Bachelor in Business Administration

• Integrate students into the workplace from the first academic semester.
• Prepare a generation equipped with the latest administrative and leadership skills.
• Develop students’ complementary skills alongside academic knowledge, particularly oral and written communication skills.
• Qualify and empower students to initiate their own independent projects through training and capacity building.

1. Understand and comprehend how companies, organizations, and institutions operate.
2. Master advanced communication skills, analytical thinking, and the ability to solve problems and make decisions.
3. Develop sound critical and logical thinking skills.
4. Enhance public speaking skills and the ability to design and deliver effective presentations.
5. Read, understand, and interpret financial data and statements.
6. Demonstrate the ability to integrate smoothly into the workplace.
7. Develop effective decision-making abilities.
8. Understand economic fluctuations and changes that influence the business environment.
9. Analyze the local business environment and the factors affecting it.
10. Understand the international business environment and its related factors.
11. Apply corporate finance and financial analysis skills.
12. Master risk analysis skills.
13. Develop a comprehensive business plan for a project.
14. Apply marketing, persuasion, and negotiation skills.
15. Understand profit-generation mechanisms in local and global companies through improved investment strategies and increased shareholder value.
16. Demonstrate creativity and the ability to propose innovative solutions to workplace-related challenges.

• A minimum average of 75% or higher in the General Secondary Certificate in the Scientific, Literary, or Commercial streams.
• Successful completion of a personal interview conducted by the program’s interview committee.
• Obtaining acceptance from one of the program’s partner companies.

• Employment in the private sector.
• Employment in the public sector.
• Establishing a private business or entrepreneurial venture.

1. Business Administration General Courses 

1830101 Principles of Management I 3 credits 

The purpose of this course is to provide students with a broad and integrative introduction to the  theories and practice of management. In particular, this course focuses on the major areas of the  management process: planning, organizing, leadership and control from an organizational view point. The course also attempts to enable students to understand the role, challenges, and opportunities of management in contributing to the successful operations and performance of organizations. This is the introductory management course that tries to stimulate the student to develop a  basic understanding of management, its practices and its techniques. It also allows the student to  become familiar with concepts and terminology that will be useful in many managerial situations. 

1830102 Principles of Management II 3 credits 

This course builds on Principles of Management I. It will deliver a more detailed explanation of  the concepts of administration, its definition, aspects, characteristics and principles; in addition  there will be a more detailed explanation of the basic duties of BA: planning, organization, direction and control. It expands student concepts and terminology that could be applied in many  managerial situations. 

1830120 Business Computer Skills 2 credits 

The purpose of this course is to give students the necessary skills in basic computer operations,  learn about its components, maintenance, and the professional skills needed to use advanced Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) to prepare documents, build statistics, charts and presentations in a professional style with emphasis on his/her field of study. By  the end of the course, the student will be ready to do the CISCO certification exam which is required by many employers. 

1830130 General Mathematics 3 credits 

This course is intended for students majoring in business. It is a survey of differential calculus  with business applications. General mathematics includes differentiation of algebraic concepts such as sets, Real Numbers, etc.. It also covers Linear and Quadratic Equations and Functions, Inequalities, curve sketching, and applications of the derivative.

1830240 Microeconomics 3 credits 

This is an introductory course in microeconomic theory. This course will focus on examining  the behaviour of individuals & firms in the market and the implications of their choices. So, this  course covers the following topics such as: demand, supply, utility, elasticity, and cost of production, perfect competition, & monopoly. Microeconomics is concerned with the analysis of economic phenomena from the perspective of the individual. The course covers the basic concepts  and tools needed to undertake the analysis of such problems that arise due to the law of scarcity. 

1830241 Macroeconomics 3 credits 

This course focuses on the core part of macroeconomics with the emphasis on the development of analytical tools and the understanding of how the theories are constructed, and to analyse the performance of the national economy and its links to the global economy. This course is designed to examine economic growth, employment, and inflation, as they relate to the business cycle and the health of the economy. The roles of fiscal policy, money, banks, and monetary policy in the economy are discussed along with examining the role policies. 

