The leaders in the modern businesses have to be competent in a lot of areas apart from managing and motivating employees. As businesses are becoming more dynamic, global and interdependent, managers and leaders in today’s workplaces need to be competent in solving problems across international borders. This calls for an education in management techniques that focus on the intricacies of communications and diplomatic relationships between different nations. An easy way to achieve this is a dual degree in leadership and international relations that equips you for a leadership position in any multi-national corporation. The MA in International Relations/Leadership and management offered by the Webster University is an advanced degree that gives you a solid foundation and the necessary skill set required for a global career in leadership.
  • The masters in international relations/leadership and management is offered on association with the College of Arts and Science. It lasts for a total of 36 credit hours or two years. It combines the subjects of MA in international relations with the subjects of MA in leadership and management.
  • If you want to pursue the masters degree program in international relations/leadership and management, then you should fulfil the following criteria set by the Webster University.
    • You should have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a reputed university with a CGP of 2.4 on a scale of 4.0.
    • If you hold a master’s degree from a reputed university, you can pursue a second master’s degree from the Webster University.
    • You will be required to demonstrate a strong command over the English Language. You should possess a relevant proof of English language proficiency such as TOEFL or IELTS.
    • If you don’t have the pre-requisite academic qualifications, you must possess equivalent work experience.
  • The syllabus of the Masters of Arts in international relations is well-crafted and customised to provide you with strong research and business skills that enable you to analyse international issues, apply business management techniques to global business issues and effectively communicate with domestic and foreign business professionals.
    Here are the primary topics covered in the syllabus
    • Introduction to international relations: This module provides you with the preliminary knowledge of the diplomatic relationships and their histories between different nations. It also informs you about the dynamic changes occurring in different power groups.
    • Theories of international relations: This module builds on the previous module to include various theories and pre-existing practices involved in international communications and relationships. It also provides you with a working knowledge of the best behaviours expected of you in any diplomatic situation.
    • International law: In order to conduct business in foreign lands, you must be aware of the laws and regulations of those countries. International Law lists the most important law frameworks and the differences in them from country to country.
    • Globalisation: This module enables the study of globalisation as a world phenomenon to understand its impact on the growth of business and trade among the nations. You also get to know the different benefits of the phenomenon and how to utilise it for your business.
    • Humanitarian issues in international politics: Several humanitarian issues such as labour immigration and illegal child workers not only impact international policies but also impact large corporations. Many businesses such as H&M have faced lawsuits and heavy fines because they undermined these issues. This module introduces you to the several burning humanitarian issues plaguing global businesses.
    • Managerial dynamics: As a leader, you would need to understand the relations and dynamics of your team to motivate and manage them better. This module makes you understand the key concepts of managerial dynamics and their impact on a business.
    • Organisational behaviour: This module focuses on the core elements of the behavioural dynamics that drive businesses. It includes the behavioural tendencies of employees at different levels and strategies to inculcate beneficial behaviours.
    • Management and strategy: The module includes different management strategies required to improve the efficiency and productivity of a company’s employees. It also includes different management theories and practices that can drive your business
    • Basic finance for managers: This module covers the basic elements of finance that you should know as a manager. It also includes financial strategies and concepts that can help you devise better ways to increase revenue generation.
  • The fees for the course is set at $600 per credit hour. That totals the course fees to $21,600. There is a provision of a fee reduction of 15% for meritorious students. You can contact a programme advisor for more details.
    * We also offer scholarships
     

Why should you opt for a Master of Arts in International relations and leadership and management?

There are several advantages of pursuing a degree in leadership and human resource management from the Webster University.

  1. A leadership program equips you with excellent engagement skills, collaborative skills, and strategic skills that can help you become a disrupter in the business world.

  2. In addition to leadership, the course also provides you with the essential fundamentals required to succeed in the dynamic world of international diplomatic relations.

  3. The lectures are delivered with the focus on real business issues which allows you to apply your leadership and engagements skills to real-world issues.

  4. The course lays equal emphasis on practical knowledge apart from theoretical knowledge with plenty of case studies, simulations, AV resources, networking events, and constructive feedback from experienced instructors.

  5. It provides you with a comprehensive knowledge of the world affairs required to understand the impact of world politics on trade organisations.

  6. The course can help you adjust in any government agency, intergovernmental organisations and other international bodies and provide a great exposure to masters in international relations job opportunities.

Who should apply for the course?

This course is good fit for people who are looking to switch or advance to management roles or are interested in MA in international relations jobs abroad. If you are good at communicating with people and are interested in building a career in international relations, you can consider pursuing the course.

This course is also suitable for students who wish to explore a career in diplomatic agencies such as the United Nations.

Scope and future of the course

A dual degree in international relations and leadership will equip you with a working knowledge of various disciplines in international relations. You would be able to apply your knowledge to solve business problems that are stuck because of diplomatic issues.

Many multi-national organisations are always in need of qualified professionals to lead their employees and look after the diplomatic side of the organisation. With your ability to manage lofty targets, resolve conflicts, and lead teams effectively honed by the course, you become an attractive resource to companies facing organisational issues. This degree imparts transferable skills that help you excel in any field or career.

Career prospects after pursuing the course

An MA in International relations/Leadership and management makes you eligible to work in the following domains.

  • Sales

  • General management

  • Retail

  • Entrepreneurship

  • Human resources

  • Education

  • Healthcare

  • Tourism

Some of the top jobs available to leadership graduates include the following.

  • Top management executive: The top management level executives such as CEO, CTO, CMO, and CFO are the top rung in the management of an organisation. They coordinate the operations of a company in several departments such as marketing, finance, and technology to meet the targets of business growth and performance goals.

As a CEO or CFO, you must possess the ability to take calculated risks, excellent people-reading skills, and superb negotiation skills.

  • Corporate trainers: This post is also sometimes designated as a training and development manager or a director of learning and management. Corporate trainers are responsible for training the employees to develop core skills as required for meeting the company targets.

As a corporate trainer, you would need to develop patience, people skills, decisiveness, and a knack for explaining difficult concepts in simpler terms.

  • Human resources manager: This position is a popular job among graduates of leadership degrees. The responsibilities on the job include planning and managing recruitment drives, hiring processes, company joining formalities, ensuring employee compliance with company rules and regulations, and resolving workplace disputes.

If you want to succeed as a HR manager, you must be decisive, people-centric, and excellent at organisational skills and communication skills.

  • Diplomatic consultant: As a diplomatic consultant, you will help your clients navigate the complexities of diplomatic communications with foreign governments, MNCs, and other international organisations. You will be their advisor on how to make proposals and respect the cultural sensitivities while interacting with other nationals.

A job as a diplomatic consultant would require you to have an exhaustive knowledge about the culture and traditions of different countries in addition to being adept at handling people of different temperaments.

  • Sales manager: This job is lucrative and financially rewarding for leadership graduates. The job is responsible for driving the revenue and the targets of the sales teams. However, the role is not for the faint-hearted as the job entails challenging targets and situations.

As a sales manager, you should be able to motivate your sales teams, and push through adverse circumstances.

Apart from these mainstream leadership roles, you can also opt for masters in international relations jobs in domains associated with leadership or international relations. A few interesting career positions include organisational development consultants, development specialists, organisational managers, corporate recruiters, labour union managers, event planners, and special events coordinators.