Name of the University:
Universität St. Gallen
Exchange semester:
Fall 2012
I GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
1. Describe the school and its surroundings
St. Gallen has approx. 75,000 inhabitants and
is located in the German-speaking part of
Switzerland, close to the Austrian and
German border, only 1 hour away from
Zürich.
The university of St. Gallen (HSG) was
founded as a “Business Academy” in 1898
and is today one of the top business schools
in Europe. In the Financial Times Global
Masters in Management Ranking 2012 the
school placed 1st with the Master’s in Strategy
and International Management and 3rd with the CEMS Mater’s in International
Management.
The campus is located on a hill in St. Gallen with a view of the city. It is wellconnected to the public transportation network and it takes approximately 10 minutes
to walk to the city centre. The campus has its own gym (free for students) and a new
restaurant/canteen.
2. Current faculty divisions and special areas.
The faculty divisions for the university are organized in the subject areas of
Management, Finance, Economics and Political science, Law and Humanities and
Social science.
3. Number of students - graduate and undergraduate – number of exchange
students
Fall Semester 2012 (approx.)
-
Total students
Assessment Level students
Bachelor’s Level students
Master’s Level students
Ph. D. Level students
% of female students
7,300
1,300
2,500
2,700
700
32%
II PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Information before you left

When did you receive the information package from the University?
We received the information package from the University in June.

Any difficulties?
No. But if you experience some kind of difficulties, you can call or send an email to
the university (both the telephone number and the e-mail address to the different
contact persons are given in the information package), and they will quickly reply.
Visa Procedure and travel experiences

What problems, if any did you encounter?
No problems. The Student Mobility team at the university is there if you have any
questions.

Does the visa cost anything?
Visa is not required, but the residence permit costs 66 CHF for Norwegians.

How did you order your ticket – any problems?
SAS (ungdomsbillett) from Oslo-Zürich. Norwegian also flies to Geneva, and the train
ride from Geneva to St Gallen takes 4 hours. A Halbtax card is highly recommended
if you plan to travel in Switzerland, it gives you a 50 % discount on travel and cost
175 CHF for a year (the minimum period).
Academic Calendar

Arrival date – introductory week
In the beginning of September, there are Optional German course offered in the two
first weeks of September

First day of the semester?
17th of September

Last day of classes?
Week 51 (17-21th of December)

Examination period?
Except from block seminars (29th of October – 9th)
This depends on the course, but normally the examination period is during week 50
and 51 for international students.
Exams for regular students are in January/February, but they can be
scheduled before Christmas for international students.

Any special events?
The Buddy System from the student union arranged a lot of different activities during
the semester, such as bowling night, fondue night, BBQ and swimming, international
dinner, trips to different Swiss cities, skiing day, ice skating, etc.
We will strongly recommend you to attend the events, especially the first ones, to
easily get in touch with the other exchange students.
Reception

How was the reception at the school?
Very good. The ladies working for the international office and the housing office are
very welcoming and helpful.

Was the administration and faculty well prepared for your arrival?
Yes. We received a welcoming package, which contained everything we needed to
know about the university, the bidding process, general information about
Switzerland, etc.

Did the school’s students participate in the reception of the exchange students?
Only the Buddy System (seven regular students) who gave us a guided tour on
campus, and organized various get-togethers participated.
Housing

Did you have housing at your disposal or did you have to find your own housing?
The school has its own housing office which you may use. They will send you all the
information you need in order to apply for housing. From our experience they are
very helpful, and the facilities they provide are of ok standard. When you apply for
housing through the housing office I would recommend you to indicate that you would
like to live close to Marktplatz. This is the “city center”, and you are within walking
distance to everything. This costs a deposit, but it can be extremely challenging to
find housing on your own for such a short period of time, or if you’re a little late
planning the move.

