Master of Philosophy In International Business & Relations

Program Identifier: MPHILIB

Overview
The Master of Philosophy in International Business & Relations degree, M.Phil., is completed over a 24 month period, however students may take longer to complete up to 48 months. The purpose of the M.Phil. is to provide the student with a solid grasp of all aspects of International Business & International Relations research at the master level. Students pursuing this degree are interested in examining international business, international relations, government & NGO problems from a theoretical perspective and are capable of carrying out independent research.

Most students entering this degree program have the intent of continuing on to complete the D. Phil. program. Professional candidates over the age of 27 (mature student status) may be accepted in to the program upon showing 5 years of supervised international relations related work and equivalent professional designation equal to that of a bachelor degree.

Dual Degree Award (M.Phil./M.Phil.)
This degree is also available as a dual degree with our University partner, Unversidad Azteca.

Distance Learning Structure
Thesis-only and research methodology course, over 24 month period. The M.Phil. in International Relations program is designed as a distance learning option. Students complete the program under the supervision of their thesis supervisor using the state of the art Moodle Learning Platform. Students are not required to be on-campus. There is no thesis defense. The thesis is submitted to the university for evaluation.

Design
The M.Phil. in International Business & Relations is comprised of a research methodology course taken immediately upon entry to the program. Once completed the student prefects his/her thesis proposal for submission and acceptance within the first 6 to 12 months. Once accepted the student enters the thesis phase of the program and works with his/her supervisor to complete the thesis work. When the final draft of the thesis has been approved by the student’s supervisor the student then submits the thesis for evaluation. There is no viva voce or committee defense required for the M.Phil. degree. The school also reserves the right to require individual students to sit for the viva voce where considered appropriate. The evaluation of this degree is 100% based on the quality of the final thesis submitted to the administration.

Thesis
Each candidate is required to complete a thesis that focuses on a topic of interest within the domain of International Business and/or International Relations theory. Theses are typically between 40,000 and 60,000 words. The research methodology used within the thesis will be determined by the student as an outcome of the research methodology course.

ECTS & Hours of Study
The M. Phil in International Relations program accounts for 120 credits under the ECTS scheme, European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System. The ECTS are split between the Research Methodology course component and the Thesis preparation stages. Each ECTS represents 25 hours of study. Therefore, the program accounts for 3,000 hours of study. Though the allocated allotment of study hours may vary per student, the program design is based on the following:

  • Res500: Research Methodology for Master Students (15 ECTS; 375 hours)
  • Phase 1: Literature Research and Design – Draft Introduction & Literature Review Sections (30 ECTS; 750 hours)
  • Phase 2: Research & Data Collection – Draft Methodology & Data Presentation Sections (30 ECTS; 750 hours)
  • Phase 3: Integration of the Data to the Research Question (30 ECTS, 750 hours)
  • Phase 4: Final Preparation of Thesis – Draft Conclusion & Recommendation Section (15 ECTS; 375 hours)

The learning objectives are specifically identified within the Research Methodology course and pertain to the entire thesis preparation and defense. M. Phil Candidates may elect to defend in committee, however, this is not obligatory.

Residency
There is presently no residency requirement at the Master’s level. However, Master students planning on continuing on to the Doctoral level may elect to audit any of the scheduled Doctoral Residencies.

Program Available To

  • Graduates from accredited undergraduate international relations or related programs (history, economics, economic geography, political science, etc.) with an average grade of B or above.
  • Professional candidates at least 27 year of age (mature student standing) that can show a minimum of 5 years of supervised international relations research oriented work and professional qualifications equivalent to a bachelor degree, i.e.: CA, CGA, CMA, CPA, CFA, MRICS, CMC, CIM or equivalent.

Program Fees
The program may be followed through the following two option:

  • M.Phil. International Relations Degree = 15,000 €
  • M.Phil. Dual Degree Option = 5,000 € Additional Fee
  • For Possible Scholarship Information See Below

Supplemental Library Access Fees
The University charges a digital library access fee for each student to cover the duration of their program of study. Master students are charged a fee of 250.00 €. Doctoral students are charged a fee of 500.00 €.

Fee Payment
Fees are payable semi-annually in advance.

Fee Payment Method
Tuition Fees are payable by international wire transfer.

Scholarship For Students Originating From Developing Countries 
In order to help make available the opportunity to complete higher degrees for students originating from developing countries, as defined by the OECD, the Office of the Dean of the Faculty provides partial scholarships equivalent to 25% of the total standard program tuition. Eligible students must indicate their intention to request such tuition relief upon application to the program. Please note that as a private university UGSM-Monarch Business School is not in a position to provide full scholarships as it does not receive support from government agencies.