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Bachelor of Business Administration, Business Management

Do you want to become an expert in business management? We offer a bachelor’s degree programme that focuses on entrepreneurship and international business. During your studies, you will take professional business courses such as CRM, business law, international marketing, ERP, international economics, organizational development, and global business studies, just to mention a few. You will also learn to use various software, tools, and methods that you need in actual working life.

Degree: Bachelor of Business Administration

Study type: Daytime studies

Duration: 3,5 years, 210 credits

Campus: Talonpojankatu 2, Kokkola

Tuition fee for non-EU/EEA citizens: 9500 €

Places: 15

Application period opens: 03.01.2024 at 08:00

Application period closes: 17.01.2024 at 15:00

Studies start in autumn 2024

Teaching language: English

Programme description

The BBA studies at Centria UAS are very practically oriented, and we will start from the basics, which means that you don’t need any previous business studies or work experience. You will study many business-related subjects, such as economics, management accounting, and environmental management. You will get to know business processes related to, for example, strategic management. Your studies include courses in human resources management, and you will learn how to develop HR processes. You will also study research and development-related subjects to support you in the thesis project that you will work on during your last study year. You can also join different research and development projects and other customer projects, in which you can practise the skills you have learned during your studies.

You will deepen your knowledge in marketing and supply management as well as in analytical business management. You will learn many practical skills, for example, how to do marketing research. You will familiarize yourself with enterprise resource planning, customer experience management, and international business management. All the studies are organised in a multicultural environment since our students represent over 40 nationalities.

The studies are conducted in English, and the teaching is organised on weekdays on our Talonpojankatu campus in Kokkola. Some of the courses are offered as online studies and the studies require some independent work. However, you will work also in groups on different projects and assignments while practising your communication and teamwork skills.

Centria co-operates very closely with the working life. Experts visit our lectures, and we also make company visits to the companies in our area. You can also participate in some interesting real-life projects. These projects are an excellent opportunity to show your know-how and perhaps get a summer job in one of the companies. The studies also include work placement periods. During the work placement, you can practise your skills in an actual work environment and also get to know potential employers.

A bachelor’s degree in business management gives you the readiness to work in various positions. The majority of our alumni work in private companies. There is a demand for business management professions also in the public sector. In the future, you can work in sales or marketing, development management or financial management, to mention a few possibilities. Some of our students have also set up a company, and they work as entrepreneurs. Lots of opportunities are available to business management professionals.

Additional information

The teaching is organised on weekdays on our Talonpojankatu campus in Kokkola.

The studies consist of core studies and profiling studies, work placement, and a thesis project. The scope of the degree programme is 210 ECTS, and it will take around 3,5 years to finish your studies.

Core competence 70 ECTS 

  • Study and Working Life Skills 
  • Language and Communication Skills 
  • Business Principles
  • Business Processes
  • Business Management
  • Research & Development

Profiling competence 140 ECTS 

  • Multilingual and multicultural environments 
  • Marketing and Supply Management  
  • Analytical Business Management  
  • Organizational Management 
  • International Business Management 
  • Work placement 
  • Bachelor’s thesis 

You can find the curriculum here.

The thesis is a practical planning project, development project, or research project. The thesis project aims to demonstrate that you command the theories and processes related to the field of business and can apply them in practice. The thesis project will deepen your professional know-how and provide you with versatile readiness to operate in various management, marketing, or financial management tasks. The thesis project is often completed as an assignment for a company, either independently or in pairs.

The scope of the thesis is 15 ECTS.  

In the online library Theseus (www.theseus.fi), all previously completed bachelor’s theses are available for everyone.

Centria has about 130 partner universities around the world, and you can spend a semester or a whole academic year in one of our partner universities. Centria offers three business-related bachelor’s programmes in English, and you are free to choose courses from all of the programmes according to your motivation. You can also complete work placements abroad or at an international company in Finland.

You can integrate your studies at Centria with a business degree in our specific university partners in France and China by spending one year in one of those universities. You will receive two international degrees through one programme, which is a real opportunity for you. This possibility is worth taking – especially if you want to strengthen your language skills and gain international experience.

The various internationalisation opportunities offered by our school are worth taking advantage of because many companies value strong language and communication skills, as well as international experience.

The Bachelor of Business Administration degree offers versatile employment opportunities. Graduates can work in various positions, including sales and marketing, development, financial management, and general administration. Some Bachelor of Business Administration graduates also pursue entrepreneurship.

In the future, your potential occupational titles may include: 

  • Export or Import Manager
  • Sales Representative
  • Marketing Manager
  • Key Accountant
  • Office Manager
  • Project Manager
  • Purchasing Manager
  • CEO
  • Financial Manager
  • Human Resource Manager
  • Entrepreneur

After you have completed your bachelor’s degree and you have gained at least two years of work experience, you can apply to the master’s degree programmes at Centria UAS. Centria offers several master’s programmes in business management in Finnish and English. You can also continue your studies at a university in Finland or abroad.

