Degree Programme in Wellbeing Management

Objectives

Are you interested in business and wellbeing? During your studies in this Degree Programme you learn to develop and produce data-based wellbeing services utilizing state-of-the-art technology. 

The goal of wellbeing services is to promote people’s quality of life, health and ability to work. The demand for wellbeing services is increasing, which has created the need to assess the suitability and effectiveness of different services in various situations and for different target groups. 

Physical exercise and health have an important role in people’s functional capacity. With the help of technology, it is now easier than ever before to measure and assess the effect of wellbeing on people’s daily life. Measurements produce data that helps to create new services that support wellbeing, health, and functional capacity, and this opens new business opportunities.  

The Degree Programme in Wellbeing Management provides you with skills for measuring wellbeing and health with the help of state-of-the-art technology. You learn how to use obtained data in developing and producing a range of wellbeing services. The studies combine data acquisition with business-related topics. 

Commercial and business aspects are an essential part of your studies. You learn how to utilize wellbeing and health promoting technology in business environments. The studies provide you with a solid basis for starting your own business or working in an expert position after graduation.   

After your graduation, you will be able to: 

- identify and coordinate the service needs for promoting wellbeing 
- develop and implement data-based wellbeing services 
- acquire and assess wellbeing services based on data 
- identify the opportunities of profitable wellbeing business 
- operate in an entrepreneurial manner and start your own business 
- operate in an international working environment. 

The studies are implemented in close cooperation with various companies which commission projects in which the students take part. This helps to create networks that will be beneficial after your graduation. 



Studies can be accomplished mostly online. 

The first year of study is implemented entirely online, focusing on the basics of measuring various wellbeing indicators. It also develops your business management skills and general understanding of wellbeing environments.  

In the second year, studies a are mainly carried out online. Only two courses require attendance in Active Life Lab on Mikkeli Campus. During the second year, you work with different customer groups, perform measurements of wellbeing indicators with them and assess the effectiveness of wellbeing services. This way, the first-year studies in business management skills are complemented with practical hands-on activities. You can also complete your practical training period in Active Life Lab participating in RDI projects.   

The third-year studies are flexible and can be entirely completed online. During this last year of studies, you can do your practical training and write your thesis either in Mikkeli or in another location that suits you and is reasonable from the perspective of your studies.   



Active Life Lab 

Active Life Lab is a leading research and development centre for wellbeing services operating at Saimaa Stadiumi, a new and inspiring study environment designed specifically for group work and commissioned assignments. Wellbeing measurement lab provides facilities to measure users’ level of activity with location-based technology and, for example, respond to long-term passiveness. The premises include a virtual reality space which allows to measure the effects of nature and culture on wellbeing.   

Smart gym houses equipment that individually monitors users’ development and offers the optimal exercise load to achieve and ensure the best results. Equipment in the exercise test area is brand new, featuring physiological measurement and virtual reality equipment. The lab has a treadmill with an attached screen to display different obstacles and gamified content.   

Degree programme description

The first year of studies allows you to familiarise with the key concepts of wellbeing, the operational environment of wellbeing services, and the management of wellbeing data. The studies also include different areas of business operations, and the marketing and selling of wellbeing services. All first-year studies are fully completed online.  

During the second year, you learn more about the effectiveness of wellbeing services, the development of user-driven services, and data-based business operations. In addition, you become familiar with international business operations, learn research, development and innovation (RDI) skills and study the methods commonly used in research and development. The second-year studies are mostly completed online. Only two courses related to Active Life Lab require attendance on Mikkeli Campus.  

The third-year studies include practical projects dedicated to producing services and events. You also become familiar with the management of wellbeing services and business operations.  

The practical training period (30 ECTS credits) is completed in one term. The scope of the bachelor’s thesis is 15 ECTS credits. The third-year studies are fully completed online.  

Implementation of studies

Flexible learning tracks both for online and in-class studies offer flexibility when pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. The content of the curriculum in Wellbeing Management has been renewed, and the studies now focus more on measuring wellbeing indicators and assessing the effectiveness of wellbeing services in ways that can be utilised in business and commercial environments. The degree programme provides you with the knowledge and skills you need when starting up your own business or working in an expert position in wellbeing-related environments.   

The first year of studies is entirely arranged online, focusing on the basics of business management and wellbeing.    

The second year mostly consists of online studies. Only two courses related to Active Life Lab require attendance at Saimaa Stadiumi in Mikkeli. The studies at the Active Life Lab days involve practical and technology-based wellbeing measurements and follow-up activities by way of different commissioned assignments.   

Active Life Lab is a unique technology-driven study environment where you can perform measurements with different customer groups. Xamk is one of the leading research, development and innovation (RDI) operators in Finland, and during the second year you have a chance to improve your RDI skills with experts and in RDI activities. You work on real-life assignments within national and international projects.   

The third-year studies can be completed flexibly, fully online. During this last year, you can choose to complete your practical training and write your thesis either in Mikkeli or anywhere else in the world, provided that it suits you and meets the objectives of the degree programme studies. Practical training always involves work in expert positions in the field of wellbeing, and the professional networks created in the earlier phases of your studies help you find a suitable practical training place. As for the thesis, the topic should be commissioned by a company, organization or other non-profit party operating in the field of wellbeing. The thesis writing process allows you to make good use of the RDI competence gained during your second year of studies, and the topic can relate to the operation of the company for which you completed your practical training.      