Any special issues or good ideas for prospective students?
Start looking for a house as soon as you get the confirmation of acceptance from the
University. The houses you rent in the private market are usually cheaper than the
houses that the university rents out. However, the exchange office will tell you that
private housing is difficult to obtain. This is not necessarily so if you start well in
advance. Private accommodation can be found from 400 CHF a month, depending
on the standard. The bus system in St Gallen is well developed, and if you do not
mind some travel time, there is money to be saved on private housing and less
centralized locations.
Costs

Describe the most important expenses such as rent, books, food, etc.
The price level in Switzerland is pretty much the same as in Norway, with some
exceptions. If you know where to shop for food, some bargains can be made, and
alcohol is significantly cheaper than at home. The major food chains are called
Migros, Coop, Denner and Aldi, the two latter being low price chains where you can
save a lot on food compared to back home. It is also a good alternative to go to
Konstanz, which is the closest German city, to shop for food and alcohol.
Going out drinking is cheaper than in Oslo, especially if you take advantage of the
happy hours and student pubs. Eating out can be more expensive, sushi and fish
especially is hilariously priced. When it comes to books, HSG does not have an on
campus book store, only a script office where you can buy readers. These are
relatively inexpensive and the teachers also post a lot of articles on the studynet, so
not many books are required for the studies. If you do need books, you can either
borrow them from the library, or we recommend that you buy them from German
Amazon, as there is a lower import tax from Germany.
Regarding rent and housing expenses, this differs from the alternatives you have to
choose from. Mostly, private housing does not require a deposit and electricity and
water is included in the bill. The housing office requires a deposit for the tenure of
their apartments. The prices range from around 400 CHF to 700 CHF for a furnished
room/studio apartment.
The International Office

Is there an international office?
Yes.

Who is responsible for incoming exchange students?
Dr. Juergen Bruecker is the Dean for the Student Mobility. However, Lamis El Farra
is the programme Manager for Europe.

Do you receive all relevant information?
Yes. You will get all the information you need through mail and e-mail.
Exchange promotion

What kind of activity did you take part in to promote exchange to Norway at your
exchange university?
International day and international dinner.
Social Activities

How is your relationship with other students?
Since you will not be part of any program, there will be new students in the class all
the time. However, in some of the course you have group works where you have to
work with both local students and exchange students.

How is the relationship among the exchange students?
The relationship between the exchange students is formed during the introductory
Buddysystem weeks. This is a highly recommended activity and the Buddysystem
also arranges events throughout the semester. Students come from all over the world
and the connections you make and the mood in the exchange students Buddysystem
is unique and a once in a lifetime experience.

Is there a student organization, and if so, are the exchange students part of it?
See Buddysystem description above. There is also a Scandinavian Society at St.
Gallen which organize various evens throughout the semester, such as Lucia
celebration, they can be found on facebook.

How do you like it at the school?
Campus facilities are nice, situated on high ground with beautiful scenic
surroundings. You have a free gym available to all students (you have to attend a
half an hour introduction course before being allowed to use the facilities) and a
library where books can be borrowed and there are some computers. However,
compared to BI, it is a significant lower standard on studying facilities when it comes
to group-work rooms, silent areas and computer equipment. It also gets very
crowded during certain periods, so it is recommendable that you also have some
study facilities at home, or make sure you book group rooms in advance.
Culture and Language

Do you have any language problems with the faculty or other students?
Using English as a speaking language is not a problem on campus. In the city of St
Gallen however it is useful to know a few German words and expressions. Also,
Swiss German, and especially the dialect of St Gallen, is quite different from
German, even the Germans and Austrians have some problems when they first
arrive. However, it is perfectly doable to learn the necessary phrases for shopping
and touring the city.