1830131  Statistics 3 credits 

This course is an introduction to statistical methods and concepts applied to business and economics data. The topics include probability distributions, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, and multiple regressions. The students will learn the basics of using statistical methods in  applications related to business and economics. These include the following skills: a basic understanding of the theory of probability and statistics and how it is applied to test different kinds of  hypotheses as well as the basic skills required for preparing and analysing the data. 

1830150 Accounting I 3 credits 

This course is designed as an introductory course in financial accounting for zero level students  in accounting (students who have not taken accounting courses previously). It contains the basic  concept of financial accounting and the accounting techniques to measure the businesses performance. The purpose of this course is to acquaint students with accounting theory, concepts,  analysis, for application to financial accounting measurements and reporting. Several accounting  concepts and issues will be studied during this course in detail , including: Measuring and Recording Business Transactions, Basic Financial Statements, Business Income and Adjusting En tries, Completion of the Accounting Cycle, Accounting for Merchandising Operations, Inventories, Internal Control and Cash, Receivables.

1830151 Accounting II 3 credits 

This course is designed as an introductory course in financial accounting. The purpose of this  course is to acquaint students with some accounting basic concepts such as long-term assets,  current liabilities, long-term liabilities, some basic forms of the organizations like corporations,  accounting for investments, statement of cash flows, and financial statement analysis. 

1830251 Principles of Marketing 2 credits 

This course examines the dynamics of marketing and its important role in today’s society. In addition to discussing marketing functions (pricing, product development and management, promotion and channels of distribution), marketing organizations, marketing research and other key  dimensions of marketing, the course will address cultural, social, ethical, legal and international  aspects of the field. Case Study and examples of business and non-business organizations will be  discussed. 

1830270 Finance & Investment I 2 credits 

The course develops a theoretical framework for understanding and analysing major financial  problems of a modern company in a market environment. It covers basic models of valuation of  corporate capital, including pricing models for primary financial assets, real assets valuation  and investment projects analysis, capital structure and various types of corporate capital employed and derivative assets. It provides necessary knowledge in evaluating different management decisions and its influence on corporate performance and value. 

1830401 Sales Management 2 credits 

This course emphasizes the importance of sales management in a competitive global economy by  integrating current technology, research, and strategic planning activities. Topics include the role  of the sales manager, buying and selling processes, customer relationship management, organizing the sales force, sales forecasting and budgeting, selecting, training, compensating, and motivating the salesperson, and evaluating salesperson performance. 

1830301 Production &Operations Management 2 credits 

This course is an examination of the role of operations within manufacturing and service organizations. Emphasis is placed upon recognizing operational opportunities and trade-offs,  and employing quantitative and qualitative tools and decision-support systems to assist strategic and operational decision making. Topics include: process design, quality management,  capacity planning, supply chain management, and production planning. 

1830402 Civil & Business Law 2 credits 

This course examines basic legal principles, which will enable you to recognise relevant issues  and the legal implications of business situations. This course will help to understand the legal  system, its role and place in society through knowledge of the structure of the legal system and  relevant laws. It will enable the student to identify legal problems within the field of civil and  business law and solve legal problems by using knowledge of the legal system and methods. 

1830302 Human Resources Management 2 credits 

This course focuses on the analysis of professional practice issues in personnel and human  resource management. Students will form in-class enterprises to explore topics including:  human resource planning, recruitment, staffing, performance appraisal, compensation and  reward system design, training and development, employee rights and safety, labour management relations, and legal and international dimensions of human resource management.  

1830303 Business Research Methods 2 credits 

This course is designed to teach students how to support management decision making and develop understanding of a variety of research methodologies as well as the basic skills in applying  them. While qualitative research techniques are examined, a considerable portion of the course is  focused on designing and implementing surveys. A key output of the course is the ability to produce a professional research proposal, which could be used as your applied project proposal  where appropriate. Indeed, for students intending to do survey research as part of their applied  project, this course is invaluable and plans should be made well in advance for taking this course  prior to the research start time. Although the course focuses on research design, basic statistical  analyses using the SPSS software provided will also be covered. 

