two Advanced Highers at AA with five Highers AABBB. We will also accept three Advanced Highers at AAA. National 5 Maths and English are acceptable in lieu of GCSE requirements on a grade for grade basis.

• T-Levels

  We welcome applications from candidates offering T levels. Applicants would be expected to achieve an overall Distinction from one of these subjects; Digital Business Services, Digital Support and Services, Accounting, Finance, or Management and Administration (the subject Human Resources may be considered in the future).

  Applicants are expected to meet the GCSE Maths and English Language minimum requirements for their chosen degree programme.

• Welsh Baccalaureate

  Applicants offering the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (SCC) must obtain a grade A alongside AA at A level (excluding General Studies and Critical Thinking).

Alternative entry

We’re committed to identifying the best possible applicants, regardless of personal circumstances or background.

Access to Leeds is a contextual admissions scheme which accepts applications from individuals who might be from low income households, in the first generation of their immediate family to apply to higher education, or have had their studies disrupted.

Find out more about Access to Leeds and contextual admissions.

Typical Access to Leeds offer

A level: ABB

GCSE: 5 GCSEs at grade C/4 or higher including Mathematics grade B/5 and English Language or English Literature grade C/4

Access to Leeds: Pass

International

We accept a range of international equivalent qualifications. Read more about International Entry Requirements for Leeds University Business School on our Entry Requirements page.

International Foundation Year

International students who do not meet the academic requirements for undergraduate study may be able to study the University of Leeds International Foundation Year. This gives you the opportunity to study on campus, be taught by University of Leeds academics and progress onto a wide range of Leeds undergraduate courses. Find out more about International Foundation Year programmes.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English
If you're an international student and you don't meet the English language requirements for this programme, you may be able to study our undergraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

How to apply

Apply to this course through UCAS. Check the deadline for applications on the UCAS website.

The deadline for international students to apply to Leeds University Business School courses is 30 June.

This course is not accepting applications for deferred entry.

We typically receive a high number of applications to our courses in Leeds University Business School. The number of applicants exceeds the number of places available so, to ensure that we treat all applications fairly and equitably, we wait until after the UCAS equal consideration application deadline has passed before making a final decision on applications.

If we put your application on hold for review after the UCAS application deadline, we will send you an email to let you know. Although you may have to wait longer than usual to receive a decision, you will hear from us by mid-May at the latest, in line with the deadline that UCAS sets universities for making decisions on applications submitted by the January UCAS deadline.

Offer decisions are made based on an overall review of applications including predicted grades, breadth of knowledge demonstrated through qualifications, personal statement, extra-curricular and work experience, and contextual information. We look for enthusiastic and talented students who have the potential to succeed in their studies with us and contribute to our community.

Please see our How to Apply page, under “Application decisions” for details.

International applicants

International students apply through UCAS in the same way as UK students. Our network of international representatives can help you with your application. If you’re unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy 2024

Fees

UK: To be confirmed

International: To be confirmed

Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2024/25
Tuition fees for UK full-time undergraduate students are set by the UK Government and will be £9,250 for students starting in 2024/25.

The fee may increase in future years of your course in line with inflation only, as a consequence of future changes in Government legislation and as permitted by law.

Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2025/26
Tuition fees for UK full-time undergraduate students starting in 2025/26 have not yet been confirmed by the UK government. When the fee is available we will update individual course pages.

Tuition fees for international undergraduate students starting in 2024/25 and 2025/26
Tuition fees for international students for 2024/25 are available on individual course pages. Fees for students starting in 2025/26 will be available from September 2024.

Tuition fees for a study abroad or work placement year
If you take a study abroad or work placement year, you’ll pay a reduced tuition fee during this period. For more information, see Study abroad and work placement tuition fees and loans.

Read more about paying fees and charges.

Additional cost information

<p>Optional Institute of Export (IOE) student membership. See <a href="http://www.export.org.uk/page/IndividualMembership">IOE website</a> for details.</p>

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.

Financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There is help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more in our Undergraduate funding overview.

Leeds University Business School awards a generous range of scholarships.

Our International Business and Marketing degree offers an excellent route into employment.  

Plus, the University of Leeds is the 4th most targeted UK university by graduate recruiters, according to High Fliers’ The Graduate Market in 2024 report, meaning our graduates are highly sought-after.

Watch our video: Prepare for your Graduate Career at Leeds University Business School.

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Where will your International Business and Marketing degree take you? 

Whether your career aspirations lie with government departments, consultancy firms, small and medium-sized enterprises or large multinational enterprises, this course will give you a vital understanding of the challenges, opportunities and processes of international business.

Our courses are designed to prepare you for specialist roles in a range of international business settings, with emphasis placed on export management, supply chain management, strategic analysis, business development, purchasing, foreign market analysis, and a variety of marketing management positions.

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers. Leeds University Business School is one of the few universities in the UK with a dedicated Employability and Opportunity team. You’ll be supported throughout your studies with one-to-one support, workshops and events from graduate employers, helping you develop the professional skills and experience that top employers are looking for.

Find out more about the Business School’s Employability and Opportunity support.   

Nurturing Talent Mentor Scheme 

You’ll also have the opportunity to apply for our competitive Nurturing Talent Mentor Scheme, exclusive for Business School students. We’ll connect you with an industry professional who will support you on your career path as you are mentored on a one-to-one basis for one academic year.   

The Careers Service work with a large network of experienced professionals from companies such as Santander, M&S and KPMG, who volunteer as mentors on our Nurturing Talent Mentor Scheme.    

During your time at Leeds, you’ll have full access to the University Careers Service and Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurial Studies.  

Study abroad

On this course you have the opportunity to apply to spend an additional academic year studying abroad. The University has partnerships with more than 300 universities worldwide and popular destinations for our students include the USA, Canada, Australia, countries in Asia and countries in Europe.

You can also apply to take part in a short-course summer school at one of our overseas partner institutions. A summer school can be taken as part of a three-year degree, or in addition to a study year abroad or year in industry.

Read more about studying abroad.

Work placement

Work placements can help you decide on your career and improve your employability prospects. You’ll have the opportunity to put theory from your course into practice whilst gaining practical work experience and transferable skills sought after by graduate employers. 

On this course you have the option to apply to spend a year in industry working within an organisation in either the public, private or voluntary sector, in the UK or overseas. If you take this option, your degree will be extended to a four-year course with the third year spent on placement. 

Support to find shorter summer internships and part-time or voluntary work is also available. 

Learn more about work placements.