A. FAQs – Before Starting a Study Program

What are the requirements to enroll in the Bachelor’s program in Business Administration?

• Click here for the admission requirements.
• In addition, graduates of a Swiss College of Higher Education and Training (Höhere Fachschule (HF)) may be able to directly enter the main study period (Hauptstudium) without having to complete their first-year studies (Assessment).
• Please contact Student Services with any questions regarding admission to the program. The documents you have to submit do not have to be complete at the time of registration. You can, for example, submit proof of your professional experience at a later date.

What are “first-year studies” (Assessment) and what is the “main study period” (Hauptstudium)?

The Bachelor’s degree program in Business Administration consists of two levels:

• All students, regardless of the chosen specialization, will first complete their so-called “Assessment,” meaning their first-year studies. This period lasts two semesters in the full-time model and three semesters in the part-time and FLEX models.
• Once you have successfully completed the “Assessment,” you will be allowed to start your main study period or “Hauptstudium”. In this period, half the modules you will take will be general business administration modules, the other half will be modules in your chosen specialization.

Do I already have to make a final decision about my specialization when I register for the study program?

No, not yet.

When you register, please indicate your current preference so that we can plan accordingly. If necessary, you will be able to choose another specialization at the end of your first-year studies (Assessment). (For full-time students, this will be in the second semester. For the part-time and FLEX study models, this will be in the third semester.) You can also attend an information event to find out more about the specializations on offer before making your final choice. At a later date, you will no longer be able to change to another specialization because you could miss out on important content taught in your “new” specialization during the main study period.

Choose the specialization you think you will enjoy the most in terms of its topics. The higher your interest in the contents of the chosen specialization, the better your performance will be. Regardless of the specialization you choose, you will have a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration after you graduate.

I am not sure if my knowledge of accounting and/or math is sufficient for this study program. What can I do?

In principle, a Bachelor’s degree program builds on a Swiss vocational baccalaureate (business or services). If you are not yet at this level or no longer feel confident, we offer voluntary preparatory courses for a fee in the summer before the Bachelor’s degree program begins.

B. FAQs – While Enrolled in a Study Program

What is the difference between part-time and FLEX?

There is no difference in the content of the two modes of study. Both usually take eight semesters to complete, and the degree you receive will be the same, as will be the material taught and the exams. 

• If you study part-time, you will have weekly classes on one day and on two evenings and/or Saturday morning.
• If you study according to the FLEX model, classes are reduced approximately by half. You will have classes on about two whole days every three weeks. The rest of the material is acquired in self-study - whenever, wherever, and however you want, guided by the support of your lecturers.

Can I switch modes of study (full-time, part-time, and FLEX) while enrolled in the study program?

Yes, you can do this once when you move from your first-year studies (Assessment) to the main study period (Hauptstudium).

In principle, changes within the Business Administration degree program are possible. However, when changing from full-time to part-time or FLEX and in the other direction, you must be aware that this will involve interrupting your studies for one semester. The first-year studies take two semesters for full-time and three semesters for part-time and FLEX students. As a result, the main study period will not begin at the same time but in the fall for full-time students and in the spring for part-time and FLEX students.

When do classes take place in the various modes of study (full-time, part-time, and FLEX?

• In the full-time course of study, classes take place from Monday to Friday between 8.00 a.m. and 8.00 p.m. This does not mean that you will have 12 hours of classes five days a week but that this is the period during which your classes will be scheduled. You will have approximately 20 lessons per semester week.
• In the part-time course of study, classes take place on one full day and on two evenings and/or Saturday morning. (Exception: For the specialization in Economics and Politics, this is two days and one evening). The days you need to attend classes will be set in advance. You will find them on our website by going to the specialization you have chosen (see “Program Structure and Admission Requirements”). Classes will not fill the time slots indicated in the overviews. They only represent the timeframe in which we can schedule classes for you to attend. However, the slots will not all be full, as you will only have around 15 lessons per semester week.
• In the FLEX model, classes take place approximately every three weeks (usually in semester weeks 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, and 14). The rest of the time, you can study whenever and wherever you want. The days you need to attend classes are set in advance. You will find them on our website by going to the specialization you have chosen (see “Program Structure and Admission Requirements”).

As a part-time or FLEX student, will I know when I have to be away from work, so I can inform my employer early?