1830253 Cost Accounting 2 credits 

Cost accounting is primarily used as a decision-making tool for individuals in charge of business  operations. Managers use standardized methods to control cost in order to meet the desired level  of profitability. Students learn about pricing, budgeting, and performance analysis to determine  overall success based on predetermined objectives. Students apply cost accounting methods to  identify profitable products and services, to analyse reports to make sound pricing decisions, to  compare cost systems and choose the one that’s right for your company and to evaluate results  against budgets with greater accuracy. The use cost accounting methods to optimize the use of  people, resources and materials

1830304 Business Simulation 2 credits 

The simulation and add-on activities represent an important enhancement to a deeper understanding of dynamic business processes to the students. To this end, the results presented herein demonstrate that the simulation experience refines the decision-making skills of students, better enabling them to fulfil their future role as business leaders. In terms of details, the students manage a fully-functioning enterprise in a dynamic, highly competitive environment over an extended period of time. Throughout, the instructor challenges students to leverage their affinity for numbers  and their willingness to approach decisions in an organized, disciplined manner. Further, the uncertainty associated with changing market conditions and contemporaneous competitor moves  presents challenges for the students to develop unstructured problem-solving skills and a tolerance for and appreciation of ambiguity. Furthermore, students practice developing, presenting,  and defending a business plan with independent judges who question the students and challenge  the perceived shortfalls in their work. 

1830405 Project Management 2 credits 

This course is designed to teach students about major principles of efficient project management.  The aim is to learn a systematic approach to implement and conduct projects. The course offers  various tools for planning, controlling and managing projects. Students will learn the definition  of project management, the assessment and selection of projects, the organisation of new projects, the cost control, project planning, supervision and control, selection of team members, the  coordination of a project team and more.

2. Specialization Courses in International Business

1831301 International Business I 2 credits 

This course introduces international business and basic knowledge about the theory and practice  of international corporations: National differences in political economy and differences in Culture will be introduced. International Trade Theories and the Political Economy of International  Trade, concepts of Foreign Direct Investment and the Regional Economic Integration will be  explained.  

1831302 International Business II 2 credits 

This second part of the course provides the students with the variety of global business  knowledge as well as interpersonal, organizational, technological and decision-making skills  needed to succeed in today’s fast-changing international business environment. This course  explores the interrelatedness of the various functions of international business operations, and  sets the context for understanding the broader environment in which international businesses  and organizations function. The concept is to apply theory in actual international business  situations through exercises, case studies, team projects and hands-on training. Students will  develop an essential understanding of core international business topics such as financial systems, resource bases, corporate culture (HMR), marketing, organizational behaviour, productivity tools and technology, and communication skills.  

1831401 International Finance 2 credits 

Management of an international business requires knowledge of international financial instruments, markets, and institutions. This course examines these issues from theoretical and applied  perspectives. Topics include the nature of foreign exchange risk, the determination of spot and  forward exchange rates and interest rates, the returns to foreign investments in external currency  and in bond and stock markets, the management of foreign exchange risk with forward markets  and foreign currency option markets, and the dynamics of the balance of payments with a focus  on understanding international capital flows, country debt, and exchange rate fluctuations. 

1831403 Cross Cultural Management 2 credits 

This course is designed to develop the awareness, skills and knowledge required by managers seeking to work abroad as international executives. It provides a key grounding in the  nature of management in the global context by increasing awareness and understanding of  the soft skills in international management, particularly those relating to cross-cultural management. The meaning of culture is explored by drawing on a range of national cultural and  institutional models and studying and providing a broad understanding of the international context in which multinational corporations operate. How national culture influences management practice is also considered. It will also focus on emerging challenges of international  management. The emphasis will be on how individuals, teams and organizations manage  these cultural differences. 

1831402 International Supply Change Management 2 credits 

International supply chains interact with all facets of business and society. In this interdisciplinary course, students will gain a multi-faceted perspective on the global dimensions of today’s business operations. Students will explore the interrelationships between global supply  chains, logistics operations, society, and the environment. The study of business operations  will be set in the context of social science theories and popular perspectives on the history,  geography, structure and ethics of trade. Students will examine the impacts of current trade  systems on both production and consumption regions and the human and environmental consequences of trade patterns.

