Program Overview

International Business

The global world of business is rapidly growing and ever-changing. International Business specialization will prepare you for the opportunities of doing business in a complex and fascinating global economy. You will acquire a solid foundation of knowledge in international finance, marketing, trade, and management.

Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) program at the American Institute of Applied Sciences in Switzerland (AUS) provides students with opportunities to build the necessary skills for the future with a deep understanding of business and technological trends on a global scale and with hands-on experience via close links to the industry. At this first level of study, AUS students earn a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree that qualifies them for a profession in business management and the opportunity to continue their studies further and earn a Master of International Business Administration degree.

At AUS, we focus on integrating traditional business knowledge with practical decision-making, problem-solving, creativity, and strategic thinking while engaging in real-world projects. We create a learning environment that emphasizes collaboration and team building alongside academic work.

We recognize that business leaders today must master the hard skills needed to make data-driven decisions and the soft skills necessary to make them better collaborators. The curriculum takes the approach of the full development of the individual, placing emphasis on personal as well as professional growth. It prepares students for both career and graduate studies.

All courses are taught in English by leading business visionaries in small dynamic cohorts. Our professors have experience in successful business ventures, providing our students with real-life lessons learned and best practices. This background allows our professors to share their challenges and successes with the students, giving them a front-line education focused on experiential and student-centered learning. Our faculty-student ratio is roughly 1-7, facilitating a deeper working relationship between students and professors coupled with feedback and coaching. Each course integrates a minimum of two experiential learning activities, such as simulations, case studies, individual and group presentations, and projects.

The curriculum of International Business Specialization is designed to prepare you for the opportunities of doing business in a complex and fascinating global economy. You will acquire a solid foundation of knowledge in international finance, marketing, trade, and management. In addition to a broad-based business study, you will complete courses on global issues in management such as trade, competition, markets, organizational design, information technology, and human resource management. The impact of globalization on all businesses is explored.

Why AUS?

• Campus: The inspiring, modern campus of the American Institute of Applied Sciences in Switzerland features all you could need, from state-of-the-art learning spaces to cozy corners, an on-site Starbucks coffee machine, and dedicated sports facilities.
• Multiple Specializations Options: You can study an undergraduate or graduate degree in business or specialize, and also choose to engage in the Dual Degree Program in conjunction with Tiffin University in the United States.
• Multiple Intakes per Year: We have three admission intakes per year: fall, winter, and spring.
• International Recognition: AUS is chartered under Swiss law and recognized by the Department of Education in the Canton of Vaud as an Institute of Higher Education.
• Soft Skill Development: As an accredited institution with the IBM SkillsBuild Initiative, AUS has a first-hand view of the latest technologies and business trends across several industries. As an Apple Authorized Training Center for Education, students learn how to code, create and build apps.
• Personalized Learning: With a class size of 15 to 20 students and a faculty-student ratio is roughly 1-7, facilitating a deeper working relationship between students and professors coupled with feedback and coaching.
• Support Services: AUS provides various support services to students such as: Career Support, Dedicated support, Learning Support. All students will meet with the Academic Coordinator each academic term.
• Great Student Life: With our campus located amongst the Swiss Riviera's beautiful scenery, we organize trips to explore the rich cultural heritage and beautiful architecture. Offering plenty of nearby attractions, destinations, and ski resorts or visit local festivals.
• Cultural Diversity: At AUS students from over 50 nationalities from 6 continents come together to learn and share experiences, cultural perspectives, and varied work experiences with students from all over the world.
• Student Housing: AUS has several fully furnished single and shared rooms within a five-kilometer radius of the university campus.

Dual Degree Accreditations

Dual Degree Structure

In order to receive dual degrees, students must successfully complete the required AUS and TU courses. The curricula are mixtures of AUS and TU courses designed to provide students with the maximum exposure to the necessary knowledge and skills for the future workplace, emphasizing critical thinking, problem-solving, research technologies, and multimodal communication methods.

• Duration: 3 years
• Entry Dates: September / January / April
• Study Mode: Full-time
• Credits: 135 CH | 180 ECTS

Program Structure

The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) is a three-year program during which the student must obtain 135 credit hours | 180 European Credit Transfer System. The three-year program structure comprises nine academic terms, with three terms per year (Fall, Winter, and Spring). A standard course of study to complete a BSBA program over three years requires the completion of thirty core courses, including the capstone, twelve specialization courses, and four elective courses.

