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Master's Degree: Outsourcing projects and companies

For economists and other specialists

Form of study: full-time

Study period: 2 semesters, winter and summer semester admission for economists and non-economists

Director: Assoc. Prof. Nikolay Netov, PhD

E-mail: nnetoff@feb.uni-sofia.bg

Administrator: Assoc. Prof. Diana Netova, PhD

e-mail: dianaht@feb.uni-sofia.bg

 

Tuition fees in Sofia University for the academic 2023 / 2024 year

 

1. Focus, educational objectives:

The MA „Outsourcing projects and companies" is a two-semester full-time program, mainly focused on the widespread economic practices: export of activities to subcontractors (outsourcing) and across borders (offshoring.) Since BOA member companies best represent the outsourcing and offshoring business in Bulgaria and abroad, they are our key partner in the composition and conduction of the academic curriculum, as well as the implantation of case studies and projects. The program is practically-oriented and aimed at developing skills and competencies for resolving real-world business problems in different aspects of outsourcing and offshoring. In addition, the Master’s program develops a good understanding of planning by building key skills in critical thinking, project management, cross-disciplinary communication, etc. Despite the specific design of the courses and their clear focus on outsourcing and offshoring, the program provides a solid theoretical foundation, so that students can acquire the ability to deal with a wide range of business problems, many of which might turn out to be off-beat and unprecedented. Generally speaking, the program will constantly maintain a good balance between theory and practice.

All courses will be led by professionals with many years of experience in academia and the outsourcing and offshoring business. The program is designed in such a way that it corresponds to the standard requirements for the profession of an outsourcing and offshoring specialist.

 

2. Education (knowledge and skills, required for a successful professional activity; theoretical and specialized training and others)

The program builds on the Bachelor’s degree in all majors and all professional concentrations. It is structured in a way that ensures quality education on a Master’s level. Its design guarantees the coverage of a wide range of practical topics and approaches in the outsourcing and offshoring business.

The program starts with two introductory theoretical courses in outsourcing and offshoring that are required for the successful assimilation of the theory and instruments, taught in the specialized key required courses. They cover outsourcing/offshoring-related courses, outsourcing/ offshoring from the view point of the client company and that of the supplier, partner management in outsourcing/offshoring. Some of the key courses are based on the development and innovation in the human resources management, digital transformation of the outsourcing/offshoring business, the economic application of game theory, and more. Courses with a strong practical orientation are also offered, such as analysis and certification of the information security in business, business information systems for data analysis, project management software, etc.

In addition, students can choose among specialized elective courses, related to areas like customer relationship marketing, digital brand management, developing strategies for staff management, etc. Last but not least, the MA program provides opportunities for courses, focused on project management, personal skills development, acquiring professional skills and research work, etc.

Besides the exams as a traditional approach for evaluation of the students’ performance, the academic process includes resolving practical problems in the framework of structured tasks. The program ends with a master’s thesis on a topic, defined and developed in cooperation with interested representatives of the outsourcing/offshoring business. In this regard, the master’s thesis could facilitate the transition to the labor market.

 

3. Acquired Skills and Competencies

After a successful graduation of the Master's program, the graduate should have a good understanding of:

1) Advanced theory of economics and its application in the outsourcing and offshoring field

2) Fundamentals of advanced techniques for project analysis and project management

3) Principles of design, analysis, and evaluation of data and processes in the outsourcing and offshoring field

4) Functioning principles of relevant industries

5) Effective methods for time, stress, crisis and change management, negotiations, communication, etc.

 

Should be able to:

 

1) Express real-world problems in the outsourcing and offshoring terms

2) Turn the terms and ideas into structured documentation

3) Form and execute independent applied economic research

4) Communicate ideas and results to an audience of clients, stakeholders, and more.

 

4. Professional Development

The program graduates are Economics professionals with an industry concentration in outsourcing and offshoring, who have skills for theoretical and empirical modelling of real-world problems and data in the outsourcing/offshoring field, change management as a result of the rapid development of the digital technologies in outsourcing and offshoring. The program is designed in such a way that it corresponds to the standard requirements for the profession of an outsourcing and offshoring specialist.

The master’s program graduates can continue their professional development in outsourcing and offshoring companies, public administration, consultant companies, specialized in analytics, big companies with their own R&D departments, etc. The master’s program can also be seen as a preparation for a PhD, leading to a career in the academic field.