Study plan - Master in Innovation and Management, Social Science Track

The Master's program in Innovation and Leadership equips graduates to both lead themselves and to assist leaders in solving tomorrow's challenges.

The program's vision is to educate capable candidates who can integrate and combine an advanced understanding of innovation processes with deep knowledge of leadership, organizational theory, ethics, social responsibility, and sustainable business practices. The master's program provides students with a bachelor's degree in economics and administration or organizational theory and management with an education tailored to tomorrow's challenges.

The Master's program addresses the vision by offering a curriculum that emphasizes innovation and leadership, focusing on topics such as different forms of innovation, various types of innovation processes, the relationship between leadership, organizations, and innovation, as well as business development, strategy, entrepreneurship, ethics, sustainability, and social responsibility.

The Master's program has a strong focus on internationalization and practical experience; students admitted to the program gain extensive practical experience through internships in new or established enterprises in South Africa, the USA, or the Bergen region.

With a Master's in Innovation and Leadership, you have the knowledge base to work with new technology, new products, and new work processes, and you develop both specialized competence and broad knowledge that make you an attractive candidate for employment in various types of enterprises in both the private and public sectors.

Some graduates of the Master's program also choose to pursue Ph.D. studies. At HVL, for example, you can apply for admission to the doctoral program in Responsible Innovation and Regional Development.

Admission

The Master's program in Innovation and Leadership is tailored for students interested in combining their background in economics and administration or organizational theory and management with advanced studies in innovation and leadership, focusing on entrepreneurial thinking. Candidates who have completed a bachelor's degree in economics and administration or organizational theory and management are considered for admission. Applicants must have a minimum of 80 credits in the fields of organizational theory and management to be admitted to the program. The average grade from the bachelor's degree must be at least C.

Applicants are ranked according to the grade point average (GPA). Applicants who cannot be assessed based on GPA will be ranked based on individual evaluation.

Admission to the master's program is subject to the regulations of the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences.

Learning outcomes

The main focus of the master's program is innovation and leadership. The master's education provides you with highly sought-after expertise in innovation, leadership, organization, sustainability, and social responsibility. With a master's in innovation and leadership, you will be well-equipped to help both public and private enterprises move into the future.

Upon completion of the education, candidates should have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge:

• Advanced knowledge in leadership and organizational theory with a special focus on innovation management.
• Good knowledge of the process of bringing new products and/or services to the market and the public sector.
• In-depth understanding of the process of assessing the commercial potential of new products, services, and markets.
• Thorough understanding of identifying opportunities and challenges related to the organization and financing of new initiatives, such as new ventures for a business.
• In-depth knowledge of business ethics, sustainability, and social responsibility related to innovation processes and the management of both private and public enterprises.

Skills:

• Advanced analytical skills, with an emphasis on innovation and leadership.
• Well-developed abilities to assess the commercial viability of new ideas.
• Strong abilities to use various methods and tools tailored to this purpose.
• Strong abilities to transform research-based ideas into actionable business plans and concepts.
• Expertise in analyzing and suggesting improvements for both public and private organizations, with a focus on leadership and innovation strategies.
• Good proficiency in combining and applying an understanding of innovation and entrepreneurship with leadership in the private and public sectors.

General competence:

Candidates should be able to handle and analyze a broad range of managerial challenges in both private and public enterprises. In this context, candidates should be able to include reflections related to ethics and social responsibility. Candidates should also be able to perform extensive, independent, analytical work and communicate their findings.

Practice

Candidates admitted to the Master's program gain extensive practical experience in either new or established enterprises. In the second semester, candidates can choose between three options that provide such practical experience:

1. Three months of internship at an enterprise in the Bergen region.
2. A semester at the University of Cape Town Graduate Business School in South Africa, with an internship at a local enterprise four days a week and coursework one day a week.
3. A semester at the University of California, Berkeley, with an internship 2-3 days a week either in San Francisco or Berkeley.

Teaching

The Master's program emphasizes group work, case solutions, and project work. Students will work with examples from enterprises and gain practical experience through internships.

Students will apply their knowledge to develop their own research projects or participate in research projects with guidance from faculty members. The Master's program will provide students with research experience to work independently as well as participate in research projects. Students will acquire the knowledge and skills to execute and plan projects with deadlines. The program will equip students with academic tools to analyze, evaluate, and understand information, theories, ideas, challenges, and solutions within their own field, both orally and in writing.

Like most other higher education studies, much of the teaching in the Master's program will include lectures, case assignments, seminars, and group work. In addition to traditional teaching methods, the program emphasizes experiential learning through practical placements in enterprises, either internationally or in the Bergen region.

Assessment

Students are assessed through written and oral exams, as well as other forms of written and oral assignments, both individually and in groups.

In the final semester, students must complete a master’s thesis worth 30 credits. The thesis is written in groups of two and should be an independent scientific work. It requires students to demonstrate critical thinking, contextual understanding, familiarity with relevant literature, research design, and analytical skills. These skills must be applied within the academic fields covered by the program. The central theoretical areas of the thesis must align with key theoretical areas of the program.

The thesis should present relevant theory, methodology, empirical analyses, findings, and a discussion of the findings in relation to previous research.

Internationalization

In the second semester, students in the master’s program can choose between four internationalization options:

1. University of Cape Town Graduate Business School in South Africa, where students work at a local enterprise approximately 4 days per week and attend courses 1 day per week.
2. University of California, Berkeley, with internships 2–3 days per week in either San Francisco or Berkeley.
3. Eindhoven University of Technology
4. University of Applied Sciences

Organization

The courses will be given in Norwegian or in English

Place: Bergen