International Business Management
Advance your career with multicultural flavour
This mid-career Master’s degree requires 3 years of work experience after Bachelor’s.
As a business professional, you will face new demands and challenges in multicultural environments. This Master’s degree programme enables the graduates to manage and lead international business operations successfully.
Planning, managing and executing international operations in challenging business environments are in a major role in your studies. You will learn how to apply theory into practical cases of international business management. The degree programme can be completed within 1.5 years alongside work as blended learning.
With your Master’s degree, you will have the skills needed to work independently as well as an active member, leader or manager in organisations. You are a trained expert in building international networks and taking into account various aspects of cultural differences, communication, change management, leadership and strategic thinking.
Read Marion's student story: "Studying is worth investing in your career"
Degree earned
Type
Planned duration
Extent of studies
City
Campus
Form of learning
Tuition fee for non-EU/EEA citizens
Link to scholarship programme
Study objectives
As a business professional, you will face new demands and challenges in multicultural environments. This Master’s degree programme enables the graduates to manage and lead international business operations successfully.
Planning, managing and executing international operations in challenging business environments are in a major role in your studies. You will learn how to apply theory into practical cases of international business management. The degree programme can be completed within 1.5 years alongside work as blended learning.
With your Master’s degree, you will have the skills needed to work independently as well as an active member, leader or manager in organisations. You are a trained expert in building international networks and taking into account various aspects of cultural differences, communication, change management, leadership and strategic thinking.
Study contents
The degree programme is worth 90 ETCS credits with emphasis on studies required to develop and manage international business operations. The mode of the study is part-time tuition. The course contains lectures, team work, individual readings, presentations and online work.
The studies include themes like strategy and change, leadership skills in international context, accounting and financial management, project management, managing international business risks, global operations management, intercultural communications in a multicultural environment, and professional customer and market analysis.
Tuition fees
There are no tuition fees for those students who
- have started their studies before 1st August 2017
- are citizens of EU/EEA/Switzerland
- have an EU Blue Card
- have a continuous residence permit card in Finland, Type A permit
- have a permanent residence permit card in Finland, Type P permit
- have an EU residence permit for third-country citizens with long-term residence permit card in Finland (Type P-EU)
- have an EU Family Member's Residence Card in Finland
If you are unsure about whether you'd be subject to tuition fees, check the 'Am I required to pay tuition fees?' section on the Studyinfo.fi application site.
The degree carries a tuition fee of EUR 10 800 / academic year for non-EU/EEA students. Applicants must submit relevant documentation together with their application.
Scholarships
EARLY BIRD -scholarship: If the first academic year is paid in full before 31 May, the amount is reduced by -1 500 eur (total to be paid 9 300 eur)
Academic award -scholarship: If the student completes 55 cr in the first year = 50% scholarship for the remaining study time (excluding overtime, which carries a separate fee). If the student completes 45 cr in the first year = 25% scholarahip for the remaaining study time (excluding overtime, which carries a separate fee).
Academic excellence -scholarship: At the time of graduation, students may be eligible for significant Academic Excellence scholarships. These scholarships are governed by the TAMK's R&D Fund. They can be based on final thesis quality, excellence in project work, exceptional practical training success or other grounds set by the Fund.
Structure of studies
The studies can be completed within 1.5 years alongside work as blended learning. However there is an extension option for those working alongside their studies. The extent of the program is 90 ETCS credits, consisting of professional studies (55 credits), free-choice studies (5 credits) and Master's thesis (30 credits).
The professional studies provide you advanced topics from the broad field of international business management. The studies include themes like strategy and change, global leadership challenge, accounting and financial management, project management, managing international business risks, global operations management, intercultural communications in a multicultural environment, and professional customer and market analysis.
The studies include also a 5 credits course of academic research and practices. This course and regular seminar work will support the preparation of your Master's thesis.
Final project
Master's thesis is a practical development work with an international connection, prepared by using scientific research methods. The writing of the final thesis is supported by seminars where you have the opportunity to report the progress of your work and to get feedback.
As an applicant, you must have a feasible plan on a Master's thesis proposal which is submitted at the time of application.
Career opportunities
After graduation you will qualify for leading positions in international trade and commerce in multicultural environments. The former graduates of the programme work for example as specialists and consultants as well as managers and project coordinators in companies and organisations both in Finland and abroad.
The degree gives a qualification for a public appointment where Master's degree is required.
Internationalisation
Participants - with a variety of cultural backgrounds - bring a truly multicultural flavour to the degree. Application of learned content happens in the students' own environment and thus a global context.
