General Management

A successful manager today must not only be professionally convincing, but also methodically fit, be able to work in a team and know his or her strengths and weaknesses.

The curriculum of the Bachelor's degree program in Business Administration OST is geared towards these requirements and is divided into five learning areas across the fields of study and specializations, and is geared towards specific key competencies. All coursesof the program are assigned to one of the five learning areas. The teaching and learning content, the tasks and the focal points of activity of each course are specifically coordinated and assigned to the two training phases of basic and advanced studies.

The demands placed on controllers have become increasingly comprehensive in recent years. On the one hand, the core of the controller's activity is still performance-oriented corporate management, which is based on targets and figures. On the other hand, non-monetary control variables such as time, quality and performance are becoming increasingly important. Due to its growing importance, controlling is increasingly becoming a decisive service and consulting function for management. Controllers are increasingly dealing with topics such as international accounting, corporate governance, performance management and digitalization.

The increasingly international orientation of our economy has also led to more and more companies aligning their accounting to international standards. This fact is taken into account by the fact that the Financial Reporting specialization module is taught entirely in English.

The Accounting and Controlling specialization is aimed at students who want to deepen their knowledge of value-oriented corporate management in a financial context. In particular, it is aimed at students who aspire to a responsible position in finance, accounting or taxation in medium-sized and large companies or international groups, or who wish to work in auditing companies.

Occupational fields

Graduates are trained for the financial management of companies and the quantitative control of the company's success.

Typical occupational fields for business economists with a major in Accounting and Controlling are:

• Financial Controller
• Project Manager Accounting
• Auditor
• Commercial all-rounder in an SME
• Prospective CFO in an SME

The financial sector and the financial centre make an important contribution to Switzerland's economic success. In recent years, the banks have faced many difficulties and much criticism. Current challenges facing financial intermediaries include the low interest rate environment, unstoppable digitalization (e.g. FinTech, BigTech, DeFi) and regulatory tightening. In addition, customers expect simple, always accessible and cost-effective offers (e.g. mobile banking, open banking) as well as the consideration of current topics such as sustainability. This challenging and dynamic environment demands a high level of professionalism, customer proximity, agility and innovative strength from financial service providers. Well-trained employees represent a key success factor in this context. Against this backdrop, a sound education is an important prerequisite for successfully positioning oneself in the job market of the financial world.

The coursesin the Banking & Finance specialization highlight all relevant aspects and interrelationships that are required for a responsible position in the banking and finance industry of the future.

Occupational fields

Graduates of the major in Banking and Finance take on specialist and management positions at banks, insurance companies, FinTechs, or consulting firms with the following specialization:

• Client Advisor
• Asset manager
• Asset manager
• Financial analyst
• Banker
• Consultant
• Treasurer/CFO

What do companies like Apple, Amazon, Google or Coca-Cola have in common?

These companies are the most valuable brands in the world, and they all have outstanding products and services. These companies succeed better than the competition in effectively marketing their value-added market services, and satisfying or retaining their customers.

In the Marketing Management specialization module, students learn how companies can effectively design these success-critical processes using concrete practical examples. In addition to classic established concepts, the influence of digitalization is also taken into account. Whether in the area of product and service management, in customer and sales management or in social media communication, digital transformation plays an important role everywhere.

The Marketing Management specialization module is aimed at students who would like to take an in-depth look at aspects of market-oriented corporate management and are aiming for a career in marketing, communications, sales and customer management, or consulting.

Occupational fields

Graduates in Marketing Management have the best prerequisites in the following professional fields:

• Product/Brand Manager
• (Key) Account Manager
• Social Media Manager
• Online Manager
• Digital Marketing Manager
• Prospective CMO in SMEs
• Aspiring managerial function in sales/sales

The situation of many companies today is characterized by numerous changes and upheavals. These include new (e.g. digital) technologies, new rules of the game in competition or well-trained, demanding employees and customers. Such changes must be recognized by companies and translated into concrete actions. Change always brings both new business opportunities and risks. What is new, however, is that many familiar tools, ways of thinking and acting can no longer fully reflect the opportunities and challenges. Instead, a critical mindset, innovative ways, entrepreneurial spirit and the knowledge of how to use the tools in a meaningful way are needed so that companies can reinvent themselves again and again. This always requires an interplay of different perspectives such as different disciplines, business environment and the organization itself.

Students in the Strategy and New Business major should be enabled to deal constructively with such changes. Together we train the necessary competencies, an open and curious mindset and the application of appropriate tools. The students prepare for the management of a profit center, or an SME, or for the path to self-employment.

Occupational fields

Graduates of this specialization have the best prerequisites in the following professional fields:

• Executive Assistant
• Project Manager Management Support
• Corporate Development
• Branch/profit center managers, e.g. in SMEs
• Junior Business Consultant
• Leading position in a start-up

After a few years of professional experience, this specialization opens up the possibility of self-employment - whether by taking over the succession in a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME), setting up your own company or managing a foreign subsidiary.

The modules of the specialization strand can also be combined with all other specializations. This also opens up numerous positions in other functional areas (e.g. marketing, HRM, etc.), even if these are not the focus of the strand.

Flexibility and rapid adaptability to the dynamics and changes of digitalization are major challenges for the competitiveness of companies. Even in the digital age, companies cannot be imagined without people - people are constantly given new tasks. Knowledge of people's ways of thinking, deciding, acting and experiencing, which result from different roles in business life and from the design of organizations, become a decisive success factor and differentiating factor.

The specialization in Business Psychology and Organization is aimed at students who want to deal in-depth with questions of strategic orientation and successful development of organizations from a business psychology perspective, and who want to help shape the relationships and interactions between employees, customers and companies in the working world of tomorrow in a way that is fit for the future. You enjoy understanding the behaviour of actors in the business context and their effects as well as analyzing the needs of individuals, teams & organizations with appropriate methods and converting  them into the form of concepts.

Occupational fields

Graduates in the specialization Business Psychology and Organization have the best prerequisites in the following professional fields:

• Management & Organizational Consulting (disruption / transformation)
• Specialist for Organizational Development and Human Development
• Project Manager
• Management Trainer or Management Coach
• Assistant to the Management
• People Analyst & Innovation Scout

Spending a semester abroad is a unique experience. You will delve into the culture of your host country, gain a network of international friendships, and acquire skills that are in demand in the job market. Flexibility, intercultural experience, independence, good language skills, initiative: You’ll take a huge step forward, both professionally and personally! 
Learn more about outgoings in the School of Management!