How are the possibilities to experience the country and the culture?
The Buddy System provides a very nice introduction to Switzerland. Also, the
transportation system allows for easy travel throughout Switzerland, so the rest of the
country is very accessible. Even though Oktoberfest (celebrated in late
September/early October) is a Bavarian tradition, it is also celebrated in Switzerland,
and Munich is a short trip away. Buy or rent a dirndl or some lederhosen and go to
Munich for a once in a lifetime experience!
Cultural and Social Effects from the Exchange Experience

How do you think the exchange experience will affect you from a cultural and
social point of view?
Spending a semester at HSG has allowed us to meet a myriad of people from all
over the world, both in social and work surroundings. This, in turn, offers a
deeper understanding of other cultures and how to work and interact with people
from other regions. This is also true in terms of the social aspect, as it has given
us the opportunity to make friends all across the globe.

How do you think the exchange experience influences your future career
possibilities?
First of all by offering a positive addition to our resumes, HSG is a well recognized
school, and will hopefully open doors to more career possibilities. While the programs
here differ, we experience closed collaboration with companies such as BCG, Credit
Suisse, and McKinsey in the Strategic and International Management program, which
certainly could influence future career possibilities.
III ACADEMIC INFORMATION
The Teaching situation

In which language are the courses taught? Any problems?
There are courses taught in both German and English. However, exchange student
usually only participate in courses taught in English. There were no problem
regarding the language, since both local student, exchange student and teachers
spoke English quite well.

How would you evaluate the level of study in relationship to the level at BI?
The structure of the semester is quite different compered to back home. Local
student normally takes their exams after Christmas, whereas exchange students take
them before. The work load is therefore higher in comparison to BI, especially in the
end of November and December.

Is the teaching primarily practical or theoretical?
This also differs from course to course, some are highly practical and requires a lot of
in class participations while other are purely theoretical and rely on course material.

Are the professors using cases, group work or lectures (or a mix)?
As you can see in the course descriptions, there is a huge leap regarding to the
course. However, in most of the courses you have to do some presentations, group
work and a final exam (oral or written).

How is the workload compared to that at BI?
Since the semester for exchange student is shorter, the working load is higher.

How is the relationship between faculty and students?
There are a lot of dedicated Professors at St. Gallen, and they are quite easy to talk
to. However, most of the communication concerning classes goes through teaching
assistants.

What is the relationship between the students in the classroom?
HSG is a highly competitive university, and this is certainly reflected in the
relationship between students in the classroom. Many classes require group work,
which strengthens ties amongst students and allows you to get to know the regular
students.
Required Literature

Is the literature in English?
The literature on which you are examined is entirely in English.

How do you estimate the level of the literature?
The level of literature of course depends on the type of course but it is relatively high
compared to BI and the reading volume also slightly exceeds that of BI. Teachers
use a wide range of literature, from academic articles, textbooks and real life cases.

Is the literature used for detailed knowledge or a broad overview?
Usually lectures are accompanied by slides that follow the literature. It is important to
consider what the Professors say during class on how to use the literature.

Is exam based on the literature or on the lectures?
Usually the exams are based on what has been explained during class. The nature of
the exam questions is often related with what has been strongly emphasized during
the lectures.
Exams

What types of exams were you given?
There is a mix of oral exams, written exams, assignments and presentations.
Typically, exchange students take decentralized exams, and these tend to be oral
rather than written.

What knowledge level was required to pass the exams?
Exams required a complete understanding of course material.
Other
 Do students have easy access to the library and it’s resources?
Yes.

How is the access to the computers?
Pretty good: library, computer rooms, etc.

