Master of Business Administration - major in Business Analytics Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences

The program is open only for EU/EEA citizens (with up to 50% of the places being reserved for Norwegian applicants).

The program provides you with a versatile competence that prepares you for challenging positions in the industry, such as manager, data analyst, or business consultant. The main objective of the program is to bring forth top economists and managers who can utilize the increasing availability of data, with state-of-the-art analytical methods.

Private and public organizations often must make decisions under uncertainty. This MA program provides you with the theoretical foundation and analytical skills and techniques to guide your future employer in making better decisions under such circumstances. The target group for this program is individuals with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Business Administration or related quantitative orientation, who want to pursue a strong and relevant Master’s degree in Business Administration.

Research-Based Teaching

The program has several approaches to research-based teaching:

Research-based content

This is based on a combination of conceptual and empirical scientific papers and other research literature used in the lectures. The academic staff owns relevant publications that are included in the syllabus.

Research-based teaching focusing on research processes and scientific thinking

Early in the first semester, students will go through training in how scientific papers are written. For the different subjects, the students will write content according to scientific standards. The academic staff and their research partners will give the students insight into their own research by presenting ongoing research. The student’s understanding of the research processes and methods will be further developed through method subjects and the work on the master’s thesis. The academic staff also consists of Ph.D. students who will share their experiences from working within research.

Research-based student activities

A discussion of different theoretical perspectives, methods, and research results are implemented in the different subjects and will have a strong focus on lectures and exercises. Through working on mandatory hand-ins, exams and term papers, and discussions in lectures, the students will discuss conceptual and practical issues based on research results.

Research-based student inclusion in investigative learning processes

Some of the subjects have quite extensive term papers structured as a research process. In writing the master’s thesis, the students will conduct an independent research project within Business Analytics under the supervision of a supervisor. The program is embedded into the department’s research strategy and, thus, also the research area. Hence, master’s students can be involved in the department’s research activities while working on their thesis. These students may also be engaged as scientific assistants.

Student exchange

Full-time students can go on exchange in the 3rd semester, with the option of extending the exchange in the 4th semester. It will also be possible to take a single elective as an exchange student in the form of a summer course.

Part-time students can take a single course at an international partner institution that offers summer courses, or take one or more master courses with group-based teaching at the School of Business, Economics, and Law at Karlstad University. It will also be possible to take an entire semester abroad for part-time students, but it may then be appropriate to study full-time while on an exchange.

Courses selected at a partner institution must be pre-approved prior to the exchange by the study program leader in accordance with the overall learning outcome of the MBA.

Upon completion of the program successful candidates will have acquired the following overall learning outcomes, categorized as knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge

The candidate:

• will have advanced knowledge of strategic management and management accounting and control and will be able to combine this knowledge to achieve a better understanding of enterprises’ value creation
• will have specialized insight into enterprises’ value creation through either
  • detailed knowledge of how data, analyses, and information technology can support the process of decision-making and leadership of enterprises,
  • thorough knowledge of how digitization can strengthen the enterprises' strategy and business development,
  • detailed knowledge of how market relationships are established and maintained to achieve desired strategic positions or
  • in-depth knowledge of how the enterprise can be measured, analyzed, and managed in line with current strategy
• will have a thorough knowledge of scientific theories, research processes, and methods customized to issues within either
  • business analytics,
  • digital management and business development
  • marketing management or
  • management accounting and control
• will be able to analyze enterprises' tactical and strategic challenges based on different traditions in the fields of economics and business administration and the focus area of the specialization, as well as to combine knowledge in economics and business administration in innovative ways to solve the challenges

Skills

The candidate will be able to:

• analyze and assess different sources of information, and analyze empirical data to structure and formulate academic arguments with the goal of long-term strategic positioning and efficiency within management and control
• analyze and critically reflect on existing theories, methods, and interpretations within strategic management and management accounting and control, and apply these skills in practical and theoretical problem solving related to either
  • data and analysis capacity,
  • digital business challenges,
  • market relations and strategic positions or
  • management accounting and control
• utilize relevant research methods to analyze enterprises’ tactical and strategic challenges, design decision support, and facilitate enterprises’ value creation by developing data analyses, strategies, management systems, market relations, and new business opportunities
• relate relevant issues at hand, context, and data to the choice of method and carry out an independent, limited research or development project under supervision and in line with current research ethics norms within either
  • business analytics,
  • digital management and business development,
  • marketing management, or
  • management accounting and control

