Master's Programme in Business Administration

Master's Programme in Business Administration is one of 8 English-taught Business Administration programmes at Master's Degree level in the register, offered by 6 institutions. 3 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, from NOK 166,700 to NOK 204,000. 7 are recorded as free for EU, EEA and Swiss students.

What you study

This is a two-year master's degree in business administration, taught in English at the University of Agder in Kristiansand. It carries 120 ECTS credits and offers two specialisations for international applicants: Analytical Finance and International Business.

Analytical Finance focuses on financial modelling, computer programming and quantitative analysis of financial data. You study basic financial theory and econometrics, then combine software and real-world data to implement financial models. Topics include portfolio management, asset management, performance evaluation, capital market equilibrium models, pricing of derivative securities, risk measurement, numerical optimisation, computer programming, financial econometrics, forecasting and stylised facts about financial markets. The specialisation requires a high level of knowledge in finance, mathematics and statistics.

International Business gives you theoretical insight and analytical skills for handling business management and challenges in international markets. Multinational companies and how they operate are central, and the challenges small and medium-sized enterprises face when entering the international arena are also discussed. You learn to analyse strategic and operational challenges, for example by developing and implementing strategies, management and marketing practices, and management systems. The specialisation builds cultural understanding and knowledge of international business. It requires a high level of knowledge in marketing, organisation theory and strategy.

Admission, language and next steps

The programme is open to applicants from the EU/EEA and to applicants with a renewable or permanent residence permit to Norway. The academic basis is a bachelor's degree in Business Administration, a bachelor's degree in Accounting and Auditing, or equivalent education based on Universities Norway (UHR) Disciplinary Strategic Unit for Economics and Administration's plan for bachelor programmes in Business Administration (November 2018).

You need 120 ECTS credits within business administration subjects, covering Business Economics (30 ECTS: financial accounting, management accounting, investment analysis and finance), Administration (30 ECTS: marketing, organisation and management, business strategy), Economics (15 ECTS: macroeconomics, microeconomics) and Methodology (20 ECTS: mathematics for economists, statistics for economists, social scientific methods). At least 7.5 ECTS in Ethics, Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility must be included. A weighted average grade of C or better is required.

Check the programme's webpages for detailed admission requirements and application deadlines. Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland are normally exempt from tuition fees at state institutions; other degree students normally pay a fee set by the institution.

Master’s applications go straight to University of Agder, not through the national admission service (NUCAS). Study in Norway states that you need a bachelor’s degree comparable to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS), including courses equal to at least one and a half years of full-time study relevant to the programme. Deadlines are set by each institution for each programme, so confirm yours. Entry requirements and language tests are also set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, study permits and housing.