MONARCH BUSINESS SCHOOLRESEARCH MASTER’S STUDY
Your expertise · Your confidence · Your next step
MA in
Business Research
Build your expertise.
Earn your master’s. Take your next step.
Develop the confidence to investigate business challenges, evaluate evidence and present ideas that stand up to scrutiny.
Fully online study with individual faculty guidance—for graduates and professionals ready to take their learning further.
MONARCH BUSINESS SCHOOLRESEARCH MASTER’S STUDY
Applied research with purpose
Build confidence.
Make your ideas count.
Whether you are building on a bachelor’s degree or years of professional experience, the MA in Business Research offers the opportunity to develop your expertise and achieve a master’s qualification through a question that matters to you.
With faculty guidance, develop a focused business or management research project. Learn to look beyond assumptions, evaluate information critically and explain your conclusions with confidence.
Investigate questions that matter to you
Turn an organisational challenge into a clear research question and a coherent study with practical relevance.
Build stronger arguments
Evaluate evidence and develop reasoned insights that can inform leadership, strategy and organisational improvement.
Communicate with greater confidence
Produce clear, well-documented reports and present findings to academic and professional audiences. Learn to research responsibly, respecting participants and confidentiality.
A qualification with value in its own right.
Strengthen your research skills, professional credibility and ability to support decisions with evidence. Doctoral study is an option for your future—not the only reason to pursue the MA.
MONARCH BUSINESS SCHOOLRESEARCH MASTER’S STUDY
Plan your studies
Programme facts
The MA combines supervised research with the flexibility of online, part-time study. Compare the pathways below and discuss the option that fits your professional and personal commitments with Admissions.
| Institution | Monarch Switzerland |
|---|---|
| Department | Monarch Business School |
| Award | Master of Arts (MA) in Business Research |
| Embedded award | Licentiate in Research (Lic.Res.), following successful thesis presentation and defence |
| Study mode | Fully online |
| Study format | Part-time, asynchronous study with faculty supervision |
| Standard duration | 24 months |
| Extended pathway | 48 months |
| Designed for | Graduates, professionals and aspiring researchers |
| Residency | No relocation required |
| Language | English |
| Institution location | Switzerland |
Plan your pace.
Duration is not a guarantee of completion or a tuition cap. Progress depends on research development and fulfilment of academic requirements. Current tuition and continuation arrangements apply during active registration.
MONARCH BUSINESS SCHOOLRESEARCH MASTER’S STUDY
Your research journey
From your first question
to a completed project.
You do not need a completed proposal to begin the conversation. Develop your formal research proposal within the programme with faculty guidance, then work through clear stages towards your thesis and its defence.
01 · Prepare — build foundations
Study research philosophy, management theory and research design. Learn to define a manageable question within an organisational context.
02 · Propose — design your study
Work with faculty to define your question, methods and ethical considerations. Faculty approval of the formal proposal precedes supervised research.
03 · Research — develop your thesis
Conduct your approved study, analyse evidence and connect findings with management theory and practice. Successful submission and approval of the thesis lead to the MA award, subject to programme requirements.
04 · Defend — present your findings
Following written approval, present and defend your thesis before an academic committee. Successful defence leads to the Licentiate in Research.
Individual faculty guidance, feedback and structured milestones support your progress. Topic, scope and methods are refined for master’s-level study and available supervisory expertise.
MONARCH BUSINESS SCHOOLRESEARCH MASTER’S STUDY
Recognition of your achievement
Two awards.
A foundation for your future.
The MA and the embedded Licentiate in Research recognise distinct achievements within your research journey.
Master of Arts (MA) in Business Research
Earn the MA through successful submission and approval of your thesis, subject to programme requirements. It recognises your ability to plan, conduct and communicate a master’s-level research study.
Licentiate in Research (Lic.Res.)
Earn the embedded Lic.Res. after successfully presenting and defending your thesis before an academic committee. It recognises your ability to explain your choices, support your conclusions and discuss the implications of your work.
A pathway to applied doctoral study.
