Laurea launches an English-language Master's degree programme in the field of beauty care as the first UAS in the Nordic countries

Since 2018, Laurea has offered Finland’s only Master's degree programme in the field of beauty care. This programme will now also be offered in English as the Master's degree programme in Development and Management of Cosmetics Expertise is launched at Laurea in January 2025. Laurea’s English-language degree programme is the only one of its kind in the Nordic countries. 

International field of business

The backdrop to the launch of the new English-language degree programme was the international nature of the cosmetics sector. In cosmetics companies – be they multinationals operating in Finland or Finnish enterprises aiming for internationalisation – international business competence is vital.

– Many companies in this sector have set their sights on the international market and must be able to manage many aspects related to internationalisation, explains Marjo Poutanen, Principal Lecturer in charge of the programme.

– Another way of looking at the global nature of this sector is that a large proportion of cosmetics products are imported into Finland. Korean cosmetics, for example, are currently a major trend.

On the other hand, the working language in the cosmetics sector, as in many other sectors, is English. This applies to sales, marketing and product development alike.

– The working language of the current students in the Finnish-language Master's degree programmes is also English, which makes launching a programme taught through English a natural choice in this respect, continues Principal Lecturer Poutanen.

Close collaboration with companies and experts

The curricula of both the Finnish and English Master's degree programmes have been developed in close collaboration with companies and experts working in this field. The aim of both Master's degree programmes is to provide the students with a very comprehensive overview of what the development, manufacturing, sales and distribution of cosmetics products involve.

– Legislative competence is an area addressed in the curriculum specifically through dialogue with working life, says Principal Lecturer Poutanen.

– In this respect, the activities are strongly defined by both national and EU-level legislation. The principles of sustainable development have been increasingly stressed in chemicals legislation in recent times.

Not only graduates with a Bachelor's degree in Beauty Care but also applicants with some other relevant higher education degree, including Bachelors of Business Administration, pharmacists or nurses, are eligible for the Master’s programme in Development and Management of Cosmetics Expertise. In addition to enabling students to improve their competence, the Master's degree will also help their career advancement.

Learn more about the master's degree programme in Development and Management of Cosmetics Expertise   

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