Bachelor in Business Administration (International Management)
Your launchpad to a thriving international business career!
Key data
- Degree
- Bachelor of Science FHNW in Business Administration (International Management)
- ECTS points
- 180
- Study start
- September
- Studying mode
- Full-time, part-time, or part-time flex (for details, see study structure)
- Duration
- 3 or 4 years
- Teaching language
- English
- Place
- Olten or Brugg-Windisch
- Stay abroad
- Mandatory (Fulltime track), Optional (Part-time track)
- Semester fee
- CHF 750 (for residents of Switzerland). For details, see fees*
Few places still available.
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With a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (International Management), you are well-equipped to advance in a dynamic and diverse work environment. The business world needs creative thinkers who can adopt an entrepreneurial mindset and develop modern, forward-looking solutions. By focusing on international management, you will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate global markets, understand cross-cultural dynamics, and address the challenges of an interconnected world.
- Subject-Specific Knowledge: Gain a solid foundation in key international management and business administration disciplines that you can apply directly in the field.
- Experience: Prepare yourself for the demands of international business practice through projects, case studies, and hands-on assignments.
- International Perspective: Develop a global mindset with a focus on cross-cultural management, international markets, and global economic trends to prepare for success in a worldwide business environment.
- International Communication Skills: Enhance your ability to communicate effectively across cultures, a vital skill in today’s globalized business landscape.
- Study Abroad Opportunities: Take advantage of international study programs that provide valuable experiences and insights into global business practices while expanding your professional network.
- Personalized Study Focus: Specialize in areas that interest you the most, such as international finance, international marketing, sustainability management, digital transformation and innovation, and many more fields.
- Diverse Career Opportunities: Shape your career. Your degree opens many doors – whether in management, marketing, finance, or even as an entrepreneur in Switzerland or internationally.
- Build Your Network: Connect with leading global companies, born-global start-ups, and industry experts who will support you on your international career path.
The BSc Business Administration (International Management) degree program is designed to prepare you for a successful career in today's dynamic business landscape. You will build a solid foundation in business administration, covering key areas such as finance and accounting, marketing, human resource management, supply chain management, innovation and digital business, data analytics, and international business. Along the way, you'll develop essential management skills and gain proficiency in techniques necessary for effective leadership in a global and multicultural environment, enabling you to tackle international business challenges with a systematic approach. You will enhance your communication skills while also acquiring new competencies, including negotiation and leadership. This program equips you to navigate complex organizational structures and opens doors to diverse career opportunities in multinational corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises with international operations, non-profit organizations, or even start-ups.
In the latter half of your studies, you’ll be able to choose from a broad range of specialisations, tailoring your education to suit your career goals. By focusing on areas that align with your interests and ambitions, you can develop new skills, sharpen the existing ones and develop expertise in a specific field. This way you can build a strong foundation for professional success and enhance your employability in your chosen industry.
The BSc Business Administration (International Management) program at the FHNW School of Business emphasizes practical relevance, providing you with real-world insights into the working environment during your studies. This is achieved through group projects with industry partners, your Bachelor's Thesis and the “Work Experience” modules designed especially for part-time working students. These hands-on experiences will equip you with valuable skills, enhance your understanding of business practices, and prepare you for future career success
Student Projects with Industry Partners
At FHNW School of Business, you will have an opportunity to apply management theories to real problems from multinational corporations, start-ups, and small-and-medium sized enterprises, gaining hands-on experience under expert supervision.
Industry projects cover a wide range of business issues, helping you build practical skills and valuable industry contacts. You develop critical problem-solving abilities and grow a network that boosts your career readiness.
The BSc Business Administration (International Management) program offers diverse opportunities to gain global exposure and cross-cultural experience, tailored to both full-time and part-time students. With dedicated support from the International Office, you can enhance your skills and expand your horizons through various international options.
- Study entirely in English, the global business lingua franca, to develop essential language skills and boost your career prospects.
- Fulfil the mandatory study abroad semester as a full-time student or opt for a double degree, summer/winter school, or international modules.
- Part-time students can choose a semester abroad or participate in other international experiences, such as projects and specialized modules.
- The International Office provides guidance and support for applications to exchange programs, double degrees, and other global initiatives.
The full-time programme is available in Olten only and can be completed in six semesters (3 years). Students complete 30 ECTs per semester.
- Full-time programme available in Olten only
- Instruction days: Monday to Friday (one day off per week)
- Module overview full time (PDF)
The part-time program can be completed in eight semesters (4 years). Our part-time mode is designed for those students that either pursue a professional career, raise a family or have a care-commitment. If you work more than 50%, you can accredit this through written work (Work Experience) with up to 15 ECTS.
- Instruction days: Students should expect to study two days per week on Campus (Monday to Friday, very occasionally on Saturday mornings)
- Time windows (PDF)
- Module overview part-time (PDF)
Our innovative part-time flex model enables an optimal combination of study and work. Our flex model offers part-time students who study in Brugg-Windisch or Olten the opportunity to take modules on-campus and online.
As a student you should expect to spend one day or max 1.5 days on Campus learning in a traditional face-to-face setting. The other modules are taught online, either in a synchronous live session or asynchronous self-study setting. This blended learning approach offers flexibility, allowing you to balance studies with other commitments through online modules. Limited on-campus days maximize face-to-face learning for interactive activities, while online sessions build self-discipline and time management skills. The course content, examination requirements, and duration of study are identical to the traditional part-time program.
It is possible to switch between different part-time models at the start of each semester, giving you greater flexibility.
- Days of instruction: one day on campus (Monday to Friday) and two evenings for the online modules (Monday to Friday).
