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HINRICH FOUNDATION GUIDE

Selecting Master’s Programs in International Business and Trade

The Hinrich Foundation Guide to Master’s in International Business and Trade (Hinrich Foundation Guide) is a comprehensive resource to assist students and professionals to evaluate and select a master’s program to accelerate their career in global trade.

Download the Hinrich Foundation Guide

For a quick video overview of the Hinrich Foundation Guide, watch this clip by Professor Emeritus Gael McDonald, Academic Advisor to the Hinrich Foundation.

Why a master's degree and career in international business and trade?

Shaped by intensive study, develop a global perspective on commerce, diverse cultures, economic trends, and international policies.

Prepare for meaningful international work driving economic growth and positively impact society.

Master’s study equips you for diverse opportunities, from trade finance and logistics to manufacturing and cross-border consulting.

Learn more about skills, networking and career growth

How to choose a international business and trade program that suits your needs?

Evaluation tools Exemplar programs Trade resources
Hinrich Foundation Guide program criteria

To develop the tools, skills and knowledge global trade employers require for career success, our advisory panel developed the criteria that prospective students should seek from master’s programs in global trade.

Learn more about the program criteria

Key questions to ask to find the program that is right for you

Graduate education is a major investment. There are many factors to consider when evaluating and selecting a master’s program in global trade that is right for you.

Refer to these key questions to help you determine a program’s trade content and attributes, its international focus, costs and return on investment

Start your program selection with these key questions

Exploring careers in global trade

If you are looking for a unique blend of challenges and rewards amid a global setting, a master’s degree in global trade can open a world of career prospects for you.

Discover an overview of job titles, responsibilities and growth opportunities at Exploring careers in global trade.

Download exploring careers in global pdf

Trade education white paper

Recognizing and Advancing Outcomes in Global Trade Education by Professor Emeritus Dr Gael McDonald, Academic Ambassador, Hinrich Foundation.

Download the trade education white paper

The following are exemplars of high-quality international business and trade programs aligned with the Hinrich Foundation Guide criteria. The list is exemplary, not exhaustive, with program evaluation based on publicly available information. For key highlights and to download a detailed PDF of each program, click on the programs below.

China Europe International Business School (CEIBS)

MBA
Shanghai, China
Full-Time | In-Person
August
18 months

Cranfield University

The Transformation MBA
Bedford, United Kingdom
Full-Time | In-Person
September
12 months

ESIC Business & Marketing School

Master's in International Trade & Business
Madrid, Spain
Full-Time | In-Person
September
12 months

Harvard University

MBA
Massachusetts, United States
Full-Time | In-Person
August
2 years

International Institute for Management Development

MBA
Lausanne, Switzerland
Full-Time | In-Person
January
12 months

INSEAD

MBA
Fontainebleau, France or Singapore
Full-Time | In-Person
August and January
10 months

International Institute in Geneva

Master of International Trade & Finance
Geneva, Switzerland
Full-Time | In-Person
September and January
1 year

KEDGE Business School

MSc - International Business
Talence, France
Full-Time | In-Person
September
12 months

Liverpool John Moores University

MSc International Business and Management
Liverpool, United Kingdom
Full-Time | Hybrid
September
1-2 years

McGill University

MBA
Montreal, Canada
Full-Time | In-Person
August
1-2 years

RMIT University

Master of International Business
Melbourne, Australia
Full-Time | In-Person
February and July
2 years

Singapore Management University

MBA
Singapore
Full-Time/Part-Time | In-Person
August and January
15-21 months

Thunderbird School of Global Management

Master of Global Management
Arizona, United States
Full-Time | In-Person/Hybrid
August and January
16-21 months

Tufts University

Master of International Business
Massachusetts, United States
Full-Time/Part-Time | In-Person
January
2 years

Université de Montréal

MSc in International Business
Montreal, Canada
Full-Time/Part-Time | In-Person
August and January
16-24 months

University of Auckland

Master of Management (Specialization in International Business)
Auckland, New Zealand
Full-Time | In-Person
September and March
15 months

University of Colorado Denver

Master in International Business
Colorado, United States
Full-Time/Part-Time | In-Person/Hybrid
August, January and June
Unspecified

University of Exeter

MSc International Business
Exeter, United Kingdom
Full-Time | In-Person
September
12 months

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Global MBA
Michigan, United States
Full-Time | In-Person
January
16 months

University of Pennsylvania

MBA
Colorado, United States
Full-Time | In-Person
August
2 years
Global trade resources for students and educators

Students and educators have expressed the need for materials focusing on contemporary, real-world trade and policy scenarios that help enhance knowledge acquisition and value to classroom discussions.

The Hinrich Foundation offers a suite of resources to assist you with your studies and teaching.

Resources available include:
Trade white papers

Current papers that delve into contemporary trade issues, researched by trade experts from around the world.

Discussion guides

These leverage the trade white papers and articles to help educators lead student debates, and students to develop insight into the essence of complex trade issues.

What are we reading

Further reading and analysis on current trade news.

Sustainable Trade Index

The Hinrich-IMD Sustainable Trade Index is an annual report measuring how effectively 30 major trading economies are geared for long-term economic growth, environmental protection and societal development.

Sustainable Trade Challenge simulation

This student-led immersive simulation plunges students into the competitive World of international consultancy and the real-world trade-offs that nations must make when pursuing sustainable global trade.

Weekly updates

Stay up to date with contemporary trade issues by subscribing to our email newsletter

These materials help you keep abreast of trending issues and develop a rich understanding of critical trade in areas, ranging from Trade policy and foreign direct investment to free trade agreements and digital trade.


More than 100,000 people find these resources useful to their studies, teaching and practice of global trade. We hope you do too.

More information

Feedback to us at HFGuide@hinrichfoundation.com

Click here to see more trade resources.
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