Co-operation with other parties
The degree programme is being developed continuously based on the feedback from students, employers and companies.
Postgraduate study opportunities
TAMK's master's degree certificate offers you the possibility to apply for doctoral studies in other universities according to their admission policy.
Carefully read through the general eligibility criteria and the programme-specific eligibility criteria and see whether you meet them.
For additional questions on applying, application documents and application process, please contact our Admissions office. For questions regarding the content of the programme, please contact Ms. Hanna Pihlajarinne, hanna.pihlajarinne(at)tamk.fi.
TAMK Direct Application for Master's Programmes, spring 2019
Application period 9-23 January 2019
The student selection has two phases: the first phase is a compulsory pre-task, based on which the best-performing applicants are invited to phase two, an online interview. Admission is based on the online interview points. Click to see the admission criteria.
The student selection has two phases: the first phase is a compulsory pre-task, based on which the best-performing applicants are invited to phase two, an online interview. Admission is based on the online interview points. Click to see the admission criteria.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible to apply to TAMK's Master's Degree in International Business Management, you must hold Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Engineering or other suitable higher education degree AND have a minimum of three years' (36 months) work experience from the relevant field after completing the Bachelor's degree.
You have until 31 July 2019 to complete work experience requirement.
Work experience must be informed as full months. Part-time work will be converted into full-time such that 150 hours or 20 full working days (at least 7 hours per day) correspond to one month of work. Work experience does not have to be continuous or obtained from the same employer. Work experience will only be accepted if it is verified by a work certificate provided by the employer. Entrepreneurship will be accepted as work experience if the applicant can produce a certificate stating that he/she is or has been covered under the statutory YEL or MYEL pension scheme for entrepreneurs.
Applicants who have completed a vocational college degree or higher vocational degree in Finland (in Finnish: opisto- tai ammatillisen korkea-asteen tutkinto)
For applicants who have completed a vocational college degree or higher vocational degree in Finland (opisto- tai ammatillisen korkea-asteen tutkinto) before completing the required Bachelor's degree, work experience completed after the lower degree will also be accepted. Applicants are still required to have a minimum of three years' work experience, and it has to be from the relevant field.
If the applicant has completed a vocational college degree or higher vocational degree in Finland (opisto- tai ammatillisen korkea-asteen tutkinto) before completing the required Bachelor's degree and has the required work experience between these degrees, the required Bachelor's degree must be completed so that the applicant can send a copy of the certificate to TAMK Admissions Office by 8 July 2019 at 15.00 Finnish time at the latest.
Degree completed outside of Finland
If you apply with a degree completed outside of Finland and you are NOT an EU/EEA-citizen, the degree has to be completed by the end of the application period (23 January 2019). You need to upload the copy of your degree certificate to your application form by 30 January 2019 at 15.00 Finnish time at the latest. If your original degree certificate is written in other language than Finnish, Swedish or English, you also have to upload a copy of its translation. The translation has to be done by authorized translator. The translation must be in Finnish, Swedish or English and it has to include the translator's signature and stamp.
Language skill requirements
Sufficient English language skills are required for degree programmes conducted in English. English language skills will be evaluated as a part of the pretask and the interview.
Intake
The 2019 intake for Master of Business Administration, International Business Management is 25.
Admission procedure
Intake
| Study option | Total intake |
| Master of Business Administration, International Business Management | 25 |
The student selection has two phases. The first phase is a pre-task and the second phase is an online interview. Applicants are admitted based on the combined amount of points from the pre-task and the online interview.
Pre-task
The instructions for the pre-task will be published at this website and Studyinfo.fi on 4 December 2018 at the latest. The pre-task has to be submitted by 30 January 2019 at 15.00 Finnish time.
Please find the instructions for the pre-task of this programme HERE.
Online interview
The applicants will be ranked based on the points of the pre-task and the 50 best-performing applicants will be invited to the online interview.
The interview will take place on 18-22 February 2019.
Selection between applicants with equal points
If two or more applicants earn the same admission points, they will be ranked on the following basis:
- online interview points
- pre-task points
- order of preference
If the admission points are still at a tie after ranking applicants based on the above-mentioned criteria, the application system will automatically draw the order.
Work experience
To be eligible to apply to TAMK's Master's Degree in International Business Management, you must hold Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Engineering or other suitable higher education degree AND have a minimum of three years' (36 months) work experience from the relevant field after completing the Bachelor's degree.
