If you believe the common assumption, people play an increasingly diminishing role in an increasingly digitalized world. But this assumption falls short: despite advancing digitalization and automation, people remain the heart of economic processes. “Companies recognize that transformations and change processes can only be implemented sustainably and successfully if the behavior and needs of employees, customers and managers are comprehensively understood,” explains Prof. (FH) Dr. Mario Situm, head of the new Bachelor’s program in Business Psychology* at the FH Kufstein Tirol.
Combining economics and psychology for practice
The course combines business principles with psychological expertise. Students acquire in-depth business knowledge and at the same time learn to analyze and understand human behavior. A particular focus is on the specialist areas of work and organizational psychology, consumer psychology, neuromarketing and behavioral psychology. “These areas are crucial for understanding the dynamics in companies and markets and enable students to proactively address future challenges in the areas of human resources, marketing and change management,” says Situm.
During the course, great emphasis is placed on the combination of theory and practice. A compulsory semester abroad at one of the 225 partner universities of the FH Kufstein Tirol worldwide offers international experience, and expert experts from business and science bring realistic perspectives. “The students acquire practical knowledge in neuroscientific techniques such as fMRI, EEG and eye tracking in order to analyze consumer behavior and develop effective marketing strategies,” emphasizes Situm.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) measure brain activity. Eye tracking tracks eye movements and thus offers insights into attention patterns and decision-making processes. The ethical assessment of these techniques and their responsible use are also firmly anchored in the curriculum. In practical projects, students also work on real problems in collaboration with companies.
Career prospects for graduates
The career prospects for graduates of the bachelor’s degree in business psychology are diverse. For example, as an industrial psychologist, you can help improve working conditions, promote motivation and increase well-being in the workplace. In change management, they support organizations in successfully designing change processes and adapting the corporate culture.
Other areas of activity include human resources management and aptitude diagnostics, where they play a central role in selecting suitable employees and developing training and development programs. In the area of marketing and market research, tasks await you as analysts who research consumer behavior and optimize marketing strategies. Thanks to their interdisciplinary skills, graduates are also qualified to lead teams as coaches or managers and to accompany companies through complex change processes. The area of consumer psychology also opens up a wide range of possibilities for analyzing consumer behavior and developing innovative products and services based on this.
*Start subject to approval by AQ Austria
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