- Time windows (PDF)
- Module overview part-time flex (PDF)
Standardised Assessment Stage
You begin the program with the assessment stage, focusing on the foundations of business administration and essential academic study skills while starting to identify your strengths and areas of interest for specialization.
The first-year modules are structured to enable an easy switch between the Business Administration (International Management), Wirtschaftsinformatik, Business Information Technology, and Betriebsökonomie programs. This flexibility allows you to choose the degree program that aligns best with your goals after the first two semesters, keeping your studies on schedule.
Individual Areas of Specialisation
You can also tailor your studies to your goals by choosing from a range of business and non-business electives and specialisations. A practical project and a bachelor’s thesis provide further opportunities for specialisation.
Assessment | 24 |
Data Analytics and Research Methods | 21 |
Business Administration in a Digital World | 21 |
Financial Management, Economics and Law | 24 |
Management in a Dynamic and Interconnected World | 24 |
Projects with Industry Partners | 18 |
Specialisation Modules | 36 |
Context | 12 |
Mandatory exchange semester (full-time track), optional (part-time track). Students can also complete international experience requirement by doing a double degree or intensive programmes/courses and regular modules with international focus offered by the School of Business.
Upon completing the program, our graduates embark on diverse career paths. Many join small and medium-sized enterprises as versatile all-rounders, while others enter larger multinational corporations through graduate training programs—or sometimes through direct entry as junior managers. With on-the-job experience, you may progress to management roles or even pursue your entrepreneurial ambitions by starting your own business.
Attractive career opportunities await in fields such as financial services, consulting, corporate finance, marketing, corporate communications, data analytics, social media marketing, and so on.
With the following qualifications you are directly admitted to the program:
Professional Baccalaureate, commercial
- Type Economics
- Type Services
Higher Business Vocational School HF Diploma (acceptance of credits subject to study regulations)
- Business Economist HF
- Banking Economist HF
- Insurance Economist HF
- Marketing Manager HF
- Tourism Specialist HF
- Diploma in Hotel and Restaurant Management
Transfer from Universities and Universities of Applied Sciences after consultation
With the following qualifications, you need at least one year of commercial work experience after completion of upper secondary education:
- Professional Baccalaureate, other than commercial
- General Baccalaureate
- International Baccalaureate (Grade point average requirements)
- Specialised Middle School Baccalaureate
- German University of Applied Sciences Entry Diploma entitling studies in all federal states of Germany (minimum grade 2.5)
- Higher Vocational School, not listed above
You can take an entrance exam with the following qualifications:
- Federal PET Diplomas + 1 year of commercial work experience
- EFZ (Federal Certificate of Competence) and minimum age of 25 years
For foreign degrees, please enquire at the admissions office
Tuition fees qualify for attendance of any Bachelor course within FHNW, independent of the particular enrolment at a faculty.
Registration fee (1) | once | CHF 200 |
Personal course fee (2) | per semester | CHF 750* |
Copying and materials | per semester | CHF 100 |
Teaching materials, books, projects | per year | ca. CHF 1'000 |
Diploma fee | once | CHF 300 |
(1) A separate registration fee has to be paid for each programme you register for.
(2) For students domiciled in a Swiss canton or in the Principality of Liechtenstein with legal entitlement to a grant, for Expatriate Swiss citizens or for students domiciled in a Swiss canton, who are holders of a residence permit that has not been issued specially for their studies. For other students, please contact the secretariat.
*Personal course fee for EU or EFTA citizens: CHF 1'000.00 per semester
*Personal course fee for Non-European citizens: CHF 5'700.00 per semester
- Fees and regulations (PDF in German, valid from academic year 2025/2026)
- Grants and loans
Few places still available.
Depending on your previous education, the following documents must be enclosed with the application:
- University entrance qualification incl. report card (vocational baccalaureate certificate, baccalaureate certificate, etc.)
- Federal diploma of higher education
- Residence permit (if available)
- Exmatriculation attestation (if available)
The preparatory courses for studying at the FHNW School of Business are intended for future students who either have a non-commercial vocational baccalaureate, whose commercial vocational baccalaureate was completed some time ago or who feel insecure in one or more core subjects.
Zentrum Bildung am Standort Brugg: Vorkurse Rechnungswesen und Mathematik
Handelsschule KV Basel: Vorkurse Rechnungswesen und Mathematik
BBZ Olten: Vorkurse Mathematik und Finanzbuchhaltung
Further offers can be requested directly from the respective providers.
Timetable
You will receive your timetable for the first semester in July.
Introduction week
- Mandatory induction days will be held in week 37, just before your first semester begins. Exact dates will be provided in August.
Autumn semester (from week 38)
- Duration: 14 weeks (from mid-September to Christmas)
- Block week: week 45
- Examinations: Early January to the beginning of February
Spring semester (from week 8)
- Duration: 15 weeks (mid-February to the beginning of June)
- Block week: Week before Easter
- Examinations: June to beginning of July
On request an english translation is available: ccc.olten@fhnw.ch
Students with disabilities and chronic illnesses can apply for compensation for disadvantages.
The aim of compensation for disadvantages is to eliminate or reduce the disadvantages resulting from disabilities and chronic illnesses during studies by means of suitable measures. The term refers to the adaptation of the conditions under which learning and/or examinations take place, but not a modification of the learning objectives or a waiver of subjects. Compensation for disadvantages can be applied both in the admission procedure and in the degree programme.
Information sheet on compensation for disadvantages (in German)
Contact
The FHNW will help you coordinate your studies and compulsory military service in the best possible way. You can find all the information on training credits, credit transfer options, postponements and advice centers here.
Flyer Bachelor Business Administration (International Management) (PDF)
Flyer Bachelor degree programmes (in German)
Students and programme heads will answer your questions in an open consultation hour. Simply open the link during the specified time and take part. Further dates will follow.
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