Service Leadership in International Business - Master's Programme
Study programme description for study year 2022-2023
Credits (ECTS)
120
Studyprogram code
M-SERLIB
Level
Master's degree (2 years)
Leads to degree
Master of Service Leadership in International Business
Full-/Part-time
Full-time
Duration
4 Semesters
Undergraduate
No
Language of instruction
English
Name of study program:
Norwegian name: Master i Serviceledelse i internasjonal business
English name: Master of Service leadership in International business
Degree:
Master of Service leadership in International business
Credits:
120 ECTS
Department, faculty:
The Norwegian school of hotel management, The faculty of social sciences.
Target student:
The program will attract students with high ambitions and those that are willing to put in high effort to develop their potential as future managers of international services businesses. The program is offered as a full-time program.
Admissions:
Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree in hotel/tourism management, business administration, economics, social sciences or any other business-related bachelor's degree.
Content:
This program is facilitated for bachelor candidates that aim for executive leadership positions within service industries and international business. Besides training in problem solving, communication and cooperation, the program is built around 6 core knowledge courses (60 ECTS), 3 electives (30 ECTS) and a master thesis (30 ECTS), 120 ECTS that equals a two years full time master program.
The goal is to give the candidates a comprehensive leadership/management toolbox that qualifies them for future leadership positions within service industries or service functions, and/or a career within consultancy, education and/or research.
The program aims at educating future leaders able to critically consider their responsibility to the economic, social, environmental and political consequences of whatever business they engage themselves in.
Common courses:
Research methods for business and leadership
Strategic leadership and philosophy
Service operation management
Strategic and international marketing
International HR perspectives
Service innovation and entrepreneurship
Elective courses
In the third semester, students can choose elective courses offered at NHS, a research track in service design and innovation 3x 10 ECTS, an international exchange period at one of our partner universities or take elective courses at other faculties and departments at UiS.
The three courses listed here as 3rd semester electives (MHRxx1: Advanced methods for business research and analytics, MHRxx2: Research based service design, and MHRxx3: Applied service innovation project) can either be chosen individually and combined with electives from other faculties and departments, or chosen as a package in what we call a “research track”. Students who choose this package will be awarded the “Research track in service leadership and innovation” as a research focused specialization on their diploma. Students in the research track will also be invited to work closely with faculty in the different research groups at NHS, and thus get heavily familiarized with the ongoing research at the school.
Objectives, content and organization of the programme of study
The master program in Service Leadership in International Business will provide comprehensive and research relevant management knowledge about service leadership in international business.
Furthermore, the program equips the candidate with the skills to understand fundamental and contemporary issues within the service industries.
The aim of the program is to expand the knowledge and the understanding of the candidate, and to facilitate the development of scientific skills, required to handle advanced management tasks. Successful candidates will gain knowledge in general management- and leadership theories and develop the skills to implement them in various industries. The program is designed to qualify successful candidates to enter leadership positions in the hospitality-, service- and tourism industries.
The master program will provide training in scientific research, planning and analysis. Equipping the candidate with a sound foundation for evaluating and conducting science as preparation for writing a master thesis of high quality. The candidate is challenged to evaluate, integrate and develop knowledge on an advanced level, showing in-depth understanding, reflection and maturation.
The program attracts students from all over the world. This creates an international and diverse group of fellow students, which both challenge and stimulate learning, and provides opportunities for great intercultural understanding.
Students enrolled in the program may further expand their international experience by spending a semester abroad (normally the third semester). We are cooperating with a number of high-ranked international universities that provide complimentary and interesting courses.
Individual learning and personal development is stimulated through tailored courses with an emphasis on problem-based learning. Students are expected to participate actively in every phase of the program. However, the most fundamental aim of the program is to develop the student’s ability for life-long learning, so that they will be prepared to excel in future careers in both research and management.
Language:
English
Professional qualifications:
This program targets all service industries, national as well as international, like tourism, hospitality, banking, ICT, medical / health, insurance, retailing, consultancy, education, etc. Other industries with an emphasis on services, like manufacturing industries and agriculture may very well take advantage of the master candidates' competence.
Study qualifications:
The master's degree qualifies for further studies at the PhD level.
Teaching mode:
In the two first semesters, all courses are primarily based on the student-centered learning method, more specifically case-based teaching or the Harvard teaching method. This implies that sessions are used to discuss practical business cases, and that the major part of preparations before classes is working alone and in groups on these cases. In the third semester, all electives offered from NHS will also be based on this pedagogical platform. However, students also have the option to choose electives from other faculties and departments at UiS or take courses on exchange abroad, and these may be based on other modes of teaching.
Learning progression within the program:
The main learning object of this program is service business, how it is lead when it comes to create service products and find a place in the market, how to do marketing, sustain a rational operation, make strategic changes, relation to and taking care of employees, and, the service business place in society etc. The main references in the program are research-based knowledge.