You have until 31 July 2019 to complete work experience requirement.
Work experience must be informed as full months. Part-time work will be converted into full-time such that 150 hours or 20 full working days (at least 7 hours per day) correspond to one month of work. Work experience does not have to be continuous or obtained from the same employer. Work experience will only be accepted if it is verified by a work certificate provided by the employer. Entrepreneurship will be accepted as work experience if the applicant can produce a certificate stating that he/she is or has been covered under the statutory YEL or MYEL pension scheme for entrepreneurs.
For applicants who have completed a vocational college degree or higher vocational degree in Finland (opisto- tai ammatillisen korkea-asteen tutkinto) before completing the required Bachelor's degree, work experience completed after the lower degree will also be accepted. Applicants are still required to have a minimum of three years' work experience, and it has to be from the relevant field.
Entrance exam
Online interview
Based on the results of the pre-task, the 50 best-performing applicants will be invited to the online (internet) interview. The interview will take place on 18-22 February 2019. The exact date and time of the interview will be announced in the email invitation. Applicants can participate also from outside of Finland via internet. Applicants do not need to travel to Tampere for the online interview.
The online interview is tied together with the pre-task and will test applicants' motivation and suitability to the field of study. Applicants will be alloted a time between 18-22 February 2019 and must be prepared to be interviewed (i.e. have a computer with microphone and camera available) at the time given. Please note that interviews will be arranged during office hours Finnish time.
Applicants are admitted based on the combined amount of points awarded for the pre-task (max. 50 points) and the interview (max. 50 points).
The total maximum amount of points is 100. Applicants must receive a minimum of 10 points from both sections (pre-task and interview) to qualify for selection. If you score less than 10 points from either the pre-task or the interview, you cannot be admitted to TAMK.
The invitation emails to the online interview will be sent on mid-February 2019.
English language skills are evaluated as a part of the pre-task and interview. There is no pre-reading material for the online interview.
The pre-task and interview results are only valid for the one specific application period.
Pre-task
The instructions for the pre-task will be published at this website and Studyinfo.fi on 4 December 2018 at the latest.
Please find the instructions for the pre-task of this programme HERE.
The pre-task has to be submitted by 30 January 2019 at 15.00 Finnish time at the latest.
It is possible to score maximum of 50 points from the pre-task.
Minimum of 10 points are required in order for the pre-task to be accepted.
Special arrangements for entrance exam
If you have special needs which should be taken into account when arranging your online interview/entrance exam, please fill in the application form and deliver it with the other required enclosures to TAMK Admissions Office by 30 January 2019 (3 pm Finnish time).
You need to describe your special needs and the grounds for special arrangements in the application. Please enclose any relevant copies (e.g. medical certificate).
Application form (The form opens in December.)
If you do not deliver the application in time, TAMK has no responsibility to make any special arrangements. If the need for special arrangements arises or is discovered between the end of the application period (23 January 2019) and the online interview/entrance exam, you must deliver the special arrangement application without delay to TAMK Admissions Office.
The special arrangement decision only applies to one application round.
How to apply
Application step-by-step
- Check your eligibility for the degree programme of your choice
- Read admission criteria carefully
- Prepare and send the pre-task by the deadline
- Apply via Studyinfo.fi portal during 4 December 2018 - 23 January 2019 (3 pm Finnish time)
- Upload requested attachments to your application
- Apply for special arrangements (only if needed)
- Take part in the online interview
- Accept the offered study place
- Pay the tuition fee if needed
- Register as present (you may register as absent for the first academic year for the legal reasons only)
- Join the TAMK community!
For detailed instructions please read Application Process.
Enclosures
Compulsory pre-task
When applying to Master's Degree Programme in International Business Management, you have to submit a pre-task by 30 January 2019 at 15.00 Finnish time at the latest.
The pre-task submission is only possible during the application period. The instructions for the pre-task will be published at this website and Studyinfo.fi on 4 December 2018.
The applicants will be ranked based on the points of the pre-task and the 40 best-performing applicants will be invited to the online interview.
Application Documents
All applicants (regardless of the country of the educational background) have to upload the school and work certificate copies to their application form by 30 January 2019 at 15.00 Finnish time at the latest.
The application documents you need to upload are:
- Bachelor's/higher education degree certificate
- Transcript of records of the degree
- Work certificates stating the minimum of 36 months of work experience after graduating to the degree
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)/Résumé
If your document is in other language than Finnish, Swedish or English, you also have to upload a copy of its authorised translation made by authorised translator. The translation has to be in Finnish, Swedish or English and it has to include the translator’s signature and stamp.
