Bachelor
International Business Management
Our bachelor’s degree in International Business Management is unique in French-speaking Switzerland. All courses are taught in English and cover core management subjects with an international and intercultural dimension.
Over the last year of study, electives modules deal with very specific areas of international business that are particularly relevant to Geneva professional environment.
Bachelor of Science HES-SO en International Business Management
180
3 ans à plein temps, 4 ans temps partiel
Campus Battelle, Carouge (GE)
Anglais
- Programme overview
- Career prospects
- Application
- Program
- Minors and Electives
- Programmes of study
Programme overview
Ideal location in international Geneva
At the heart of a unique international crossroads, HEG-Genève (School of Business Administration – Geneva) is ideally positioned to offer a bachelor’s degree in International Business Management. This programme gives you privileged access to major global players such as international and multinational companies as well as internationally-oriented governmental and non-governmental organisations. The region also boasts many small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) that will welcome your skills
While studying at HEG, your international education will be boosted by our students’ cultural richness thanks to our numerous exchange agreements with business schools and universities worldwide.
Teaching in English
All courses are taught in English, therefore a minimum level of English is a prerequisite for admission (see admission requirements). Nevertheless, your English proficiency will develop naturally through total immersion in the programme. Moreover, oral and written English communication classes are part of the curriculum, thus enabling you to improve your language skills for business purposes.
Choosing your curriculum
Students can choose to enrol either in a part-time programme over 4 years or a full-time one over 3 years. After completion of the programme, you will be awarded a UAS bachelor’s degree in International Business Management.
Duration of studies and qualification awarded
Full-time
Normal duration of studies : 6 semesters (180 ECTS* credits).
Part-time
Normal duration of studies : 8 semesters (180 ECTS* credits).
*European Credit Transfer System
Bachelor of Science HES-SO en International Business Management
After completion of our programme, a UAS bachelor’s degree in International Business Management is awarded. This title is recognised and protected by The Swiss Confederation.
Fields of study
The main fields of study covered in the program include
- International Business Environment
- Intercultural Management
- Intercultural Communication & Negotiation
- International Economics and Trade Law
- International Marketing & Communication
- Commodities Trading and Logistics
- International Organizations
- Business in Emerging Markets
Basic courses (e.g. first year courses) provide a generalist approach of business management, with an international component. Law courses include European and trade laws, accounting courses cover international standards, and marketing courses incorporate various international markets in the discussion.
Communication and human resources courses include an emphasis on intercultural questions, while the program strongly insists on Leadership questions throughout the whole curriculum.
During the final year, student choose elective courses in areas of specialisation. The main topics include international commodity trading, business in emerging markets and in particular Asian markets, international organisations management, international marketing and sales (program may be subject to changes). Final year courses also cover topics such as sustainable management, CSR and entrepreneurship, which have been on offer at HEG for many years.
Academic calendar
2024 - 2025
- Remedial exams: Monday, August 26th to Saturday, September 14th, 2024
- Start of term (Fall semester): Monday, September 16th, 2024
- Modular exams: from Monday, January 13th to Saturday, January 25th, 2025
- Start of term (Spring semester): Monday, February 17th, 2025
- Modular exams: from Monday, June 10th to Saturday June 21st , 2025
- Remedial exams: Monday, August 25th to Friday, September 13th, 2025
Subject to modifications form HES-SO
2025-2026
- Remedial exams: Monday, August 25th to Saturday, September 14th, 2025
- Start of term (Fall semester): Monday, September 15th, 2025
- Modular exams: from Monday, January 12th to Saturday, January 24th, 2026
- Start of term (Spring semester): Monday, February 16th, 2026
- Modular exams: from Monday, June 10th to Saturday June 20st , 2026
- Remedial exams: Monday, August 24th to Friday, September 12th, 2026
Subject to modifications form HES-SO
Student testimonials
Hello everyone, my name is Alexander and I graduated from HEG in June 2017.
I soon found an internship in a bank – BNP Paribas – where I started as an intern; I was mainly responsible for inventory management. My missions included counterparty risk analyses, but also statistics compilations on goods stored in the whole world and customer risk analyses. Then, all the information was transferred to another risk department in charge of deciding what maximum amounts the bank was willing to deposit in certain countries or invest in commodities so as to spread the risks.
Afterwards, still within BNP Paribas, I worked in the documentary credit department where my task was to issue financial instruments, LCs, to finance various goods or cargoes such as wheat, oil, rice or metals. I did this job for BNP Paribas and also for Crédit Agricole. An experience in two different companies really enabled me to see diverse structures and how banks work.
During my studies at HEG, team work and varied working methods clearly helped me to develop the flexibility and adaptability necessary for my internships in banks.
