The Marketing Programme

At first, it was not entirely obvious for Iftin what she wanted to study. However, as her interest in business and economics grew during her years in upper secondary school, she started looking for business programmes. Ultimately, what caught her interest was marketing. Having an International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) from upper secondary school, Iftin felt that The Marketing Programme was the right fit for her.

“The main reason for my choosing this programme at Linnaeus University was the fact that it is an international porgramme and that it is offered entirely in English, as I wanted to continue studying in English at university”, Iftin explains.

The programme is both popular and unique. During the course of the programme, marketing is studied from many different perspectives, which Iftin appreciates.

“I think the programme is very interesting as it includes many different types of courses. When people think about marketing, they often think first and foremost about commercial, but here we quickly learn that marketing is more than that. We learn how to analyse the market, understand the customer’s needs, and to communicate and create value for customers, as well as to solve the customer’s problem based on their needs and offer a solution for the customer. We help companies make money and develop their services, products, and experiences”, Iftin continues.

As the language of tuition is English, the programme prepares you for a national as well as an international career. There are good opportunities to study one semester abroad, which Iftin chose to do.

“During spring semester 2021, I studied at Yonsei University in South Korea, it was a very rewarding and magical experience that I had looked forward to for many years. It is one of the highest-ranked universities in all of South Korea, based in the capital Seoul. I had a fantastic semester with many unique experiences. Studying in South Korea was somewhat different as you study four–five courses at a time, while at Linnaeus University you study one course at a time. It was tough to have midterm exams and final exams, but I feel really happy and proud that I managed to handle it and also received quite good grades. However, teaching was conducted entirely online when I was in South Korea, which means that I missed out on some of the student experience in the classroom”, Iftin continues.

Once she has completed the programme, Iftin has her aim set on continuing her studies on a master’s programme, as a stepping stone towards her dream job.

“In the future, I would like to gather as much experience as possible and grow as a person. My dream is to work with business abroad, preferably in South Korea or Dubai”, Iftin concludes.

- I chose to study at Linnaeus University because it seemed to be a good university with interesting programmes. I also appreciate the fact that all teaching on my programme is in English.

Linnaeus University collaborates with many universities abroad. Jonathan chose to study one semester in Germany during his education. This was exciting and developing, but it was also a challenge to move to another country to study.

- I went to Munich. The opportunity to go on an exchange semester abroad is one of the many advantages of being a student at Linnaeus University. I found this journey developing for me as a person, something I really value, and I met fantastic people and established contacts with people from all over the world. The most challenging thing was to have the courage to seize the opportunity and actually go. At first, it was also a bit difficult orienting oneself when it comes to school, the city, housing, and transport to and from school, but over time I got into it.

He enjoys life as a student in Växjö.

- Växjö is a cozy city and there are lots of running tracks and good opportunities for outdoor training, which is something that is important to me. Student life is great and there is always something fun to do.

"I have experienced the feelings, thoughts and pressure that surround you every day. All the hard studying, will it pay off in the end? Do I have the experience and knowledge required in working life? Are the theories applicable? Conversations between students follow the same patterns and these questions are hot topics.

Due to different circumstances, I was not able to go on an exchange semester – which I heard was a great opportunity to give an edge to your resumé. When I was about to finish my studies, I found out, through Linnaeus University’s website, that a company called CupoNation was looking for interns in the field of online marketing. The company had its office in Munich, Germany. Since I did not go abroad for an exchange semester, I realised that this would be a good opportunity to gain experience in the field of online marketing and to try living abroad for a period, which was something I had always wanted to do.

I worked as an intern at CupoNation for six months and learned tons of new things, both professionally and personally. In a start-up environment you work at a fast pace and often on several projects at the same time. As an intern in a start-up company, you quickly become involved in many different functions, which makes it the perfect environment to try your ideas. It’s an environment with lots of young, smart, and driven entrepreneurs and you get tested every day. What is more, if you work hard and show commitment, you will be trusted with more responsibility, which means you can advance in the company hierarchy while also gaining new skills in your field. Due to the fast pace and the fact that you’re involved in many different projects, you will learn a lot in a short period of time. This was perfect for the situation I was in when I was about to complete my studies. As a freshly baked student, I got to familiarise myself with online marketing, which was a new topic for me and a perfect platform to continue building on. The six internship months went by and a lot of new opportunities opened up for me.

Now, a year and a half later, I am still living in Munich and work at CupoNation as SEO team leader for the Swedish market. The company is operating on 17 different markets and I have been working closely with people from all around the world on different projects, which means I have not just gained new skills in my field of subject but also intercultural skills."