MBA in International Business is one of the most sought after MBA program in India. Global MNCs and Indian MNCs like TATAs, BIRLAs, Mahindras, and IT Companies like Infosys are seeking MBA in International Business graduates who understand international business and markets well. During an MBA in International Business program, students study aspects of global competition, simplifying the complexities of international business management, managing international finance, global consultancy, international marketing, making best use of international logistics & supply chain, international laws on customs, tariffs, duties, documentation among others.
Many top MBA colleges in India are offering MBA in International Business Management with high domestic and international placements. Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), Symbiosis Institute of International Business (SIIB) Pune offer MBA in International Business as their flagship program, while MDI Gurgaon, K J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies & Research Mumbai, BIMTECH Great Noida also offer MBA in International Business (MBA-IB) as their 2 years full time management program. Read this special article to gain understanding of MBA in International business, top colleges offering MBA in International Business, key Courses taught, Placements & Job and many others.
Many top MBA colleges in India are offering MBA in International Business Management with high domestic and international placements. Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), Symbiosis Institute of International Business (SIIB) Pune offer MBA in International Business as their flagship program, while MDI Gurgaon, K J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies & Research Mumbai, BIMTECH Great Noida also offer MBA in International Business (MBA-IB) as their 2 years full time management program.
Different Types of Programs on MBA in International Business in India
We can classify the MBA in IB programs into following 3 different categories, as below:
- 2-Year Full Time MBA in International Business or MBA Equivalent PGDM in International Business by top B-Schools and Universities, as offered by IIFT and MDI Gurgaon
- 1-Year Full Time MBA in International Business or Post Graduate Certificate Program in International Business by top B-schools, as offered by IIM Calcutta
- MBA Specialization in International Business offered within 2-year full time General MBA/PGDM Program like IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Lucknow, FMS Delhi
So, which is the right program for you, what is the fee for each of these programs? Read this MBAUniverse.com article to find out all the answers. Each of these types is discussed in detail below:
Top MBA in International Business Programs
If you are looking for top MBA Colleges for International Business in India, below are the top management institutes:
| MBA College | Title & Type of MBA in IB Program | MBA IB Program Fees (Rs. in lakhs) |
| Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) Delhi/Kolkata | MBA in International Business; On campus 2 years full time program | 17.25 |
| MDI Gurgaon | PGP International Management; On campus 2 years full time program | 24.53 |
| IIM Calcutta | CEMS Masters in International Management (CEMS-MIM); On campus 1 year full time program | — |
| IIM Lucknow | International Program in Management for Executives (IPMX); On campus 1 year full time program | 23.50 |
| Symbiosis Institute of International Business (SIIB) Pune | MBA (International Business); On campus 2 years full time | 15.77 |
| K J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies & Research, Mumbai | MBA (International Business); On campus 2 years full time | 14.93 |
| FORE School of Management, New Delhi | PGDM – International Business; On campus 2 years full time | 14.98 |
| BIMTECH Greater Noida | PGDM – International Business; On campus 2 years full time | 11.50 |
Let us know about each type of institutes offering MBA in International Business with the program name, duration, fee.
1. Two-year Full-time on campus Specialized MBA or MBA equivalent PGDM in International Business by top B-schools and Universities
To cater to the rising demand of MBA in International Business, number of top University MBA Colleges and private PGDM colleges are offering specialized MBA/PGDM in International Business on the lines of their flagship MBA program. Some of the top MBA colleges offering 2 year full time specialized MBA (IB) are given below with the details of program fee
| Universities & B-schools offering MBA/PGDM in Business Analytics | Programme Name | Duration & Mode | Fee (Rs.in Lakhs) |
| Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), Delhi & Kolkata | MBA International Business | On Campus; 2 years full time | 17.25 |
| Symbiosis Institute of International Business (SIIB) Pune | MBA in International Business | On campus;2 years full time | 15.77 |
| Management Development Institute (MDI) Gurgaon | PGDM International Management | On campus; 2 years full time | 24.53 |
| K J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies & Research, Mumbai | MBA International in Business | On campus; 2 years full time | 14.93 |
| FORE School of Management, New Delhi | PGDM International Business | On campus; 2 years full time | 14.98 |
| BIMTECH Greater Noida | PGDM International Business | On campus; 2 years full time | 11.50 |
| Gitam School of International Business, Visakhapatnam – Gitam Deemed to be University | MBA in International Business | On campus; 2 years full time | 8.50 |
2. 1-year Full-time Specialized MBA or Post Graduate Certificate Program in International Business by top B-schools
Brief details of the programme offered by some of top MBA colleges, including IIM Calcutta, Welingkar, are shared below:
| Name of the Institute | Programme Name | Duration & Mode | Fee (Rs.in Lakhs) |
| IIM Lucknow | International Program in Management for Executives (IPMX) | On Campus; 1 Year MBA | 23.50 |
| Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta | CEMS Masters in International Management (CEMS-MIM) | On Campus; 1 Year MBA | — |
| Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research (WeSchool), Mumbai | Post Graduate Program in Foreign Trade Management (PGP- FTM) | On Campus; 1 Year program | 0.94 |
3. MBA Specialization in International Business offered within 2-year Full-time General MBA/PGDM Program
Many top MBA colleges offer International Business as one of the major specializations within their 2 year full time MBA programmes.