General competence

The candidate will be able to:

• analyze relevant academic- and research ethical problems within the field of economics and business administration, and professionally consider ethical issues related to the enterprises’ strategic and tactical choices
• apply achieved knowledge and skills in performing management tasks, and conduct advanced studies, analyses, and projects, alone and in collaboration with others
• convey comprehensive, independent work both orally and in writing
• communicate with stakeholders and the general public about professional issues, analyses, and conclusions in economics and business administration and will have the prerequisites to work in an international context
• take advantage of value creation opportunities through data and technological development and facilitate business change and innovation processes

Academic requirments

The admission requirement is a bachelor's degree in financial administration or final education. The education must satisfy the subject requirements corresponding to the Bachelor of Economics and Administration / Bachelor of Economics and Management, from the recommended plan from the National Council for Economic and Administrative Education (NRØA). This means that you must have at least 120 credits in economics-administrative subjects that must cover special subject requirements within the following intervals:

• Business Administration subjects (30 - 45 ECTS): financial accounting, financial management, investment and financing
• Administrative subjects (30 - 45 ECTS): marketing, organization and management, enterprise strategy
• Socio-economics subjects (15 - 30 ECTS): macroeconomics, microeconomics
• Methodology (20 - 30 ECTS): mathematics for economists, statistics for economists, social science method
• Ethics, social responsibility and sustainability (7.5 - 15 ECTS)

Language requirments

The English requirement applies to everyone except applicants who are domiciled in the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia or the Nordic countries, who do not need to document language skills. You will find a list of approved courses and requirements for results here. .

Upon successful completion of the program, you will be awarded the degree Master in Economics and Management, with the title Master of Business Administration.

You will be able to enter a wide range of challenging positions in the service sector, in industry, and in the public sector, as a manager, specialist, or consultant. You qualify for positions where a deep understanding of how to utilize the increasing amount of data is required, in order to improve the decision-making processes in the company.

Combined with knowledge and skills in analysis, technical insight, and understanding of digital framework conditions, the study provides opportunities for a varied career.

Specific examples of positions and functions that you qualify for are our Chief Analytical Officer or Digital Analyst in small and medium-sized companies, head of technology and business analysis in industry or service business, market analyst or product strategy and business developer, and advisor/consultant in the public and private sector.

The master's program is firmly rooted in research-based knowledge and can qualify for a Ph.D. position and a career as a researcher.

The program consists of four compulsory subjects that provide students with a strong foundation in Business Administration. Strategy and Leadership and Marketing Theory are two subjects that teach the basics of management while Economics of Organizations and Management Accounting and Control teach the basics of economics.

In accordance with Universities Norway (UHR) – Economics and Administration’s recommendations for two-year master’s degree programs, this program offers both comprehensive and in-depth knowledge, consisting of a specialization within Business Analytics.

Major subjects, which are compulsory in the program, consisting of 37.5 ECTS, and compulsory method subjects consist of 15 ECTS. Major subjects, which are electives, consist of 15 ECTS. Minor subjects, which are compulsory, consist of 15 ECTS, and minor subjects, which are electives, consist of 7.5 ECTS. All subjects consist of 7.5 ECTS. The master’s thesis within Business Analytics will account for 30 ECTS.

• Data Engineering
• Applied Programming
• Management Accounting and Control
• Strategy and Leadership
• Machine Learning
• Business Forecasting
• ustainable Business Model Innovation
• Quantitative Methods
• Advanced Statistical Modelling (optional)
• Quantitative Risk Management (optional)
• Pricing Analytics and Revenue Optimization (optional)
• Financing Innovative Ventures (optional)
• Financial Modelling (optional)
• Business Performance (optional)
• Economics of Business and Innovation (optional)
• Data protection and Ethics (optional)
• Master Thesis