Management in Sustainable Business (Master’s Degree)
Field of studies
- Business Administration
- Entrepreneurship and Business
- Leadership and Administration
- Sustainable development
Degree title
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Registration period
- Direct Application 2024, Master's
Teaching language
- English
Type of education
- Master’s Degree
Academic level
- Master Level Studies - EQF 7
Campus
- Online
Teaching format
- Online Learning
Sustainable actions in business start with engaged leaders!
Our goal, at Häme University of Applied Sciences, is to empower our students to navigate the dynamic landscape of current economic, social, and environmental pressures on a global scale. Students gain enough theoretical insights and a diverse range of practical industry knowledge and trends throughout their studies. These competencies are essential for confidently steering your organization towards sustainability or pursuing new roles dedicated to sustainable practices.
Upon completion the Master’s Degree Programme – Management in Sustainable Business you'll become a sustainability practitioner with a robust skill set to integrate sustainability seamlessly across your organization's value chain. Be equipped to make informed and impactful decisions that contribute to long-term value creation. Elevate your career trajectory and catalyze positive change in sustainable business.
The studies are implemented online, and you can work full time while studying.
Content of the education
As the studies are implemented online, it is possible to study the degree from your home country and while you are working. The part-time students’ challenges in time management are carefully taken into consideration when implementing the studies.
Each course starts with an introductory session held online, followed by a development assignment done in groups. The professors will support the student groups throughout completion of the assignment and the professor is available for weekly guidance sessions for the groups.
During the entire study period, 2-3 intensive weeks are included and implemented with our international partner universities. You can choose if you want to attend the intensive week on location or online. Some financial support for travelling can be provided when intensive weeks take place outside Finland.
Your studies will start with an online kick-off session Monday 5 th of August 2024. Weekly lectures/guidance sessions (1-1,5 hours) will be held online Tuesday afternoons Finnish time. The first intensive week will take place in Hämeenlinna University Centre in week 37 (3-4 days).
Objectives
Upon graduation, you have competencies to lead the sustainable transition within your organization or gain the experience and confidence to drive your career shift towards sustainability-related roles. In addition, you will be able to integrate sustainability across your organization’s value chain to ensure long-term value creation.
By completing the degree, you will gain specialized knowledge in management and sustainability practices, forming a solid foundation for research and development work. Furthermore, the competencies acquired during your education will prepare you for engaging in challenging development projects related to sustainable business practices.
Qualification provided by education
After graduation:
- You are able lead the sustainable transition within your organization
- You can take responsibility and leadership with professional knowledge and practice for company’s sustainable development
- You are confident when working in multidisciplinary and multinational teams
- You have specialized knowledge in the field of study, which forms your basis for research and development work
The competences gained during your education respond to the direct needs of companies and other organizations and prepare you for challenging development projects in relation to sustainable business.
A master’s degree qualifies you for positions that require a higher education degree. The degree is a fully recognized university degree in Finland as well as abroad, and upon completion provides you with the eligibility to apply for a doctoral degree.
Structure of studies
Our Management in Sustainable Business programme is a comprehensive introduction to sustainable, data-driven, and innovative business management.
The competences gained during your education respond to the requirements of companies and other organizations and prepare you for challenging development projects in relation to sustainable business.
You will network with experienced professors and enthusiastic students from all over the world via inspiring group discussions and reflections, lectures, and business presentations. As teamwork is an essential part of the studies, you will be equipped with excellent co-operational skills in a multicultural environment.
A Master’s thesis (30 credits) is a research-based development task on a topic suitable for the degree programme and is based on both theoretical and work-based knowledge. Your thesis aims at solving a question or challenge arising from the world of work, and it is based on research-based development activities. You can complete your thesis work in your work organisation, for example. You will implement the study independently as a work-based project for which you will receive guidance from experienced thesis supervisors. The thesis process includes planning, interim and final seminars, which are carried out online. For theses completed at HAMK, see the Theseus.fi publication archive.
Apply to Study!
Direct Application to HAMK: Feb 1 – Mar 31 2024, 3pm
- Application begins: Feb. 1, 2024 at 08:00 AM UTC+2
- Application ends: Mar. 31, 2024 at 03:00 PM UTC+3
- Studies begin: Autumn 2024
- Places of Studies: 20
- Admission Procedure: Thesis Plan. Read instructions for Thesis plan
Other Admission Methods
- Studies begin: Spring 2024
- Places of Studies: 2
- Application begins: Dec. 1, 2023 at 08:00 AM UTC+2
- Application ends: May 31, 2024 at 03:00 PM UTC+3
- Prior education: Studies at the Open university of applied sciences
- Studies begin: Spring 2024
- Places of Studies: 1
- Application begins: Dec. 1, 2023 at 08:00 AM UTC+2
- Application ends: May 31, 2024 at 03:00 PM UTC+3
- Prior education: Discretionary admissions or dispensation
Study Methods
Part-time Studies,
Online Learning
As the studies are implemented online, it is possible to study the degree from your home country and while you are working. The part-time students’ challenges in time management are carefully taken into consideration when implementing the studies.
Each course starts with an introductory session held online, followed by a development assignment done in groups. The professors will support the student groups throughout completion of the assignment and the professor is available for weekly guidance sessions for the groups.
During the entire study period, 2-3 intensive weeks are included and implemented with our international partner universities. You can choose if you want to attend the intensive week on location or online. Some financial support for travelling can be provided when intensive weeks take place outside Finland.
Your studies will start with an online kick-off session Monday 5th of August 2024. Weekly lectures/guidance sessions (1-1,5 hours) will be held online Tuesday afternoons Finnish time. The first intensive week will take place in Hämeenlinna University Centre in week 37 (3-4 days).
