Award in Business Studies

Accelerated BBA Track and Top-up Program
This program is targeted at individuals who wish to obtain a foundation in Business Administration. It can also be followed as a bridging program in order to complete the necessary ECTS to qualify for admission into a Master (Level 7) program. Delivered via eLearning, it is ideal for candidates with practical experience who want to obtain a recognized academic qualification.
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Online Diploma Program Overview

The Award in Business Studies is an outtake of our Bachelor in Business Administration (BBA Marketing) program. You get to choose your bespoke set of courses from our BBA curriculum. Upon completion of a total of 60 ECTS, which corresponds to 10 completed courses, you are conferred an EQF Level 6 Award.

The program is conducted entirely online in a cohort mode. You attend weekly live virtual classes with your fellow students from all over the world.

Program Objectives

This program covers key business disciplines including the business environment, economics, resource management, business information systems, marketing, and quantitative methods. It provides a thorough understanding of business concepts, skills and competencies, with practical application. The program is suitable for those entering the job market, currently holding junior positions and self-employed entrepreneurs. SMC offers courses designed with leadership and enterprise in mind to help individuals become exceptional leaders in their profession.

Target Group

The program has been thoughtfully crafted to empower young professionals who have shown a passion for business, management and marketing. We are seeking students who have already overcome early-career obstacles in business administration or junior management, and are ambitious, inquisitive and keen to take their career to the next level. Aspiring entrepreneurs looking to establish a strong foundation before embarking on future ventures will also find this program to be an excellent fit. Trust that our program will help you hone and enhance your skills, providing you with a stepping stone towards achieving your goals. We are confident that you will find this program to be an inspirational platform that will truly elevate your career.

Award in Business Studies - Sample Curriculum

All courses are at EQF Level 6 and provide 6 ECTS credits each. To be conferred the Award in Business Studies, students must complete 10 Courses from our Bachelor of Business Administration degree program, totaling 60 ECTS

Accounting for Managerial Decision Making

The course introduces accounting for business entities such as sole proprietorships, partnerships and corporations, focusing on how business events impact the balance sheet, income statements, and the statement of cash flows. Topics include: the process of recording and analyzing transactions, the accounting cycle including record-keeping, preparation of financial statements, and the theory of accounts.

  • Contact Hours: 40
  • Self-study Hours: 92
  • Assessment Hours: 18
  • Total Hours: 150
Business Law & Ethics

This course explores the legal and ethical framework in which businesses operate. Sources and areas of business law are presented and compared internationally. Students also learn to critically analyze and evaluate the behavior of business owners, managers, and employees. Given heightened consumer scrutiny of corporate ethical conduct, a portion of the course will focus on how managers can navigate ethical dilemmas, meet the expectations of customers, employees, suppliers etc. and flourish as good corporate citizens.

  • Contact Hours: 40
  • Self-study Hours: 92
  • Assessment Hours: 18
  • Total Hours: 150
Business Communication

The course provides students with the necessary skills to communicate in a manner that is both concise and persuasive. Students learn to write professional reports, proposals, tenders, letters and other commercial correspondence. The course also explores the features of dynamic presentations, including methods of structuring, visualizing and delivering a message.

  • Contact Hours: 40
  • Self-study Hours: 92
  • Assessment Hours: 18
  • Total Hours: 150
Business Cultures & Protocols

Today’s globalized business environment and an increasingly cultural diverse workplace, require that managers are culturally aware. To prepare students, this course focuses on cultural and cross-cultural issues and explores suitable management and communication approaches. The course highlights aspects of Corporate Social Responsibility as they relate to intercultural settings.

  • Contact Hours: 40
  • Self-study Hours: 92
  • Assessment Hours: 18
  • Total Hours: 150
Fundamentals of Marketing

This course covers the marketing process as it relates to the “four p’s”: product, place, promotion and price. Specifically, the course explores the concepts and practices of marketing management, sales, channels of distribution, consumer behavior, pricing strategies, advertising, and market research.