How is IT used in the teaching or as a distributor of information?
The Professors post relevant articles/lecture handouts etc. on StudyNet (fronter), and
use the student e-mail to inform students about important changes/news.
Description of Courses
Course name:
course)
3,172 Strategy Crafting and Execution (Bachelor
Prereq.
None
Exam
Written examination (100%, 90 min.)
Major at BI
Marketing
Approved
Elective
ECTS
4
This course is particularly relevant for students who consider careers in general
management, strategy consulting or as entrepreneurs. You will explore principles,
roles and tasks of the business leader as a strategically astute thinker, what strategy
means, how to execute strategy and tools and techniques of situation analysis. You
will also get the opportunity to make the strategic decisions based on real life
business cases. The professor is very good and the course is popular, so make sure
to bid a lot of points already in the first round of bidding.
Course name:
73152 State and Economy (Master course)
Prereq.
None
Exam
Oral examination (100%, 30 min.)
Major at BI
MSc in Political Economy
Approved
Core
ECTS
6
Students acquire the analytical tools indispensable for an understanding of the
dynamic interdependencies between politics and the economy in today's world. They
learn to look at key issues from a historically informed perspective comprising the
main political economy regimes of the 20th century and since. They are able to
discuss the systematic and normative tensions inherent in market-based political
regimes. Selected cases familiarize students with the challenges of practical
reflection in political and economic matters.
Course name:
73561 International Politics, Economics and
Business (Master course)
Prereq.
microeconomics
Exam
Undergraduate courses in macroeconomics and
Written assignment (50%, 5000 words)
Written examination (50%, 90 min.)
Major at BI
MSc in Political Economy
Approved
Core
ECTS
6
The purpose of this course is to better understand the various connections between
corporate decision-making and public policy not just in the domestic setting but also
as it relates to cross-border commerce. In a globalised world managers need to take
account of public policy and regulatory processes, especially after the global
economic crisis saw greater government intervention. Likewise, politicians, officials,
and regulators need to better understand how firms react to policy interventions,
especially as firms can locate different stages of the commercial activities in different
jurisdictions. Overlaying the business-government nexus are international
organizations which firms and states seek to influence. Mastering the various
elements of this world requires a combination of economic and political science tools,
corporate strategy, knowledge of development processes, and international relations.
This course, therefore, covers a wide range of disciplines and uses up to date
contemporary matters to highlight the key points.
Course name:
7,072 Transportation Systems (Master course)
Prereq.
Exam
None
Group examination paper with presentation (40%)
Written examination (60%, 90 min.)
Major at BI
MSc in Business, Major in Finance
Approved
Elective
ECTS
6
This course was in my opinion not the most interesting. The main focus of the course
was the use of railways as a mode of transportation. The positive side to this course
was that it was among the few with 6ECTS. Even though it has many ECTS I would
say that the workload does no match the number of credits. From our perspective
this is 6 easy credits compared to other courses. The class had roughly 40
participants and 20 of them were exchange students. (10 lectures (à 2 hours) and a
2-days field trip.)
Course name:
(Master course)
Prereq.
Exam
7,636 Haniel Seminar: Performance Measurement
None
Active participation (30%)
Presentation in groups (70%)
Major at BI
MSc in Business, Major in Finance
Approved
Elective
ECTS
3
This is a seminar course which you may take during the break. Since 2003, the
University of St. Gallen has specifically dealt with underrepresented topics in these
seminars. They invite famous researchers and prominent young academics to
exchange their knowledge and experiences with students. It is definitely worth
sacrificing 4 days of the break to ease your workload in the exam period. This course
it therefore definitely something you should consider.
Course name:
(Master course)
9,010 Business Intelligence: Independent Studies
Prereq.
Exam
None
Three examination paper written at home (individually) (50%)
Oral examination (individual examination in groups) (50%, 45
min.)
Major at BI
MSc in Business, Major in Finance
Approved
Elective
ECTS
3
This was an independent course where the lectures were posted on internet. Most of
this course was based in excel, and really helped us get a better understanding of
features in excel. This course will not be taught next year, but they will have a
different course named something like “large data”, which will have some of the same
