Marketing for today's global economy
International marketing is a challenging field where linguistic and cultural nuances make all the difference. A Master of Science in Global Marketing from Thunderbird will enhance your reputation and hiring potential in this competitive field. You'll learn from world-class business and marketing authorities through real-world case studies focused on multinational corporations across the world, from Canada to Thailand and everywhere in between. The program features core curriculum in global marketing, including general management and global affairs, with a breadth of additional global marketing electives for specialization.
Economics bootcampsDepending on your undergraduate background, you may be required to take an online economics bootcamp prior to beginning the program. Read more. |
English proficiencyDepending on your TOEFL, IELTS or PTE score (if applicable), you may be required to take “Business English Communications” course(s) prior to beginning the program. |
Sample course descriptions
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Course Number: SP-4026Credit Hours: 3.00
In Fundamentals II major emphasis continues to be on the development of speaking and listening proficiency, but increased attention is also given to reading and writing. Authentic materials in the target language reflect situations relevant to the international manager, except for non-Latin
based languages or Asian languages. -
Course Number: SP-4015Credit Hours: 3.00
This is an introductory course for beginning language learners. No prior knowledge is required. Students study language fundamentals such as pronunciations, vocabulary and grammar. The emphases are: a) establishing a solid foundation in pronunciations; b) building up vocabulary and sentence patterns in communicative contexts; c) introducing writing systems and preparing students to read characters. In addition, cultural and social information that go along with language use are also included in the teaching.
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Course Number: SP-4020Credit Hours: 3.00
This course is a continuation of Fundamentals I. It aims to help students further develop communicative skills in listening and speaking, with an additional emphasis on reading texts. The emphases of this course are: a) building up more vocabulary and grammatical structures for communications purposes, b) integrating the linguistic and cultural knowledge acquired in Fundamentals I with the new knowledge, c) introducing business content and terminology in instructions and activities.
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Course Number: GF-5899Credit Hours: 1.50
As business enters the 21st century, a shift in thinking about business? role in society is underway. Society?s demands for social and environmental responsibility are growing dramatically and few managers have the requisite skills to respond effectively. This course is designed to give future business leaders the knowledge and tools needed to develop a CSR strategy that creates value, not only for society and the environment, but also competitive and financial value for the company.
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Course Number: GST-4001Credit Hours: 3.00
This course covers fundamentals of the global political economy including (1) major conceptual frameworks for understanding the linkages between international politics and international economics; (2) key issue areas such as international monetary and financial relations, international trade, foreign investment and transnational enterprises, and North-South relations; and (3) analysis of key international economic institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, and World Bank.
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Course Number: GM-1310Credit Hours: 0.00
All entering students begin their degree program with this mandatory, one-week course. Foundations Week introduces tools and insights necessary for success and career effectiveness on a global scale. The course presents key aspects of leadership, team building, motivation, ethics, and cross-cultural communication. It also offers self-assessment tools and opportunities to explore career management and job search strategies. The program?s action-learning approach includes case discussions, exercises, simulations, group discussions, presentations, lectures and videos.
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Course Number: GF-5401Credit Hours: 1.50
This course is an overview of the process of the management of technology and innovation including the strategic, managerial and organizational structure variables that influence its success or failure. Topics include the impact of new technologies on industries, dominant designs and platform leadership, incremental and transformational innovations, lifecycle dynamics, technology transfer, entrepreneurship, critical success factors in managing innovative projects and managing innovation professions in co-located and virtual environments.
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Course Number: GF-4518Credit Hours: 1.50
This course provides an understanding of the
unique aspects of the strategic marketing of services at a global
level. Key topics are: the growing role of services in the global economy and the differences between the strategic marketing of products and services. -
Course Number: GST-5000Credit Hours: 3.00
This course examines development prospects and policy in less developed and transition economies. Issues include trade, investment, foreign aid, international debt, technology transfer, poverty, environment, social development, and sustainable development. The roles of global and regional organizations, government policy, and domestic and foreign corporations are explored.