1831404 International Marketing 2 credits 

This course will expand the tools and terminology to explore and understand marketing practices in a global environment. Putting yourself as an international marketing manager, you  will learn the scope and challenge of international marketing, the dynamic environment of  international trade, the culture, political, legal, and business systems of global markets, the  global market opportunities and finally, the ways to develop global marketing strategies.  Students will also conduct a group project. This course is designed to give students insights  of current global issues and provide the necessary skills in making strategic decisions  based on a global perspective. 

3. Specialization Courses in Finance

1832301 Finance & Investment II 2 credits 

This course aims to provide the students with advanced concepts, principles and approaches  of corporate finance, enabling the students to apply relevant principles and approaches in solving problems of corporate finance. They will learn about different types of financial management decisions; understand the role of the financial manager and the goals of advanced  financial management. Furthermore, this course provides the students with essential concepts  of investments. The goals of the investment part are the understanding of risk and return. Thus, the students have an understanding of efficiently diversified portfolios. It also aims to  create an understanding of the basic issues involved in how firms should raise funds for their  real investments (financing). The course evaluates how investment and financing decisions  are related. Emphasis will be placed on appreciating the limitations and challenges that are  faced when applying the theoretical framework of corporate finance to real world problems. 

1832304 Credit Management 2 credits 

This course will enable the students to develop a basic understanding of credit management and  apply the concepts, systems and techniques across a range of credit environments. It will help to  understand and apply the fundamental accounting principles and techniques that affect credit  management and develop a broad understanding of the legal context and structures in which  businesses operate and be able to apply relevant aspects of contract and commercial law. This  course also intents to develop an understanding of the national and international economic environment within which business organisations function from which the student can draw insights  to develop a general understanding of management practices.

1832407 Company & Business Valuation 2 credits 

This course focuses on the analysis and use of financial accounting information in the  evaluation of corporate performance. The course initially demonstrates the accounting process and resulting generation of financial statements. Building on these core accounting concepts, the course emphasizes the understanding of financial statements prepared under Inter national Accounting Standards and the analysis of these financial statements including  common size analysis, ratio analysis, the impact of taxes, and credit analysis. By success fully completing the course students will be aware of the necessity to analyse corporates, to be able to analyse accounts by modifying financial statements up to their needs, splitting up  the result of the year and applying ratio analysis, to evaluate the economic situation of ana lysed companies and to perform a due diligence for a selected corporate client. 

1832402 Financial Risk Management 2 credits 

This course focuses on the ways in which different financial risk sources for corporations  and banks are quantified and managed. Among the topics covered is market risk, credit risk,  and operational risk of businesses and financial institutions. Special attention is also paid to  the credit derivatives market. The course will provide sufficient theoretical and practical  knowledge of data modelling techniques to enable the student to implement the fundamental  market, credit and operational risk measurement models that are used in the industry today. 

1832401 Banking Business Ethics 2 credits 

Today’s managers must necessarily concern themselves with ethical issues, because unethical behavior creates legal risks and damage to businesses as well as employees and consumers. Banking ethics have become an integral part of business education in general. A student  or manager who is well-versed in ethical behavior in practices, not only in the domestic market but internationally, will find him or herself better prepared to deal with issues or situations that may arise that don’t always involve easy answers or decisions. Hence, business  ethics is an important part of any industry. Students or managers, unfamiliar with many ethical challenges, behaviors, or regulations will find themselves struggling in business industries. 

4. Elective Courses

1831303 Strategic Management 2 credits

 The course covers contemporary strategic management of organizations of different types,  focusing on the steps of strategic management: planning, implementation, control and evaluation. It covers the fundamentals of both business-level and corporate-level strategy. The course is designed to introduce a wide variety of modern strategy frameworks and methodologies, including methods for assessing the strength of competition. It focuses on the detailed  strategic management steps of each stage, in addition to quantitative and qualitative decision  making processes. 

