Programme syllabus

Master Program in Business Studies - focus om Strategic HRM, Marketing or Accounting, 60 credits

Responsible:
Programme code:
SBUSA
Approved:
Approved by the University Faculty Board, 21 March 2012
This syllabus is valid from 23 March 2012
 

1. Objectives of the Educational Programme

1.1 Objectives, as Specified in the Higher Education Act (1992:1434), Chapter 1, 8 §:

Second-cycle courses and study programmes shall be based fundamentally on the knowledge acquired by students during first-cycle courses and study programmes, or its equivalent.

Second-cycle courses and study programmes shall involve the acquisition of specialist knowledge, competence and skills in relation to first-cycle courses and study programmes, and in addition to the requirements for first-cycle courses and study programmes shall:

- further develop the ability of students to integrate and make autonomous use of their knowledge
- develop the students‘ ability to deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations, and
- develop the students‘ potential for professional activities that demand considerable autonomy, or for research and development work.

1.2 Degree Objectives, as Specified in the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100), Appendix 2:

Knowledge and understanding

For a Degree of Master (60 credits) the student shall
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the main field of study, including both an overview of the field and specialised knowledge in certain areas of the field as well as insight into current research and development work, and
- demonstrate specialised methodological knowledge in the main field of study.

Competence and skills

For a Degree of Master (60 credits) the student shall
- demonstrate the ability to integrate knowledge and analyse, assess and deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations even with limited information
- demonstrate the ability to identify and formulate issues autonomously as well as to plan and, using appropriate methods, undertake advanced tasks within predetermined time frames
- demonstrate the ability in speech and writing to report clearly and discuss his or her conclusions and the knowledge and arguments on which they are based in dialogue with different audiences, and
- demonstrate the skills required for participation in research and development work or employment in some other qualified capacity.

Judgement and approach

For a Degree of Master (60 credits) the student shall
- demonstrate the ability to make assessments in the main field of study informed by relevant disciplinary, social and ethical issues and also to demonstrate awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work
- demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used, and
demonstrate the ability to identify the personal need for further knowledge and take responsibility for his or her ongoing learning.

1.3 Objectives of the Programme

The education program consists of a program with the opportunity for students to choose a specialization in either Management and Strategic HRM, Management and Marketing, or Management and Accounting, hereafter called the chosen specialization. The goals are divided into general goals for all students in the program and specific goals that apply to the three different specializations.

1.3.1 General goals which apply to all students within the program
The education program will enhance the understanding of both Management and also the chosen specialization, while the program will provide advanced skills and ability to follow the research front, which aims to integrate these two fields of knowledge.

Knowledge and understanding
After completing the program, the student should be able to:
- demonstrate insight regarding how formal and informal knowledge is generated and diffused within and between organizations and how such streams of information can be managed
- demonstrate insights regarding how social responsibility in organizations can be effected regarding, accounting, management and marketing.

Competence and skills
After completing the program, the student should be able to:
- evaluate the need for improvements regarding social responsibility in a given organization
- analyze the need for Knowledge Management in a given organization.

Judgement and approach
After completing the program, the student should be able to:
- evaluate generated plans for improvements from the view of different stake holders.

1.3.2 Objectives of the program and directions
Specialization within Management and Strategic HRM


Knowledge and understanding
After completing the specialization, the student should be able to:
- demonstrate insights in the theoretical development of HRM towards applications within the field of strategy.
Competence and skills
After completing the specialization, the student should be able to:
- apply alternative models for strategic HR-development in analyzing a given organization.

Judgement and approach
After completing the specialization, the student should be able to:
- critically evaluate the effects of HR-strategies for different stakeholders of the organization.

Specialization within Focus Management and Marketing


Knowledge and understanding
After completing the specialization, the student should be able to:
- demonstrate deeper knowledge regarding theories and methods of marketing, particularly with respect to international trade.
Competence and skills
After completing the specialization, the student should be able to:
- critically analyze theories on marketing of goods and services for international markets
- conduct business landscape analysis for the development of marketing strategies.
Judgement and approach
After completing the specialization, the student should be able to:
- demonstrate insights on how globalization affects businesses and marketing from an ethical perspective.

