The Master’s Degree Programme in International Business Management at Centria University of Applied Sciences is for you who want to develop your expertise and take the next step to advance in your career. A Master’s degree is an excellent way to increase your professional knowledge of business administration, especially in the field of international business.

Welcome to deepen your business skills at Centria!

During your studies, you will deepen your knowledge and get new perspectives on international business management. You will study human resource management, leadership, strategic management, financial management, international marketing and brand management – to name a few subjects. The studies also include business ethics and sustainable development studies. You will dive deep into international business management from many aspects. An essential part of the degree is the Master’s thesis project. If you have previous business studies on master’s level, it is possible to integrate those skills into your MBA degree to speed up your studies. We do our best to offer high-quality education and flexible arrangements to guarantee good study progress.

Our students come from all over the world. Some class exercises and assignments are done in groups, which is an excellent way to network with fellow MBA students. The subjects of the group activities are usually related to real business life. The study environment is very international, and you will not just learn about international business, but you will also learn about different cultures and habits while practising your language skills. You can choose optional studies from Centria Master Schools’ supply which allows you to connect with other Master’s students from Centria, or alternatively, you can have optional Master’s level studies from the Finnish national CampusOnline study portal.

We constantly develop the degree programme with companies. We aim to build the expertise of our students so that both the students and the working life can benefit from it. In the annual national survey, our graduating Master’s level students have ranked Centria as the best university of applied sciences in Finland for two years in a row now.

Content and structure of studies

The Master’s Degree in International Business Management is conducted in English. The scope of the studies is 90 ECTS, and the duration of the studies is 1,5 years. The studies are conducted in English and as full-time studies. Multimodal learning methods are used. Live lessons are offered at Kokkola Campus on weekdays. Furthermore, independent distance studies on the student’s own time are required. The learning process consists of lectures on campus and partly also online, exercises in class, independent work, as well as distance learning assignments and development projects.

The studies consist of core studies and profiling studies that are compulsory for all MBA students. You can also study optional courses, which you can choose based on your interests. The master’s thesis is a large part of the degree, and you will get a chance to start planning it from the early stage of your studies. The thesis process is also supported by courses on research and development methods and tools, as well as research and expert communication.

Core studies 20 ECTS

• Academic Writing Skills
• Research, Development and Innovation Processes and Expert Communication
• Research and Development Methods and Tools
• Strategic Management and Development

Profiling studies 35 ECTS

• Human Resource Management and Development
• Business Ethics and Sustainable Development
• Strategic Opportunities in International Business
• International Marketing and Brand Management
• Organizational Behaviour and Development
• Customer Relationship Management and Sales in Digital Environments
• Financial Management

Optional studies 5 ECTS

You can choose optional studies either from the Centria Master School supply or from the Campusonline.fi portal that offers Master-level courses also in English. These courses are optional and you can choose subjects you are interested in.

Master’s thesis 30 ECTS

The thesis is a research and development project, and it is an essential part of the studies. The thesis project aims to develop your ability to find new research information and implement it in your thesis work. The thesis project helps you to gain the expertise that you need in challenging expert and managerial positions. The thesis project is a combination of theory and practice.

The scope of the thesis is 30 ECTS.

The MBA Programme in International Business Management provides a wide variety of potential thesis topics depending on your personal interests. Examples of thesis topics include, for example, development of management systems or leadership practices, organizational development, international business opportunity mapping, advanced market surveys and marketing research, internationalization plans for businesses, advanced business planning and business model development, development of e-business solutions, etc.

You can find Master’s theses written by our students on www.theseus.fi.

International Centria

The study environment in Centria is very international, and this will give you many possibilities to practice and improve your language skills and learn about new cultures and habits. We also provide you with the opportunity to go on a Master’s level exchange to one of our partner universities abroad.

Career possibilities

After you have completed the MBA programme, you have grown into a business management professional. You are capable of independent decision-making, working in management or demanding expert tasks in businesses. You have learned tools and methods. You can operate in international business or as an independent entrepreneur in the global business environment.

How to apply?

Fill in an application at Studyinfo.fi portal when the application period is open.