Xamk has extensive partner networks all around the world, and our international experts help you find suitable practical training or international exchange options if you wish to spend some of your study-time abroad. In general, the aim is to gain 30 ECTS credits in one term throughout your studies.  

You mostly study online with two courses during the second year taking place in the Active Life Lab at Saimaa Stadiumi  

Mikkeli is located approximately 2.5 hours’ drive north from the Finnish capital Helsinki. Saimaa Stadiumi is situated there in the middle of beautiful Finnish nature, in an area that offers great opportunities for doing sports, enjoying new experiences and improving one’s wellbeing. In Saimaa Stadiumi area, you can, for example, play ice-hockey and football, ice-skate and ski, practice orienteering or track & field sports, or play a variety of indoor games.  

Most importantly, Active Life Lab, a unique, high-quality research and development environment at Saimaa Stadiumi has a significant role in your studies.   

  
The virtual reality space incorporates technology to test the effect of different environments, such as nature or a new office layout, on people’s wellbeing. In addition, the space houses different virtual reality games and content that are used for measuring and promoting people’s cognition and memory capacities, including neurological patients.  

The devices at the smart gym automatically track and monitor users’ training programmes. The obtained data is used for optimising individual development as well as tailoring health promotion activities outside the gym.  

The fitness testing area is fitted with novelty equipment that makes use of virtual and augmented reality to improve the physical condition and functional abilities not only of neurological and orthopedic patients but also healthy people. The virtual reality treadmill features different games for motivating the patient and gamifying the rehabilitation or training experience.   



Flexible study opportunities  

At the beginning of the studies, you prepare your personal study plan (PSP) which helps you make choices related to the studies, practical training, bachelor’s thesis and international activities.  We make every effort to ensure that you can plan your studies in the best way possible, according to your own life situation.  
 
The studies are implemented using various methods:  

- lectures  
- independent assignments  
- teamwork  
- online studies  
- projects with companies and other organisations  
- projects carried out at South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences  
- examinations  
- practical training.  

  

BYOD – Bring Your Own Device   

 According to Xamk’s BYOD policy, students must bring and use their own devices on campus.   



Study guidance and counselling  

Xamk supports students in different ways in all matters related to their studies. Your studies are supported by the Studies Coordinators and tutors who guide you in questions concerning the study environments, study practices, and similar.  The services of the Student Affairs Advisors, Student Wellbeing Advisors, Study Counselling Psychologists, and student health care personnel are also available on the campuses.  
 

Career opportunities

The need for wellbeing services is increasing all the time, and there is also a growing demand for service providers. Good communication and interaction skills are essential in producing wellbeing services. Equally important factors are customer-oriented thinking and entrepreneurial attitude, as well as a good understanding of the ways wellbeing can be promoted.  

As a BBA in Wellbeing Management, your career opportunities include the following:  

- services in physical activities, nutrition or health care  
- development of health and wellbeing technologies  
- wellbeing expert positions in the public sector  
- event production planning and production of wellbeing services  
- human resources or the insurance field.  

After graduation, this bachelor’s degree offers you interesting job opportunities all over the world.  

RDI and cooperation with world of work

Research, development and innovation (RDI) studies are an important part of Wellbeing Management studies. You become familiar with project work from theoretical and practical points of view. You learn how to write project plans and applications, participate in negotiations and participate in project implementation and reporting in practice.  

You can complete your practical training in projects that are closely connected with your studies. These projects allow you to acquire practical experience in project implementation and reporting.

Learning environments

During the first year, you study in Xamk’s versatile online environment under lecturers’ guidance. During the second year, you still mostly study online, with only two courses related to Active Life Lab requiring attendance on Mikkeli Campus. Active Life Lab is a leading research and development centre of wellbeing services operating at Saimaa Stadiumi. It is a new and inspiring study environment designed specifically for group work and commissioned assignments.  



Active Life Lab  

Active Life Lab is a leading research and development centre of wellbeing services operating at Saimaa Stadiumi, a new and inspiring study environment designed specifically for group work and commissioned assignments.  

Wellbeing measurement lab provides facilities to measure users’ level of activity with location-based technology and, for example, respond to long-term passiveness. The premises include a virtual reality space which allows to measure the effects of nature and culture on wellbeing.   

Smart gym houses equipment that individually monitors users’ development and offers the optimal exercise load to achieve and ensure the best results.   

Equipment in the exercise test area is brand new, featuring physiological measurement and virtual reality equipment. The lab has a treadmill with an attached screen to display different obstacles and gamified content.   

The premises and equipment of Active Life Lab are utilized especially during the second year of studies. This way, the business management skills and knowledge acquired during the first year can be complemented by the development and commercialization aspects of wellbeing services at Active Life Lab. 

During the first year, you will learn the basics of measuring the indicators of wellbeing and acquire business management skills and knowledge needed when providing wellbeing services. The second year of studies includes measurements of wellbeing indicators with different customer groups. The follow-up measurements enable the monitoring of the effectiveness of wellbeing services. In addition, students can complete their practical training period at Active Life Lab, focusing on RDI activities and participating in RDI projects.