| Name of the Institute | Programme Name | Duration & Mode | Fees (Rs. in lakhs) |
| FMS Delhi | MBA with specialization in International Business | 2 Years Full Time; On Campus | 1.92 |
| MDI Gurgaon | Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGPM) with Specialization in International Business | 2 Years Full Time; On Campus | 20.87 |
| Christ University Bengaluru | MBA with Specialization in International Business | 2 Years Full Time; On Campus | 7.85 |
| Institute of Management, Nirma University, Ahmedabad | MBA with Specialization in International Business | 2 Years Full time; On campus | 13.12 |
MBA in International Business Admissions
The eligibility criteria for MBA International Business Admissions have two important aspects:
- Bachelor’s Degree with minimum 50 or 60 percent marks
- Registering and taking the MBA entrance exam – CAT/GMAT/XAT/SNAP or as required by the institute and scoring well to get shortlisted for admission
Careers in International Business
Lucrative placement opportunities are available to build your careers in International Business management programs, if you complete your MBA in International Business from one of the good MBA colleges.
Types of companies that recruit MBAs in International Business:
A) For Domestic Job Profiles
It is a myth that only International Job profiles are offered to MBA in International Business. Since MBA IB covers all core courses of MBA like Marketing, Finance and HR, they are offered regular MBA Jobs, same as a typical B-school. For instance, at IIFT, the MBA International Business students are offered roles in Sales & Marketing, IT/ITES, Finance, Strategy & Consulting by domestic companies like HUL, AXIS Bank, ICICI Bank, TCS, WIPRO among others. See tables below.
B) For International Job Profiles:
Some International Job profiles are also offered to MBA IB. These are cases when a company is specifically looking to post MBAs in international locations.
- Top Indian Conglomerates like TATAs, Mahindra Group, Aditya Birla Group that have global footprints, and are looking for managers to manage overseas operations and subsidiaries.
- Global Companies & MNCs who recruit Indian MBAs for their domestic and international operations. Some of these candidates are later promoted to international locations.
- Export and Trading Houses in India who deal in International Trade.
MBA in International Business at IIFT bag diverse profiles: Domestic & International Roles
| Domain | Recruiters | Profiles offered |
| Sales & Marketing | HUL, Rivigo, Enhance Group, Tata Global Beverages, Bata, Fermenta Biotech, Field Fresh Foods, GE CLP, ITC, GILAC, Marico, ABFRL, Britannia, Bajaj Auto, Maruti Suzuki, Royal Enfield, Tata Motors, Tata Steel, Flipkart, Swiggy, OYO, Games 24*7, Google, Hexaware, Infoedge, Value Labs. | Business Analyst, Campaign Manager, Category Manager, Digital Marketing, Marketing Manager, Product Manager, Sales Manager |
| Finance | DE Shaw, Epik InDiFi, Homecredit, Rivigo, Syngenta, Tresvista, Goldman Sachs, JPMC, Axis Bank, HSBC, ICICI Bank, Yes Bank, GE, L&T, Piramal Finance, Synergy Consulting, CRISIL, Citibank, IVP, Amazon, Genpact, Sammunati Finance, Tata Motors | Roles in Investment banking, Risk management, corporate treasury and consumer banking, FMP |
| IT/ITES | EXL, Capgemini, Indigene, TCS, Wipro, Amazon, Brillio, Google, Hexaware | Variety of roles offered |
| Strategy & Consulting | Roland Berger, BCN, Brillio, CBC, Droom, GeP, i3 Consulting, IMC, GPL, Deloitte GRID, PayTM, GoMMT, OYO, Optum, EXL | Management consulting, Financial consulting, Operational excellence, Strategy, Product management |
| General Management | Mahindra & Mahindra, Airtel, RPG, Click Labs, Polycab | GMC, more Gen Management roles and New types of roles offered |
| Trade & Operations | Export Trading Group, Aegis Resources, CIMAF, ADM, Olam International, LDC and Trafigura, Freight Tiger, Genpact, Rivigo, Seashell Logistics, Maersk Line, Amazon | International roles were offered in Africa, South America and Middle East. Trade domain witnessed international offers with the compensation of $150,000. Roles in Operations & Supply Chain were offered by top recruiters |
For MBAs interested in building on their MBA learnings, some of the entry level specialized roles in International Business are:
- Manager – International Business
- Manager – International Finance
- Manager – International Operations
- Manager – Export & Imports
- Manager – International Logistics
- Manager – International Trade
Placement Trends in MBA in International Business programs in India
IIFT, SIIB and others have recorded rising placement trends in the MBA (IB) programs.
