International Business programme’s graduates receive a well-rounded and balanced education making them perfectly equipped to perform professional responsibilities related to procurement, negotiations, contract administration, project management, sales, clients’ relationships, data analysis, new business launch in the international context. Students are ready to take positions of specialists, junior managers, coordinators, sales managers, account managers, data analysts, project leaders in multinational corporations and other companies with international exposure. The programme’s graduates willing to continue their professional education may apply for International Management Master programme at HSE. 

The programme has the following advantages:

1. High level of internationalization. The programme’s curriculum includes a set of disciplines, which prepare graduates for careers in international companies in different areas on global economy. Students acquire knowledge and skills in international relations, global economy, cross-cultural communications, international operations and supply chains, project management in international context, global strategies, HR management in global companies. Disciplines are delivered by the international team of prominent professors from HSE University and practicing experts with outstanding professional experience in international business. The programme’s students have multiple opportunities to take part in academic mobility at foreign partner universities as exchange students.

2. Fully English-taught programme, and opportunities for studying a second foreign language. The courses are taught completely in English getting students well prepared for professional activities in international companies, while also pursuing further studies abroad at foreign universities. Students may select a second foreign language from a list of the most popular languages including traditional European as well as Middle Eastern and Asian languages. Second foreign language creates new career perspectives of employment and professional development very relevant to the current turbulent business conditions.

3. Networking with real business. The programme’s academic committee includes directors of leading consulting and industrial companies, who are actively involved in the programme’s coordination and implementation, i.e., teaching courses, conducting thematic seminars and master classes. Practical projects within the curriculum provide great opportunities not only to develop the professional skill further by performing real tasks for companies but also establish close ties with the companies’ managers.

4. A project-based approach to study and focus on practical business tasks. Project work (e.g., practical projects, internships, and research projects) accounts for 20% of the programme’s entire workload. Course projects in the first, second and third years of study are carried out as assignments from partner companies, upon which the results are presented and defended in the presence of business representatives, thus forming a portfolio of student projects and practical competencies required for successful career development. Projects are coordinated by the professors with outstanding practical experience which allows students to gain the practice-relevant up-to-date professional expertise and skills.

5. Individual educational trajectory. Up to one third of major courses may be chosen at students’ own discretion, thereby allowing them to gain not only a solid knowledge base, but also master individual courses in-depth and acquire knowledge in relevant fields. In order to expand professional horizons even broader all students may choose the most interesting subjects in minor module of the curriculum.

The programme’s graduates are expected to acquire universal competencies (UC) and general professional competencies (GPC). UC and GPC in the relevant field of study, as well as key learning outcomes (KLO), achieved by students in their major field of study, are specified by the HSE University Educational Standard for Bachelor’s Degree Studies and the profile for the field of study in Management. Professional competencies (PC) are formulated withing the degree programme and determine specific competencies and learning outcomes relevant to their future profession. Professional competencies are defined based on professional standards in the respective professional areas and current demand on the labour market, global best practices, advice from leading employers, including represented in the programme’s academic committee.

The competencies, acquired by alumni, including UC, GPC, KLO and PC, shall ensure their ability to engage in professional activities in at least one domain of professional activities, or solve professional tasks of at least one type, as provided for in the educational standard.

1. Programme’s Modules

The professional module (Major) forms the basis for future professional activities and is comprised of two parts: basic and elective. The basic professional component includes academic disciplines in the following 10 fields of study:

1. Economics;

2. Mathematics and Statistics;

3. General and Strategic Management;

4. Accounting and Finance;

5. Marketing;

6. Organizational Behaviour and HR Management;

7. Process and Project Management, Logistics and Supply Chains Management;

8. Decision-making and Business Ethics;

9. Entrepreneurship;

10. Manager’s Social Skills / Leadership and Team-building.

The courses included in the basic part deliver comprehensive knowledge in contemporary business and management, as well as acquire general professional competencies, thereby forming the basis for future professional activities.

The elective component is divided into three parts. Mandatory courses allow students to get relevant and up-to-date knowledge in the major field of study, including courses aimed at obtaining professional competencies in different areas of international business management. Elective courses provide students with the opportunity to acquire profound competencies in various fields, thereby enabling them to solve specific professional tasks. Moreover, project and research seminars are aimed at developing managerial soft-skills, as well as supporting project-based elements of practical training, i.e., term papers prepared by students. Term papers, work placements and pre-graduation internships are pursued in cooperation with the business community by solving applied tasks or organizing student internships at specialized organizations involved in international business, which serves as one of the main features of the “Internship” module in a respective field of study.

General courses included in the respective module (General courses module - GCM) are aimed at expanding horizons, allowing students to master the tools and methods of related sciences, develop critical thinking, and master universal competencies provided for by the educational standard.

The additional “Minor” module (Minor) refers to an educational cycle proposed as part of HSE University’s undergraduate educational programmes, which provides an additional educational trajectory for students in addition to studies in their major field of study. Students are free to choose a number of academic disciplines (either logically interrelated, or unrelated between one another - in the latter case, this is an open minor).

The "English Language" module enables alumni of Bachelor’s programmes to engage in professional communication in English. Since it is most likely that students have already mastered the English language skills at their own initiative and reached a sufficient level of proficiency, courses under this section can be studied on an optional basis. However, all students are expected to take an internal examination in English, as well as an independent English examination. Students in their final year of studies must defend a draft thesis in English. In addition, several courses included in the professional module are taught in English, offering them the opportunity to prepare for future professional activities in a globally focused environment.

The “Data Culture” module allows students to master current technologies in data science (Data Science), while also acquiring competencies to apply such technologies in their professional activities. Under the programme, students learn how to use Python programming language and use it in data analysis. Furthermore, as part of this module, students must pass an independent assessment of their digital competencies.

Students’ thesis defence at final state certification (FSC) shall be organized as part of the FSC Module for the purpose of assessing their learning outcomes after mastering the programme.

ОС НИУ ВШЭ уровень высшего образования бакалавриат (утверждён Учёным советом НИУ ВШЭ Протокол от 29.11.2019 №15)

This degree programme of HSE University is adapted for students with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities. There is a specially designed Physical Education course available for such students (Syllabus of the adapted Physical Education course). Special assistive technology and teaching aids are used for collective and individual learning of students with SEN and disabilities. The specific adaptive features of the programme are listed in each subject's full syllabus and are available to students through the online Learning Management System.

All documents of the degree programme are stored electronically on this website. Curricula, calendar plans, and syllabi are developed and approved electronically in corporate information systems. Their current versions are automatically published on the website of the degree programme. Up-to-date teaching and learning guides, assessment tools, and other relevant documents are stored on the website of the degree programme in accordance with the local regulatory acts of HSE University.

I hereby confirm that the degree programme documents posted on this website are fully up-to-date.

Vice Rector Sergey Yu. Roshchin

Summary of Degree Programme 'International Business'