BTH-4.1.

2–0910-2018

Utbildningsplan för MBA-programmet

(60 högskolepoäng)
MBA programme
(60 ECTS credits)

1. Decision
The degree programme was established by the Board of Education at Blekinge Institute of Technology 2015-09-07. The
programme was revised on 2015-11-02 (BTH-4.1.2-0542-2015). The revision refers to the entry requirements. The new entry
requirements apply as from admissions round 2016.
The programme syllabus was jointly adopted by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and the Deans on 2018-10-29

The document applies to all students admitted to the autumn semester of 2019.
Programme code: IYAMP

2. Entry requirements
Access to the degree programme requires:
A Degree of Bachelor or Degree of Bachelor in Science in Engineering, 180 higher education credits, within a technical field,
including an independent project of minimum 7.5 credits. 15 credits Mathematics/Applied Mathematics and 5 credits in Industrial
Economics, Business Administration or the equivalent. Two years of professional experience after the degree. English B/English 6.

3. Conditions for participation in programme courses

To participate in programme courses, the student must meet the course entry requirements by the start of the course at the latest. The
student’s prior knowledge will be checked before the start of each course. The entry requirements are stated in the respective course
syllabi.

To participate in programme courses, the student must be admitted and registered to each course. Admission to compulsory courses
within a programme takes place in connection with the start of the semester during which the course will be given, provided that the
student meets the entry requirements for the course. Elective courses within a programme must first be selected by the student, on specific
occasions, before admission can take place. Course entry requirements also apply to elective courses.

Students have the opportunity to discuss their study situation with the programme director or a study advisor.

4. Degree
The programme leads up to the following second-cycle degree
Degree of Master of Science (60 credits)
Main field of study: Industrial Economics and Management

4.1. Specific requirements for BTH

A Degree of Master (60 credits) requires at least 30 second cycle credits in the main field of study, of which the independent
project (degree project) is to comprise at least 15 credits (level A1E). A maximum of 15 first cycle credits can be included in the
degree.

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5. Goals
The course syllabi present detailed goals for the separate courses which contribute to the goals of the programme. To sum up, the
national goals for the programme involve the following:

4.1. Knowledge and understanding

Upon completion of the programme, the student shall:

● acquired knowledge in the different principal sub areas of industrial economics such as leadership, management and strategy in a
technical/engineering context
● acquired knowledge in regard to scientific methods for, among other things, collection and analysis of data in relation to a
scientifically relevant problem

4.2. Competence and skills

Upon completion of the programme, the student shall:
● be able to make analyses, based on scientific methods, of complex management issues
● be able to independently formulate problems and possible solutions within the industrial field
● have acquired skills to express and discuss conclusions and the knowledge and arguments that
underlie them in dialogue with different groups
● demonstrate skills in working with others in a group

4.3. Judgement and approach

Upon completion of the programme, the student shall
● demonstrate insights of how real company problems can be modeled and which model/modelling to is useful to apply for what real

problem.
● demonstrate an understanding of which role, which responsibility and which limitations management has in the development of

industrial organizations
● demonstrate an understanding of her/his own role in management processes and be able to identify her/his own needs of competence

development in the field

6. Content
The MBA programme is a two-year part-time programme aiming to the improvement of management knowledge for engineers.

6.1. Structure and courses of the degree programme

The courses are studied in the order presented below.

Semester 1
● Compulsory: IY2602, Principles of Leadership and Management, 7.5 credits, Industrial Economics and Management, second
cycle, AXX
● Compulsory: IY2589, Investment Analysis, 77.5 credits, Industrial Economics and Management, second cycle, AXX

Semester 2
● Compulsory: IY2593, Managerial Economics, 7.5 credits, Industrial Economics and Management, second cycle, AXX
● Compulsory: IY2590, Strategy and Control, 7.5 credits, Industrial Economics and Management, second cycle, A1F

Semester 3

● Compulsory: IY2588, Management Science, 7.5 credits, Industrial Economics and Management, second cycle, A1F
● Compulsory: IY2596, Research Methodology in Industrial Economics, 7.5 credits Industrial Economics and Management,
second cycle, AXX

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Semester 4
● Compulsory: IY2594, Master’s Thesis MBA, 15 credits, Industrial Economics and Management t, second cycle, A1E

6.2. Learning and education

The programme is studied part-time (two year), which gives the possibility to work and study in parallel.