1831304 Public Relations 2 credits 

The course introduces strategic issues and effective practices of communication between organizations and their constituencies. It includes the study of public opinion research, media  relations, public communication campaigns, consumer identity, and representational ethics.  Students gain practical experience in writing news releases, conducting surveys, and designing integrated campaigns. The course prepares students for effective and ethical public communication on behalf of contemporary organizations (profit and non-profit). Students will  acquire knowledge about the history of public relations in modern organizations and a variety  of theories and paradigms of effective public relations. They will gain skills in the practical  arts of market/audience research and analysis, campaign development, image and text design,  media relations, crisis management, and communication ethics. More specifically, students  will learn to develop market surveys, write news releases, produce public service announcements, conduct news conferences, and design web pages. Throughout the class, students will  consider the professional and social obligations associated with a career in public relations. 

 

1831407 International Economic Relations 2 credits

 The focus of this course is on international political economy. International political economy  is the study of how and why international economic policies are formed, and how international factors influence domestic policy-making, while comparative political economy examines economic policy-making in a domestic context. Prior work in economics is helpful for navigating this course, but students will also learn a good bit of economic theory. The students will deal with important contemporary topics such as foreign trade, capital flows, monetary policy and exchange rates, issues in globalization, and international organizations and institutions such as NAFTA, GATT, the IMF, and the EU. 

1831306 Consumer Behaviour 2 credits 

An essential component of marketing is consumer insight – both the obvious needs and wants  that are on the surface of conscious thought, but also the deeper, possibly unconscious motives  that drive human behaviour at an implicit level. This course gives an overview of psychological  knowledge as it pertains to capturing consumer insight. The course also reviews factors that can  influence purchase behaviour. Armed with this conceptual framework, the course covers the major topics of consumer behaviour, including attitudes, impulsive vs. deliberative purchase, psychographic profiling and assessment, brand loyalty, experiential marketing, self and identity, and  product satisfaction. The course uses a mix of large cases, mini-cases, and lectures to advance  these concepts.

1831406 Total Quality Management 2 credits 

Total quality management (TQM) is a philosophy, methodology and system of tools aimed to  create and maintain mechanisms of organization’s continuous improvement. It involves all  departments and employees into improvement of processes and products. It helps to reduce  costs and to meet and exceed needs and expectations of customers and other stakeholders of  an organization. TQM encompasses the concepts of business and social excellence that is sus 

sustainable approach to organization’s competition, efficiency improvement, leadership and partnership. The objectives of this course is to introduce the main principles of business and social excellence, to generate knowledge and skills of students to use models and quality management methodology for the implementation of total quality management in any sphere of  business and public sector. 

1831305 E-Commerce 2 credits 

Electronic commerce (E-Commerce) is changing our life. Businesses are recognizing the Internet’s role in the decision process. Increasing profitability, gaining market share, improving customer service, and delivering products faster, cheaper, better are some of the organizational performance gains possible with e-commerce. In this course we will study the basics fundamentals  of the business and economic motivations for E-commerce as well as the needs and desires of  individuals. The course teaches about the underlying computation, information and communication environments that encompass and enable E-commerce transactions, and the evolving role of  social media and mobile devices in E-commerce.  

1831407 Financial Markets & Financial Institutions 2 credits 

The first part of this course will expose students to the workings of global financial markets,  their key institutional features, and the theoretical underpinnings of their design. Topics will  include different types of financial securities such as debt, equity, convertible debt, and preferred stocks traded in the market, their relative advantages and disadvantages and the roles of  institutions such as banks, credit rating agencies and institutional investors (such as pension  funds and activist investors) in these markets. 

The second part of this course provides an introduction to the management of financial institutions and intermediaries. It focuses on the importance of ensuring good organizational functioning within institutions to manage the varied types of risk that they may be exposed to. Students are introduced to how financial institutions have specific requirements. The course then examines the principles of the theory and practice of effective organizational structure and  policies for successful risk management and how to manage the inter-relationships that are  inherent between departments. Students are also introduced to international standards of banking practice and how they impact the functioning of the institutions plus how to define and  measure various types of risk these institutions can be exposed to.