Work certificates should be on company headed paper, unofficial testimonials by email or hand-written documents cannot be accepted.
The original certificates will be checked from admitted applicants at the beginning of the studies.
TAMK may withdraw the admission if you do not deliver the certificates by the deadline or if you have given false information.
Document proving exemption of tuition fee
All applicants must upload to their application form a copy of one of the following documents to establish their citizenship and/or residence status. This pertains to the legislation on tuition fees for those accepted students who are not citizens of countries of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland or holders of certain residence status in Finland. In case you hold a residence permit, upload that copy instead of passport copy, as it will also exempt you from payment of tuition fees.
You must upload the copy to your application form by 30 January 2019 at 15.00 Finnish time at the latest.
All submitted documents must be ones carrying a photograph, so they can also be used to establish identity. The copy must be fully legible and the photo must be identifiable.
Indicate which document you are referring to:
- Passport ID page or ID card of EU/EEA/Switzerland which states citizenship
- Passport ID page (all other citizenships)
- EU Blue Card
- EU Family Member's Residence Card in Finland
- Type A permit (continuous residence permit in Finland)
- Type P permit (permanent residence permit in Finland)
- Type P-EU permit (EU residence permit for third-country citizens with long-term residence in Finland)
Admission results and appeals
Results
Results for August 2019 intake will be published around 15 March 2019.
All applicants
- See their results by logging in to Studyinfo.fi portal
- Receive an e-mail/a letter stating their result and points
Admitted applicants
- Receive also a notice of admittance by e-mail
- Must confirm the offered study place in time
Confirm the offered study place in time
Admitted applicants must confirm their study place by 8 July 2019 (3 pm Finnish time) at the latest by logging into Studyinfo.fi portal. If the confirmation has not been done by the set date and time, the applicant will lose the offered study place.
Non-EU/EEA students: To qualify for the Early Bird -scholarship you must have accept the offered study place within 7 days of being accepted!
Confirmation of the study place is binding and cannot be altered or cancelled.
If you are later admitted from the waiting list, you have 10 days to confirm your study place. Please read your e-mail regularly in order to receive the possible admittance e-mail in time. The final day of admittance is 31 July 2019.
Original certificates
The original certificates will be checked at the beginning of the studies. Student admission is conditional until TAMK has checked the admitted students' original school- and work certificates at the beginning of the studies.
Original certificate delivery instructions are given in the admission letter. TAMK may withdraw the admission if you do not deliver the original certificates by the set date or if you have given false information.
One study place
You can only accept one study place among Bachelor's/Master's degrees in Finland starting during the same academic semester (1 Aug-31 Dec/1 Jan-31 Jul). Even if you register as absent or quit your studies, you cannot accept another study place during the same academic semester.
Applicants who are accepted to the degree programme which they placed highest in the order of preference on the application form, cannot choose a study place from lower preference options at the confirmation stage.
This is a national policy to ensure that as many applicants as possible get a new study place annually.
Enroll for studies
When accepting the study place, you also have to register as present or absent to your studies at TAMK on the Studyinfo.fi portal.
According to Finnish legislations, first-year student may register as absent for the first academic year for the following reasons only:
- Finnish military service under the Conscription Act (1438/2007), Non-Military Service Act (1446/2007), or Act on Women's Voluntary Military Service (194/1995);
- maternity, paternity or parental leave;
- the student cannot begin studies due to being incapacitated by personal illness or injury.
If you register as absent, you must prove the legal grounds for your absence. TAMK requires you to present these documents by 8 July 2019 (3 pm Finnish time). Documents must be delivered to TAMK Admissions Office.
If you register as absent in your first academic year, but fail to deliver sufficient clarification regarding the grounds for your absence within the deadline, you will lose your right to study.
Appeals
If you believe that there has been a mistake in the student selection or the set admission criteria have not been applied correctly, you can submit a written request for rectification of the student selection decision addressed to TAMK Board of Examiners within 14 days after the student selection results have been published.
Always check the admission criteria of the programme first and contact TAMK Admissions Office before writing the request. If the issue cannot be solved by the admissions officials, you are advised to submit a written request for rectification.
Form and content of request for an administrative review: The document requesting an administrative review shall indicate the particular decision for which the review is requested, the amendment that is being sought in the review requested and the grounds for requesting the review. (Administrative Procedure Act, Section 49d)