Study Guide

Descriptions

Study objectives:
The Master's degree programme in Sales Management is part of Turku University of Applied Sciences (TUAS) Master School. TUAS Master School brings together all Master’s degree programmes at TUAS in the fields of Business, Culture, Healthcare and Social Services, and Technology. It gives the students an excellent chance to create new multidisciplinary networks with other experts both in Finland and globally. The School of Leadership Excellence provides the students a possibility to study and acquire skills and competences needed as a business leader and manager whereas the School of Professional Excellence focuses on developing the skills and competences needed as a specialist in the selected discipline. In the leadership (MBA) studies the student develops his/her managerial profile as a motivating and effective leader who achieves results and change by managing people ethically and who renews and develops the organization based on appropriate methods and research data.

The student knows how to act as a manager and inspiring leader for a sales team guiding it successfully to desired goals. He/she recognizes the latest trends and newest aspects of customer behavior especially in B2B markets. The student is able to develop strategies for promoting growth of sales effectively in the sales transformation era. He/she is capable of managing sales teams also in international markets with adequate cultural understanding and knowledge about the special characteristics of each specific market area. The student is a skillful negotiator and able to communicate successfully with different teams and in multiple customer situations.

More about the language of instruction:
This programme is offered entirely in English.

Study contents:
The Master’s degree composes of core competences, complementary competences and thesis work. Part of the mandatory core competence studies are common for all MBA programmes and part are specific for the Sales Management. Complementary competence studies include elective studies that can be taken freely from the other TUAS Master’s programmes or from the Masters’ programmes of other universities. In most cases, the thesis work is done as a working life development project. At the beginning of the studies the student and the tutor teacher create together an individual study plan for the student. The Master’s Degree Programme in Sales Management (90 ECTS) is a practically oriented programme meant for holders of a Bachelor’s degree who want to expand their knowledge about demanding B2B sales and sales management. The programme focuses on developing the necessary abilities for managing contemporary sales and leading sales teams. Students are, during the studies, always expected to apply in practice the theories discussed, and this way understand their relevance for practical sales management situations. The focus is on demanding B2B sales environments, which very often are also international. Developing cultural literacy and the ability to act on international forums by communicating, negotiating and presenting ideas – both within internal and external stakeholders - forms a central part of the education. The assignments are connected to the existing work tasks of the students, which gives them an excellent opportunity to develop their existing work and this way benefit their present employer as well. In the master’s thesis, students are given the freedom of choice to concentrate on those topics in sales and sales management, which are of special interest to them as well as to their present and future career plans.

Choosing a main subject or field of specialization:
The aim with individual study planning (ISP) at the beginning of the studies is that the student can choose the elective studies to best support his/her own competence and career development. Elective studies can also be taken from the offerings of other master’s degree programmes in TUAS or in other high education institutions. The master’s thesis gives also a change to specialize in a desired subject.

Structure of studies:
The extent of the study programme is 90 ECTS. The studies are composed of:
· compulsory core competences 40 ECTS
· elective complementary competences 20 ECTS
· thesis work 30 ECTS.

At TUAS Master School, the studies in the master's degree programme can be executed in a flexible way. The programme is built on mixed-mode studies including lectures, seminars, e-learning, teamwork and independent work. There are approximately two days of contact sessions monthly but according to the student’s individual study plan, there may be more contact days during some periods. The contact sessions may include coaching, group work, expert lectures and seminars. The advanced studies common to each leadership programme include studies in future operating environments and in research methods. The rest of the compulsory studies deepen the insight specific to each leadership programme. Students may further deepen or expand their competences by choosing elective courses from the other master’s programmes at TUAS or in other higher education institutes. Some elective studies are also offered completely virtually. The studies can be completed while working full-time. The planned length of the studies is 1.5-2 years.

Final project:
A central part of the studies is the master’s thesis. The thesis work starts already at the beginning of the studies and it is carried out as a working life oriented development project. The thesis will not only develop the student’s knowledge and skills in a certain study field and specific topic but also gives the possibility to enhance skills in leading teams and work groups. In the final thesis, students are given the freedom of choice to concentrate on those topics in sales and sales management, which are of special interest to them as well as to their present and future career plans.

