Today, the world is smaller than ever. For the best companies, being globally oriented has become the new standard. This requires employees to have broad skills and knowledge on the global business climates. To ensure you can match those requirements, the Bachelor’s Programme in International Business provides its graduates with:
Upon graduation from the International Business programme, graduates have a solid foundation of working in a demanding and international business environment around the world.
The Bachelor’s Programme in International Business offered the School of Business at in Mikkeli campus comprises a total of 180 ECTS credits. The three-year programme consists of:
The learning experience is module-based with one course at a time, making the studies interactive, intense and focused:
The nature of studies in the Bachelor’s Programme in International Business is very active and intensive. Studies are divided into three-week modules, maintaining a fast pace and sharp focus, studying one subject at the time. The comprehensive teaching methods include interactive lectures, group work, video presentations and company projects, as well as independent and theoretical academic work. Various teaching methods provide an interesting, challenging and motivating learning environment.
Many business and public sector representatives, including alumni, serve as guest lecturers in the courses. Students take field trips and complete projects for companies in various courses. The cooperation with companies continues outside of the lectures too: on career days, field trips and excursions.
The Bachelor’s Programme in Mikkeli focuses on a single major: International Business. The domain-specific specialisation depends on the courses you choose – however, whether it’s accounting, economics, finance, information systems, management or marketing, the perspective always remains international.
Year 1: Students complete the required core courses, business communications studies and language courses.
Year 2: In addition to some required courses, students get to choose their favourite elective courses, for example:
Students also get an introduction to research methods after which they start writing their Bachelor’s Thesis. The purpose of the Bachelor’s Thesis is to develop students' ability to carry out independent research work in the field of international business. The process is designed to develop skills such as preparing a research plan, including the research problem, questions and objectives. The Capstone Course wraps up the learning into one extensive package as an overview and recap of the two years and is based on a business strategy game.
Year 3: Students study abroad and complete their minor studies during an exchange semester at one of the programme’s many partner universities around the world. Courses can be chosen flexibly based on the student’s interest.
Even though the Mikkeli campus is relatively small, it has always been the beginning in establishing the Mikkeli Spirit. The small campus deepens the tight-knit community and allows for interaction between students, professors and staff.
The Bachelor’s Programme in Mikkeli focuses on a single major: International Business. The domain-specific specialisation depends on the courses you choose – however, whether it’s accounting, economics, finance, information systems, management or marketing, the perspective always remains international.
The Bachelor’s Programme in International Business focuses strongly on businesses operating globally but allows the flexibility to blend in something special. The Programme includes elective courses with elements from other study fields, e.g. Green Ventures from sustainability and entrepreneurship, Digital Disruption from computer science and artificial intelligence, and International Arts Management from arts. On top of that, the 30 ECTS studied abroad can be freely selected to support the student’s own interests
Aalto University is international by nature, and on top of international degree students, the Mikkeli Campus welcomes about 70 exchange students from abroad every year. These students join the diverse Aalto community not only through studies but also via multiple free time events, activities and celebrations around the campus. Programme administrators, active student tutors and student support services help international students integrate into the Nordic culture and feel at home in Finland.
Also, many professors come from abroad. Each year 60-70 professors are recruited from all over the world to teach at the Aalto University Mikkeli Campus. These distinguished and internationally respected instructors are top scholars in their fields and come from some of the most prestigious universities in the world, integrating globally competitive knowledge into teaching and assignments.
One semester, usually the last, is spent abroad at one of the partner universities where students complete the minor subject studies as part of the BScBA degree. The BScBA Programme has more than 50 partner universities around the world. Apart from universities, the Programme has also co-operation with local and international companies, further extending the students’ international opportunities.
After completing the Bachelor studies at Mikkeli Campus, students have an automatic study right to continue at an Aalto University School of Business’ Master’s Programme (usually students choose the field they have focused on in their course selections). The offered Master’s Programmes are:
Once moving to study the Master’s Programme at the Otaniemi Campus, BSc graduates get to enjoy its famous multidisciplinarity. Aalto University is well-known for bridging disciplines of business, arts, technology and science. The lively campus and freedom of choosing elective courses across the University bring students from different fields under one roof. This spontaneous multidisciplinary environment sparks new ideas, gathers enthusiasts around them and gives birth to friendships, networks, and every so often, start-ups.
After Master's, in most fields students can also complete a voluntary Licentiate’s degree before going on to a doctorate. The Aalto University School of Business offers a 4-year doctoral programme in English for graduates with the M.Sc. degree seeking academic careers or high-level positions in business.
