International Pre-Master’s Pathway - Business Management

International Pathways
International Pre-Master's Pathway

Two students with a textbook on the Trading Floor

This study route is designed to prepare international students for postgraduate education while experiencing life abroad in the UK. It aims to prepare you with a deeper understanding of academic culture that will allow you to flourish in your chosen degree studies.

Year of entry

2025-26

Location

CU Coventry (Coventry)
CU London (Greenwich, London)

Study mode

Full-time

Duration

Standard - up to 1 year
Accelerated (IELTS 6.0) - 12 weeks

Course code

See how to apply section

Start date

September 2025 (IELTS 5.0/6.0)
November 2025 (IELTS 5.5)
January 2026 (IELTS 5.0/6.0)
March 2026 (IELTS 5.5)
May 2026 (IELTS 5.0/6.0)
June 2026 (IELTS 5.5)

How to apply

Scholarships

International Pre-Master's

Course overview

It will offer you the chance to:

Explore academic, postgraduate skills and language through teaching methods focused on strategic learning, research methods, and leadership through case studies and more.
Acquire an in-depth overview of master's-level study including critical thinking, structuring academic writing and presentations, and gathering information.
Build upon your business and research knowledge with concepts such as ethics, cost and revenues. You will be introduced to professional software³ used in the real world and learn more about specialised sectors.
Develop and refine accuracy with academic language skills and fluency. You will also have the opportunity to develop reasoned arguments and incorporate supporting evidence.

Global experience

Study in the UK and gain international experience

human sihouette teaching in front of a whiteboard

Teaching excellence

Taught by lecturers who are experts in their field

Degree ready

Get the skills needed to progress onto a UK degree

Progression degrees

The Business Management International Pre-Master’s Pathway can help support you for a selection of degree specialism in this field. It also aims to build on previous experiences and expand the success of learning to use the English language while heading into your chosen degree. It will help you take a critical approach to your studies, reflect on your learning, organise your studies, and be a strong, independent learner.

On successful completion, you will be eligible to progress onto the following Coventry University or Coventry University London master's degrees (subject to meeting the specified entry criteria):

All master's degrees listed have six intakes: September, November, January, March, May, July start.

Coventry University

Coventry University London

For all degrees in this area you must have a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 (with no component less than 6.0).

What you'll study

By choosing to study the Business International Pre-Master’s Pathway, you should develop your academic language skills through up to three intense language modules, depending on your IELTS entry level. You will then study graduate research skills and those students on the non-acclerated route will study subject-specialist modules. These modules will provide a strong framework for you to continue your studies to a master's degree.

Modules

English language modules

Introduction to Graduate Study
This module is required for students who enter at IELTS level 5.0.
This module aims to provide you with an opportunity to explore academic language and skills required for successful university study. You will be taught to consolidate strategies for approaching academic texts and for structuring academic writing and presentations. We will emphasise a critical approach to help you develop reasoned arguments and the ability to summarise and incorporate supporting evidence. The module will also explore different types of assessment tasks used in postgraduate degrees.

Developing Your Approach to Graduate Study
This module is required for students who enter at IELTS level 5.0 and 5.5.
This module aims to provide an in-depth exploration of academic language and skills. This includes strategies for approaching academic assignments, structuring academic writing and presentations, developing a reasoned argument, incorporating supporting evidence, summarising and proofreading. It will also explore different types of assessment tasks used in universities.

Succeeding at Graduate Study
This module is required for students who enter at IELTS level 5.0, 5.5, 6.0 and the Accelerated IELTS 6.0.
This module aims to develop and refine your academic skills, language accuracy and fluency. This will be done by analysing academic genres to identify successful approaches and strategies, deepening reading and listening skills for gathering information, and exploring different ways of organising arguments and appropriately incorporating source material. It aims to strengthen critical thinking and analytical skills and support you in refining an appropriate academic style. It will consolidate your knowledge and understanding of your destination postgraduate degree course and UK academic conventions.

Compulsory

Research Skills for Graduate Study

This module aims to develop your understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods. It will also introduce you to ethical issues surrounding research. We will ask you to design a research project, searching the literature around a subject of interest, and prepare a literature review. The emphasis is on developing knowledge and skills in the analysis and utilisation of quantitative and qualitative data.

Compulsory

Subject-specialist Modules

Your subject-specialist modules will cover a range of topics and study themes.

