Bachelor's degrees at the Lucerne School of Business

Depending on the objectives and contents of the master’s programme, a minimum degree grade or additional qualifications may be required.

The Lucerne School of Business currently offers the following Master's degree programmes:

• Master of Science in Business Administration, Major Business Development and Promotion (German / English) 
• Master of Science in Business Administration, Major Online Business and Marketing (German)
• Master of Science in Business Administration, Major Public and Nonprofit Management (German)
• Master of Science in Business Administration, Major Tourism (German / English)
• Master of Science in Banking and Finance (German / English)
• Master of Science in International Financial Management (English)

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These specialisations take up around one third of the entire programme and exceed comparable ones offered elsewhere in terms of scope, content and duration. They are one of the distinguishing features that will set your higher education apart from the rest. The specialisations not only reflect some of our core competences in research and services, but the people in charge are in constant and close contact to the world of business out there. It is this unique combination of a generalist business education with attractive specialisations (which actually deliver what they promise) that gives the Lucerne Bachelor its distinctive value and flavour.

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A key aspect of the programme is personal contact between students and faculty and the fact that teaching and learning take place on an equal footing. Our mission statement puts it like this: «We develop people.» What this means: seminars in manageable groups instead of anonymous lectures, group and individual work in direct contact with lecturers and companies, guidance and counselling by lecturers and managers with a business background (mentoring and peer programmes), and so forth. We like swimming against the tide if it means providing our students with an advantage.

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We poll the graduates six months after they leave. As a result, we know that, within that period, some 95 percent find employment in line with their training and their expectations, more than at most other comparable institutions in Switzerland. A little over half of the graduates find openings in qualified clerical/administrative and specialist occupations, while roughly one fifth are appointed to managerial positions (2016 figures). Either way, the Bachelor’s degree represents the perfect start to a successful career trajectory.

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So says our mission statement. What this means in practical terms: the Bachelor’s degree in International Business Administration focuses on imparting skills which are of relevance to securing employment in business administration and allied fields such as economics, law, communications, etc., and is backed up by the School’s state-of-the-art science and research. The point of reference is a graduate profile composed of six core competences. It is a profile that the Lucerne School of Business has developed in partnership with industry, ensuring that each individual module and each lecture or seminar serves the purpose of contributing to students’ professional qualifications.

The programme’s modular structure with three specialisations and numerous electives means that studies can be tailored to individual preferences. Students have a say in how and where they should best channel their abilities and inclinations.

The programme consists of a generalist component combined with one out of the three specialisations. In the generalist component students acquire foundational management skills and the ability to analyse and evaluate important variables in the corporate environment. This is backed up by qualitative and quantitative research methodology and by communication skills tailored to the needs of a professional environment.

The focus on specialisations starts at the beginning of the second half of the programme. At that point, the emphasis is on developing subject-specific proficiency in the area of specialisation. Generic skills will be further developed through related practical exercises.

Students at the Lucerne School of Business adopt an autonomous and methodical approach to their own learning – one that goes beyond the confines of the programme. They recognise the importance of teamwork when it comes to producing viable solutions, and they practise working with uncertainty and complexity – essential prerequisites for a successful career.

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Rather than being disciplinary in the traditional sense, they encourage interdisciplinarity and joined-up thinking. Formally, they may consist of a number of interrelated subjects or submodules.

The difference between a module’s entry and exit profiles is what defines its objectives and contents. These, in turn, dictate the nature of teaching and learning approaches and arrangements, which may range from a predominance of contact hours in seminars (fundamentals, knowledge transfer), directed self-study alone or in groups (transfer, practice, implementation), or autonomous self-study (acquisition of knowledge, pre- and post-processing, research work).

In this way, each module is associated with a specific «sub-qualification» (in terms of the graduate profile), which is tested and confirmed by means of assessed assignments. If the latter are passed, module attendance is rewarded with a certain number of ECTS credits.

Each module comes with a standardised and detailed module description.