Graduates who successfully complete the Lic.Res. are eligible to enter Year 2 of Monarch’s Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) or Doctor of Leadership (DOL), subject to administrative approval.
The MA may also be completed as a stand-alone professional research qualification. Admission or recognition at other institutions is subject to their own requirements.
What could your MA thesis explore?
Illustrative topics for a focused master’s-level study:
- Leadership: How managers support trust within one hybrid-working team.
- Entrepreneurship: Barriers to digital adoption among a defined group of small businesses.
- Sustainability: How one organisation translates sustainability goals into purchasing decisions.
- Marketing: Factors influencing repeat purchases in a selected service business.
- Coaching: How newly appointed managers experience coaching during their transition into leadership.
- Finance: Cash-flow planning practices among small businesses in a defined sector.
- Business ethics: How employees interpret and apply an organisation’s code of ethics.
- Applied neuroscience in management: A critical review of evidence on attention and decision-making in workplace settings.
Develop your question, scope and methods with faculty. Topics are subject to approval, data access and ethical requirements.
MONARCH BUSINESS SCHOOLRESEARCH MASTER’S STUDY
Take your next step
Bring your curiosity.
Build on your potential.
Who can apply?
Applicants normally hold a recognised bachelor’s degree in business, management or a related field. Candidates from other disciplines with strong analytical or problem-solving ability are also considered. Professional experience is valued but is not mandatory.
Individual assessment
The Admissions Committee reviews qualifications, research potential and experience, and may request an interview or supporting documents. Successful applicants are assigned faculty supervision. Rolling admissions allow starts on the first day of each month, subject to admission.
Study alongside your commitments
Study remotely and asynchronously, balancing independent research with your professional and personal responsibilities. No relocation is required. Optional workshops in Switzerland offer opportunities to engage with Monarch’s research community.
Tuition and planning
The standard pathway is 24 months; the extended pathway is 48 months. Completion depends on academic progress. Current tuition, payment and continuation arrangements apply during active registration—confirm the applicable conditions with Admissions before enrolling.
MONARCH BUSINESS SCHOOLRESEARCH MASTER’S STUDY
Meet our faculty
Academic insight.
Professional experience.
Meet three members of Monarch’s faculty whose scholarship and professional experience connect research with the realities of organisational life.
Dr. Donald York
Professor of Leadership Studies · Dean of Student Development
Dr. York supervises and reviews research at master’s and doctoral level. He holds a D.Phil. and M.Phil. in Business Research with distinction from Monarch, an MA in Counselling & Spirituality from St-Paul University, and a BA in Behavioural Neuropsychology from McGill University, where he also completed a Graduate Diploma in Leadership. His interests span leadership, organisational culture and group dynamics. His experience in critical care and healthcare instruction connects his academic work with demanding professional environments.
Full faculty biography →
Dr. Jeffrey Henderson
Professor of Business Ethics · Dean of the School
Dr. Henderson combines academic leadership with senior management experience at Bentall Capital, Brookfield Properties, Kolter Properties, Reichmann International and KPMG Canada LLP, where he was Vice-President in Finance, Insurance and Real Estate consulting. He has taught at Grenoble Graduate School of Business and McGill University. He holds doctorates in Business Research and Political Economy, and an MBA from Nijenrode University. His interests include corporate social responsibility, real estate development and Austrian economics.
Full faculty biography →
Dr. Louise Delaney
Professor of Leadership
Dr. Delaney holds a dual PhD in Business Research / Doctorate in Leadership and an M.Phil. in Business Research from Monarch, together with an MSc in Innovation and Technology Management from Dublin Institute of Technology. Her research examines leadership, innovation culture and organisational performance. More than twenty years in leadership roles with U.S. technology multinationals in Ireland—including developing sales and operations teams across EMEA and North America—inform her connection between academic inquiry and professional practice.
Full faculty biography →MONARCH BUSINESS SCHOOLRESEARCH MASTER’S STUDY
Monarch Business School
Your next achievement
starts with a question.
Make it the foundation of your master’s.
Tell us what you want to explore—and where you want your next qualification to take you.