In February 2021, I was hired in a trading company where I am responsible for filing transactions in various banks. The trading company has credit lines in all the banks represented here and my job will be to find the one that will grant us the best possible rate in order to lower the company costs as much as much as possible.
The electives I chose at HEG, namely Trade & Commodity Finance and Shipping, gave me access to this professional career.
Alexander Mireskandari
My name is Maxime PROVINI and I am an entrepreneur. In December 2018, I had the pleasure to set up my company called Ô CAVE Wine Explorers.
I developed my entrepreneurial spirit during my studies at HEG where I attended various classes that gave me valuable insight into entrepreneurship, but also into business management in all its aspects. This led to my motivation for creating and undertaking.
So, in December 2018, I launched Ô Cave with 3 partners. Our activity includes exploring, selecting and tasting wine. We like to present it this way, it is a bit different from what we usually see. According to this useful tip learnt during my studies : “Do it like others, but a little differently, a little better.”
To achieve this, different steps were necessary :
The first one was to structure our idea, even if only in our head. What do we want to do and how ? I used different tools and thus, after one year, was able to clearly imagine the direction we should give to our company.
Then was the time to set off on adventure. We had to meet prospective suppliers and promote our company to attract potential customers; that was the launching period aiming to actually sell our first wine bottle, import our first wine bottle. Here also, I was able to observe the international dimension I had tackled during my studies. At the beginning, I went myself to the customs to deal with the movement of goods. This is interesting as you are truly on the ground ! It is easy to see a wine box being delivered to your home, but tracking customs transit and doing paperwork to get it is completely different. That was a hands-on learning experience for my partners and me.
It's now been two years since the company was founded and we are proud to be here today. The first year was quite complicated; now I would say that we are really in a development period, a growth phase and all the steps explained above are in fact a summary of the tools I had the opportunity to gain during my studies at HEG.
Maxime Provini
Career prospects
This programme provides practice-oriented professional knowledge, which represents the cornerstone of HEG’s reputation and ensures the employability of our graduates.
HEG graduates are highly valued by employers for their professional know-how as well as their pragmatic approach to business challenges.
Our curriculum enables you to develop your critical thinking while offering tools to design and implement innovative solutions.
Career prospects for our graduates may be considered in multinational corporations, in small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) under process of internationalisation, in international organisations or public administrations, for example in the areas below :
- Trading and International Finance
- International Marketing
- Sales Management, Logistics and Operations Management
- Human Resources and Intercultural Management
- Audit and Accounting
- Project or Event Management
You may be eligible for positions such as Trading Operator, Financial Auditor or Digital Project Coordinator, among others.
Application
University of Applied Sciences (UAS) Academic Year
Begins in week 38, i.e. on Monday September 15th 2025.
Registration deadlines
Applications must be submitted online from Monday January 13th 2025 9:00 am, to Wednesday April 30th, 2025 2:00 pm.
Registrations are closed
Application Deadline
-
For candidates who do require prior entry exams : before the 15th of March 2025
-
For candidates holders of a non-European diploma : before the 15th of March 2025
-
For candidates who do not require prior entry exams : before the 30th of April 2025 2.00 pm
Only complete applications, for which the registration fee has been paid, will be taken into consideration.
Admission conditions
| Diploma | Exams | Professional Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Swiss Maturité professionnelle and CFC de commerce, CFC de gestionnaire du commerce de détail, CFC de gestionnaire de vente, CFC de médiamaticien-ne, CFC de logisticien-ne, CFC de droguiste, CFC d'agent-e relation client, CFC d'assistant-e en pharmacie, CFC d'agent-e de transports publics, CFC d'agent-e en information documentaire, CFC de libraire, CFC de spécialiste en communication hôtelière, CFC d’opticien-ne, CFC d’assistante médical-e, CFC de développeur ou développeuse de business numérique. |
NO
|
Acquired
|
| Swiss Maturité professionnelle with another CFC |
NO
|
Min.1 Year1
|
| Swiss Maturité gymnasiale recognized by the Confédération + CFC de commerce, CFC de gestionnaire du commerce de détail, CFC de gestionnaire de vente, CFC de médiamaticien-ne ou CFC de logisticien-ne, CFC de droguiste, CFC d'agent-e relation client, CFC d'assistant·e en pharmacie, CFC d'agent-e de transports publics, CFC d'agent-e en information documentaire, CFC de libraire, CFC de spécialiste en communication hôtelière, CFC d’opticien-ne, CFC d’assistante médical-e, CFC de développeur ou développeuse de business numérique. |