1832310 Applied Topics in International Business 2 credits 

This course will introduce students to current topics of real life in international business with  theoretical explanations. The students will learn about the fundamental theories underlying  modern international business and their real world application. The course contains cases in  international management, international marketing, market entry strategies, logistics, human  resources management, and others. The cases are focused on European and American companies operating in foreign markets. The cases can be used as examples for Palestinian and Arab companies starting new businesses abroad.  

1832309 Applied Topics in Finance 2 credits 

The main objective of this course is to enable students to apply the theoretical concepts in finance covered in the basic finance courses, to problems in the area of corporate finance with all  the complexities that the real world entails. The course focuses on fundamental themes in corporate finance both in a local and an international setting including: the analysis of cross-border  investments, mergers and acquisitions, take-over battles and defences, leverage buyouts (LBOs),  project finance, corporate restructuring, companies in financial distress and bank merger valuations.  

5. DSBIF Requirement Courses

1800002 English Language I 2 credits 

This course aims to promote English language proficiency at undergraduate level. It focuses  on core language skills such as listening, speaking, reading and writing by using traditional  texts and interactive content. 

1800003 English Language II 2 credits 

The aim of this course is to enhance student’s communications skills. After having the necessary  English skills in the previous course, students will focus on writing essays, delivering speeches,  and presenting their work. 

1800004 Upper-Intermediate English 2 credits 

Building on English Skills II, this course will focus on research techniques, documentation  styles, and argumentative strategies. In this course we will screen documentaries, read newspaper  articles, scholarly essays, short stories, and conduct formal interviews in order to thoroughly investigate, evaluate, and analyse selected topics. It also focuses on critical analysis of text, advanced composition writing, and class presentations demonstrating an excellent grasp of the art  of persuasion. Based on the information gathered from different sources students will submit  proposals for projects relevant to social and cultural issues. In a polarized society people often  take positions on social, cultural, and moral issues without hearing all sides of what to speak of  studying and exhausting the available sources of information. 

1800010 Advanced English 2 credits 

This course is the fourth of a series of four English courses which is designed for learners who  can understand lectures in the target language on both familiar and unfamiliar topics, and understand news on television and radio well, taking an active part in discussions on both familiar and  unfamiliar topics, but still make mistakes and fail to make themselves understood occasionally.  During this course, students will develop accuracy and fluency in speaking and writing, awareness of the writing process and reading and listening sub-skills. Learners can understand a wide  range of demanding, longer texts and recognize implicit meaning. They can also express themselves fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions, use English  flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes and produce clear, well structured and detailed texts on different subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices. In addition, it aims at familiarizing students with the internationally recognized proficiency tests such as (TOEFL & IELTS) to ensure students have the  integrated skills needed in taking the proficiency tests. 

1800005 German Language I 2 credits 

This is an introductory course that aims to provide students with the ability to understand, speak, read and write simple German/ Hebrew. Primary goals are to introduce  beginning students to basic structures of the German/ Hebrew language by developing  vocabulary and a command of idiomatic expressions; to familiarize students with sentence structure through written exercises and short compositions. 

1800006 German language II 2 credits 

This course emphasizes conversation skills and aims to enable students to effectively communicate with German / Hebrew speaking people. It focuses on interactive  teaching materials. 

1800012 Entrepreneurship I 2 credits 

The course will cover the basic skills needed to improve the personality characteristics and enhance the interpersonal skills of the students. Broadening the student’s visions and focusing on  internal success factors are key elements of the course. The course will tackle issues like; entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial life, SMEs successes and failures, motivation and self – management, creativity and innovation, leadership and teamwork, networking and negotiation and  developing personal goals and objectives.

1800013 Entrepreneurship II 2 credits 

The course will cover the basic fundamental skills and functions needed to start a new business.  Thinking of being unique, able to produce and sell and understanding the product life cycle are  issues to be covered in this course. The course will tackle issues like; starting up, knowing the  environment, financing the business, production cycle, promotion and sales, legal frame, managing the business, moving into e-business and maintaining sustainability. 

