Master of Business Administration, Professional Sales Management: YPSMAS18

Descriptions

Professional Sales Management (90 credits) is a working life-driven programme intended for Bachelors of Business Administration, providing the skills for B2B sales tasks that require expertise as well as sales management.

Structure of the studies:
- Core and Complementary Competence Studies (50 ECTS)
- Elective Studies (10 ECTS)
- Master´s Thesis (30 ECTS)

The contents of the programme emphasize negotiation skills, management of the sales process, working in international contexts, completing sales projects profitably, supervisor work and the customer’s purchase behaviour. Public speaking and the development of different communication skills essential to sales work are integrated in the studies through the different methods employed. The master’s thesis emphasizes the development of working life, work or a work community, as well as the student’s capacity for demanding, independent expert-level work.

The Professional Sales Management programme provides the student with diverse competence to work in challenging international B2B sales and sales management. The programme has been designed to improve the student’s personal ability to encounter and manage changes in working life. The studies also benefit the employer, as any learning tasks carried out can be applied to developing the student’s own work and the work place. The degree increases the student’s chances of seeking out more challenging tasks and improves their skills in international matters, communication, sales and networking.

Graduates of the programme may work as experts, in development or on the management-level in companies in different industries or in the public sector. Employment studies (such as those conducted by the Union of Professional Business Graduates in Finland) indicate that completed degrees affect career and job development. A master’s degree completed at a University of Applied Sciences offers the same qualifications to, for example, public offices as a master’s degree completed at a scientific university.

The studies are interlocked with the student’s tasks at work, and the development of the employer organization or the student’s own project is especially enabled through study tasks and the development project conducted as a thesis. The studies are realized as part-time studies, and there are normally two days of contact teaching per month. The studies are designed to be carried out alongside full-time work.

The studies provide eligibility for further scientific studies. Universities may set conditions on granting rights for further studies in the form of, for instance, supplementary transitional studies.

Objective

An important part of the Professional Sales Management programme is the master’s thesis, which is carried out as a work or work community development project, combining theory and practice with the production and application of new knowledge. Ideally, the commission for the master’s thesis comes from the student’s own employer organization, increasing the student’s expertise and benefiting the development needs of working life. The objective of the thesis is to demonstrate the student’s grasp of methods of information seeking, research and development, as well as their ability to apply research information in an analytical and critical manner. The RDI projects of Turku University of Applied Sciences also provide an excellent opportunity for a thesis commission.

The Professional Sales Management programme is partly implemented together with the business and technology master’s studies of Turku University of Applied Sciences. The studies consist of improving the student’s international competencies and sales skills, business studies with a specific focus on profitability, a thesis conducted as a development project, and research methods. The studies emphasize interaction and teamwork.

Internationalization is included in the Professional Sales Management programme in the form of, for example, studies offered under the International Semester curriculum, guest lectures and exchange studies. In addition, students of the programme can make their studies more international by participating in the international exchange programmes offered by partner universities in and outside Europe for Master’s level students, as well as by taking advantage of other international study opportunities. Master’s degree students also have the possibility of participating in international R&D projects. Foreign-language courses, guest lecturers and study material are a good way to improve your practical language skills and understanding of different cultures.

In the early stages of studying, the student drafts a personal ISP, including a thesis plan.

Development

In this MBA programme you will learn new theories through independent studies and interactive lectures, workshops and seminars. You will gain more knowledge and practical skills through self-reflection and sharing experiences with student colleagues, thus creating new knowledge in continuous collaboration within the group. You are encouraged to explore your thought processes and develop your critical thinking and decision-making abilities. The master’s thesis is completed at the end of your studies as evidence of your competences.

The programme is working life as well as research and development oriented and thus the studies can be usually connected well with the students’ current employers’ objectives. The programme is built on multiform studies including problem-based learning processes, lectures and seminars, e-learning and independent work.

Further information

The objectives for skill levels in a Master’s Degree are based on the legislation concerning universities of applied sciences and the European Qualification Framework (EQF). The level corresponding to a Master’s Degree is level 7. The assessment criteria for each course are described in its implementation plan. Performance requirements vary depending on the objectives, content and method of implementation.

The courses and the thesis are assessed on a scale from 0 to 5. Assessment focuses on competence and its development. The course assessment methods vary according to the objectives of the study module. Assessment may focus on the outcome (for instance, a report or a seminar presentation), on the process (the student’s own activity and actions during the course) or on both. Students receive regular feedback on their performance from their teachers. Peer- and self-assessment as well as commissioner feedback on performance are also utilized. The degree assessment framework is used as the basis for the assessment.

The programme will be developed according to the principles of continuous improvement. In the development work, feedback from the students and working life as well as their initiatives have a key role. Feedback is collected with, for instance, student questionnaires and group-specific development discussions.

The teacher of the course will provide the students with feedback during and after the course. The students also have the possibility of providing feedback on the course. Students are asked to fill in a feedback questionnaire in advance for the annual feedback day. At the feedback event, the Head of Education and Research discusses the strengths and weak points of the programme with the students.