For the non-accelerated version, up to two of the three modules below will be assigned to you, depending on which cohort and entry point you join within the academic year. Each module assigned to you is compulsory:

Strategy and Change Management
The module aims to give you knowledge of how an organisation sets its strategic direction, controls it and responds to changes in its environment by implementing programmes of change. You will explore how an organisation moves through key stages in its development, whilst trying to achieve a competitive advantage and delivering innovation. It has been designed to provide you with an understanding of the core business areas of strategy and change. Emphasis will be placed on the development of theories of strategy and change to set the module in a historical concept thus giving the student an appreciation of some of the key strategic thinkers in business, management and leadership. The module will consider the analysis of both the external business environment and internal organisational context and how these impact upon strategy formulation, planning and implementation. You will develop an appreciation of different strategies for managing change at both a strategic and operational level. Emphasis will also be placed on the monitoring and change that are essential to ensure the organisation is sustainable.

International Business and Globalisation
In examining the global trading environment of international businesses this module focuses on both the principles and practices associated with international business activity in a global context. In developing a greater understanding of business in a global world, it seeks to encourage debate and dialogue, give a balanced view and consider different perspectives including an ethical one. The main aim of this module is to develop your understanding of the international trading environment. In so doing it will examine both the framework that international businesses operate within as well as the principles and practices associated with international business activity.

Contemporary Issues in Business Management
The main aim of this module is to enable you to identify and analyse contemporary issues in the field of business and management which reflect the modern business world. This module aims to enable you to understand key issues e.g. governance, compliance, accountability and sustainability. This module will investigate issues managers and leaders face in the contemporary business environment and how these can be addressed and overcome. The key role of stakeholders will be considered and the impact they have on organisations. The influence and power stakeholders have on an organisation’s strategic direction will be considered.

Compulsory

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.

How you'll learn

This International Pre-Master’s Pathway will be delivered by CU, part of the Coventry University Group, for and on behalf of Coventry University. You will be taught using various approaches, which may include lessons and individual and group tutorials. You will also have self-study materials to follow outside of the classroom.

Teaching contact hours

A typical module requires a total of 200 hours study. This is made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.

Teaching hours

You can expect 15-18 teaching hours each week.

Guided and Independent study

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You'll be digging deeper into topics, review what you've learnt and complete assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments.

Online learning

As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.

Assessment

You will be assessed on academic language and skills for the International Pre-Master’s Pathway study route through a combination of continuous, formative and final assessments.

The learning outcomes of the modules will be clearly stated. Your work will be marked according to how well you achieve those outcomes.

For the subject-specialist modules, methods include practice assessments, oral presentations, and assessments.

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

On successful completion of your modules, including the subject-specific modules, you will be eligible to progress onto your respective chosen Coventry University or Coventry University London degree listed in the Course overview section subject to meeting progression requirements.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for specific countries can be found on our International Pre-Master’s Pathway page. If your country or region is not specified, please see the How to Apply section.

English language requirements

IELTS 5.0 entry: 5.0 overall (with no component lower than 4.5)
IELTS 5.5 entry: 5.5 overall (with no component lower than 5.0)
IELTS 6.0 entry: 6.0 overall (with no component lower than 5.5)

UKVI or SELT equivalent will be required for IELTS 5.0 entry.

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your study route. For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

We recognise a breadth of qualifications, speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

Fees and funding

2025/26 tuition fees. Fees and course duration are dependent on your IELTS entry level.

Student	Full-time	Part-time
International	IELTS 5.0 \| £16,800 \| 36 academic weeks IELTS 5.5 \| £15,800 \| 30 academic weeks IELTS 6.0 \| £14,800 \| 24 academic weeks IELTS 6.0 Accelerated \| £8,000 \| 12 academic weeks	Not available

For advice and guidance on tuition fees² visit our International fees and funding page and see the university’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

Any optional overseas ﬁeld trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

Facilities

During your International Pre-Master’s Pathway you'll be based at our modern CU Coventry Mile Lane campus¹, located in the heart of the city. You will also have access to the wider facilities and amenities available at Coventry University³.

This includes full membership of Your Students' Union where you will receive access to support and advice as well as societies and events, and access to The Hub, which is the centre of student life at our Coventry campus.

Mile Lane

The campus is home to an on-site library with bookable 1-2-1 academic writing service and library support sessions, fully equipped seminar rooms, open access study areas, café and IT suite. Our labs contain industry-standard equipment, so that you learn using the same equipment as many industry professionals.

Glass modern building with a spire in the background

The Hub

At The Hub you'll find the Health and Wellbeing Centre, the Students’ Union and Square One which provide entertainment from quiz nights to live music, the Spirituality and Faith Centre, Tank Studio, Careers, Enterprise Hub and a fantastic food court.