Studies tailored to you
Your degree consists of 90 credits and includes two core elements:
Profiling studies offer you the opportunity to expand, deepen and supplement your professional competences and enable you to achieve your personal development goals.
A thesis is a research or development project started at the beginning of your studies, which demonstrates your ability to work independently and perform demanding expert tasks. The thesis is a total of 30 credits, and you will choose the thesis topic based on your interest and career plans. The thesis topic must be suitable for the content of the degree programme. You can do the thesis for your own workplace, for various research and development projects, for the development of your own business or for other areas of working life development.
Explore more about the content of the program and learn about planning your studies at HAMK:
Frequently asked questions: application process
Unfortunately, college level degree or vocational higher education degree does not give you the eligibility for apply to master’s degree programme at HAMK.
You can start the studies through open university studies or study path before completing two years’ work experience. The work experience requirement must be completed when you apply as a degree student through joint application or application based on open university studies.
If you have completed a college level degree or a vocational higher education degree, the field specific work experience can be calculated from this degree. Basic degrees completed in current vocational colleges are not college level degrees.
When starting your studies, please consider that the purpose of the work experience requirement is to ensure that you have enough practical experience and competence that you can deepen and broaden during the studies. In addition, work experience enables work-oriented learning and development as well as networking with other experts in the field.
Basically, online studies don’t entitle you to a residence permit. All matters related to immigration to Finland are administrated through Finnish Immigration Services MIGRI.
See the criteria from the Sudyinfo website (admission criteria). Your eligibility will be checked during the application process based on your degree and work certificates which you have added to the application. If you are unsure of your eligibility and want more information, please contact our admission services.
The pre-assignment is to write a thesis plan. Please, familiarize yourself with the pre-assignment instructions. We recommend you start doing the thesis plan well before the application period starts or at the beginning of the application period at the latest so that you have enough time to write it.
Want to ask more?
If you need more information about applying to this programme, please visit here:
Frequently asked questions: studying
One credit (1 ECTS) means about 27 hours of work by the student. You should reserve time for studying every week. It is important to consider in advance do you have time to study. For example, changing job, another place of study or family addition may cause challenges for studies.
With master’s degree you can deepen and broaden your competence. A master’s degree qualifies you for positions that require a higher education degree.
You don’t have to be employed to be able to study. But being at work can support master’s studies because with the studies you can develop your own competences or the processes of your own work organization. Master’s degree studies can give you an opportunity to move towards new careers.
Studying alongside work is possible. It requires you to plan your own time use because it is necessary to set aside time for studies every week. Please check out more detailed information about the programme schedule from the website (Timing of the studies).
You will study mainly online but we strongly recommend you to attend an intensive week in Hämeenlinna University Centre in September 2024. Being present will help you to get to know your study colleagues and lecturers which will help you to integrate to studies.
You can’t get credit transfers based on your bachelor level studies (university or university of applied sciences). Please discuss with your guidance counsellor about the previously completed studies before applying for the credit transfer.
If you have a chance to apply for study leave, you should utilize this opportunity. Before you apply for study leave, please contact a guidance counsellor to make sure that studies are available at that time.
Please, familiarize yourself with HAMK’s instructions.
HAMK has a master’s double degree programme with Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences in Austria, where you can apply. Please discuss more about this programme and other student exchange opportunities with the guidance counsellor.
Want to ask more?
If you want to ask more about the content of the programme please contact:
3 reasons why to study in Management in Sustainable Business!
Be the change the world needs
Empower tomorrow today: lead with purpose
Elevate your career and bring positive change in the business world
Check videos about how we learn!
Studying in Finland
Finland is a great place to study! Here are some information for international applicants:
For Students living in Finland
Study Paths – Open Studies Leading to a Degree
In our Study Paths, you will complete studies that are part of a degree program as a student of the Open University of Applied Sciences, alongside degree students. Once you have completed the required amount of studies with the necessary grades, you can apply to become a degree student and continue your studies to completion as usual. Check more information:
Students outside of Finland: As Open University Studies are not leading to a degree it is not possible to get a residence permit only for that purpose.
Graduate faster?
Are you already familiar with the field by previous higher education studies and have gained expertise through work? For students who are intepended learnerns and have great studying skills, we offer opportunities alongside traditional degree studies that allow you to accelerate your degree progress.
24 / 7 – Fast tract for studies
Progressing your master studies faster requires you to have competences acquired prior to the studies and they should correspond to the competence objectives of the courses. Recognition of prior learning can be applied for either through credit transfer or skills demonstrations. If you are planning to accelerate your studies, please contact your guidance counsellor.
Read more about HAMK’s 24/7 -study mode:
Looking for something else?
Choosing the right education for yourself can sometimes be challenging, especially when there are plenty of good options available! We’ve gathered a few more alternatives in the same field for you, in case you’re interested in exploring our other programs as well. You can find our entire range through the search tool:
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Teknologiaosaamisen johtaminen (Ylempi AMK)
Innovative study options that we offer
At HAMK, we develop new, innovative ways of study. Our goal is to provide you with versatile expertise that you can develop in various directions. We hope to inspire you to try something completely new!
RUN-EU studies
HAMK is part of the RUN-Europe University, comprised of nine European universities. You can leverage the fantastic opportunities provided by RUN Europe University for accumulating international study experiences!
Exchange Studies
Exchange studies are a unique opportunity to explore the world. We encourage all our students to seize the chance and go abroad for an exchange. Will you go too?
HAMK’s Study Selection
We offer you a wide range of studies that you can choose as part of your degree. You can also select modules from other degrees at HAMK. Or why not utilize the expertise you’ve gained previously, for example, from scouting!
Cross-Institutional Studies
As a student at HAMK, you have the opportunity to take courses at other universities as well! It’s called cross-institutional studying, aiming to allow you to study comprehensive units that support your own goals.