Undergraduate Studies at the School of Business
The diverse and demanding BSc programme offered by the School of Business prepares students for the various challenges that await them after their studies, whether they want to become active in the business community or pursue further studies.
The BSc degree is for 180 ECTS and is offered both as a full-time and a part-time programme. The degree consists of core courses for 138 ECTS (mainly taught in icelandic), electives for 30 ECTS (taught both in english and icelandic), and a final assignment for 12 ECTS. During their first two years, students get a solid foundation in the key areas of business. At the end of their first and second years, students also work on comprehensive practical projects, a factor which gives RU's business studies a certain uniqueness. Student's final assignment is a BSc project where an emphasis is placed on testing and training professional skills and independent methods of working.
In the third year, instructors look to increase and deepen students' theoretical insight into the subjects of business studies. Furthermore, an emphasis is placed on students seeing their subjects in an international light and adopting professional work methods. Students are given a choice of numerous courses in various specialty areas within business studies, for example, finance, management, economics, marketing, operations management, international business, and languages. Those who wish can choose to focus on a specific direction, and if those students fulfil requirements concerning number of credits in that area, they can graduate with an emphasis on that area of expertise. To better prepare students for working in an international environment, many of the third-year courses are taught in English.
Business administrators who graduate from RU are highly sought after in the business community for the reason that they have received training in independent work methods, and because they possess valuable experience from working on practical projects in cooperation with companies. Surveys indicate that students who finish business studies at RU get a a good return on their investment when they enter the employment market.
Instructors in the BSc programme are accomplished specialists who have acquired graduate and doctoral degrees at highly regarded international universities, and who also possess vast practical experience from working in business and industry. Our aim is for the BSc programme to be characterised by high-quality teaching, diverse teaching methods, diverse ways of assessing courses, closeness between faculty and students, and strong ties to industry. In the school year, 2006-2007, almost 100 guest lecturers from industry took part in courses in the BSc programme.
Full-Time Programme
The full-time programme suits students whose circumstances allow them to concentrate entirely on their studies. Most students who arrive at RU directly following their matriculation examination pursue full-time studies. This option is definitely the right one for students who wish to study business administration quickly and effectively.
In the full-time programme, it is assumed that students will complete the BSc degree in three years or over the course of 6 semesters (teaching is not conducted in the summer). Students generally take 5 courses (30 ECTS) per semester which constitutes full-time studies. An emphasis is placed on problem-solving classes, diverse assessment methods, and on utilising the advantages of group and project work. Teaching is generally conducted from 8:15-16:15 on weekdays. In students' third year, teaching is occasionally carried out in sessions on weekends.
Overview of full-time programme
Part-Time Programme
People who wish to continue their careers and also pursue studies in business administration can apply for admission to the part-time programme. This option has been very popular among individuals who have taken a break from studying and who possess abundant professional experience.
A BSc degree pursued in the part-time programme can be completed over the course of 10 semesters or three and a half years. Three semesters are taught each year (fall, spring, and summer) and 3 courses (18 ECTS) are generally taught per semester with students attending classes for three days each week. Teaching is conducted from 16:20-18:50 or 20:00 from Monday to Thursday. Occasionally, teaching is carried out in sessions on Saturdays. Following six semesters of studies, students in the part-time programme can transfer over to the full-time programme to finish their last year of studies. In this way, they have a wider range of electives to choose from as the supply of electives in the part-time programme is limited.
Those who want to begin the part-time programme without committing to three or more years of study can pursue a Diploma at the School. The Diploma consists of 90 ECTS taken over a period of 5 semesters or 2 years with one summer semester. The credits acquired in the Diploma programme fully count in the BSc programme should students choose to continue their studies and acquire a BSc degree.
Further information on the part-time programme
Overview of part-time programme