People walking in front of a building which has a big library sign

Lanchester Library

You will have full reading rights in Coventry University’s Lanchester Library. The library is open 24/7, 364 days a year and has 1,400 study spaces, including group and silent areas. It also currently offers more than 550 computers and an additional 120 free-to-loan laptops.

Our contemporary North Greenwich campus¹ is located in an area of London with a thriving creative community, innovative architecture and an active social scene. While you study here you will be in the heart of the Greenwich Peninsula, close to the O2 arena and a variety of cafés, shops and leisure facilities.

Easily accessible by road, rail and bus and just a 3-minute walk from North Greenwich tube station and the Jubilee line, the only thing stopping you from exploring the city is your own imagination.

Silent study area

You will have access to silent study areas and breakout spaces, perfectly situated to help you concentrate on your studies. These areas are rich in natural light and comfortable seating.

Library and IT space

The library is structured to allow access to both online and offline reading material. Along with open access IT suites, laptops can be rented out and desktops used for ease of accessing course material or other online resources.

A tutor teaching a class in a bright classroom

Modern classrooms

Our fully equipped classrooms are bright and contemporary, fitted with smartboards and interactive teaching capabilities.

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.

Careers and opportunities

If you successfully pass the International Pre-Master’s Pathway - Business Management and reach the required IELTS level, you will have the opportunity to progress onto the relevant postgraduate degree course at Coventry University or Coventry University London (listed in the Course overview section), subject to meeting all progression requirements, including the specified entry criteria.

Degree ready

On successful completion of your modules, including the subject-specific modules (non-accelerated only), you will have had the opportunity to:

Understand approaches to learning in UK universities and expectations in your chosen subject area.
Write an extended piece of academic writing that requires elements of research and follows standard academic conventions.
Express facts, information and ideas with effective grammatical accuracy and accuracy, using an appropriate range of academic and subject specific vocabulary.
Communicate effectively in everyday situations within the university environment and more generally in English-speaking contexts.
Deliver a well-structured presentation on an academic topic.
Participate in seminar discussions on academic topics.
Access academic texts in order to select relevant information.
Differentiate between different academic genres of writing.
Comprehend extended academic listening texts and record relevant information.
Access online materials and demonstrate increased digital literacy.
Organise academic study and manage your time.
Reflect on learning.
Understand, engage with and critically evaluate knowledge relating to global issues.
Apply your knowledge and language skills to a realistic learning opportunity and assessment, at an appropriate academic level.

How to apply

International students

All applications for this course are conducted via our designated agent UCOL (Crizac UK Ltd.).

Apply now

For queries, students can email our agent directly. There are no additional costs to students when using one of our approved agents except if choosing to use any of their additional services.

For advice on using an agent and our commitment to the Agent Quality Framework (AQF) see our About agents page.

For further support for international applicants applying for an undergraduate degree view our International hub.

Get in touch with us today for further advice and guidance.

+44 (0)24 7765 2152

pathway@coventry.ac.uk

Complete our contact form

Course codes

The code for your course is dependent on the location of study and your current IELTS score. See below to select the code you will need to use to apply.

Delivered at CU Coventry (Coventry), with progression onto a degree at Coventry University:
CUCIPM13 (IELTS 5.0)
CUCIPM14 (IELTS 5.5)
CUCIPM15 (IELTS 6.0+)
CUCIPM16 (IELTS 6.0+ Accelerated)

Delivered at CU London (North Greenwich), with progression onto a degree at Coventry University London:
CULGIPM13 (IELTS 5.0)
CULGIPM14 (IELTS 5.5)
CULGIPM15 (IELTS 6.0+)
CULGIPM16 (IELTS 6.0+ Accelerated)

Disclaimers

Coventry University together with Coventry University London, Coventry University Wrocław, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough, and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the University) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.

¹Study location

The International Pre-Master’s Pathway study route will be delivered by CU, part of the Coventry University Group, for and on behalf of Coventry University.

If you choose to study in Coventry for your International Pre-Master’s Pathway, then your learning will be based at CU Coventry. Subject to meeting requirements you will then transition to the relevant Coventry University subject building for your progression degree.
If you choose to study in London for your International Pre-Master’s Pathway, then your learning will be based at CU London (North Greenwich). Subject to meeting requirements you will then transition to Coventry University London in the City of London for your progression degree.

²Tuition fees

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. We may increase fees each year but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

³Facilities

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the University is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.

Student Contract

By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the current 2024/2025 contract is available on the website for information purposes however the 2025/2026 contract will apply for the 2025/2026 intake. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.

Your next steps

Student life

Accommodation

Fees and funding