International Business, Bachelor (BScBA, Mikkeli) and Master of Science (Otaniemi) in Economics and Business Administration (3 + 2 yrs)

Description

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:

• International competence. Graduates have an extensive understanding of the international business world and strong skills in cross-cultural teamwork, communications and languages to navigate within it successfully.
• Business knowledge. Graduates possess broad know-how about core elements of business such as accounting, economics, finance, information systems, management and marketing.
• Problem-solving toolbox. Graduates are well-prepared for answering both tactical and strategic challenges, thanks to their high capacity for independent, scientific and analytical thinking.
• Leadership and communications skills. Graduates possess excellent social and presentation skills to move their teams forward as an appointed team leader as well as a team member.
• Versatile project management and teamwork skills. Graduates can lead projects from initiation and planning to prioritisation and execution – within the given time and expectations.
• Helpful network. Graduates form long-lasting relationships and memories with local and foreign fellow students, professors and cooperating companies.

Upon graduation from the International Business programme, graduates have a solid foundation of working in a demanding and international business environment around the world.

Structure of studies

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:

• Fundamentals of Business Knowledge (57 ECTS)
• International business major (54 ECTS), including:
  Methodological studies (12 cr) and
  Bachelor's thesis and seminar (12 cr)
• Minor studies, completed abroad (30 ECTS)
• Language and communication studies (21 ECTS)
• Elective studies (18 ECTS)

The learning experience is module-based with one course at a time, making the studies interactive, intense and focused:

• The academic year consists of courses organised in 15 three-week modules, also during the summer
• 1 course = 3 weeks, studying one subject at the time
• In most modules, students earn 6 ECTS credits
• Classes are scheduled for three hours a day, five days a week, for 45 contact hours including examinations
• Requires active participation and attendance

Content of studies

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:

• Brand Management
• Corporate Finance
• Global Game Industry
• Green Ventures
• International Arts Management
• Social Media Analytics
• Tools for Data Analysis

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.

Specialisations

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

Internationalisation

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.

Further study 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:

• Accounting
• Business Analytics
• Creative Sustainability
• Economics
• Finance
• Global Management
• Information and Service Management
• International Design Business Management
• Marketing
• People Management and Organizational Development
• Strategic Management in a Changing World
• Yritysjuridiikka (Business Law, offered only in Finnish)

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.

Career opportunities

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.

Focus areas of research

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.

Co-operation with other parties

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.

Programme-specific admission requirements

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.

About application process

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.

Language requirements

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.

Admission dates

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):

• 5 Jan 2022 – Application period begins, the online application system opens
• 19 Jan 2022 – Application period ends, the online application system closes
• 3 Jun 2022 – Admission results are published
• 15 Jul 2022 – Deadline for accepting the offered study place

Contact information

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]