NO
|
Acquired
|
| Swiss Certificat ECG + CFC de commerce, CFC de gestionnaire du commerce de détail, CFC de gestionnaire de vente, CFC de médiamaticien-ne or CFC de logisticien-ne,CFC de droguiste, CFC d'agent-e relation client, CFC d'assistant-e en pharmacie, CFC d'agent-e de transports publics, CFC d'agent-e en information documentaire, CFC de libraire, CFC de spécialiste en communication hôtelière, CFC d’opticien-ne, CFC d’assistante médical-e, CFC de développeur ou développeuse de business numérique. |
NO
|
Acquired
|
| Maturité gymnasiale recognized by the Swiss Confédération2 |
NO
|
Min.1 Year 1
|
| Diploma ES in Tourism, Hotel Business or Business Administration obtain equivalences upon file's analysis |
NO
|
Acquired
|
| Brevet federal in the field of Business Administration3 |
NO
|
Acquired
|
| Passerelle FCPM |
NO
|
Acquired
|
|
General French Baccalaureate 2 and 4 Baccalauréat STMG with a min. average of 12/202 |
NO | Min.1 Year1 |
| Diplomas from abroad that give access to a Swiss university2 and 5 |
YES 2
|
Min.1 Year1
|
1 Professional experience should have been acquired post-certification full time and within a study related field
Professional experience can be acquired either through one or more paid activities, each subject to an employment contract respecting the minimum wage, or through internships which meet the conditions of the internship agreement. The agreement must be sent to the HEG Genève’s admissions office within one month of signing, so that it can be registered. If there is any doubt about the validity of the internship for admission to the HEG Genève, the candidate can contact the school. The candidate must also register in HEG Genève’s admission’s process between mid-January and the end of April.
2 It is highly recommended that candidates update their accounting level
3 Please consult the list below: Liste des brevet fédéraux admissibles.
4 Please consult the list below: Baccalauréats généraux français dès 2021 et précédemment.
5 Please consult the list of the swissuniversities.
If exams are required, please consulte "Admission exams"
The expected level of English for the Bachelor in International Business Management is C1. However, applicants may be accepted with a B2 level subject to an evaluation which will be held once the admissions process has been completed.
Recognized English language certificates
TOEFL IBT 110 pts, IELTS Total of 7,5 C1, Cambridge Advanced English, BEC Higher, BEC Vantage with Grade A, TOEIC 945 pts.
Entrance requirements for foreign applicants
Note n° 4 & 5
The HEG-Geneva bases its application requests on this list in order to evaluate eligibility of all foreign diplomas. Thank you for consulting this information before aplying.
Entrance exams
As of 2019, examinations for admission to the UAS are the same as for all Swiss Universities and Universities of Applied Science.
Dates
- Written tests: from 7th to 9th August 2024
- Oral exams: from 12th to 15th August 2024
Location
COPAD (Collège pour Adultes Alice-Rivaz, rue Theodore-de-Bèze 2-4, 1204 Genève)
Examination Subjects
French, English, Mathematics, History and Geography
Fees
Set by the ECUS Center it costs CHF 870.- for the five subjects.
All charges are borne by the candidate. In case of visa refusal, fees will be refunded except for administrative costs.
In case of failure at one or two subject, fees will be CHF 100.- per exam the following year.
Preparation
Please refer to the ECUS website.
Inquiries and requests
Equivalencies requests
Should you wish to obtain equivalencies of your bachelor's studies, please fill the form below.
Your request must be sent to the following address
Haute école de gestion de Genève
Campus Battelle
Bâtiment B
Rue la la Tambourine 17
1227 Carouge
Suisse
Passerelles
English update coming soon
English update coming soon.
Les classes passerelles offrent la possibilité d’acquérir une expérience professionnelle réglementaire en école et permettent ainsi l’admission dans une filière de la HES-SO Genève. Elles sont destinées en particulier aux personnes en possession d’une maturité gymnasiale qui souhaitent s’orienter vers une filière Bachelor offerte par les hautes écoles spécialisées.
Classes passerelles : Maturité gymnasiale
Grâce à la classe passerelle les élèves ayant obtenu un certificat de maturité gymnasiale sont admis-es dans les hautes écoles spécialisées de la HES-SO, selon la Loi sur les hautes écoles.
Une classe passerelle est une année de pratique professionnelle.
L'année de pratique professionnelle peut s'accomplir :
- sous la forme d'un stage de 52 semaines minimum réalisé en entreprise et validé par la HEG. L'année de pratique professionnelle est reconnue pour l'accès à la filière pour les détenteur-rices d'une maturité gymnasiale.
- sous la forme d'une année de pratique professionnelle dans une école professionnelle. L'attestation délivrée au terme de l'année permet l'admission à la HEG.