The assumption is that the students admitted to the programme have professional experience, relevant for the studies. The
pedagogical basic idea is that the students are active co-creators of their knowledge, which is reflected by the courses building on a
continuous dialogue between teacher and student, mainly expressed via academic discussions and feedback on assignment work.

The programme is designed so as to offer a high degree of flexibility to the students, in both time and place, which give the
students good possibilities to combine their professional activities with the studies. There are, for example, only a small number of
real-time activities, but there are fixed deadlines for a number of written assignments. The major part of the activities take place
via a learning platform. Each course equips the students with a material to work with, and we put great weight on keeping a
continuity during the courses by giving the students frequent deadlines for different types of assignments (both the ones that are to
be done individually and those to be done in groups). It´s possibly to have the final seminar in the degree project course on campus
for the students who wish so.

The programme is given in English

7. Quality assurance
The education program is followed up annually regarding content, design, implementation and results. This is done through two follow-up
meetings, spring and autumn, where program managers, faculty programme director, deans and deputy vice-chancellor discuss aspects and
statistics of the program.

The program is continuously evaluated through the course evaluations of the separate courses conducted after completion of the course,
and partly by program evaluation performed every two years. Course evaluations are reported and discussed by course managers and head
of department, followed by head of department, deputy vice-chancellor and deans, and feedback gives to the students. Program evaluation
is reported and discussed by program manager, faculty programme director, deans and deputy vice-chancellor, and is returned to students.
The result of course and program evaluations leads to the development of the program.

The programme is connected to a Programme Board that deals with quality and development issues. The Programme Board and the
different committees of the Board, have external members, student representatives and alumni, who discuss the program's development,
quality and relevance to the labor market.

8. Student participation
The students are represented in the Board of Education and committees, the Programme Board of the degree programme, and they
are also represented in relation to the decisions taken by the departments regarding the course syllabi. There is a programme
coordinator for the programme who is the students’ principal contact person for overall matters regarding the programme.

9. Research base
The education program rests on scientific grounds and proven experience. Throughout the programme we make use of relevant
scientific literature, we put demands on the students for independently seeking scientific information, and independently authored
scientific reports are the most common form of examination.

In terms of research, industrial economics at BTH has an emphasis on management of innovation and technology and industrial
dynamics and technological change. The MBA programme does not have an explicit emphasis of this kind, but within the parts of
the programme where this is relevant, there are connections made to these research areas, which take place, principally, in two
ways – partly by offering the teaching in the form of a case, application areas, with examples turned toward the mentioned research
areas, and partly by the research area being represented in secondary literature, for example, in the form of scientific articles and
other material.

10. Third stream activities and labor market links

BTH works actively to make its programmes lead to applicability and employability on the labor market. For the MBA
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programme, the connection to the working life is close, as our students are professionally active during the time of their studies.
The programme includes examination items which require that the students must visit companies to collect material. Both the
students’ employers and other companies are used for this purpose. The students also make important contacts and create networks
with each other within the framework of the programme, which will benefit them long after the completion of the programme.

11. Internationalization
The programme attracts students from different parts of the world, which gives possibilities to the consideration of international
aspects in, for example, the solving of group assignments in the programme. International aspects, for example regarding, business
cultures, are also specifically treated in the programme.

12. Social and gender equality in education

BTH promotes equal opportunities for both women and men to shape society and their own lives.

A good learning environment at BTH means a stimulating, respectful and inclusive environment in which all forms of harassment,
discrimination or offensive behaviour are unacceptable. Through our quality enhancement system, we work to improve and develop the
learning environment of our study programmes. We have adopted a four-step systematic approach: investigate; analyse; take measures;
follow up and evaluate. The work is organised within five different areas: 1) Recruitment and admission, 2) Forms of teaching and
programme structure, 3) Examinations and assessments, 4) Study environment and 5) Studies and parenting. The work involves the direct
encounters with our students as well as surrounding structures, systems and functions. Our procedures for creating a learning environment
free from discrimination, harassment and offensive victimisation cover three aspects: promotion of equal opportunities, prevention of
harassment and discrimination, and management of cases that arise.