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. The MA in Business Research combines individual faculty guidance with fully online study—helping you strengthen your professional contribution and prepare for further study, if that is your ambition.
Program Facts
The Master of Arts (MA) in Business Research at Monarch Switzerland is a fully online, part-time research master’s programme offered through Monarch Business School, with a standard duration of 24 months. Designed for professionals and aspiring researchers, it enables advanced research study alongside a career without the need to relocate.
- Institution
- Monarch Switzerland
- Department
- Monarch Business School
- Award
- Master of Arts (MA) in Business Research
- Study Mode
- Fully Online
- Standard Duration
- 24 Months
- Study Format
- Part-Time
- Designed For
- Professionals and Aspiring Researchers
- Residency
- No Relocation Required
- Language
- English
- Institution Location
- Switzerland
An extended-duration pathway is available. Completion depends on research progress and fulfilment of the programme’s academic requirements.
Build confidence.
Strengthen your professional contribution.
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.
Learn to look beyond assumptions, evaluate information critically and explain your conclusions with confidence. With faculty guidance, you will develop and complete a focused research project relevant to business or management—building skills you can bring to analysis, consulting, organisational improvement or further study.
A stand-alone research qualification.
A foundation for applied doctoral study.
Earn a qualification with value in its own right. The MA helps graduates and working professionals strengthen their 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 degree.
The programme also includes the Licentiate in Research (Lic.Res.), awarded following successful presentation and defence of your thesis. The two awards recognise distinct achievements, explained below.
Develop skills you can use.
Build confidence in your ideas.
Investigate questions that matter to you
Translate practical management challenges into clear research questions and coherent studies linking academic rigour with professional relevance.
Build stronger arguments
Critically examine organisational issues, evaluate evidence and develop reasoned insights for leadership, strategy and improvement.
Understand organisations more deeply
Explore how people experience organisational life, and learn to interpret their perspectives alongside other evidence to develop a fuller understanding of management challenges.
Communicate with greater confidence
Produce clear, well-documented research reports, briefs and arguments for academic and professional audiences.
Research responsibly
Respect participants, confidentiality and organisational contexts, while reflecting on the implications of findings for stakeholders.
Bring evidence into practice
Apply research insights to managerial decision-making, organisational learning and reflective professional development.
Prepare for further study
If a doctorate is part of your ambition, build the research and writing skills to take that next step, subject to the relevant progression and admission requirements.
From your first question
to a completed research project.
You do not need a completed research proposal to begin the conversation. Develop your formal proposal within the programme with faculty guidance, then work through clear stages towards your thesis and its defence. Progress depends on meeting the academic requirements of each stage.
Build foundations
Study research philosophy, management theory and applied research design. Develop a clear understanding of organisational context and problem formulation.
Design the inquiry
Work with faculty to develop your formal research proposal, defining your question, methods and ethical considerations. Faculty approval precedes supervised research.
Develop the thesis
Conduct the approved study, analyse evidence and integrate findings with management theory and practice. Submission and approval of the thesis lead to the MA award, subject to requirements.
Present your findings
Following written thesis approval, present and defend the work before an academic committee. Successful defence leads to the Licentiate in Research.
Two awards.
Clear recognition of your achievement.
Master of Arts (MA)
Earn the MA in Business Research through successful submission and approval of your thesis, subject to the programme’s requirements. This 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. This recognises your ability to explain your research 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.
A meaningful challenge.
Support at every stage.
Applied orientation
Transform managerial and organisational problems into structured studies that connect theory with professional practice.
Individual mentorship
Receive individual faculty guidance and feedback as you refine your question, choose research methods and develop your written work.
Flexible professional format
Study remotely and asynchronously with structured milestones, balancing independent research and professional commitments.
Research interests
Bring a relevant organisational or management question. Topic, scope and methods are refined with faculty for master’s-level study and supervisory fit.
Defence experience
Build confidence in presenting findings, justifying methodological choices and engaging in academic dialogue.
Research community
Participate in Monarch’s research culture, with optional access to periodic doctoral workshops in Switzerland.
No relocation is required. Study is fully remote, while optional workshops provide additional opportunities for scholarly exchange and research support.
Bring your curiosity.
Build on your potential.
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 capability are also considered.
- Professional experience is not mandatory, although relevant managerial or professional backgrounds are valued.
- The Admissions Committee reviews academic qualifications, research potential and experience, and may request an interview or supplementary documentation.
- Successful applicants enter as MA Candidates in Business Research and are assigned faculty supervision.
- Admissions are rolling, with programme starts on the first day of each month, subject to admission.
Who should apply?
Graduates ready to develop their expertise; managers, consultants, analysts and educators seeking stronger research skills; and aspiring researchers considering future doctoral study. Extensive professional experience is not required.
Choose a pace that fits your commitments.
Standard pathway
The standard duration is 24 months of part-time study, with progress dependent on research development and academic requirements.
Extended pathway
The 48-month pathway offers a longer schedule for candidates balancing research with professional and personal responsibilities.
Duration is not a guarantee of completion or a tuition cap. Current tuition, payment and continuation arrangements apply during active registration. Confirm the applicable conditions with Admissions before enrolling.
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.