United International Business School
Master in Global Business Impact
- Zürich, Switzerland
- Antwerp, Belgium
Master degree
DURATION
3 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Jan 2026
TUITION FEES
STUDY FORMAT
Blended
* price may be different depending on location
Navigate the intersection of cultural trends, entrepreneurial ventures, and contemporary market challenges through our applied research hubs and the Global Business concentration. You will build a versatile skillset by merging rigorous management theory with hands-on practice, applying your expertise in a decisive Impact Project.
Program options
We provide flexibility because everyone’s preferences are different. Our curated academic options allow you to further customize your program and turn your experience into a truly personalized one. The following options result in slightly different program and/or other requirements and will differ for each student depending on the chosen combinations of options.
Global Master
Students can opt for a truly global educational experience by studying at our campuses in Europe and Japan, as well as with one of our academic partners in the USA. The program requirements typically remain the same in this case. The academic calendar of our academic partner will however influence the study planning. The total study workload remains at a minimum of 60 (or 90) credits, but the workload may end up slightly higher for students in the 60-credit version, depending on the course selection offered by our academic partner, and the number of elective credits in the program. Connect with us to learn more about this option and how it influences your study planning.
Start or continue at our campuses in Europe or Japan, and finish with one of our academic partners in the USA:
- University of California at Berkeley
- University of California at Irvine
Dual Master
Students have the option to complete a Dual Master Degree program, in which case advanced program requirements apply. This option lets students effectively combine two programs and results in a combination of program requirements. The total study workload changes to 90 credits. The difference with the 90-credit version is that in case of the 90-credit Master Degree program, the qualification mentions 90 credits, whereas the two qualifications in case of a Dual Master mention 60 credits only. Connect with us to learn more about this option and how it influences your program requirements.
Academic support
We want our students to optimally be prepared for, progress in and succeed after the program. This is why we introduced the following support options. They do not change the program or other requirements of the program, and are available upon request.
- Before starting the program, you can register for a customized Pre-Master Foundation program designed for Bachelor-qualified students who previously studied something other than business and management, or for one or more Pre-Master Seminars designed as a refresher for those who did study business and management.
- During the program, you can register for distance learning per course.
- During the program, you can register for private tutoring per hour or per course.
We do not receive subsidies from regional or national governments to finance our operations, so scholarships are only limitedly available. All scholarships are offered in the form of reduced program fees for full-time students, but they are not available at all our campuses, nor for students who have already confirmed or started their studies. There are two types of scholarships:
The first type is based on need and merit, whereby the scholarship amount is based on current financial needs and previous academic performance. In this case, we grant scholarships directly based on a decision by our Scholarship Committee, composed of alumni team members.
The second type is based on government sponsorship, whereby your national government may offer financial support to study abroad, but whereby students at our school are not eligible for such support. In this case, we also grant scholarships directly by matching the government policies to the best of our abilities.
You can discuss your options with our Admissions Team. To apply for a scholarship, students should submit a separate letter in which they explain why they should be considered eligible to receive a scholarship, along with a personal financial plan, and any relevant documentation.
To sign up for the event, make sure to fill out the form to receive the joining link.
Accreditation and ranking
Upon successful completion of the program, students receive an international private Master in Business Impact (Global Business) degree awarded by United Institute (Switzerland). The degree is awarded based on the recommendation of our faculty members and Examination Committee (where applicable).
We are institutionally accredited by the UK-based and EQAR-registered British Accreditation Council (BAC). This institutional accreditation supports all our local campuses, study programs, dependent schools and awarding units.
We were awarded a 5-star rating for business and management studies as part of our overall 4-star rating in 2024 by QS.
UIBS was ranked in the Global Top 200 and the European Top 60 in the 2019 QS MBA ranking, as a Tier One program in the 2020 CEO Magazine Global MBA ranking, 41st in the 2019 CEO Magazine Global Executive MBA ranking, and 4th in the 2020 CEO Magazine Global Online MBA ranking.
In addition to the traditional paper-based award and school-branded cover, our academic and professional qualifications are also blockchain-verifiable on the Ethereum blockchain. This cutting-edge technology lets us add a whole new dimension to qualification verification. One major benefit of such secure documents is the instant verification by employers during the recruitment process.
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
- demonstrate extensive knowledge and understanding of core business and management disciplines, and will translate this from integrative and cross-functional perspectives into relevant strategies;
- identify contemporary business challenges such as globalization, digitalization, sustainability and social impact, and to devise appropriate strategies;
- identify leadership challenges and develop appropriate business skills in a variety of contexts;
- apply knowledge and demonstrate skills needed to function in international contexts and cross-cultural environments;
- autonomously select and apply the appropriate methodology and tools to engage in responsible and ethical problem-solving and decision-making; and
- demonstrate insights into their own growth as individuals and business professionals, and will demonstrate the ability to reflect upon their own thinking and behavior as well as that of others involved.
You can complete the program in a full-time format within 1 academic year of 9 to 12 months. Alternatively, you can complete the program in a part-time format within up to 3 academic years, depending on our course planning and your course selection. Completing half of the typical workload of a full-time format will equal twice the typical duration. The more flexible you are with your professional or other activities, the more courses you may be able to join in order to complete the program faster.
We schedule most courses on weekdays throughout the day, typically in blocks of 3 hours between 8.30 and 18.30, but there may be several evening courses between 19.00 and 22.00, weekend courses on Saturdays, and/or seminar courses with visiting faculty in two or more consecutive days. Some courses may be scheduled in a hybrid format, partially on-campus and partially virtual, or in a fully virtual format. When students combine on-campus and virtual courses, we refer to that as a blended program.
Modular design
Everyone’s professional career is different, and we have always believed that one’s academic career should be too. You can customize your program based on your previous studies, current interests, and future ambitions. Our flexible and American-inspired program structure allows you to choose your courses based on a set of standard program requirements. These requirements are different for each of our programs. The choice of courses and modules will be different for each of our students also, providing for a truly unique and personalized curriculum.
Our Signature Master Degree programs come in two versions: a 60-credit version and a 90-credit version ensuring compatibility with various regional educational models, which may favor either 60-credit or 90-credit programs. Students can choose the version that best aligns with their professional interests and career goals, as well as the educational model of choice. The additional 30 credits in the 90-credit version can be earned through shared electives or additional Final Projects, providing students with the opportunity to further tailor their learning experience.
Standard 60-credit program
In the standard 60-credit program with a flexible structure, students complete the program requirements on a full-time or part-time basis.
First phase
In the first phase for a total of 36 credits, you complete your coursework.
- the relevant course from the Business Cases cluster
- the relevant course from the Business Challenges cluster
- any 3 courses from the Global Business concentration
- any 3 courses from the Business Skills cluster
- any 4 courses from the Management Theory cluster
Second phase
In the second phase for a total of 24 credits, you complete your Final Project. The requirements of this phase can be started at any time and do not necessarily need to be started only upon completion of the coursework.
- Impact Project
- Impact Workshops
Extended 90-credit program
In the extended 90-credit program, students complete additional requirements that can be completed throughout the program and do not necessarily need to be completed only at the end.
Shared electives (30 EC)
Electives can be any course scheduled that does not already count towards other program requirements. Electives are shared with students from other programs and concentrations.
This curriculum is valid for all students starting in October 2025 or later. While all efforts have been made to ensure that the program requirements and course overviews are complete and accurate at the time of publication, we reserve the right to make changes to the curriculum without prior notice, subject to ongoing internal validation. Some of the courses are subject to availability.