The University of Vaasa Doctoral Programme University of Vaasa

Overview

Education

The University of Vaasa is one of Finland's oldest business studies institutions and it has a long tradition of high-calibre international graduate education.

The University of Vaasa Doctoral Programme in Business Studies at The Graduate School of the University of Vaasa examines in-depth the discipline's key research question, development and societal significance. The field prepares students for high-level independent research work. The doctoral studies consist of general studies and methods, studies in the research field, optional studies and the doctoral thesis. Students are expected to graduate as Doctors of Science in Business Studies in four years.

There are nine research groups operating in the field of Business Studies. Doctoral students are connected with the work of the research groups to enable more interesting research topics, group work training and a more intensive and diverse supervision programme. The field collaborates closely with national graduate schools (KATAJA, KAVA and OMY). The collaboration enables doctoral students to participate in events arranged by graduate schools and to organize national and international courses and seminars. Doctoral students can also benefit from the contact networks of other research groups in the form of corporate collaboration. Doctoral studies in the field of business usually also include an exchange period with a partner university abroad.

The aim of doctoral education is that the students:

• become well-versed in their field of research and its social significance. The students also gain knowledge and skills needed in order to apply scientific research methods independently and critically, and to produce new scientific knowledge within their field of research;

• become conversant with the development, basic problems and research methods of their own field of research; and

• gain such knowledge of the general theory of science that enables them to follow the developments of their own area of research as well as other disciplines. 

• defend written and orally their knowledge claims and justify the key decision they have made in the course of their research.

Research groups

• Economics

• Auditing and Control in Accounting

• Finance and Financial Accounting

• Human Resource Management

• Business Law, Information and Knowledge

• International Marketing

• Marketing and Consumption Research

• Strategic Business Development