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Course Number: GF-4640Credit Hours: 3.00
This is a Thunderbird collaborative program offered in conjunction with INCAE, the leading Latin American business school, at their beautiful campus in Alajuela, Costa Rica. In the last two decades sustainability has gone from a fringe business issue to a central concern for corporations around the world. When managed correctly sustainability can become an important element of a company?s overall strategy. Getting sustainability wrong, however, can lead to public outcry and costly damage to corporate reputations.
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Course Number: GF-4514Credit Hours: 3.00
The objective of the course is to introduce the participants to the basic concepts of sustainable development, raise awareness to the challenges, limits, and opportunities faced by the private sector. Brazil?s government, society, and business community have shown a great commitment to balancing economic development and environmental sustainability. From programs to reduce the rate of Amazon deforestation, to a gigantic bio-energy industry, and innovative carbon credit-generating initiatives, Brazil is leading a true revolution of economic possibilities.
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Course Number: GF-5641Credit Hours: 3.00
This course will prove an understanding of the Paraguayan business environment in the contexts of the Latin American region and the role of developing nations in the international economy. It will also provide participants a ?real-life?, ?hands-on? experience of the challenges and complexities of development in an undeveloped setting.
It will expose participants to the challenges that managers, expatriates, firms, consultants, and organizations routinely face in the still-developing Paraguayan market and society.
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Course Number: GST-5430Credit Hours: 3.00
Innovation has become a major source of competitive advantage for nations as well as companies. This course analyzes the innovation process highlighting the interaction between universities, government technology policies, corporate research and development, start-ups, and venture capital. This course draws upon international comparisons, country case studies, and technology-specific cases including information technology.
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Course Number: GF-4606Credit Hours: 3.00
This course will take participants to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong and Hong Kong, where the program will explore how to do business in one of the world?s most dynamic economies. Program content will focus on applied knowledge that will help prepare students to lead and manage effectively in the complex Chinese market. Learning will be primarily through site visits, a group exercise, and integrative lecture/discussions.
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Course Number: GF-5460Credit Hours: 1.50
This course examines in detail the business, economic, and politics associated with the global energy industry. The course, while not exclusively focused on hydrocarbon energy sources, devotes a large amount of time to this area because of its current energy role. The depth and breadth of material includes history, culture, politics, and involves some of the largest, most profitable, most valued, and most influential multinational firms in the world.
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Course Number: ST-4806Credit Hours: 3.00
This course combines an introduction to cosmopolitan democratic theory and a primer on the mechanics of the Internet with case studies of how this technology has empowered or weakened citizens in democratic and authoritarian settings. The discussion will cover the 1990s, when the global information infrastructure was fundamentally overhauled, presenting numerous questions and conflicts about citizen?s rights. This course will study Google in China and Yahoo!
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Course Number: CP-5006Credit Hours: 6.00
This consulting class is a full-time engagement for one module. Teams of student consultants travel to a client?s work site in an emerging market and undertake a consulting project for the client. The client sets the focus of the work. In addition to completing the client?s deliverables, teams are responsible to Thunderbird Faculty for the academic requirements of the course. These include maintaining a project website, weekly reports and a campus presentation upon completion of the field work.
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Course Number: GF-5915Credit Hours: 1.50
This is a special program for independent research topic in the field of Global Business. Regularly scheduled consultations between student and instructor are required. This course is not open to entering students. The topic must be approved in the preceding semester in which this course is to be taken.
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Course Number: GF-5903Credit Hours: 3.00
This is a special program for independent research topic in the field of Global Business. Regularly scheduled consultations between student and instructor are required. This course is not open to entering students. The topic must be approved in the preceding semester in which this course is to be taken.
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Course Number: ML-5903Credit Hours: 3.00
The student undertakes independent reading and/or research on approved topics in the field of Modern Languages. Topics may range from business and financial issues to the social or political aspects of countries or areas whose native language is taught at the School. A formal proposal containing a clear statement of purpose must be submitted for approval during the preceding semester. Readings, discussion and papers are in the target language. Close consultation with the supervising instructor is required.