Courses

• AUS Core: 27
• TU Specialization: 12
• AUS Elective: 4
• Capstone: Business Plan: 3

Course Examples

• Spreadsheet Application and Data Analysis: This course focuses on the use of spreadsheet applications as a tool for decision-making. Included are topics such as design and management of worksheets and templates, and the use of built-in functions. Organizational uses in the areas of accounting, finance, marketing, human resources are discussed.
• Engage & Explore: This course is the first of the required three-course sequence in the general education curriculum for qualifying transfer students. Emphasis is placed on helping each transfer student successfully acclimate to Tiffin University by building campus connections, encouraging professionalism, and improving academic success in the areas of communication, research, and critical thinking.
• Connect: This is the third of a required four-course sequence in the General Education curriculum. Emphasis is placed on students applying critical analysis, problem-solving, research techniques, and multimodal communication methods in order to question assumptions, hypotheses, and evidence.
• Impact: This is a capstone experience and the final class of a required four-course sequence in the General Education curriculum. Students will present cumulative work from their experiences in prior courses with emphasis placed on students’ integration and synthesis of their acquired skills in problem-solving, multimodal communication methods, professional networking, critical analysis, and research techniques.
• Impact ePortfolio: This course is the required lab component for the fourth course in the four-course sequence in the General Education curriculum. Emphasis is placed on the synthesis of knowledge gained from professional and academic experiences at Tiffin University through reflection that exhibit the skills associated with the general education curriculum as aligned with the institutional core competencies: critical analysis; problem-solving; research techniques; and multimodal communication methods.
• Global Trade: A study of international trade and the geographical, economic and nationalistic characteristics that challenge the firm embarking upon global trade. Our focus is on the multinational corporation (MNC), or global business, pursuing trade in a very dynamic world economy “guided/influenced” by national and regional political and economic considerations.
• International Finance: The study of the institutions, concepts, and instruments of international finance. Current and past international monetary systems shall be discussed. Special attention shall be directed to consideration of accounting, finance and taxation differences global companies (multinational companies – MNCs) experience in the domestic and foreign economies.
• Human Resource Management: A study of the human resource function in business. Major areas of study will include staffing, recruitment, training and development, wage and salary administration, job analysis and evaluation, and labor relations.
• Managing Diversity in the Workplace: In the context of the growth of multinational enterprises and the increasing diversity of the American workforce, this course deals with gender, racial, age, cultural, and other differences in the workplace. The course will focus on being open, sensitive, and fair in dealing with differences and on using diversity as positive force within organizations.
• International Management: This course focuses on business across national boundaries. Topics covered include functional areas of management in MNES, impact of policy, society, economy, and geography on the international business environment and global strategic management.
• Organizational Strategy: An advanced course designed to integrate the functional concepts and techniques from the foundation courses in the curriculum. It provides the student with a thorough appreciation of the role of the general manager, with emphasis on strategy formulation and implementation.
• Global Marketing: This course examines the increasingly global nature of marketing management and addresses the issues involved when organizations expand into the arena of international competition. Particular attention is paid to the differences between cultures and the importance of sensitivity to them.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Admission Requirements:
  • High School Diploma or Equivalent
  • Official Transcripts
  • English Proficiency
  • Supporting Materials
• Non-EU/EFTA Applicants: May require a student visa to study in Switzerland. Additional visa requirements may apply, such as proof of financial resources, health insurance, and official acceptance from AUS.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The successful BSBA participant will be able to describe and demonstrate an understanding of the major concepts in the functional areas of general management (such as accounting, economics, finance, and marketing).
• The successful BSBA participant will be able to describe and explain theories, tools, and techniques (such as a cash flow statement, market segmentation, and sustainable competitive advantage) as used for the internal and external analysis of a particular company situation or industry environment.
• The successful BSBA participant will be able to apply their acquired knowledge and tools and organize and interpret the results in a logically integrated and cross-functional manner to support basic business decision-making.
• The successful BSBA participant will be able to create and present basic oral and written business communications in English.
• The successful BSBA participant will be able to develop learning skills that support further studies with a high degree of autonomy.

Career

The Management curriculum is designed to provide skills and competencies necessary for the world of work in the 21st century. Students complete the courses in the Management Core (9 hours) covering different functional areas and undertake an in-depth study in an area of specialization (21 hours). The curriculum takes the approach of total development of the individual, placing emphasis on personal as well as professional growth. It prepares students for both a career and for graduate studies.

Emphasis is on the global issues in management such as trade, competition, markets, organizational design, information technology and human resource management. Impact of globalization on all business is explored. Students are strongly encouraged to take at least one year of foreign language study or pass a language proficiency examination and to study abroad for a semester.

A specialization in International Business allows you to progress into the following careers:

• Marketing & Sales Management
• Financial Management
• Business Development
• General Management
• Business Consultancy

Where have our students gone after graduation?

Tuition & Fees

• Admission Fee: CHF 1’500.-
• Application Fee: CHF 250.-
• Dual Bachelor: CHF 9’350.- per term
• 3 Terms per year: 3-Year Bachelor’s Degree Program
• Flexible payment options available