Upon graduation, most students choose to take advantage of their automatic study right to a Master's Programme at the Aalto University School of Business at the Otaniemi Campus. However, students are also fully equipped to enter the global job market straight after finishing the Bachelor’s programme. The completed degree offers a vast variety of international career options both in Finland and abroad. The alumni of the programme work internationally in many positions related to their studies as managers, experts, consultants in marketing, finance, trade, technology or as entrepreneurs.
To ease the transfer from school to work life, the programme invites many business and public sector representatives to serve as guest lecturers in courses. Alumni relations are close and act as an important employment channel for Mikkeli Campus graduates.
Aalto University has well-established career services that help you find employment in Finland and abroad. Aalto students tend to find good positions with ease upon graduation. An active entrepreneurship community is also present at Aalto, which can help as a springboard for founding your company. Finally, if an academic career is of interest, any Master’s programme at Aalto is a great foundation for doctoral studies and post-doc positions.
Are you wondering what it is like to study at Aalto University? Or what student life is like at Aalto’s vibrant Otaniemi Campus or at the Mikkeli Unit? Come chat with our students about all things Aalto!
The School of Business conducts high-quality and multidisciplinary business research that deals with socially significant topics. The research priorities have been guided by changes in society and economy that are leading to a service and information society, and our researchers have strong ties to society. The research focuses on, among other things, responsible business, digital business models, financial markets, international business, mathematical models and data-supported decision-making, as well as efficient production and supply chains.
The BScBA Programme maintains cooperative relations with other institutions of higher education in Mikkeli. The Mikkeli University Consortium (MUC) is a networked academic community of Mikkeli-based units of three Finnish universities: the Aalto University School of Business, the University of Helsinki, and LUT University. The BScBA Programme also actively partners with other programmes of the Aalto University.
The BScBA Programme contributes to the regional development in various ways. The purpose of the BScBA Programme’s business and community development activities is to link academic resources with regional business and community resources. Thus, the programme has integrated visiting professors, students and local businesses and organizations into collaborative learning and development projects. In addition, the programme has established ties with business communities elsewhere in Finland.
The collaboration between business students of Mikkeli Campus and Aalto University main campus in Otaniemi is active and maintains close ties with Probba (Mikkeli Campus student association), KY (School of Business student association) and AYY (Aalto University Student Union), making sure that the Aalto spirit stays strong in Mikkeli. When moving to Otaniemi to complete your Master’s Programme, you already have a network of friends and other connections.
In 2022, the Bachelor’s Programme in International Business will offer admission to 84 new students. 43 new students will be admitted in admission group I, 10 new students in admission group II and 29 new students in admission group III. In addition, 2 new students will be admitted as transfer students.
Students accepted to the programme will get a study right to the Master of Science degree in Economics and Business Administration at the Aalto University School of Business after graduating from Mikkeli.
There is a separate Aalto University School of Business admission process for transfer applicants.
Applications for the Bachelor’s Programme in International Business are to be submitted through the joint online application system for Finnish higher education institutions on studyinfo.fi (in Finnish opintopolku.fi).
The schedule for the application process and full admission criteria for 2022 can be found here.
Because English is the language of instruction in the BScBA Programme, it is essential that all participants are prepared to understand rapid, idiomatic English as spoken in lectures and group discussions. Students are also expected to be able to read English with ease and to express their thoughts clearly in spoken and written English.
The application period for studies starting in fall 2022 (admission groups I-III) is from January 5 to January 19, 2022. The application period for transfer students is from May 2 to May 16, 2022.
Here are the most important dates to remember (admission groups I-III):
If you have questions concerning applying to the programme, you can contact us also through WhatsApp.
You can also check our most frequently asked questions. They are about applying, studies, accommodation and student life in general.
Feeling lost in the application process? Too many questions to ask? Don’t worry, you can contact us also through WhatsApp.
The Bachelor's Program in International Business has a WhatsApp service for anyone who is interested in applying to our programme in Mikkeli, Finland. You can ask anything concerning our application process or studying in the program.
This page includes answers to the questions that the Bachelor's Programme in International Business receives regularly. If you are unable to find answers to your questions, please contact us through email [email protected], call +358 50 438 9837 or WhatsApp +358 50 328 3933.
Aalto University School of Business
Bachelor's Programme in International Business
Mikkeli Campus
Lönnrotinkatu 5
50100 Mikkeli, Finland
Tel:+358(0)50 4389837
Email for admission issues: [email protected]
Here you can find inspiring stories from our students, alumni, faculty and staff.
