Study Guide

Descriptions

This curriculum is for open UAS students. The curriculum includes first year studies and Basic Studies Common To All In SEAMK (Open UAS Path Studies,Degree Programme in Business Management). There is also some personal study planning in the open university's path studies.



PROFILE OF THE PROGRAMME
The Degree Programme in Business Management leads to the Degree of Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA: The length of the programme is 210 ECTS credits (3.5 years). The purpose of the degree programme is that students know the content, meaning and different areas of business operations. They are able to apply their knowledge and skills in practical business tasks and they are also able to assess and develop business operations.

During the first three semesters, students learn about the foundations of business management and acquire skills to work in the various areas of business.

After students have completed the studies common to all, they choose between a number of specialisations (see below), which provide them with the knowledge and skills they need to work as experts in a specific area of business in Finland and abroad. Expertise can be described as competence profiles that students have having completed their studies. The student may combine studies from different specializations in accordance with his/her personal career objectives.

The Marketing specialist is able to plan, implement and develop marketing in a business or public organisation. The student is an expert in marketing communication, customer service, product management and customer relationship management.

The Accounting specialist has the knowledge and skills required in different tasks of financial management. They are able to maintain and develop information systems that support management and decision-making. They are also able to utilise methods for financial planning, decision-making and management.

The specialist in Business Development is able to analyse and assess the current state of SME businesses and develop strategic plans for a business. He/she knows the meaning of innovative business ideas, networking and continuous development as a success factor in a changing operational environment. In addition, he/she is able to use foresight information when creating new business operations or developing the existing ones. He/she has the knowledge and skills to run an enterprise.

The digital business expert can analyze the business of an SME from a digitalisation perspective. They are able to acquire and customize the company's information systems so that they can make business more efficient. The digital business expert has the basic skills of programming that he has the ability to further develop. He / she is able to work in a variety of information management tasks.

The specialist in the management of Human Resources and Processes is able to operate and develop systems and processes connected with the operations of a business or organization. He/she is able to work in human resource management and development tasks.

The Specialist in International Business is able to analyse, plan, implement and develop international business operations and has competence in international business, marketing and management.

In addition to the areas of expertise mentioned above students have the following options of specialisation:

- By choosing the option Retail trade and entrepreneurship the student has an opportunity to participate in retail trade training organised by the K retail chain.
- In multi-field project studies students from different fields of study complete projects commissioned by companies and organisations.
- The study module on Industrial Management focuses on the basics of technological industries and industrial economics. The module is organised in cooperation with the School of Technology.
- In the study modules focused on international business contexts (LTVAKSA1, LTVAKVE1, LTVAKRU1, LTVAKEN1 ja LTVAKES1) the student develops his/her preparedness for international business operations in a specific language area.
- In the Business Pre-Incubator the student can develop their own business idea and entrepreneurial competence during the studies.
- Students have a chance to complete a Double Degree which allows them to receive a degree certificate both from Seinäjoki UAS and a foreign partner institution of higher education.

The degree programme also contains methodological studies for skills in research and development, practical training and a bachelor’s thesis. A comprehensive language programme gives an opportunity to develop and expand language skills. Studies in Swedish, English, German, French, Spanish and Russian are available. It is also possible to study Finnish as a foreign language.


OCCUPATIONAL PROFILES
The Degree Programme in Business Management prepares students for a wide range of tasks in business and in the public sector.

In accordance with competence profiles graduates can work in the following tasks, for example:

- Marketing specialist: tasks in marketing, sales, marketing communication, customer service management, market research, customer relationship management, product and brand management, liaison and communication
- Accounting specialist: tasks in bookkeeping, service counselling, investment counselling, controller, financial counselling and management, auditing, management accounting
- ICT specialist: tasks in digital services, web creation, Internet marketing, eCommerce, Programming, Information systems development and support
- Specialist in business development: entrepreneur, business adviser, business trainer, business researcher, trade ombudsman, consultant
- Specialist in the management of human resources and processes: personnel assistant, personnel planning officer, personnel manager, project manager

By choosing different options students may obtain further career opportunities.


PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH
The implementation of the curriculum focuses on experiential learning. In the learning process theoretical information is processed on the basis of concrete learning experiences. Self-evaluation is used to understand various phenomena and develop new ways of doing things.

The basic studies in business are integrated with the running of an enterprise, and learning is based on practical tasks. The professional studies involve planning and research assignments commissioned by a company, case studies and projects.

The basic studies in business are integrated with the running of a virtual enterprise, and learning is based on practical tasks. The professional studies involve planning and research assignments commissioned by a company, case studies and projects.

Studies are flexible and may be conducted as part of a project in accordance with student's personal curriculum. It is also possible for students to integrate their studies in the development of their own enterprise. Students may also complete some studies online, in which case the requirements for completing a course may differ from those described in the Study Guide.

The final thesis enables students to apply the knowledge and skills they have learned during their studies to practical problem-solving situations and the business development.

Development

Curriculum development is an ongoing process which takes into consideration the competence needs of the working life in the region, student and graduand feedback and the development work in the national networks of the field. Important sources of information for curriculum development include results of the follow-up studies of graduates, foresight information concerning technological development and changes in the operational environment as well as the SeAMK RDI work and its results.

Objective

Bachelors of Business Administration that have graduated from the Degree Programme in Business Management have an overall picture of business operations and know business processes. They have initiative as well as good teamwork, communication and interaction skills. They are able to look for and analyse information needed in business. They can apply their theoretical knowledge and develop business operations. They know how to take profitability into consideration in their work. They can communicate in at least one foreign language in professional contexts. They are able to operate as independent entrepreneurs and in tasks of business expertise.