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International Business Programme

  • Number of credits 240 credits

Are you interested in a career in an international environment? During your studies you’ll have the opportunity to do an international internship and the opportunities for studies abroad are very good. After your studies you will have the competence and qualifications to work with international business related tasks in companies, organizations or in the public sector.

No admission to this programme Autumn 2023

Read about our new programme with admission Autumn 2023: International Business and Economics Programme, 180 credits

The program is given in English and prepares you for an international career.

While studying

The programme covers a variety of topics which enable a deep and comprehensive understanding of how international firms as well as global economy function but also how you can contribute to the development and add value. During the programme you will meet students from different parts of the world, which means that you get to know and understand other cultures.

You will develop your leadership and teamwork abilities in multi-cultural contexts through group work on real-world cases. All our teachers are active researches whose research and publications are connected to different aspects of business world.

If you take advantage of the opportunities for studies abroad and international internship you will gain experience of studying as well as working in an international environment.

During the first three semesters in the programme you take courses in business administration, statistics, economic history and economics. You will learn to understand firms in a global context, various aspects of business and to develop analytical as well as problem-solving skills.

You then make a choice between business administration or economics as your main field of study.

  • Business administration as a main field of study concerns the company and stakeholders around the company such as consumers, employees, suppliers and financiers.
  • Economics is a main field of study that deals with how to allocate the resources we have. It's about how consumers and producers act, but also how economies work.

The programme encompasses a variety of pedagogical methods such as lectures, group work and cases. With close connections to the business community we are also able to have frequent guest lectures by top management of national and international firms.

Specialization

From your fifth semester you choose your specialization. Within business administration you are able to choose accounting, marketing, finance, management or business development.

Within economics, you study macroeconomics, microeconomics, mathematics for economists and econometrics before you specialize in microeconomic analysis or financial economics.

You will also take courses in law and elective courses where you can choose e.g. the international internship or studies abroad.

Great opportunities to affect your future career

For one semester you have the possibility to choose what is more preferable for you and your future development. The programme provides great opportunities for studying abroad and internships, but also for creating your own profiling with other subjects e.g. business or languages.

Applies to all Professional Degree Programmes

Internship

You have the opportunity to do an internship for ten weeks in Sweden or abroad. This possibility is only available at a few business schools in the country. The internship gives you a good opportunity to put theoretical knowledge and experience into practice and show off your skills to potential employers. You will arrange your internship yourself in a company you find interesting. This way you are able to find an internship position that meets your expectations and provides more opportunities for you to use the internship as an entry to the labour market.

Studies abroad

Studying abroad is not only fun and challenging for you as a student but also a welcomed experience with future employers. Internationalization is an important area for us and we are working continuously to offer you as a student many opportunities for an adventure in Europe or further away on another continent. In our programs you therefore have the opportunity for studies abroad for a semester or two.

We have about 60 partner universities, chiefly in Europe, but also in Brazil, India, China, Mexico, South Africa, Russia, and China - all of them selected especially for our students. Students who would like to study farther away can avail themselves of Umeå University's global agreement offering an opportunity to study in North America, Oceania, and Asia.

Sustainability perspective all the more important

Sustainability get a whole lot bigger attention in today's firms and organizations and we lifted these questions up early in our educational programs. Together with our students are we working for a more sustainable business school and to revise the courses to improve the education about, and for, sustainable development at the program independent of your choice between business administration and economics. Our work on sustainability takes as a starting point the 17 sustainable development goals and Agenda 2030.

We are certified by the environmental management system ISO 14001 and we are members of the international networks GBSN, PRME and SDSN.

Read more about our work on sustainability

Corporate connections

The business school collaborates in many different ways with companies and organizations. For example internships, guest lectures, company visits, guest lectures, essay assignments and cases from companies.

As a student you might perhaps do an internship at one of our corporate partners. Professionals outside the university come to us as guest lecturers and teachers. Our researchers will in turn contribute with new knowledge to society. A group of advisors consisting of corporate and community representatives are also linked to the business school and they contribute with their knowledge and experience.

Programme overview

Semester 1
International Business Administration 30 hp.

Semester 2
Statistics for Business and Economics 15 hp, International Economic History 15 hp.

Semester 3
Economics 30 hp.

Semester 4-6
Choice of main field of study; business administration or economics where you from your fifth semester choose your specialisation. Within business administration you are able to choose accounting, marketing, finance, management or business development.
Within economics, you further study macroeconomics, microeconomics and mathematics for economists and econometrics before you specialize in microeconomic analysis or financial economics.
You will take courses in law and elective courses where you can choose e.g. the international internship or studies abroad.

Semester 7
Specialisation in business administration or economics, 30 hp, depending on your main field of study.

Semester 8
Degree project in business administration or economics, 30 hp, depending on your main field of study.

Career opportunities

After studying the International Business Programme you will be able to work with international business related tasks in companies, organisations or in the public sector. You will have a great experience of international and cultural exchange and you are comfortable with expressing yourself in English, both spoken and written. You will have the skills to work with e.g. marketing, management, strategic development, economics, accounting or finance in an international environment.

Graduating from the International Business Programme can lead to many interesting positions depending on the main field of study and specialization that you chose. Some examples are: Project Manager, Economic Analyst, Account Manager, Project Coordinator, Research Analyst, Marketing Manager, Business Controller, Business Consultant, Financial Advisor, Management Consultant, Researcher, Economist et cetera.

The programme gives you eligibility for advanced and post-graduate studies in business administration.

Degree

The programme leads to a Degree of Master of Science in Business and Economics, Specialisation: International Business (240 credits) in one of the major subjects; Business Administration or Economics.
It is a Professional Degree on advanced level.

Common questions

Manager of the programme is Irina Alexeyeva.

Contact us

Please be aware that the University is a public authority and that what you write here can be included in an official document. Therefore, be careful if you are writing about sensitive or personal matters in this contact form. If you have such an enquiry, please call us instead. All data will be treated in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation.

Contactperson for the programme is:
Sandra Rådahl