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Practical relevance is based on a range of factors: stakeholders from business and society help develop the curricula, and graduate feedback is systematically collected and processed. Lecturers are required to have personal business experience and are supported by guest lecturers with a background in business. Student research and projects papers are as a rule commissioned by and carried out for external firms and organisations. And students benefit from support services such as the Careers Service and a mentoring programme, all designed to prepare them for later professional practice.

On the other hand, academic relevance and theory are essential components of the programme. They are designed to equip students’ with enduring reflection and development skills (long-term qualification). Theoretical knowledge facilitates navigation in unfamiliar, unstructured and complex situations. It helps with the identification of relations, patterns and dependencies. Theory and science are the cornerstones of long-term professional success.

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Following a «dry run» at the beginning of the course, the second year finds students working on an assignment commissioned by a company or organisation. The culmination of all the work takes place during the final year of studies: the Bachelor thesis takes the form of a fairly major practical assignment, which has to be completed without substantial support.

One of the valuable aspects of the methods-based approach adopted by the Lucerne School of Business is that students are made to feel the harsh winds of business reality early on in their studies and that this has a significant and positive effect has on their learning process.

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If someone does a Bachelor’s degree programme at the Lucerne School of Business, he or she will be working on these aspects more intensively than at most other universities. As a result of this in-depth approach to communication, the messages will be well received – including at a future place of work.

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Persons with special time commitments (competitive sports, caregiving, etc.) can opt for a tailored part-time study model, details of which are agreed by the student and the head of degree programmes. Here, the time-to-degree is a minimum of ten semesters.

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The Bachelor’s degree programme at the Lucerne School of Business includes the possibility of an exchange semester at one of the 80-plus university-level partner institutions around the globe. Academic performance during that is fully credited – and at an unbeatable price. This means that exchange students do not have to worry about the time they spend in study being extended – plus they pay the standard semester tuition fee to the Lucerne School of Business.

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These include a wide-ranging library infrastructure, numerous refectories, cafeterias, etc., a work placement service, an accommodation service, University Sports, the campus orchestra, a campus crèche, a counselling service and a crisis support service. Not forgetting a language centre and a range of elective modules that can be attended by all students regardless of the programme they are entrolled in. A number of student organisations take care of the interests and needs of the students. 

Lucerne, principally known for its tourism and culture, is becoming increasingly student-oriented. Students benefit from discounts and concessions in shops and at events. 

A picturesque setting in the centre of Switzerland, a rich historical and cultural heritage, a wide range of restaurants and wealth of entertainment, wonderful leisure and recreation opportunities and a superb public transport system – all this contributes to a high quality of life which is, at the same time, conducive to studies.

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• A higher secondary education certificate qualifying the holder for studies at university level in his or her country of origin (Swiss students: «Berufsmaturität Ausrichtung Wirtschaft/Dienstleistungen» or «Gymnasiale Matura»). Applicants from non-European countries must provide confirmation of acceptance to a bachelor’s degree course or equivalent in business administration or economics at an acknowledged university in their country of origin. 
• A minimum of one year's qualified work experience in a business-related area (Swiss students: persons with a «Kaufmännische Berufslehre» fulfill this requirement). Although such experience may have been acquired in more than one company or organisation, at least six consecutive months must have been with the same employer. The Lucerne School of Business offers a limited number of work placements which fulfil this particular admission requirement.
• Non-Swiss students: Proven knowledge in financial accounting and mathematics.
• For non-native speakers of the tuition language: evidence of language proficiency corresponding to at least level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference. Such evidence must be available before studies are taken up (by the end of July in the year of admission at the latest). 

The enrolment fee for the bachelor’s degree is CHF 515, while the tuition fee is CHF 800 per semester. Study-related expenditure for materials, books, trips, etc. is extra.

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• Academic Ordinance Governing Degree Programmes at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
• Academic Regulations Governing the Bachelor’s Degree in (International) Business Administration at the Lucerne School of Business

Both sets of regulations are available here.

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