What Is International Trade And Is It The Right Degree For You?

Sponsored by WMG – The University of Warwick

International trade plays a major role in the global market as businesses exchange goods and services between borders and territories. It’s a fast-moving, dynamic sector which demands a solid understanding of operations and management skillset in order to succeed.

Advances in globalization and international trade mean career prospects in the industry are both lucrative and plentiful – from analysts to business development specialists, energy brokers to logistic customer service coordinators and international trade consultants.

To find out more about this, we spoke with Rebecca Wilde, Course Leader of the MSc in International Trade, Strategy and Operations at WMG – The University of Warwick.

Can you tell us a bit about the MSc in International Trade, Strategy and Operations?

The MSc in International Trade, Strategy and Operations gives a comprehensive overview of how international companies operate, and will enable you to develop a broad set of skills to increase your involvement in the whole business process – from the initial engagement with a new market right through to the delivery of a product or service.

Throughout the year, you’ll learn to identify business opportunities, formulate strategic options, and define business winning propositions, as well as learning to manage, lead change and improve operational and supply chain processes within international businesses.

Because this program is heavily focused on the application of theory into practice, you’ll be able to envisage how the skills developed throughout your studies will be used to best advantage in a professional environment.

How big a demand is there for graduates with the skills and knowledge that this course provides?

In the current climate there is a growing demand for graduates who understand the management and operational requirements necessary to trade successfully in International markets, with an ability to identify business opportunities to delivering a product or service.

Given the changing international environment, the master’s provides a wealth of opportunities for students to understand how to trade internationally; how to support the development of personnel engaged in international trade; how to develop the capability to manage, to formulate strategic options and define business winning propositions in an international trade environment, as well as lead change and improve operational and supply chain processes within international businesses.

All of these are skills which employers need to help them engage in a dynamic and evolving global environment.

What other skills and knowledge can students take away from the MSc in International Trade, Strategy and Operations?

A graduate from the MSc in International Trade, Strategy and Operations will have developed an understanding of essential facts, concepts, principles and theories relating to international trade and will have had the opportunity to apply these to a wide range of strategic and operational issues and problems arising in business.

The master’s creates an environment in which students can develop and demonstrate independent and collaborative research capability and present solutions to complex problems using a range of appropriate techniques by exposing them to ideas and methods applicable to advanced scholarship. 

Graduates will be equipped with a range of employability skills, attributes and attitudes which will enable them to develop into effective problem-solvers, team-workers, collaborators and communicators who can advise local and international organizations on a range of trade related matters through the use of the skills and understanding developed on the program.

How does the MSc in International Trade, Strategy and Operations prepare students for their future career?

Due to the practical nature of the program learning, our graduates are highly employable and prepared to make an immediate impact in their chosen field of employment.

The program prepares students for a wide choice of future careers, such as managing international businesses, specializing in a particular business function or even starting their own business.