Study Guide

Descriptions

PROFILE OF THE PROGRAMME

The Digital Business Degree Program leads to a Bachelor of Business Administration degree (BBA) consisting of 210 credits and a study duration of 3.5 years. The program's goal is for students to master the different areas of digital business, understand their significance, apply their knowledge to practical tasks, and evaluate and develop organizational business operations from the perspective of data, technology, and digital channels.

During the basic studies phase, students learn the fundamentals of business both theoretically and practically, including the distinctive features of digital business.

In the professional studies phase, students deepen their expertise, particularly in three key areas of digital business: data analytics, digital marketing, and knowledge management.

OCCUPATIONAL PROFILES

In the Digital Business Degree Program, students achieve broad and in-depth skills that combine knowledge, skills, and attitudes. These competencies enable successful performance in both domestic and international environments, with a specific focus on the requirements and opportunities of digital business.

General competencies are shared across degree programs but may vary in their characteristics and importance depending on the profession or role. These competencies form the foundation for working life, collaboration, and the development of expertise. The general competencies are outlined based on the recommendations of Arene (the Rectors' Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences) as follows: learning to learn, ethics, working life skills, proactive development, internationalization and multiculturalism, and sustainable development. In addition to these, Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences (SeAMK) emphasizes entrepreneurship competence as a shared skill in its degree education.

Program-specific competencies form the foundation for the development of students' professional expertise:

1. Extensive business skills (entrepreneurial skills, work community skills, learning skills))

Bachelor of Business Administration
- identifies and describes the core processes of a company and understands the interplay between various business areas
- comprehends the interaction between a company’s operations and its business environment and adopts an entrepreneurial and entrepreneurial mindset
- understands the principles of profitable business operations and can analyze business performance and risks
- recognizes the impact of individuals on workplace dynamics and performs effectively
- understands the significance of communication and actively builds relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including in a global business environment


2. In-depth business skills (learning skills, internationalization skills, entrepreneurship skills)

A Bachelor of Business Administration possesses in-depth expertise in business areas aligned with their personal study plan (e.g., marketing, financial management, leadership and business development, digital business, international business).

3. Methodological competence in business administration (innovation competence, ethical competence)

Bachelor of Business Administration
- masters the basics of research and development activities required to acquire and adopt deep digital business expertise, considering ethical aspects
- applies financial mathematics and statistical methods using relevant information systems
- demonstrates sufficient skills in applying qualitative and quantitative research methods

4. Applied competence in business administration (innovation competence, quality management competence, work community competence)

Bachelor of Business Administration
- applies business theories and engages in creative problem-solving in internships, project studies, and thesis work
- integrates the latest business knowledge into workplace operations
- develops business processes and incorporates quality thinking
- is familiar with leveraging data analytics and digital systems for business development


Advanced expertise in digital business can be further described as follows:

A digital business specialist analyzes SMEs' business from a digitalization perspective. They procure and customize IT systems to enhance business efficiency. They possess basic programming skills with the capacity to further develop these. They are equipped to work in various IT management roles.
Proficient in leveraging data analytics and digital systems for business development, mastering BI tools, and understanding their role in decision-making. They recognize the importance of measuring digital marketing performance and use measurement tools effectively. They analyze data and apply it to business development.

As a digital marketing expert, they design and implement functional web services and associated graphics. They master key areas of digital marketing, such as search engine optimization, social media marketing, and email marketing. They utilize various digital marketing channels and tools while enhancing customer experiences in digital environments.

As a knowledge management expert, they are familiar with software project methodologies and lifecycle concepts. They understand the fundamentals of knowledge management and tools for enterprise architecture modeling. They comprehend how data-driven management supports business and organizational development and can lead and develop IT projects efficiently.

The degree program also includes methodology studies that provide basic skills in research and development work, internships that apply theory to practice, and a thesis, typically completed as a commission for companies or other organizations. The connection between students and working life is strengthened through internships, thesis work, company projects, and comprehensive career guidance.

Students have numerous opportunities to build international expertise, gain experience, and develop intercultural understanding during their studies. These include courses on international and intercultural topics, as well as opportunities to improve language skills. The extensive language program offers studies in Swedish, English, German, French, Spanish, Russian, and Finnish as a foreign language.

Study and internship exchange periods abroad provide experiential learning in international competencies. Students can also pursue a double degree, earning diplomas from both SeAMK and an international partner university. Incorporating international elements into studies equips graduates for increasingly multicultural and global working environments.

In addition to international mobility periods, the program includes opportunities for "internationalization at home," offering experiences and learning about internationalization on the SeAMK campus. International conferences and seminars bring global interaction and networking opportunities to the campus. These events allow students to experience diverse forms of internationalization and strengthen their knowledge. Acting as tutors for international students provides informal, enjoyable international experiences and learning opportunities.

Sustainable development in the program emphasizes ethics and all dimensions of sustainability. The goal is to help students recognize societal responsibility and understand the multidimensional significance of sustainable development as a workplace skill. All students are offered the opportunity to participate in an elective course on sustainable development.

PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH

The learning approach in the Digital Business Degree Program follows the SeAMK strategy in effect at the time. Learning focuses on developing applied expertise, producing knowledge from reliable sources based on research, practical contexts, and theoretical foundations. Competence can be demonstrated in various ways, with assessments based on competency-oriented criteria.

The learning process considers the student's prior knowledge and interpretations, helping them connect new learning to their existing knowledge and experiences (socio-constructivism). This perspective emphasizes social interaction and the importance of authentic tasks and environments in constructing knowledge. It also prioritizes developing students' understanding of their learning skills and self-assessment abilities (metacognitive skills). Students build their knowing (theoretical knowledge), doing (practical knowledge), and being (identity work) through reflection. Learning methods support students in recognizing the interconnections among these three areas.

Connectivism, which is based on socio-constructivist learning, utilizes online environments for learning. It emphasizes continuous information updating and awareness that reality and knowledge are constantly evolving.

Students can begin internships alongside their work as early as the first year, either within their own organization or another organization or company. Analytical and reflective assignments are completed before, during, and after the internship. In the fourth year, students complete their thesis as a commissioned project.

Learning tasks supporting integration include learning diaries, portfolios, self-assessments, and peer evaluations within groups.

Based on their personal study plans, students can participate in company collaboration projects or business incubators, developing their own business ideas.

Development

Curriculum development is an ongoing process that takes into account the competence needs to be expressed by companies and other actors in the region, the feedback provided by students and graduates, and national development work in the field of education. Curriculum development meetings are organized with representatives of working life, the so-called round table meetings. The main sources of information in the development of the curriculum are the results of completed follow-up research, forecasting information on technological development and the operating environment, as well as our own RDI activities and their results.

Objective

A graduate of the Digital Business Degree Program has a comprehensive understanding of business operations and processes, with a particular emphasis on leveraging digital tools and technologies to enhance efficiency and drive innovation. They are proactive and possess excellent teamwork, communication, and collaboration skills, both in physical and digital environments.
They are proficient in searching for, analyzing, and interpreting information needed in business contexts, utilizing digital systems and analytics tools. They can apply their theoretical knowledge in practice, particularly in developing and transforming business operations through digital solutions and platforms.
They communicate professionally, with a strong focus on digital communication and tools for global collaboration.
They are equipped to work as independent entrepreneurs and professionals, utilizing digital ecosystems, innovative business models, and agile methods to succeed in competitive markets and dynamic environments.