In this program we have chosen to divide the program in 4 parts / 4 semesters, where each semester following the previous semester represent a progression in the learning, as follows:
First semester gives a general learning platform where we focus on scientific research methods, information channels, history and perspectives of international service business, perspectives on leadership, communication and how to manage operational economic issues and challenges. In the learning outcomes of this semester we emphasize on using alterative perspectives on research, the international service business, leadership, and operation by using case teaching which train students in critical thinking and employing alterative perspectives.
In second semester we offer three compulsory courses that focus on three of the most important dimension of leading service businesses: the marketing function, the HR function and innovation and entrepreneurship. These courses represent a clear progression from the more general courses from first semester.
Third semester gives openings for the students to deepen down in topics of their interest by choosing elective courses. For those students that are especial interested in research-based service design, NHS offer a “research track” embracing three courses, one looking into the research, one in advanced research methods and one project course in cooperation with the school’s business partners in various service industries.
Alternatively, the students can choose, not overlapping and approved, electives from master programs offered by other institutes of the UiS. Third semester represents a deepen down in topics from first and second semester.
Fourth semester is designated to working with a master thesis where the students choose a specific research field and perform a supervised research project, and thereby achieve special knowledge within a limited field of knowledge.
International focus on service leadership:
Beside communicating that this program has an international scope on leadership and service business in its title, the international perspective is a basic in all compulsory courses. Internationalization in the program occurs mainly in three dimensions: firstly, in the case teaching we use cases concerning international business operating in more than one country, and, most of the cases is about leading service business in countries all over the word. The students are then exposed for differences in culture and how to handle unlike business terms and conditions, political, economic, environmental, social and cultural. The second dimension appears when we use international literature and focus on comparative research. The third and last dimension that make the study international is the fact that more than half of the students are international, normally representing all continents of the word. This gives an international atmosphere in the classroom where students contribute in discussions of how things are different in various parts of the world.
Evaluation:
Assessment methods vary from course to course and may include both written and oral exams, individually and in groups. See presentations of the individual course for details. On all subjects in the program, students are expected to use source references in line with APA 6.
Practice:
The students who choose the Applied service design project as an elective in semester 3 will work on a specific project along with a service company and a supervisor from NHS. This will train students in practical project work, but primarily related to the research/analysis part of such a process. However, they will still get hands-on experience on how businesses work on service design projects.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge
The candidate
- Has advanced knowledge within service leadership in international business and particular insight in leadership theories, human resource management, marketing and aspects of developing and controlling service operations.
- In- depth knowledge of a chosen field within international service leadership.
- Has thorough knowledge about methods applied in strategy development, marketing and operational development and assessment within service leadership in international business
- Can analyze professional problems based on knowledge within service leadership in international business, its history, traditions and societal role and functions.
Skills
The candidate
- Can analyze and be critical to various information channels.
- Can structure and formulate professional reasonings, especially concerning responsible leadership, business accountability and sustainable industrial and business development.
- Can analyze existing theories, methods and interpretations within service leadership in international business, and,
- work independently with solving practical and theoretical problems.
- Can employ relevant methods in research and development projects addressing development and assessment of service business operations, nationally and internationally.
General competence
The candidate
- Can analyze relevant professional, practical and research ethical issues within service business industries.
- Can employ his/ her knowledge and skills on new areas in order to accomplish advanced task and projects.
- Can communicate extensive independent work and master expressions used within service leadership in international business.
- Can communicate professional issues, analyzes and conclusions within service leadership.
Career prospects
This master degree programme, will for many be the start of a future career as managers. Former students from the Norwegian School of Hotel Management can be found in different management positions within the service industry. Some are hotel manager, excecutive managers within tourism, sales and marketing managers, while others are production managers, Key account managers, consultants, or project managers. In other words, the study gives you a possiblity to work with a great variety of interesting sectors, with a great variation of interesting tasks.
This master degree may qualify for admission the PhD Programme.
Course assessment
The master program will be assessed and evaluated according to UiS' administrative quality system.
Study plan and courses
Enrolment year: 2022
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Compulsory courses
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MHR101: Research Methods for Business and Leadership
Year 1, semester 1
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MHR102: Strategic Leadership and Philosophy
Year 1, semester 1
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MHR107: Service Marketing
Year 1, semester 1
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MHR103: Strategic and International Marketing
Year 1, semester 2
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MHR104: International HR Perspectives
Year 1, semester 2
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MHR106: Service Innovations and International Entrepreneurship
Year 1, semester 2
Service Innovations and International Entrepreneurship (MHR106)
Study points: 10
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MSERMAS: Master's thesis in service leadership in international business
Year 2, semester 3
Master's thesis in service leadership in international business (MSERMAS)
Study points: 30
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Term 3 at UiS or exchange study
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Courses in term 3 at UiS - Choose 3 courses
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MHR201: Quantitative and Qualitative Methodology
Year 2, semester 3
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MHR202: Fundamentals of Service
Year 2, semester 3
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MHR203: Applied Service Innovation Project
Year 2, semester 3
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MHR204: Leadership Challenges
Year 2, semester 3
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Exchange studies, term 3
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