1800101 Communication Skills 2 credits 

This course provides the business student with vital knowledge that will expand his skills in aspects regarding business terminology including commercial prefixes and suffixes, writing and  answering business letters, developing headings and titles, connecting ideas and sentences, writ ing commercial abstracts, and finally writing reports with a correct bibliography and citation.  Oral, written and graphical communication principles are covered and exercised through the  study of case histories, practical workshops and detailed assignments. 

6. DSIBF University Requirement Courses 

0088081 History of Jerusalem 2 credits 

This course offers historical accords of Jerusalem and discusses the important historical phases  that Jerusalem has gone through. It starts with the era of establishing the city until recent times,  focusing in the process on the political, economic, and social circumstances in each era. 

0088081 Nature and Environment of Palestine 2 credits 

This course provides a basic introduction to the geography and demographics of Palestine. It presents Palestine’s geographical areas, before focusing on the demographic  changes Palestine has gone through in its history. 

0088083 Language and Logic 2 credits 

 This course is an intensive introduction to the liberal arts and sciences with a particular focus on  writing. Language and Thinking fosters robust interdisciplinary study, innovative pedagogy, and  writing across a wide range of genres. Students read extensively, work on a variety of projects in  writing and other formats, and meet throughout the day in small groups and in one-on-one conferences with faculty. The work aims to cultivate habits of thoughtful reading and discussion,  clear articulation, accurate self-critique, and productive collaboration. Central to all of this is an  examination of the link between thought and expression. 

7. Practice Phases in the DS partner companies 

General Objectives of Practice Phases in Dual Study Business Administration

 In the practice periods, students link their acquired knowledge from the theory phase with the  practical activities in their company. For each DS partner company and for each DS student an  individual “Education Plan” is developed for each of the eight Practice Phases. It has to be regarded that not for each theory module will be an equivalent activity in the company, i.e. courses  and work in the company do not fit 1:1. This is obvious for example in Mathematics but also in  other subjects. The practice schedule should be adapted in time and content to the specificities of  the company and take into account the individual level of knowledge of students. Adjustments of  the plan according to the priorities and needs of the company are possible.  

The students transferred projects and tasks to contribute to the personal and professional development and creating value for internal and external customers. The following non-academic qualifications and learning outcomes must be trained and deepened throughout the Practice Phases  in companies: 

• Communication, cooperation skills and teamwork, 
• Problem-solving ability and creativity, 
• Reporting and documentation, 
• Learning, working and presentation techniques. 

The Practice Phases should therefore be designed not only for deepening the professional experience but also for developing the important broad spectrum of non-professional soft qualifications and competences. Industry and the labor market claim that there is a broad gap and lack of  competences from regular graduates. The Dual Study model aims to improve the employment  conditions for graduates by having them incorporate for almost 4 years in the business work environment. 

1830190 Practise Phase I  1830191 Practise Phase II       5 credits 

Students get to know and comprehend the particular characteristics of the main functions  experienced in their enterprise during the practical module, as well as respective applications and  solutions. They learn to apply their theoretical knowledge to practical situations while gaining  in-depth experience. Students acquire their first practical know-how not only when dealing with  colleagues, but also with the organization as a whole and with markets. They are able to find an  orientation within the enterprise and to learn how to integrate themselves into teams, working  constructively and supportively.

The following list contains some examples of the knowledge and skills to be acquired during this  Practise Phases: 

• General knowledge about business 
• the different departments and its tasks in the company, 
• the products and its workflow 
• colleagues, suppliers and customers, 
• internal and external communication methods, 
• application of theoretical business knowledge in the daily business practice, – applied information technology. 
• Additional Skills: 
• organization structure of the DS partner company,  
• documentation, 
•  improvement and application of English skills. 

1830290 Practise Phase III 

 1830291 Practise Phase IV                  5 credits 

In the second year the students further develop their ability in analytical and critically constructive thinking while getting to know various techniques for work, problem-solving and project  management. They gain insight into the enterprise and its operational processes and can find  their own orientation while developing an understanding of entrepreneurial coherencies. They  are open to suggestions and have learned to express and defend their opinions using economic  argumentation. They can handle criticism and are able to take a critical stance on issues. Students  are able to collect data and information from diverse sources and to process them according to  given criteria. They are able to make guided use of all available sources for working and studying. They can ask appropriate questions and are able to assume responsibility for their own learning success under guidance. 