  • Contact Hours: 40
  • Self-study Hours: 92
  • Assessment Hours: 18
  • Total Hours: 150
Financial Management & Planning

This course explores the concepts of corporate finance, investments and capital markets. Throughout, attention is given to trade-offs of risk and return in financial decision making. Issues presented include the time value of money, the nature of financial markets, financial analysis and planning, security valuation and capital markets, capital budgeting, IRR, the Profitability Index, Net Working Capital, credit policies and receivables management.

  • Contact Hours: 40
  • Self-study Hours: 92
  • Assessment Hours: 18
  • Total Hours: 150
Management & Business

This course explores the basic concepts of managing, planning and controlling an organization. It begins with the process of building leadership skills and lays a solid base for the difficult tasks of human resources management. The course focuses on communication, decision making and leadership for administrative and managerial positions in business and government.

  • Contact Hours: 40
  • Self-study Hours: 92
  • Assessment Hours: 18
  • Total Hours: 150
Entrepreneurship

The course focuses on the process of recognizing and creating opportunities for business ventures. Students learn about planning, organizing and controlling activities involved in setting up a business. Challenges such as financing, staffing and marketing new ventures are discussed, as are government regulations. The course also deals with the problems of running a family business, working with family members, transition management and the growing of a small business. Instructions on how to create a good business plan form the practical aspect of this course.

  • Contact Hours: 40
  • Self-study Hours: 92
  • Assessment Hours: 18
  • Total Hours: 150
Project Management

This practice-oriented course provides the student not only with the theoretical understanding of the Project Life Cycle within an organizational context but allows familiarizes the student with hands-on tools and techniques of effective project management. PM activities that are explored include: developing project plans and schedules, allocating and coordinating resources, risk assessment, budgets and controlling costs, and managing teams.

  • Contact Hours: 40
  • Self-study Hours: 92
  • Assessment Hours: 18
  • Total Hours: 150
E-Business

In this practically-oriented course, students familiarize themselves with the e-business strategy framework, using the steps of the e-business strategy formulation roadmap, linking the individual steps of the roadmap to the different parts of the e-business strategy formulation. They explore the main business issues involved in each stage of the roadmap and apply the concepts in the design and implementation of an e-business initiative.

  • Contact Hours: 40
  • Self-study Hours: 92
  • Assessment Hours: 18
  • Total Hours: 150

Award in Advanced Business Studies

Students opting for the 120 ECTS Award in Advanced Business Studies option, will follow a total of 20 courses (6 ECTS each) from our BBA Curriculum.

Tuition Fees

Tuition is paid throughout the span of enrollment and amounts to 320 Euro per month. Discounted advance payment options are available on request. SMC does not provide scholarships for this program. If necessary, we encourage applicants to seek financial support from external institutions. SMC provides reductions to SMC Alumni and groups joining the program.

Admission Requirements

Highschool Diploma (12th Grade)
e.g. Secondary School-leaving Certificate, International Baccalaureate (IB), US High-School Diploma, German Abitur, Austrian Matura, etc.
Personal Essays
Candidates must submit personal essays during the application process about past life-changing experiences and their career objectives.
English Language Proficiency
SMC requires all applicants who are not native speakers of English to meet one of the following requirements. IELTS overall 7.0, or TOEFL iBT overall 100.

Admission Process

Step 1
Prepare your documents
Applicants must upload the following documents during the application process: CV, Academic Transcripts & Diplomas, copy of ID.
Step 2
Submit your application
The online Application Form can be accessed by clicking the "Apply for Admission" button below or on top of this webpage.
Step 3
Initial review
The SMC Admissions Committee will assess your application upon receipt. Reviews are conducted on a monthly basis.
Step 4
Final decision
If your application is considered for acceptance, you will be offered Admission, which you must accept within 14 days.