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Global Management (Global Affairs), MGM

Global Management (Global Affairs), MGM

Academic programs / Graduate degrees / Global Management (Global Affairs), MGM

Business, Global, Global Affairs, Global Cross-Cultural Communication, International Management, Management, global management, global negotations

Are you looking to become a leader in a nonprofit, governmental or international business role? With specialized cross-training in international affairs and the fundamentals of global management, you'll be ready to make a great impact on a worldwide scale.

Program description
Degree awarded: MGM  Global Management (Global Affairs)

The global affairs concentration within the MGM program equips students with the knowledge base and hard skills needed to thrive in the growing job markets at the nexus of global business and international politics. The program provides students with a critical understanding of the intersection between business and politics --- which is more important than ever for managers and executives in the private, nonprofit and public sectors.

About Thunderbird
Thunderbird School of Global Management has produced world-class leaders for more than 75 years. The ideal Thunderbird student is curious, globally minded, and eager to develop and advance their careers in leadership and management within the global and digital landscape of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Upon completion of this degree, graduates join a thriving global alumni network nearly 50,000 strong, managing some of the world's largest institutions, companies, nonprofits and NGOs.

At a glance
Accelerated program options
This program allows students to obtain both a bachelor's and master's degree in as little as five years. It is offered as an accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree with:

Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.

Degree requirements

49 credit hours, a foreign language exam, including the required capstone course (TGM 597)

Required Core (3 credit hours)
TAM 582 Communicating and Negotiating in a Dynamic Global World (3) or
TGM 506 Communicating and Negotiating Across Cultures (3)

Concentration (12 credit hours)

Electives (12 credit hours)

Other Requirement (21 credit hours)
foreign language
TGM 515 Navigating Global and Regional Business Environments (3)
TGM 517 Global Accounting and Financial Management (3)
TGM 545 Global Leadership and Strategy (3)
TGM 557 Global Marketing and Data Analytics (3)
TGM 586 Global Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Business (3)
TGM 596 Thunderbird Experiential Practicum (6)

Culminating Experience (1 credit hour)
TGM 597 Thunderbird Personal Leadership Development (1)

Additional Curriculum Information
For concentration coursework, students choose four courses from an approved list for a total of 12 credit hours. Students should contact the academic unit for the approved course list.

Electives are approved by the academic unit.

Except for TGM 596 and the foreign language requirement, other requirement courses may be substituted with approval of the academic unit.

Proficiency in a second language is required for graduation from the Master of Global Management degree program. Students whose native language is not English who meet the admission requirements for the master's degree program satisfy the language requirement.

Students whose native language is English must satisfy the graduation requirement for language proficiency by waiving this requirement through an oral proficiency interview administered by a third-party vendor or by successfully completing six credit hours of 400-level or higher foreign language coursework as part of the program electives.

Admission requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any subject from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants are required to submit:

  1. graduate admission application and application fee
  2. official transcripts
  3. resume
  4. essay response to application question
  5. one professional or academic reference
  6. interview
  7. proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.

The resume should demonstrate the applicant's professional and academic history.

An interview is required. Final applicants may be asked to complete an additional interview.

Tuition information
When it comes to paying for higher education, everyone’s situation is different. Students can learn about ASU tuition and financial aid options to find out which will work best for them.
Program learning outcomes

Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program has the following program outcomes:

  • Develop the ability to build sustainable and trusting relationships with others from diverse parts of the world.
  • Evaluate how the political and economic factors shape the global community.
  • Develop the ability to inspire others in a global world.
Global opportunities
Global experience

Students in Thunderbird's Master of Global Management program have unique opportunities to apply and hone their learning in international settings. Experiential learning exposes students to actual problems faced by leaders of multinational businesses and governmental or nonprofit organizations that operate on an international level.

Working with Thunderbird professors, their fellow students, alumni and corporate partners, students master and apply global management principles and concepts to meet real business challenges through special courses, labs and projects. Thunderbird offers a wide variety of experiential learning engagements, giving students the ability to solve real-world challenges by collaborating with the school's corporate partners around the world. Some options include:

Global Field Seminars
This one- or two-week seminar exposes students to the dynamics and nuances of doing business in a focused region of the world. Teams of students go on company site visits and attend high-level meetings and presentations with business, government and cultural leaders, as well as with Thunderbird alumni. Students gain invaluable hands-on experience while expanding their global business skills, enabling them to become major assets to any organization they join after graduating.

Thunderbird Global Challenge Laboratories
This is a client-facing, project-based course built on a six- to seven-week immersion assignment in a key emerging or advanced market. Projects take students to destinations all over the world. They are tailored to the business needs of the client and challenge students to provide sophisticated data and market analysis, strategy recommendations and plans for sustained growth that are both practical and effective. For more information, students should visit Thunderbird's Global Challenge Lab website.

Career opportunities

This concentration prepares graduates to take on management and executive positions in government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Commerce, the State Department or the Treasury Department, or similar roles in the government of a student's home country. The global affairs concentration also positions graduates for leadership roles in international organizations, such as the World Bank or the World Trade Organization, and in major companies that require analysts to monitor policy trends, managers to oversee global supply chains, and representatives to advance global business interests to governments, both domestic and foreign.

Career examples include:

  • business continuity planner
  • diplomat
  • intelligence analyst
  • political scientist
  • regulatory affairs specialist
  • social and community service manager
Contact information
What are accelerated programs?
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.

3 year programs

These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.

Accelerated master's

These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).

Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
What are concurrent programs?
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
What are joint programs?
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.

What constitutes a new program?
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the “New Programs” option.
What are online programs?
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
What is WRGP (Western Regional Graduate Program)?
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.

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