MSc Business Strategy, Leadership and Change
Heriot-Watt University Malaysia · Putrajaya, Malaysia
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
The MSc Business Strategy, Leadership and Change at Heriot-Watt University Malaysia is designed to help you build knowledge and understanding of formulating and monitoring business strategies, developing change programmes, and analysing how leadership styles influence outcomes in different contexts.
The programme has core courses in strategy and research, optional strategy-oriented modules, and it is completed by a strategy dissertation, giving you an applied and multidisciplinary approach to business strategy, strategic change, leadership, and business economics.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Competitive Strategy
- Strategic Innovation Management
- Leadership
- Strategic Change
- Research Philosophy and Practice
- Project Management (optional)
- Quality Management (optional)
- Business Economics (optional)
- Strategy Dissertation
Curriculum
Credit hours total for the MSc Business Strategy, Leadership and Change programme is 45 credit hours.
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | credit hours | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Mandatory courses | Competitive Strategy | 5 | 30 |
| Strategic Innovation Management | 5 | |||
| Leadership | 5 | |||
| Strategic Change | 5 | |||
| Research Philosophy and Practice | 10 | |||
| Semester 2 | Optional courses and dissertation | Project Management (optional) | 5 | 15 |
| Quality Management (optional) | 5 | |||
| Business Economics (optional) | 5 | |||
| Strategy Dissertation | 0 | |||
| Total | All taught modules and dissertation for the MSc Business Strategy, Leadership and Change | 45 credit hours | ||
Career outcomes
- You gain strategy-focused knowledge in formulating and monitoring business strategies, helping you position for roles in strategy consulting and internal corporate strategy teams.
- You build practical change and leadership capability, preparing you for leadership and change-management responsibilities in organizations across industries.
- You develop demand planning and quality-management thinking (via the programme’s business/economics and quality-oriented learning), supporting career paths in operations and performance improvement roles.
- You strengthen research and analysis skills through Research Philosophy and Practice and a final Strategy Dissertation, giving you credible evidence for managerial decision-making and strategy work.
- You can customise your learning with optional modules in Project Management, Quality Management, or Business Economics to match your target career direction and strengths.
- This MSc is designed for senior and middle managers, high-potential junior managers, entrepreneurs, and directors of SMEs, so you graduate with skills aligned to real organisational leadership needs.
Employability rate
MSc Business Strategy, Leadership and Change graduates in Malaysia typically see an employability rate of around 78% and an unemployment rate of about 22%, reflecting steady hiring for strategy, consulting, and change-focused roles.
Together, these figures point to a reasonably stable outlook, especially when you target managerial, consulting, and organisational change positions aligned with your dissertation and elective choices.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree (relevant field preferred) | International applicants must hold a relevant first or second class Honours degree (or equivalent qualification recognised by the Malaysian Government and acceptable to the University). |
Module matching by study area
| Study area | Match possible? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Business & Management | Direct match | The MSc focuses on business strategy, leadership, and strategic change, including modules such as Competitive Strategy, Strategic Change, Leadership, Strategic Innovation Management, and Strategic Innovation Management topics plus a dissertation. |
Language requirements
As the MSc Business Strategy, Leadership and Change is taught and assessed in English, international applicants must prove their English language ability as part of the application process. You can meet the requirement through an accepted English language test or an approved English-taught qualification pathway.
IELTS Academic
PTE Academic
TOEFL iBT
MOI (Medium of Instruction)
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | MYR 63875.6 / total program | Total tuition fee for international students shown on the programme fees table for MSc Business Strategy, Leadership and Change. |
Proof of financial resources
International applicants must be able to finance tuition fees and living costs for the duration of their studies. Heriot-Watt University Malaysia and the Malaysian student pass process may require evidence of your ability to pay, so prepare your financial documents early.
- Evidence of funds to cover tuition fees for the programme (as published by the University for international students).
- Evidence of additional funds for living costs for your studies, following Malaysian student pass guidance as applicable.
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | January - Winter intake | September - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application portal opens | October 01, 2025 | July 01, 2026 |
| Application deadline (final submit) | December 01, 2025 | August 03, 2026 |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | November 01, 2025 | N/A |
| Semester begins | January 10, 2026 | September 12, 2026 |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | January - Winter intake | September - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| VPD request - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| VPD result expected | N/A | N/A |
| APS - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| Start eligibility check | N/A | N/A |
Document submission deadlines
| Milestone | January - Winter intake | September - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Language certificate deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Official transcripts deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Certified translations deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Postal / hard-copy documents deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Missing documents (if requested) | N/A | N/A |
📝 How to Apply
Create an online application and prepare your supporting documents
Use the University’s official online application form to submit your application for the MSc Business Strategy, Leadership and Change during the published intake window. You will need to upload supporting documents including proof of English language proficiency and original or certified copies of academic transcripts. Make sure your documents match the eligibility criteria for international applicants before you submit.
Pay the application processing fee and submit
After you complete the form, pay the required application processing fee so the admissions team can process your application. The University states that it cannot process your application without this fee and that it is not refundable. Submit all required uploads in your My Account area (as indicated during the application) before the application deadline for your intake.
Respond to your offer and complete any conditions
Once reviewed, you will receive an offer decision that may be unconditional or conditional. If you receive a conditional offer, you will be required to submit additional supporting documents before final acceptance. Follow the instructions in your offer email and ensure you meet any stated response deadlines to avoid delays.
Prepare for Malaysian student pass requirements after acceptance
After you are accepted, follow the next steps for Malaysia student pass processing as guided by the University and the Malaysia immigration workflow. Heriot-Watt University Malaysia publishes a visa application fee and outlines that this is a mandatory charge for processing and assessment. Keep your passport and financial evidence ready, as you may need to provide supporting documents during the visa/student pass process.