Si vous cherchez à être rapidement opérationnel-le sur le marché de l’emploi et que les domaines de la finance, du marketing et des ressources humaines vous intéressent, alors l’année passerelle proposée dans le cadre de la Formation Commerciale pour Porteurs de Maturité (FCPM), formation certifiée EDUQUA, est faite pour vous.
Cette passerelle est conçue comme une année de pratique professionnelle
- En entreprise (30 semaines)
- En école (16 semaines)
Vous pourrez grâce à la partie école acquérir des bases solides dans les 3 domaines d’études que vous approfondirez à la HES :
- Les disciplines économiques : gestion, marketing, droit, économie d’entreprise, économie politique.
- Les langues, dans leurs aspects communicationnels : français, 2ème langue nationale, anglais.
- Les applications bureautiques, outils incontournables dans le domaine des services : traitement de texte, tableur, bases de données, PAO.
La partie en entreprise vous amènera quant à elle à réaliser une première expérience professionnelle dans des secteurs économiques directement en phase avec vos études ultérieures. Ce stage vous apportera de multiples enrichissements personnels tant aux plans des relations humaines que de la mise en pratique de vos connaissances scolaires.
L’admission à la passerelle FCPM exige la signature d’un contrat de stage dans une entreprise. L’école tient à votre disposition toute la documentation utile à la recherche du stage et à la signature du contrat.
Lieu des cours
Collège et École de Commerce Nicolas-Bouvier,
rue de Saint-Jean 60 CH - 1203 Genève
Site internet
Personne de contact : Michaël Donze, +41 22 546 22 00
Document de référence
Fees & Tuition fees
Fees
Fees/expenses are non-refundable even in case of non-eligibility
CHF 150.-, payable when submitting your online application
Compte postal No 17-607292-9
IBAN: CH09 0900 0000 1760 72929
Au nom de la Haute Ecole de Gestion de Genève, 1227 Carouge, the choice of curriculum should be filledout in the «communication» field of the inpayement slip.
Tuition fees
Other expenses
At the beginning of the academic year, students are also required to pay :
- A charge of CHF 110.-to CHF 150.-per academic year to cover various printing, course material and examination fees.
These charges are non-refundable.
Program
Registrations for courses/modules for the coming semester are made by the course secretariats
Full-time program (IBMS)
Modules descriptions
Semesters 1 and 2
Semesters 3 and 4
Semesters 5 and 6
Part-time program (IBMW)
Modules descriptions
Semesters 1 and 2
Semesters 3 and 4
Semesters 5 and 6
Semesters 7 and 8
Minors and Electives
The Bachelor of Science in International Business Management offers 5 minors in the final year of the program.
It is also possible to select electives separately (without a minor).
Minor Commodity Trading
Fall semester
Minor International Economics and Emerging Markets
Fall semester
Minor Digital Transformation
Fall semester
Minor Management of Innovation
Fall semester
Minor Marketing Analytics
Fall semester
Individual electives (without a minor)
Fall semester
Spring semester
Programmes of study
For the smooth running of your studies at HEG-Geneva, we invite you to regularly consult the useful documents.
Course regulations
Course regulations for the Bachelor's degree programs in the field of economics and services at the HES-SO.
Education Incentive Act
Equal opportunities
The HEG’s equal opportunities system works to promote an open school rich in diversity. The HEG fights against factors of inequality and does not tolerate any form of discrimination
Disadvantage compensation measures are possible for students with special needs.
Validations & examens
Validation rules/prerequisites
Exams
The exam schedule is available to IBM students on a secure platform.
Internships
Les stages ne sont pas obligatoires dans la formation International Business Management mais fortement conseillés pour les étudiant-es à plein temps. Ils peuvent s'effectuer entre la mi-juin et la mi-septembre.
Offres de stages et jobs étudiant-es
Les étudiant-es HES-SO possèdent un grand bagage théorique et pratique. Elles et ils mettent à la disposition des entreprises, institutions et collectivités locales leurs compétences pour réaliser des travaux de Bachelor et de Master en lien avec le terrain ou pour acquérir de nouvelles expériences professionnelles.
Theses
Bologna Agreement
The main objective of the Bologna agreement is to create a European area of higher education. It enhances the mobility of students and researchers, increasing the attractiveness of studying in Europe, and facilitating the recognition of diplomas.
Military service
For all questions related to military service and civil protection, please refer to student affairs on the HEG-Geneva intranet site.
Student life
The successful completion of your bachelor, in a caring environment that encourages integration, is a priority of the HES-SO Geneva and its Student Affairs.
Contact
Haute école de gestion de Genève
Filière International Business Management
Campus de Battelle, Bâtiment B
Rue de la Tambourine 17
CH-1227 Carouge, Suisse
+41 22 558 54 66
ibm@hesge.ch
Séances d'information
Last news