Specialization within Management and Accounting


Knowledge and understanding
After completing the specialization, the student should be able to:
- demonstrate how globalization affects the development of accounting and management accounting.
Competence and skills
After completing the specialization, the student should be able to:
- critically analyze theories regarding accounting and management international enterprises
- analyze the development of applied praxis in accounting, particularly regarding international businesses.
Judgement and approach
After completing the specialization, the student should be able to:
- evaluate how different accounting principles and praxis reflects international businesses from an ethical perspective.

2. Main Structure of the Programme

The program is a one year program where the students after graduation receive a master‘s degree in Economics and Business Administration. In Business Administration, students may choose between the three different specializations mentioned above.

The program‘s first semester includes three research-related courses. The first course focuses on how one with the help of ethical guidelines can steer a successful work with CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). CSR often means that child labor or pollution, etc. is not allowed, but can also mean that a company sponsors or donates funds to nonprofit organizations. To address these issues, it is important to understand the basics of CSR both as a phenomenon but also how CSR affects the organization‘s operations, management and the internal and external communications. This first course thus involves all three optional specializations in the program. The second course in the program (which is compulsory for all three specializations) concerns Knowledge Management - a concept that was originally created as a transfer of knowledge in organizations made possible by new IT systems and databases. Recently, the concept has been expanded to include the dissemination of expertise, the dissemination of project experience, etc., within and as well as between organizations. The theme of the first two courses are accounting, marketing, and management of corporate social responsibility (CSR) (7.5 credits) and Knowledge Management (7.5 credits). After the two introductory courses students choose a specialization: Management and Strategic HRM, Management and Marketing, or Management and Accounting, where students can immerse themselves in the field they want to write their thesis. In preparation for the upcoming thesis project, students will during the spring semester take a course in research methodology and philosophy of science where the focus will be on how to carry out a literature review, understand the underlying scientific theories of Business Administration and immerse themselves in the various methods and strategies relevant for a thesis. The program ends with a master thesis in which students independently get to work with frames of reference, data collection, processing and presentation of data.

The program‘s required courses and graduate course work is compolsory for all of the above three specializations, but where supervision of thesis work will be done by teachers from each of the specializations.

3. Courses of the Programme

All courses in the program are included within Business Studies.

Compulsory courses (30 credits):
Accounting, marketing and management of social responsibility 7.5 credits - Advanced Level
Knowledge Management 7.5 credits - Advanced Level
Research Design, Science Theory and Methods 15 hp - Advanced Level

Elective specialization course (15 credits):
International Business and Marketing 15 credits - Advanced Level
Accounting and management of international companies 15 credits - Advanced Level
Strategic HRM (Human Resource Management) 15 hp - Advanced Level

Thesis (15 credits)
Master ‘s thesis in Business Administration 15 credits - Advanced Level

4. Degree Awarded

Degree of Master of Science (60 credits) in Business and Economics, Main Field of Study: Business Administration and Management [Ekonomie magisterexamen, huvudområde: Företagsekonomi].

5. Required Entry Qualifications

  • Bachelor degree of 180 credits in Business Studies or equivalent, including the following courses are minimum requirements:

    Organization, Elementary I, 7.5 credits or equivalent
    Marketing, Elementary I, 7.5 credits or equivalent
    Financial Management, Elementary I, 7.5 credits or equivalent
    Accounting, Elementary I, 7.5 credits or equivalent
    Advanced course (Elementary II) within the selected focusing on the 7.5 hp
    or equivalent knowledge

    Additionally requirements are English B or equivalent.

 

6. Other Information

The programme name can, on request, be presented in the diploma, if the student has successfully completed all the program courses according to the syllabus.

Programme occasions

Autumn 2013
Application code:HDA-H2KSQ
Application to:Universitets- och högskolerådet
Admission requirement: [?]Bachelor degree of 180 credits in Business Studies or equivalent, including the following courses are minimum requirements: Organization, Elementary I, 7.5 credits or equivalent Marketing, Elementary I, 7.5 credits or equivalent Financial Management, Elementary I, 7.5 credits or equivalent Accounting, Elementary I, 7.5 credits or equivalent Advanced course (Elementary II) within the selected focusing on the 7.5 hp or equivalent knowledge Additionally requirements are English B or equivalent.
Begins:Week 35, 2013
Rate of studies:100%
Location:Borlänge
Language:English
Type:Normal
Number of places:30
Application date:15 April 2013

Tuition fee
First tuition fee instalment:42,000 SEK
Total tuition fee:84,000 SEK
EU/EEA Citizens or exchange students are not required to pay fees.
Information on application and tuition fees: www.universityadmissions.se.