Master of Business Administration (MBA)
NEW:Ranked No 2 in Switzerland and Western Europe among the QS MBA Jobs & Salary Trends Report 2015-16.
The Master of Business Administration program (MBA) is the link between your current professional experience and your future. Our MBA program in Switzerland provides you with a solid business foundation, enabling you to perform effectively in all areas of any organization.
When designing the program, we took into consideration the input of 30 international CEOs and HR-directors, on the top 3 qualities of future leaders. The result is a program that combines essential soft and hard skills that shape you into a self-aware, responsible management professional and gives you the foundation to grow as a leader.
To enrich the learning experience of our MBA participants and boost their employability, we have launched the BSL Experiential Learning Internship Program (ELIP). ELIP gives you the opportunity to put your knowledge and skills into practice in a real business environment, experience the Swiss work culture first-hand and gain exposure that will give you a head start when you graduate.
The internships are structured, evaluated and recognized as an integral part of the course study and aim to prepare you for a smooth transition into the business world. The placement service is ensured through BSL’s long established relationships with organizations in the region.
MBA Program Options
You can choose between the following MBA program options according to your personal and professional situation:
- Classes are scheduled in three-day modules (Thursday- Saturday) – see weekly workload here
- We recommend this option for individuals who seek a career transition or just want to take a break from their career and to focus on studying
- The Classical MBA Timetable (see here) shows the courses in the Spring/Summer terms 2014
MBA – Classical Full-Time Study Program (1 Year)
- Classes are scheduled in three-day modules (Thursday- Saturday) which you can take every 4-5 weeks approx. over the course of 2 years
- We recommend this option for individuals who desire to keep their employment and want to fly in to attend the MBA classes part-time
- Please have a look at the Part-Time MBA Timetable (see here) to see the frequency of the courses
MBA – Part-Time Study Program (2 Years)
- Modules are scheduled both on three Saturdays in a row or in blocks of three-day modules (Thursday to Saturday). These three-day modules make up a total of 18 work days away from office spread over 1.5 years
- We recommend this option for local business professionals who desire to pursue full-time employment while studying for their EMBA degree part-time
- The Executive MBA Timetable (see here) shows the courses in the Spring/Summer terms 2014
Executive MBA – Part-Time Study Program (1.5 Years)
Program overview
Target group
The program is suited to forward-thinking individuals with a flair for leadership. Our MBA participants have a desire to hone their existing talents and enrich their current experience with practical knowledge. BSL’s MBA program is for any type of leader, including NGO managers, entrepreneurs, family business owners, and government or self-employed managers. The average amount of work experience in typical MBA class is 9 years, guaranteeing a high caliber of experienced and ambitious individuals from around the world.
Class profile
The MBA class of 2014 is made up of 53% female, 47% male coming from 11 different countries. The average amount of work experience 7,5 years (min required 3), which includes managerial experience.
To learn more about the current MBA class, download the 2014 class profile.
Program objectives
Understand the various functions of a company and how these functions work separately and in an entirety.
Develop the necessary business acumen and skills to take the lead in global challenges of the coming decades.
Refine your qualities as a leader and your ability to motivate others to perform at their best.
Exploit your existing skills and competencies to pinpoint your area of professional potential. Career and life coaching modules are spread over six months of the course.
Apply your learning in a 4-month real-life consulting project, enabling you to broaden your employment possibilities in an existing or new role.
Foster your specific area of interest. Participants choose a minimum of three elective courses which go beyond the core subjects in order to enrich their MBA foundation. You can even co-create elective modules with fellow participants.
Broaden your cultural and business perspectives through our modular program structure. For each program module the composition of the classes changes, allowing for a different group dynamic and a new opportunity for networking and learning.
Why choose the BSL MBA?
Ranked No 2 in Switzerland and Western Europe among the QS MBA Jobs & Salary Trends Report 2015-16. Read more here.
- Professors are seasoned business practitioners. Their real-life experience helps to illustrate the current state of affairs in the business world.
- Practical learning including real-life simulations, strategy games, case studies and guest speakers.
- Directly apply your learning in a 4-month real-life consulting project, integrating all the elements of the MBA.
Experiential learning
- Mature class with an average of 9 years’ business experience (min required is 3 years), which is comparable to the level required for an Executive MBA at many other schools.
- Participants coming from 15 countries, allowing you to develop an important global network for life.
- Small classes with a maximum of 20 students.
Diverse and experienced group
- Ability to lead and be flexible to change
- Be an authentic communicator
- Ability to easily adapt to different perspectives
Leadership skills
We believe that success is determined by good leader who possess certain leadership characteristics. We take leadership skills as seriously as subject knowledge and have integrated personal leadership modules into the program, representing 40% of our MBA foundation courses.
Our way of applying this is by integrating the top 3 requirements as defined by the CEOs who were in collaboration with the program design:
Why study in Switzerland?
- Choosing the right business school is an important decision making process and we advise you to consider, in addition to the quality of education, factors such as location, social life, and employment opportunities.
- High Quality Education: Switzerland is internationally recognized for its high standards and superb quality of education. BSL is located in Lausanne, home to some of the world’s finest universities and an international hub for education for more than 20,000 students.
- European Business Hub: Many multinational corporations have chosen Switzerland as the site for their headquarters. Well known for its banking, commercial and tourism infrastructure, Switzerland ranks among the world’s 20 largest economies and hosts 15 Fortune 500 companies.
- International Environment: A multi-lingual country with a culturally diverse population and growing expatriate community, Switzerland is an ideal location for studying. Students have the chance to meet people from all over the world, enhance their cross-cultural skills, learn new languages and develop a global mindset.
- Travel across Europe: Located in the heart of Europe, Switzerland offers convenient international connections and easy access to European vacation destinations. Lausanne is located in close proximity (45 min) to Geneva and its international airport.
- Sport and Leisure: Switzerland is a major destination for outdoor sports. The Swiss Alps provide a diverse range of activities from skiing/snowboarding to hiking, cycling, camping etc. available throughout the four seasons.
MBA in Sustainable Business
- The Master in Business Administration program (MBA) is the link between your current professional experience and your future. Our MBA program provides you with a solid business foundation, allowing you to perform effectively in all areas of any organization.
- The Diploma in Sustainable Business focusses on how companies can adapt their strategy and operations to embrace sustainability challenges and to manage the risks and opportunities in a responsible way.
- The result is a program that shapes you into a self-aware, sustainability-conscious management professional and gives you the foundation to grow as a leader.
The MBA in Sustainable Business offers the traditional MBA path and an additional one-year Diploma in Sustainable Business:
- NEW: To enrich the learning experience of our MBA participants and boost their employability, we have launched the BSL Experiential Learning Internship Program (ELIP). ELIP gives you the opportunity to put your knowledge and skills into practice in a real business environment, experience the Swiss work culture first-hand and gain exposure that will give you a head start when you graduate.
- The internships are structured, evaluated and recognized as an integral part of the course study and aim to prepare you for a smooth transition into the business world. The placement service is ensured through BSL’s long established relationships with organizations in the region.