Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Study Postgraduate

Content Blocks

0

International Trade, Strategy and Operations MSc

0a

Find out more about our International Trade, Strategy and Operations taught Master's degree at Warwick

10

International Trade, Strategy and Operations students at the University of Warwick

2a

P-H1S8

2b

MSc

2c

1 year full-time

2d

29 September 2025

2e

WMG (Warwick Manufacturing Group)

2f

University of Warwick

3a

Modern businesses trade across international boundaries, so a thorough knowledge and understanding of strategy and operations management to trade successfully in international markets is essential to success. Our MSc in International Trade, Strategy and Operations delivers just that. As a student you will gain both fundamental and cutting-edge knowledge and be equipped with the tools to tackle the contemporary challenges faced by global industry. You will learn to manage and lead change within international businesses while studying amongst leading experts in the multidisciplinary WMG department.

This course is accredited by the Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT).

3b

The MSc in International Trade, Strategy and Operations (ITSO) is an interdisciplinary course that integrates the three principal pillars of international trade, strategy, and operations management within global trade and business management. The course provides a comprehensive overview of how companies operate in an international context. It will enable you to develop a broad set of skills to increase your involvement in the whole business process, from initial engagement with a new market right through to the delivery of a product or service.

Throughout the year, you will learn to identify business opportunities, formulate strategic options, evaluate trade environments, and define business winning propositions. You will learn to lead and manage change, and improve operational and supply chain processes within international businesses.

The programme is heavily focused on the application of theory into practice and how the skills developed throughout your studies will be used to best advantage in a professional environment. As a student you will benefit from industry inspired teaching and immersive learning through case studies, business simulations, games, negotiations and more. The teaching team bring a wealth of research and industry experience to the classroom, with many tutors actively participating in world-leading research and/or engaging with business on an international scale.

WMG’s collaboration with the Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT) provides access to useful resources and industry benefits.

This course is ranked 16th in the World (3rd in the UK), in the QS International Trade Rankings 2024. It will appeal equally to those with a background in international trade or business and those from a wide range of other disciplines who wish to pursue a career in the field of international trade.

3d

This course has two components – a taught component accounting for two thirds of your time and effort, and a research component accounting for one third.

For the taught component, we blend synchronous and asynchronous lectures and seminars, with syndicate exercises, simulations, and case studies. Many modules are taught in small classes to facilitate and encourage interaction. Others practice large-scale lectures, which are backed up by seminar and syndicate activities.

Our module leaders have extensive industry experience. Guest speakers from industry also contribute regularly, bringing real-world insight into your learning experience.

In addition to your taught modules, you will undertake a major project as part of your Master’s degree. This is nominally 600 hours (60 CATS points) of learning, mainly taking place during the Spring and Summer terms. You will be expected to engage regularly with your Project Supervisor or Coach and to provide progress updates and drafts of your work to an agreed schedule.

Within the ITSO programme, there are a number of alternative project options. Most are major individual projects, which will develop your research and analytical skills and enable you to specialise in an aspect of particular interest to you. These are submitted in the form of a dissertation at the end of the year.

Alternatively, you can undertake either a Company Collaboration Project (CCP) - an individual project taken in collaboration with an industrial partner, which provides the opportunity to tackle a real-life challenge facing industry, or an Industry Impact Project (IIP) - a team project working with an industrial partner on a pre-defined subject relating to Supply Chain and Trade.

3e

The typical intake for this course is around 220 students, with several modules being delivered in smaller classes of 30.

3f

Module delivery patterns vary, but most will be delivered in a short learning block of up to 4 weeks, allowing your focus to be on one module at a time. Each module nominally accounts for 150 hours, which includes scheduled classroom time and online sessions as well as your independent study and assessments.

The Study, Professional and Analytical Skills (SPA) Module also consists of 150 hours of learning and is purposefully designed to meet the complex learning and professional needs of postgraduate students. The module is taught across the year and is composed of three interlinked yet distinctive learning strands: Study Skills, Professional Skills, and Analytical Skills. SPA is a blended module, which runs asynchronously and synchronously with the student learning journey, providing a programme of carefully designed learning activities, materials, and resources.

3g

This course uses a variety of assessment methods across modules. These may include reports (both topic based and reflective), essays, individual and group presentations, critical evaluation or commentary pieces, case study exercises, simulation reports, business or consultancy reports, online tests, and video presentations.

Assessments have been designed not only to assess your achievement in meeting the course learning outcomes in an academically sound manner, but also contribute to preparing you with the requisite competencies required for employment.

For the research component, you will undertake a major project. Project submission is likely to include both a written and a presentation element, accounting for 33% of your overall academic grade.

Reading lists

If you would like to view reading lists for current or previous cohorts of students, most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library on the Talis Aspire platform.

You can search for reading lists by module title, code or convenor. Please see the modules tab of this page or the module catalogue.

Please note that some reading lists may have restricted access or be unavailable at certain times of year due to not yet being published. If you cannot access the reading list for a particular module, please check again later or contact the module’s host department.

Your timetable

Core modules will be allocated to students at the end of the first week of term - you will then be able to view your individual module schedule for the rest of the year via the WMG module selection system.

Your elective module will be bookable through the same system later in the term.

Modules will include scheduled classroom time and online sessions as well as your independent study and assessments and will usually be delivered within a 4-week timeframe. Occasional classes and study skills sessions may be held at weekends or in the evenings.

As a Master's student, you are expected to manage your own time appropriately. On average, you are expected to commit 38-40 hours of study each week, in order to successfully achieve your Master’s degree.

This is a full-time postgraduate course - undergraduate term dates do not apply. Whilst there are no holidays as such, there will be no teaching scheduled when the University is officially closed for staff, during the two weeks over Christmas and New Year.

4a

2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject.

Candidates with a UK 2:2 (or equivalent) may be accepted upon demonstration of relevant professional experience.

4b

  • Band A
  • IELTS overall score of 6.5, minimum component scores not below 6.0

4c

Candidates with professional experience should include their CV with their application.

5b