Career opportunities:
By the time the student graduates, he/she has created new knowledge and reformed the working life with the master's thesis work. The student’s network has expanded both in Finland and globally. In addition, the student has developed his/her expertise and acquired tools to advance his/her career. The Master’s degree enhances and gives tools for a professional, managerial or leadership position within the field of sales both in private and public sectors.

Qualification:
The University of Applied Sciences Master’s degree gives the qualification to a public office.

Possible jobtitles after graduation:
Sales manager, Sales team leader, Sales leader, Key account manager, Account manager

Internationalization:
Students have the opportunity to complete part of their studies outside Finland at the higher education institutions with which Turku University of Applied Sciences has signed a cooperation agreement. In addition, students can integrate internationalisation in their studies e.g. by participating in the intensive weeks organised by the international networks as well as by participating in international conferences and projects. International professional and research literature forms a significant part of the learning materials and part of the teaching can be in English. The programme is international in every respect, not only in terms of content. Visiting teachers and experts belonging to our partner network or from our partner universities are regularly invited to join our faculty and bring the latest developments into discussion. The studies facilitate sharing of tacit knowledge within multicultural groups, while also providing excellent opportunities for the development of unique thinking and expertise.

Co-operation with other parties:
The majority of the students work full-time. They bring their own work-related issues, challenges and solutions to the study groups thus increasing the knowledge base of all the participants. These study groups form the basis for future working networks. The contents and implementation concept of the Master’s degree programme in Sales Management has been planned together with working life partners, companies and organization. Turku University of Applied Sciences has a wide network in research and development and in educational cooperation both in Finland and abroad.

Research focus:
Studies in the Master’s degree programmes are characterized by a research and development approach. MBA degree students are active in research and development and they are welcomed to join the research and development projects running at Turku University of Applied Sciences.

Postgraduate study opportunities: A Master’s degree awarded by a university of applied sciences provides eligibility for further academic studies as well as for applying for professional teacher education. Universities may set conditions on granting rights for further studies in the form of e.g. supplementary studies

Objective

After completing the programme, the student is able to:
-develop his/her own leadership identity towards becoming a motivating and capable executive/manager
-manage people and change in a results-oriented and ethical way
-renew and develop the organisation and its operations by applying appropriate methods based on facts
-act as a manager and leader for a sales team and lead it successfully to the desired goals
-recognise the latest trends and newest aspects of customer behaviour, especially in B2B markets
-develop strategies for promoting growth of sales effectively in the sales transformation era
-act and manage sales teams in international markets with adequate cultural understanding and knowledge about the special characteristics of each specific market area
-communicate and negotiate in multiple teams and customer situations

Development

The pedagogical approach applied in the leadership (MBA) studies is Innovation pedagogy that refers to an approach of constructivist and problem-based learning. Master´s students study alongside their work and want to broaden and deepen their theoretical knowledge and get models to apply theory to their own work. Studying is part time and involves both contact and distant learning. In addition to individual learning, collaborative learning in teams is applied to meet the needs of working life. Integration between studies and applied RDI activities and working life orientation play an important role in the studies. Learning takes place partly in virtual and in multi-disciplinary environments. On average, there are two consecutive contact teaching days in a month. The student creates an individual study plan (ISP) at the beginning of his/her studies, where he/she selects studies offered in the Masters programmes related to, among others, the completion of the Master´s thesis. A central part of Sales Management leadership (MBA) studies is the Master´s thesis in which the student will not only develop the knowledge and skills in a certain study field and specific topic, but will also have the possibility to develop his/her work and workplace.

Further information

The objectives for the skills levels in a Master’s degree are based on the legislation on 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, the content and the 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 client company feedback on performance are also utilised. The degree assessment framework is used as the basis for the assessment. The Degree Programme is developed according to the principles of continuous improvement. In the development work, feedback from the students and working life as well as their initiatives play a key role. Feedback is collected with, for instance, student questionnaires and group-specific development discussions.