Bachelor's Programme in Business and Economics

The aim of the programme is to provide students with the qualified knowledge, skills, and approaches they will need in a future career in business and public administration. The programme also prepares for further studies at the advanced level in the field of business administration, finance and/or economics.

The programme leads to the Degree of Bachelor of Science. The major field of study is specified on the basis of the student’s choice within the programme:

• Degree of Bachelor of Science with a major in Business Administration (ekonomie kandidatexamen med huvudområdet företagsekonomi).
• Degree of Bachelor of Science with a major in Economics (ekonomie kandidatexamen med huvudområdet nationalekonomi).
• Degree of Bachelor of Science with a major in Financial Economics (ekonomie kandidatexamen med huvudområdet finansiell ekonomi).

The programme is structured in two phases of three semesters each. The first phase provides introductory studies in Business Administration, Economics, Statistics and Commercial Law. The second phase consists of in-depth studies within one of the main fields of study: Financial Economics, Business Administration or Economics. The programme is completed with a Bachelor’s thesis in the selected main field of study.

Semesters 1-3

The first three semesters are compulsory for all students and includes basic courses in Business Administration (1–30 credits), Economics (1–30 credits), Statistics (1–15 credits) and Law (1–15 credits).

Courses in Business Administration (30 credits): Introduction to Studies in Business and Economics (2 credits, of which 1 in Business Administration), Financial Accounting (8 credits), Management Accounting (6 credits), Marketing (6 credits), Management (6 credits), and Applied Business Administration (3 credits).

Courses in Economics (30 credits): Introduction to Studies in Business and Economics (2 credits, of which 1 in Economics), Microeconomics (6 credits), Macroeconomics (6 credits), Financial Economics (6 credits), Economics in Practice (6 credits), and International Economics (5 credits).

Courses in Statistics (15 credits): Statistics 1a (8 credits) and Statistics 1b (7 credits).

Courses in Law (15 credits): Introduction to Commercial Law (3 credits) and Commercial Law (12 credits).

Semester 4. Business Administration, Economics or Financial Economics

Prior to semester 4, the student chooses the main field of study. The available main fields of study are Business Administration, Economics and Financial Economics.

At the start of semester 4, at least 60 credits from the initial three semesters must have been completed.

In semester 4, students take intermediate courses (30 credits) in the chosen main field of study. Intermediate courses in the selected field are compulsory.

Semester 5. Business Administration or Economics

Students majoring in Business Administration or Economics take elective courses (30 credits).

Semester 5. Financial Economics

For students with Financial Economics as their main field of study, it is compulsory in semester 5 to take courses amounting to 15 credits in Financial Economics, as well as an additional 15 credits within the main fields of Financial Economics, Business Administration and/or Economics.

For students who take fewer than 30 credits in Financial Economics during semester 5, the requirement of 90 credits in the main field of study is fulfilled as the courses Financial Accounting, Microeconomics and Financial Economics from semesters 1–3 are classified as belonging to the main field of Financial Economics.

Semester 6. Financial Economics or Economics

In semester 6, students take in-depth courses (30 credits) in the main field of study (Economics or Financial Economics), which includes an independent project in the form of a Bachelor’s thesis (15 credits).

In-depth courses, including a Bachelor’s thesis in the chosen main field of study, are compulsory.

Semester 6. Business Administration

In semester 6, students take in-depth courses (30 credits) in the main field of study (Business Administration), which includes an independent project in the form of a Bachelor’s thesis (15 credits).

The following in-depth study options are usually offered: Marketing (30 credits), Accounting (30 credits), Industrial and Financial Management (30 credits), Management (30 credits), International Business (30 credits), and Corporate Sustainability (30 credits).

In-depth courses, including a Bachelor’s thesis in the chosen main field of study, are compulsory.

Language of instruction

Swedish and/or English. The language of instruction is specified in each course syllabus.

General objectives for Degree of Bachelor 

Knowledge and understanding

For a Degree of Bachelor the student shall

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the main field of study, including knowledge of the disciplinary foundation of the field, knowledge of applicable methodologies in the field, specialised study in some aspect of the field as well as awareness of current research issues.

Competence and skills

For a Degree of Bachelor the student shall

• demonstrate the ability to search for, gather, evaluate and critically interpret the relevant information for a formulated problem and also discuss phenomena, issues and situations critically
• demonstrate the ability to identify, formulate and solve problems autonomously and to complete tasks within predetermined time frames
• demonstrate the ability to present and discuss information, problems and solutions in speech and writing and in dialogue with different audiences, and
• demonstrate the skills required to work autonomously in the main field of study.

Judgement and approach

For a Degree of Bachelor the student shall

• demonstrate the ability to make assessments in the main field of study informed by relevant disciplinary, social and ethical issues
• demonstrate insight into the role of knowledge in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used, and
• demonstrate the ability to identify the need for further knowledge and ongoing learning.

Local objectives

In addition to the objectives set by law and regulation the programme has two local objectives:

• demonstrate the ability to apply methods and tools to address sustainability-related societal challenges, and 
• demonstrate the ability to make ethical judgements and the ability to discuss different ethical perspectives in possible future professional roles.

The study programme will be followed up and evaluated in accordance with the applicable Policy för kvalitetssäkring och kvalitetsutveckling av utbildning vid Göteborgs universitet (Policy for the Quality assurance and Quality Development of Education at the University of Gothenburg).

A student admitted to the programme has a general admission guarantee for compulsory courses, provided that the student applies for and accepts courses within the prescribed time, follows the programme at the intended pace, and thereby fulfils any entry requirements stated in the respective course syllabus.

For students with Business Administration or Economics as their main field of study, a limited place guarantee applies to the elective courses offered by the School of Business, Economics and Law in semester 5. For students with Financial Economics as their main field of study who choose to take courses at the School in semester 5, a general place guarantee applies.

For students with Business Administration as their main field of study, if the number of applicants to a particular specialisation in semester 6 exceeds the number of available places, a selection will be made. In such cases, a limited place guarantee applies.