| Institute & Program | Average Placement 2020 (Rs. in Lakhs) | Highest Salary in Placement 2020 (Rs. in Lakhs |
| Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), Delhi & Kolkata: MBA International Business | 20.48 | 75 |
| Symbiosis Institute of International Business (SIIB) Pune: MBA International Business | 10.78 (Domestic) 62.85 (International) | 17 (Domestic) 62.85 (International) |
| Management Development Institute (MDI) Gurgaon: PGP International Management | 20.05 | 40.50 |
| K J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies & Research, Mumbai: MBA International Business | 10.08 | 28.50 |
MBA International Business Specialization: Courses & Syllabus
The MBA International Business courses for 1st year students are similar to other MBA programmes. They are exposed to basic concepts in the areas of Marketing, Accounting, Finance, Organization Design, Human Resources Management, Decision Sciences, and Operations Management through Core courses. It is the second year in which the MBA in International Business courses and syllabus get different. Following are the key topics covered in the courses and electives of MBA in International Business Syllabus:
MBA in International Business Courses, Electives, Syllabus:
| Fundamentals of International Management |
| Cross Culture Management |
| India,Global Trade & WTO |
| International Business Strategy |
| International Economics |
| International Financial Management |
| International Marketing Management |
| International Trade Logistics |
| International Trade Operations & Export Import Documentation |
| IT Application |
| Legal Aspects of Business |
| Management of Global Sourcing |
| Port Visit |
| Supply Chain Management |
| Trade Analytics |
| Financial Risk Management |
| Project Appraisal and Finance |
| Financing of International Trade |
| International Contract Management |
| International Business Negotiation |
| Strategy in Emerging Markets |
| Strategy Execution and tools |
| Online Business & e- Commerce |
| Green Strategy for Global Operations and Logistics |
| Management of Shipping Services |
| Sectoral Strategies for International Business |
| Managing Global Compliance in Exports |
| Customs & Excise Management |
| Agri- Commodity Trading (ACT) |
Which MBA International Business Specialization is Best for You? Decide before Joining
The MBA programs in International Management range from being standalone to part-of-regular MBA program, from full-time to part-time and many other options.
While all 2-year Full-Time Regular MBA programs offer this specialization in second year of their program, there are a few top Institutes offering Specialized MBA in IB right from the day one.
If you pursue General MBA in top B-schools, you can choose your specialization in the end of first year but if you are taking admission in the specialized MBA program, you pursue your specialization on the day one of the first year. So, before entering the MBA program, you should give a thought to the idea whether you wish to choose your specialization after one year of study or want to pursue MBA in IB without leaving scope for change.
If you are passionate and clear about making a career in MBA in International Business, you can go for full time MBA in IB specialization and join the specialized program right from beginning. Please note that top B-schools like IIFT, MDI, SIIB conduct separate GD-PI-WAT for admission to MBA/PGP International Business programs.
If you have less time and wish to complete your MBA in International Business faster, you can join one year full time MBA in IB offered by IIM Lucknow or CEMS-MIM offered by IIM Calcutta or other reputed B-schools. But if you are a working professional and cannot join a regular program, you can opt for part time or online MBA International Business specialized program.