Elli Jauhiainen, a second-year student of the Bachelor's Program in International Business says the best thing about the program is the opportunity to learn how to work in a multicultural environment: “It is fascinating to get to know the etiquette and customs of other business cultures.”
Johan Salim, a second-year student of the Bachelor's Program in International Business, appreciates the important skills he has learned during his studies: “You will be equipped with all the tools you need to head out and build the career of your dreams.”
Studying in the Bachelor's Program in International Business gives Nikolai Andriakov the quantitative skills needed in business life: “As a technical-oriented person, I really want to gain these skills and there are many courses that help to build a solid knowledge in quantitative disciplines.”
Studying in the Bachelor's Program in International Business has made Ni Nguyen more confident: “Public speaking used to be my biggest fear but now, the shaking voice and tensed facial muscles during presentations have vanished.”
Veikka Partanen, a 2nd year student of the Bachelor's Program in International Business and a part-time entrepreneur, has learned how to balance between school and his business: “My time in Mikkeli has taught me that anything is possible if you have the passion for it.”
For Kaisar Bilal, a 2nd year student, studying in the Bachelor's Program in International Business has been an eye-opening experience: "Mikkeli community has taught me that studying is indeed fun and manageable."
Osama Hamoud, a 3rd year student of the Bachelor's Program in International Business never thought he could stay away from home for too long: “Despite being thousands of kilometres away from Cairo, Mikkeli still feels like home thanks to our amazing community.”
The career path of Satu Srömberg, School of Business, Mikkeli Campus alumna, has not followed the obvious route of an Economics student: ’I want to encourage you to find your own path. Find your own strengths and follow your passion. Learning is a lifelong path and you only know where it takes, when you take one step after another.”
Unlike most of her fellow students, School of Business, Mikkeli Campus alumna Tuuli Hakkarainen chose an academic career path. She defended her dissertation in December 2020, and in her doctoral thesis she examined expertise sharing within multinational corporations.
School of Business, Mikkeli Campus alumna Elina Lamponen gives current students a valuable piece of advice regarding working during studies: “Try to get a job at a smaller company. The company might not seem as prestigious as bigger companies, but the duties are usually more varied, and you get to see and do more and get responsibility early on.”
The Bachelor’s Program in International Business is not only an exceptional business education opportunity, some even find their significant other there. Our alumni Mia Hoang and Juhana Polso started a life together while studying in the program, and after Mikkeli they both combined studies of business and technology in the University of Nebraska.
School of Business, Mikkeli Campus alumnus Niko Marjomaa found a way to combine the fields of business and security: “Through my experiences I saw the opportunities to think about security little bit differently than the majority in the industry.”
Finbarr Bradley, an Adjunct Professor from the University College Dublin, Ireland, takes a fascinating and unique approach to teaching green entrepreneurship. His warm and witty personality intertwined with his eminent knowledge and passion on sustainability inspires students to examine how they can make a meaningful difference and live authentic flourishing lives both in the global and local business environment.
Beryl Pittman, Senior Lecturer at the Department of English in North Carolina State University, regards teaching in the BScBA Program as the #1 highlight of her career. In addition to her teaching work at our Mikkeli Campus and her home university, Pittman has been heavily involved with entrepreneurship at NC State, presenting at conferences, and teaching with global initiative programs at NC State.
Professor of Marketing, Paurav Shukla is the Head of Digital & Data-Driven Marketing department at the Southampton Business School, University of Southampton, UK. He possesses a wide range of industry and academic experience, and has been delivering corporate training, teaching and consulting assignments for various organizations in the Europe, Asia and North Africa. Shukla has taught students representing more than 60 nationalities.
David Volkman, professor of Investment Science and Portfolio Management at the University of Nebraska Omaha, teaches Principles of Finance course to BScBA students. Volkman has a PhD in Finance, and has received several teaching, service, and research awards.
Dale Fodness, a professor from the University of Dallas has been teaching at the Mikkeli Campus now for 29 years. He has a Ph.D. in Marketing and in recent years, he has also worked as a strategy consultant in the private sector.
Director of the Bachelor’s Program in International Business, Joan Lofgren, enjoys the opportunities Aalto University has offered for developing professionally since she started leading the program at the Mikkeli Campus in fall 2009.
‘Mikkeli Spirit glues the whole group together.’
‘Mikkeli Spirit is in all of us.’