features. I got this course with the minimum number of bidding points in the first
round (60).
Course name:
(Master course)
9,218 Organizing for sustained corporate growth
Prereq.
Exam
None
Presentation in groups (50%)
Written examination (50%, 60 min.)
Major at BI
MSc in Business, Major in Finance
Approved
Elective
ECTS
4
This course focus mainly on how to understand the strategic and organizational
challenges related to sustained corporate growth and development. Highly
recommended for students interested in strategy.
Course name:
field (Master course)
International Negotiations in the Macroeconomic
Prereq.
None
Exam
70% Negotiation, 30% Written assignment
Major at BI
MSc in Business, Major in Finance
Approved
Elective
ECTS
3
This course is definitely worth taking. The course lasts for 3 days in total, and is
probably the easiest credits you can take at St.Gallen. The course is taught by a man
who has been the main negotiator for Switzerland in many different areas. He just
retired, and his approach to teach the students negotiation techniques is making
them negotiate on their own. There was one day with ordinary lecture, and the rest
was negotiation. The negotiation stared at 12:00 and lasted until 04:30, and then we
went to bed and stared again at 09:30 and kept going until 13:00. During the
negotiation we went for lunch and dinner together at a restaurant (the teacher bought
all the drinks). I believe I got this course for 150 bidding points.
Course name:
Advanced Macroeconomics I and Advanced
Macroeconomics II (Master course)
Prereq.
None
Exam
30% Written assignment. 70% Decentral written exam
Major at BI
MSc in Political Economy
Approved
Elective
ECTS
4
Advanced Macroeconomics I deal mainly with the analysis of dynamic
macroeconomic problems applied to the study modern economic growth theory.
While Advance Macroeconomics II focus on economic fluctuations and business
cycles, taking a close look at the role of the aggregate income, consumption, asset
prices and investment. Both courses are very interesting especially if you are thinking
to continue your career in research. The workload of the courses is can be relatively
heavy especially if you are not familiar with dynamic optimization; nevertheless if you
have had a graduate level math at BI it would not be a problem to achieve the credits
from these courses. Both courses are taught based on the book Advanced
Macroeconomics.
Course name:
course)
Prereq.
Quantitative Aspects of Financial Regulation (Master
None
Exam
100% Decentral written exam
Major at BI
MSc in Political Economy
Approved
Elective
ECTS
4
The course is definitely helpful for the students considering a career in risk
management but also for those who want to understand the motivation behind the
regulation of the financial sector. It focuses on the study of topics such as like interest
rate risk, liquidity risk, credit risk and risk measures for the trading. The course mainly
takes the view of the Basel Committee for explaining both the risk management and
philosophy of financial regulation issues. In terms of workload I believe the course is
an average level of 4 credit courses in HSG. The literature is mainly based on Basel
Committee issues and academic journal articles.
Course name:
Advanced Microeconomics 2
Prereq.
Advanced Microeconomics 1
Exam
Written examination (100%, 90 min. in January) but give
assignments to exchange student, which you delivered in end
of December
Major at BI
Finance
Approved
Elective
ECTS
4
Not so difficult like Adv.micro1. In class we look at signal and screening theory.
Course name:
Mergers and Acquisitions (Master Course)
Prereq.
None
Exam
Written examination (100%, 90 min.)
Major at BI
International Management
Approved
Elective
ECTS
4
This course offered a complete inside into both managerial and legal aspects of
M&A’s. It is hard to get into as an exchange student, but it is absolutely worth it. The
curriculum was interesting, and well explained by two amazing professors during
class time. Attendance was mandatory, but participation optional though rewarded.
There were several guest speakers and the class met at a castle in Germany for a
three day intensive case workshop with Credit Suisse and BCG. Absolutely
recommended for management or finance students.
Course name:
Prereq.
Strategic Leadership (Master Course)
None
Exam
Case presentation (25%), written assignment (75%)
Major at BI
International Management
Approved
Elective
ECTS
4
This course focused on theory surrounding leadership practices and is offered
through the SIM(Strategic and International Management) program. It is a very
interactive course, with discussions and student presentations. It is a demanding
course, but very relevant for those who are considering a career with leadership
responsibilities. There were several interesting guest speakers, and the class
finished with a two day case practice and execution with McKinsey and Sulzer.
Names and e-mails:
Please do not hesitate to contact us through international office if you have any
questions.