International Business applications up by 60 %

Applications for the International Business specialisation of the Master of Science programme have increased by almost 60 percent to 183 this year, the second highest level ever.

30.05.2005 - James Hosea

The proportion of female applicants has increased from 25 % in 2004 to 32% in 2005, and this year has also seen the largest number of applications from North America for 10 years.

In keeping with the tradition of national diversity in the International Business student group, offers have been sent out to 23 different countries, covering 5 continents.

Both quantity and quality
A record number of 53 offers have already been sent out to applicants, and the process is not yet complete. The previous record year was 2003, when 51 offers were sent out.

International Business applicants have to meet the same basic entrance requirements as Norwegian students but in addition they are required to take the GMAT, a standardised test used as part of the entrance requirements at business schools all around the world, and TOEFL, a test of English as a foreign language.

"The quality of applicants is much better this year", says Linn Walberg from the Office of Student and Academic Affairs. "The applications are much more focused and the GMAT scores are much higher"

At 649 (out of a possible maximum of 800), the average GMAT score for the applicants accepted so far this year is the second highest ever for the programme.

To put this in perspective, the average GMAT for HEC Paris' MBA programme was 660 last year. For the MBA programmes at Stockholm School of Economics and Copenhagen Business School, the average GMAT scores were 627 and 600 respectively.

20 years, and still going strong
Next year will mark twenty years since NHH began teaching International Business at the master level in English. The previous Master of International Business (MIB) programme became a fully-integrated part of the Master of Science programme last year.

Most International Business students head off to international careers when they finish at NHH, many stay on in Norway after graduating, and several are now faculty members at NHH.