University of St.Gallen

Bachelor in International Affairs (BIA)

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Your Profile

The Major in International Affairs is designed for students with a strong international outlook, marked by intellectual openness and a critically curious mindset.

Assuming responsibility for society

Are you ready to fully dedicate yourself to your studies and take on responsibility in society, politics, and the economy? Our challenging and rigorous BIA programme is intended for students who are drawn to:

• the complex, often international issues that arise at the intersection of government, business, and law—hallmarks of our contemporary world;
• the diverse academic and societal perspectives that are essential for a solution-oriented analysis of these challenges and competing interests;
• a degree programme that provides a wide range of opportunities for hands-on involvement and real-world experience.

The Major in International Affairs builds on the Assessment Year and comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits. It is structured for a standard duration of four semesters. Depending on your course selection, the Bachelor's programme can primarily be completed in either English or German. However, a minimum of 9 ECTS credits must be earned in the opposite language to ensure bilingual competence.

The curriculum is divided into three components: core studies (84 ECTS credits), contextual studies (24 ECTS credits), and the Bachelor's thesis (12 ECTS credits). While the core studies develop subject-specific expertise in economics, the contextual studies are designed to enhance social and cultural competencies.

The recommended semester plan for compulsory courses serves as guidance. Especially when planning for an exchange semester, it may be advisable to take certain courses in a different order.

Compulsory subjects

Your studies in the Major International Affairs consist of three different areas: the compulsory area, the compulsory elective and the elective area.

Building on the University of St.Gallen's Assessment Year (60 ECTS), in which students get acquainted with the basics of economics and legal studies, the Major in International Affairs focuses on Compulsory Subjects (48 ECTS), which ensures the necessary fundamental formation in the four core disciplines. Additionally, the programme offers three modules of Core Electives, which deal with integrative thinking, specific global challenges and research on selected areas in International Affairs (24-36 ECTS).

The following courses are compulsory and include contact and self-study.

Courses

• Comparative Politics / Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft
• Politische Theorie
• Macroeconomics II / Makroökonomik II
• International Law / Völkerrecht
• Public Management
• Quantitative Methods / Quantitative Methoden
• Accounting, Controlling, Auditing
• International Relations
• European Governance / Regieren in Europa
• International Economics
• Qualitative Methods / Qualitative Methoden

This course offering reflects the current planning status. The complete list of courses is available in the official Online Course Catalogue.

Core Electives

The Major in International Affairs offers you a broad choice of core electives. As a BIA student, you may choose 24 - 36 ECTS of Core Electives, comprising Integrative Fundamentals, Global Challenges and a Spring Project:

Integrated Fundamentals

Interdisciplinarity and breadth: These courses expand on the foundational compulsory subjects, enhancing your ability to identify connections across disciplines and approach political and economic challenges through a more integrated lens. You can choose between 12 and 24 ECTS credits within the Integrative Fundamentals module.

Contextual studies

The Contextual studies complement your specialized studies and are compensated with 24 ECTS credits.

Contextual studies represent a key element of the programme’s curriculum. They promote interdisciplinary learning and specifically support the development of students’ social and cultural competencies. This component encourages holistic, “out-of-the-box” thinking and includes courses from both the focus areas and the skills area. In addition to broadening academic perspectives, contextual studies also equip students with practical abilities such as presentation techniques, negotiation strategies, and programming skills. The cross-cultural and interdisciplinary courses offered in the focus areas are highly diverse and can be aligned with the Major in Economics. In the skills area, you will gain complementary knowledge and practical tools essential for success in the corporate sector.

Bachelor's Thesis

The Bachelor's thesis (12 ECTS credits) is an academic paper in which you explore a topic of your choice in depth. In writing your thesis, you will apply appropriate research designs and adhere to established academic principles.