Alix Crichton has always been fascinated by culture. He was born in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. At 18, she traveled to Malta to develop her English skills and work experience. At 21, she went to Malaysia to continue her undergraduate studies. Every step of her journey continued to broaden her horizons.
“The Malaysian outlook on life and work is completely different from the attitude in Europe,” he says. “It opened my eyes to global issues and challenges that I hadn't considered before.” This eventually led her to specialize in international business. “Northeastern University's MS in International Management program fits my needs perfectly, especially with its emphasis on applying theoretical business strategy to real-world consulting situations,” he says.
The D'Amore-McKim School of Business' MS in International Management core curriculum develops the knowledge of future-focused business leaders through cultural flexibility, international management skills, and a nuanced understanding of global business issues and supply chains.
You can customize your program by choosing from over 65 graduate electives tailored to match the career path that most excites you. The D'Amore-McKim faculty's particular focus on the technology economy ensures that you will enter the workplace ready to meet challenges and provide creative solutions in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.
In just 12 to 16 months of full-time study, you'll master the art of leading on a global scale.
“As part of your master's degree, you will invest in your personal strategy,” explains Executive Professor Julia Ivey.
“You'll write a case study that fits your multidimensional core and use challenge-focused, trust-based storytelling as you create value with design thinking. Finally, you will deliver your case to excite the industry with proven core, trust and value. This program is designed to be a transformative experience, and I love seeing students benefit as they follow our process.”
Its emphasis on the application of theoretical business strategy to real consulting cases contributes primarily to these transformations. By choosing Northeastern's MS in International Management, Crichton was automatically eligible to participate in the “Make Your Case” consulting project—an opportunity for students to tackle real business issues facing a company that aligns with their career aspirations.
For her, entering industry as a student meant working with Solomon Mensah, a biomedical engineering Ph.D. candidate in the Northeast. Established Therapeutic Innovation, a company that provides cutting-edge medical care to children around the world. His goal was to better equip hospitals in his home country of Ghana with a device that would help grow the lungs of premature babies. However, to commercialize his innovation, he needed a strong business strategy.
Photo by Adam Glanzman for Northeastern University
Solomon's story resonated with Crichton. It inspired her to work on one case study for his company as part of her thesis.
He conducted extensive research to imbibe the political, economic and cultural situation of Ghana. To supplement her findings, she spent hours interviewing Solomon about the company's history and long-term business goals. By analyzing the market, the industry and the company, he identified the company's strengths, weaknesses and an effective product development strategy.
Crichton identified an opportunity to gain a first-mover advantage, which favors a company's exposure to an existing market. To capitalize on this, he advised the business to partner with local stakeholders and connect through social media, professional networks and face-to-face meetings to share long-term business goals alongside their overall vision.
“It was a great learning experience because one day, I would like to have my own company that operates internationally,” says Crichton. “I now have a deeper understanding of the challenges facing an entrepreneur in the global marketplace.”
Experiences like this are common at D'Amore-McKim. Crichton's classmate Hannah Cheney did her Make Your Case consulting project helping the nonprofit American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad (AYUDA). As part of a team, Cheney worked identify a new market to advance its mission to help children and their families living with diabetes.
In her quest to globalize her fire detection and alarm system products within a year, Stephanie Manna, who graduated with her Masters in International Management in 2020, assisted Magnolia Fernandez, CEO of Cofem.
With more than 3,350 corporate partners worldwide, Northeastern students benefit from experientially fueled learning opportunities where the classroom is integrated with the real world. They participate through professional work, research and service. They learn how to transform ideas into impact and become global citizens with successful careers. In addition to “Make Your Case,” other D'Amore-McKim features include the 360 Huntington Fund, the student-led mutual fund. IDEA, the university's business accelerator. and a series of international field study trips.
To begin your experiential journey to becoming a global business leader, click here to apply to the D'Amore-McKim School of Business today.
Follow Northeastern University's D'Amore-McKim School of Business Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitterand YouTube