Student selection and tuition fees

First joint application 2024

Joint Application period is from 3 to 17 January 2024.

Centria University of Applied Sciences uses the following student selection methods during the first joint application 2024: 

International University of Applied Sciences (UAS) Exam: 75% of study places

Certificate-based selection (Finnish Matriculation Examination, IB, EB, RP/DIA): 25% of study places

International University of Applied Sciences (UAS) Exam

International UAS Exam is a joint digital entrance exam of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS), used for selecting students to English-conducted study programmes leading to a Bachelor’s degree.

The entrance examination assesses the applicants’ abilities to study at UAS. The entrance examination does not contain any pre-reading materials or pre-tasks.

Every applicant must submit a document of the English language skills and a valid identification document on the Studyinfo’s application form. Please check the approved documents at UASinfo.fi.

Language requirements during joint application 2024

In order to be invited to the International UAS Exam and to be selected based on the International UAS Exam selection method, the applicants have to prove their English language skills either by an internationally recognized language test or previous studies. Please, check the accepted documents here.

Identification documents during joint application 2024

The applicant needs a valid, acceptable identification document to be able to participate in the International UAS Exam. Please, check the accepted documents here. (Notice: only a passport is accepted from the applicants outside EU/EEA).

Please notice: the UASinfo.fi -website will be updated before the new year for the 2024 application.

More information about admission criteria on the UASinfo website.

NB. Changes may occur.

Certificate-based selection (Finnish Matriculation Examination, IB, EB, RP/DIA)

It’s possible to be selected through certificate-based student selection if you have: 

  • A minimum grade C in advanced English (degree programmes in the field of business and engineering)
  • A minimum grade C in advanced English and basic syllabus grade C or advanced syllabus grade A in Mathematics (degree programmes in the field of engineering)

SAT application

Applicants who in their past have completed the SAT tests (new version taken after March 2016) can also apply in our SAT application round on 1st November 2023 – 17th January 2024. Please read more information and the admission criteria here.  

Please notice that some applicants are obligated to pay tuition fees. If you are not an EU/EEA- citizen or if you do not have a document that exempts you from paying the tuition fees, you are obliged to pay them.

Please note that Centria UAS uses Flywire to accept payments from international students worldwide. This is the only accepted way to pay the tuition fee. Centria does not approach students with any other payment methods. Please only use the payment link provided in the conditional offer letter.

More information about the tuition fees and scholarships can be found here.

How to apply


Joint application 3.–17.1.2024

While the application is open you can apply to the degree programme in Studyinfo.


Applying with SAT scores

The next application period for degree programmes conducted in English for applicants who in their past have completed the SAT tests (new version taken after March 2016), will be arranged between 1 November 2023 and 17 January 2024.


Applying during transfer application 1.-15.5.2024

It is possible to apply to Centria UAS during the transfer application period if a student wants to transfer from one field of study to another within Centria UAS or a student wants to transfer from another Finnish university of applied sciences to Centria.


Applying with open UAS studies 1.–30.4.2024 and 1.–31.10.2024

Students who have completed studies in the Open University of Applied Sciences (UAS) may use the open UAS pathway to apply for degree student status.


Applying with an incomplete degree 1.–30.4.2024 and 1.–31.10.2024

If you have studied in Centria UAS or in another university in Finland but you have not yet finished your degree, you can re-apply for the same or related degree programme to finish your degree.


Check your eligibility

following education will give applicants eligibility to apply for Bachelor´s programmes:

  • the studies required for graduating from the Finnish upper secondary school or a Matriculation Ex-amination;
  • an International Baccalaureate (IB) degree;
  • a European Baccalaureate (EB) Diploma;
  • a Reifeprüfung (RP) or Deutsche Internationale Abitur (DIA) degree;
  • a Finnish vocational upper secondary qualification covering 120 credits or 180 competence points or a corresponding earlier Finnish vocational degree covering at least 80 credits;
  • a Finnish post-secondary or higher vocational level diploma;
  • a Finnish vocational upper secondary qualification or a further or specialist vocational qualification as a competence-based qualification, or a comparable previous qualification;
  • a foreign qualification that provides eligibility for higher education studies in the country in question;
  • Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree.

Contact us

Do you have questions about studying in the degree programme, studying in Finland or the practicalities of the application process? Please don’t hesitate to contact us!

Centrians sitting on the amphi stairs

How to reach us

If you want to know more about studies in the programme, you can contact our Education Export team or fill out a contact form and they will get back to you.

If you have a question about the practical application process, you can contact our Admissions services.

Students sitting together in the amphi of Kokkola campus

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Student stories

  • – Kyle Curinga, Student

    I think “flexible” is the word I’d describe Centria with. I have a job and a family and it allows me to balance all the things.

Unlock a world of opportunities with our BBA degree programme in Business Management. Immerse yourself in practical, industry-relevant courses, gain hands-on experience, and prepare for a versatile career in today’s competitive global landscape.

Weimu You, Head of Degree Programme

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