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Through a partnership with the University of Northampton (UoN), HELBUS offers accredited UoN business and management programmes. Although the entire MBA programme is delivered by HELBUS in Finland, learners are recognised as UoN students.
The programme includes modules in different aspects of business studies, providing a strong theoretical and practical foundation in all areas of business management, such as strategy and management, marketing, financial management, finance, organisational development and entrepreneurship. Many other skills valued by employers, such as communication skills and teamwork, are also developed during the studies. Assessment methods will generally be written assignments such as reports, essays and analyses, as well as exams.
In the beginning of the programme, there is a strong academic skills development programme. It includes workshops, assignments and individual support to help students perform at an excellent level, even if a long time has passed since they completed their previous studies.
Compared to a specialist M.Sc. degree, the MBA is a generalist degree with a broader, more holistic approach. The programme consists of nine modules, with the final module being the Business Research Project – a comprehensive research-based thesis. Each of the other modules spans one term. Part-time students typically take 1-2 modules per term, while full-time students take 2-4 modules.
Curriculum 24/25
Fall term
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- Critical Issues in Business: What are the pervasive issues in business today? What does current research reveal about them? Participants take a critical perspective throughout, setting the standards for all other modules.
The module features an assignment that is a literature review analysing research on a given topic. This assignment aims to develop critical thinking skills and provide practice in academic writing. It serves as the first assessed assignment of the programme.
- Management and Organisational Behaviour: The search for competitive advantage has highlighted an increased emphasis on effective leadership skills, anchored into a global perspective. The module assesses the relevance of classical theory and modern research, with a strong focus on developing personal adaptability in cross-cultural work environments and rigorous understanding of what is required for global leadership aspirations.The
module examines the management challenges faced by the chosen company at two levels: first, conceptually through a presentation, and then in more depth through a written report that incorporates academic literature.
- Financial Decision Making: Participants will be provided with the strategic knowledge and capability in the concepts and applications of accounting, quantitative methods and management information, including the use of IT applications. It will equip leaders with critical interpretation and interrogation skills and support them in corporate decision making contexts.
In the module, students complete the programme’s only exam, a two-part multiple-choice test on financial statement analysis. Additionally, they perform a financial analysis of a company’s data and corporate governance, using publicly available information.
- Strategic Marketing: The module equips aspiring senior managers with the skills to help shape organisational success through leadership and analysis, planning and implementation of marketing activity, which creates and sustains superior performance in the market place.The module comprises two assignments. The first requires students to analyse and study marketing theories using academic sources. The second involves conducting an in-depth Marketing Audit of a company within a specific industry.
- Critical Issues in Business: What are the pervasive issues in business today? What does current research reveal about them? Participants take a critical perspective throughout, setting the standards for all other modules.
Spring term
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- Managing Operations and the Supply Chain: The module provides leaders with strategic knowledge and capability in the concepts and applications of operations, supply chain management and project management. Participants will develop the skills to operate effectively beyond the bounds of their own organisations in an era of increasing outsourcing activity and off-shoring of manufacturing and service provision.
In the module, students carry out both a production quality assessment and an operational analysis.
- Managing Operations and the Supply Chain: The module provides leaders with strategic knowledge and capability in the concepts and applications of operations, supply chain management and project management. Participants will develop the skills to operate effectively beyond the bounds of their own organisations in an era of increasing outsourcing activity and off-shoring of manufacturing and service provision.
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- The Entrepreneurship Report: Ambitious managers today must show an entrepreneurial mindset. This module provides a critical approach to the application of entrepreneurial concepts in order to help participants develop an innovative new venture in a sector of their choosing.In the module, students develop their own business concept and conduct an Opportunity Analysis to assess its viability. They then refine this idea further by creating a comprehensive Business Plan.
- Competitive Strategy and Innovation: Managers need the capability to develop and interpret strategies for their organisations, both at corporate and business levels in order to seek competitive advantage in a rapidly changing world, where innovation and adaptability are key strategic weapons.This module involves analysing a specific company’s strategy using historical and public information. This work is prepared in groups and presented. The module’s second assignment is an individual in-depth analysis comparing the strategies of two different companies.
- Business Research Project: Managers are frequently required to undertake project work in addition to their core responsibilities. In this module participants will conduct an independent piece of research based upon an actual business case situation, either through an inductive study, or a deductive approach.
Summer term
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- International Business Negotiation: Management of organisations requires a skill set that facilitates the articulation, advocation and negotiation of business transactions and decisions that might develop the standing of the organisations. Participants will develop a range of negotiation skills, appreciating cross-cultural and situational sensitivities.The module features two key components: a group simulation of an international negotiation scenario and an individual analysis of personal negotiation experiences in an international context.
- Business Research Project (cont.)
- International Business Negotiation: Management of organisations requires a skill set that facilitates the articulation, advocation and negotiation of business transactions and decisions that might develop the standing of the organisations. Participants will develop a range of negotiation skills, appreciating cross-cultural and situational sensitivities.The module features two key components: a group simulation of an international negotiation scenario and an individual analysis of personal negotiation experiences in an international context.
Overall, the MBA-degree consists of 180 UK credits (equivalent to 90 ECTS), and takes three terms to complete.
Assignment instructions are provided well in advance, allowing students to integrate the required workload into their daily routines. Students are encouraged to develop their critical thinking using their own workplace as a context for these assignments, making the learning directly applicable to their professional lives.