Yes, you will. You will find the respective overviews of the part-time and FLEX courses of study for each specialization on our website (see “Program Structure and Admission Requirements”). Except for the final two semesters, where the days of attendance depend on your choice of elective modules, the class dates are fixed for the whole study program ahead of time.

What is the workload (in percent) I can or should have if I want to work while studying?

You are not obliged to pursue a professional activity. In other words, you can also opt for a part-time or FLEX course of study if you do not have a job or if you work in a field unrelated to the subject of your study program.

• If you are a full-time student, we generally do not recommend employment in addition to your studies. You will have weekly classes throughout the day from Monday to Friday. A flexible part-time job with a small workload may be possible. Please make sure, however, that your academic performance is not affected.
• The part-time and FLEX courses of study allow students to have a job with an additional workload of up to 60%. A job with a higher workload may be possible if you can handle it. The important thing here is that you must meet your study obligations at all times. Experience has shown that flexible working time models are an option (i.e., working fewer hours during the semester and exams and more during the semester-free period). Please note that the study workload of FLEX students and part-time students is about the same. So FLEX does not mean that you study less and work more, but that you have more flexibility in managing your time.

How long is a semester, when are the exams, and when can I go on vacation?

The semester during which classes take place is 14 weeks. The fall semester starts in mid-September and runs until Christmas. Exams take place from mid-January for a period of two to three weeks. This is followed by a shorter period without classes. The spring semester begins in mid-February and lasts until the end of May. The spring semester exams take place from mid-June for two to three weeks. The summer break lasts approximately two and a half months, from July to mid-September.

What content/subjects will I study?

Please refer to the module table of your specialization on our website (see “Program Structure and Admission Requirements”), which contains an overview of the modules (subjects) taught. Clicking on a module opens the module description with details about the module.

Is attendance compulsory for the degree program in Business Administration?

There is no general attendance requirement. However, there may be a (partial) attendance requirement in individual modules if this makes sense from a didactic point of view. On our website, you will find a link to the module table of your specialization (see “Program Structure and Admission Requirements”). By clicking on a module, you can open the module description, which specifies the attendance requirement, if any. Please note that the module descriptions are revised every semester and may change.

Can I choose two specializations simultaneously?

No, you can’t. The program consists of 180 ECTS credits, of which about two-thirds are general business modules, and one-third specialization modules. Choosing a second specialization would mean signing up for 66 additional ECTS credits, which is impossible. You can focus on one particular subject area by making it your specialization while choosing elective modules related to your second area of interest. Also, if you decide to continue your studies by enrolling in a Master’s program, you can then choose another specialization.

Can I study abroad for one semester while enrolled in the BSc in Business Administration program?

Yes, you can, but you are not required to complete a semester abroad. If they want to, full-time students usually go abroad in the fourth semester, while in the part-time and FLEX courses of studies, they go abroad in the fifth semester. Early in your studies, you will receive information about the range of partner universities available and how to apply for a semester abroad. To obtain more information already, please visit the website of our International Office.

I have already studied at another university. Can these achievements be credited (transferred) to my current study program?

The transfer of credits is decided on a case-by-case basis and can only be reviewed in detail once you have registered for the study program. In principle, however, successfully completed modules at other universities can be transferred, provided they are equivalent to our modules in terms of content, scope, and level.

Will I have to pass all modules (subjects) to successfully complete my first-year studies (Assessment) and the main study period (Hauptstudium)?

No, that will not be necessary. Your first-year studies and the main study period are each considered one module group. You are allowed a certain number of unsatisfactory (< 4.0) grades in each module group to pass your first attempt.

What happens if I fail my first attempt in passing my first-year studies (Assessment) and the main study period (Hauptstudium)?

You have two attempts in each module (subject). If your performance is not enough to pass your first attempt, you will join a repetition program (Repetitorium). You will then have one year to retake the failed modules in your second attempt; if you want, you can also attend the failed module’s classes.

C. FAQs – After Completing the Study Program

After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, what are my options? Can I do a Master’s degree at a university?

• In principle, you can enroll in a Master’s program at any university (or university of applied sciences). The requirements for the Bachelor’s degree (grade point average) depend on the university and the Master’s program
• You may have to make up certain subjects at some universities to be admitted to the Master’s program.
• If you would like to enroll in a Master’s program at the ZHAW SML, the requirements may be less stringent. For more information, please refer to the website of the respective Master’s program.