High number of applicants for Karlstad Business School

• The Law Programme 
• The Programme in Business and Economics
• Study Programme in IT, Project Management and ERP Systems
• Real Estate Management
• Human Resource Management and Working Life

The list speaks for itself. The education provided at Karlstad Business School is in high demand.

One program that has seen a surge in interest in recent years is the Study Programme in IT, Project Management and ERP Systems. For the autumn semester 2022, no less than 1006 potential students have applied for the programme. 172 of these are first choice applicants, which is an increase compared to 2021. It is a result that does not follow the general trend.

– This programme is a distance education through and through, says Marie-Therese Christiansson, Deputy Head of Department at Karlstad Business School. The popularity shows that we are well-prepared for the new normal and that we are already skilled at teaching online.

The Web Developer programme has also seen an increase, with 45 percent more applicants than in 2021. This is also a result that does not follow the general trend.

Martin Grimberg Löfgren, Head of Department, why do you think Karlstad Business School’s programmes and courses are so popular?

– We have relevant programmes and skilled teachers. Furthermore, our students find good jobs when they have finished their education. I also think that students who want to study here have heard positive things about Karlstad Business School from previous students.

What can students expect when studying at Karlstad Business School?

– A solid education, but also other skills that we know are valued by employers. For example, being able to put theory into practice, communication, taking responsibility, leadership skills, critical reflection and teamwork.

It is a challenge to make the students want to stay after they have graduated. What does Karlstad Business School do to convince alumni to stay in the region?

– We have a very good collaboration with the wider society in Värmland, both in terms of the public and private sectors, says Marie-Therese Christiansson. We have, for example, practical placements, mentorships, guest lecturers and real-world assignments. After graduation, the students still have their established contacts with researchers and teachers through workshops and networks. Our latest figures show that 40 percent of our alumni lived in Värmland when they applied for Karlstad Business School, and another 5 percent have chosen to move to Värmland.

Karlstad Business School was recently AACSB accredited - do you think this has an effect?

– Perhaps not in pure marketing terms quite yet, but our quality assurance procedures have definitely improved our programmes and courses, says Martin Grimberg Löfgren. We have become more professional, and we are working systematically to integrate sustainability, gender equality and internationalisation into our courses and programmes. Close collaboration with both private and public organisations provide big opportunities to co-create knowledge and to further hone the students’ skills.

The Law Programme has 3323 applicants, of which 310 are first choice applicants. This relatively new programme is doing well.

– It is doing exceedingly well. The first cohort of law students graduated last semester, and the programme has been enormously popular these first five years.