The practical phases in this year are typically characterized by use in projects in which the students already perceive small, independent tasks. Ideally, the knowledge of the theory phases is  immersed in at least one or two of the module topics. A personal project of the practical phase shall be documented as a practical report and be provided as a presentation for discussion.  

The following lists contain some examples of the knowledge and skills to be acquired during this  practice phases: 

• Cost awareness and budget development, 
• time management, 
• project management, 
• sales and marketing activities, 
• internal business discussions, 
• telephone calls to external partner, i.e. customers and suppliers, 
• personal negotiations with suppliers and/or customers.

1830390 Practise PhaseV  5 credits

1830391 Practise Phase VI   5 credits 

Students in the third year gain in-depth practical and professional experience and can recognize and evaluate coherencies among the various areas of business functions. They are able to  apply their knowledge acquired in theoretical phases to practical situations and problems in  the enterprise. Students have developed in-depth understanding of the significance of socio ethical competence in an enterprise. They can work effectively in teams and are able to respect group leaders and to take on leadership responsibility themselves. 

They further develop their ability to analyse and think critically. Techniques they have  learned regarding work problems, problem-solving situations and project management can be  independently and responsibly applied to complex situations. Students are able to take a stand  on functional problems in practice while developing well-reasoned solutions. They can develop complex processes further on their own and plan and manage smaller projects. They are  able to make use of all sources available for learning and working to increase their level of  knowledge. Students are open to suggestions and have learned to put forth and defend their  own point of view using theoretically well-founded argumentation. 

The students can specialize in this year towards their future professional focus, normally in  line with the demand of their employer. The students become in this year already a valuable,  esteemed staff member in their companies, taking over responsibility for limited tasks. With  supervision, they are used to working on their own and to deliver their problem solutions in time.  

1830490 Practise Phase VII  (Study Project)                        

1830491 Practise Phase VIII              (Graduation Project) 

The last year will take care of the professionalization of students. Theory and practice have to  match and the student shows being capable of solving market related problems.  

Study Project: 

In Practice Phase VII, the study project demonstrates the student’s ability to deal and solve practice-related problems from the respective field by using practical and scientific knowledge and  methods. The project is monitored and assessed by two counsellors, a lecturer from the university  and a qualified supervisor from the company. 

Graduation Project: 

In Practice Phase VIII, the students have to write the bachelor thesis. Here, they have to apply  their acquired theoretical knowledge and practical experiences to solve this specific, well described business task from the company by a scientific and systematic approach. The student  should demonstrate that they are able to work independently on the business related subject.  They should use scientific literature and apply the acquired knowledge from the previous study  periods. The theme and the title of the thesis are formulated by the DS partner company and presented for approval including research questions and approach to the supervising lecturer of  the university. The student will work independently with close supervision of the lecturer on the  task and write a thesis with about 60 pages. Note that the bachelor thesis is monitored and assessed by two counselors, lecturer from the university and a qualified supervisor from the company. 

The various attributes and specifications of the DSBA program’s graduates after successfully  completing the graduation project are listed in the following: 

∙ Knowledge and Understanding: 

– The student demonstrates in an autonomous work that he/she can work out or to   develop solutions for complex commercial problems in business by applying   scientific methods. 

– The student understands the scientific basis of business and has demonstrated that   he/she can deepen and apply it. 

– The student knows the current state of research in his/her specific project area.  – The students write the project report according to the rules of scientific work.

 – The student can create a project plan for monitoring and tracking of the project. 

∙ Cognitive/intellectual/social skills: 

– The student has analyzed the problems and evaluated alternative solutions.

 – The student can expand his knowledge and interpret current knowledge. 

 – The student can formulate subject-specific solutions and can communicate to customers and colleagues. 

     – As a team member, he/she takes over responsibility for a task.