Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway

Start your global career

If you plan to study at Aston, a second degree pathway is yours for the taking.

If you want to deepen your learning, make yourself stand out from the crowd, and embrace a new culture, an Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway is yours for the taking. Two degrees open doors, help you make new connections, enhance your professional profile and grow as an individual. Employers are looking for individuals who are culturally versatile and can work in any environment.

Aston Business School students can apply to undertake the Exchange Partnership Second Degree programme.

In our partnership with prestigious institutions we have acknowledged the quality of each other’s degrees. This means that, when you go overseas, you will already have credits from Aston Business School towards the degree that you choose to study overseas.

For our Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway, we partner with some of the world’s leaders in business education. Each school shares Aston’s philosophy for employability and offers courses that reflect the needs of industry. You will deepen your learning and demonstrate dedication to your subject area whilst also embracing a new culture.

Contact Us

For further details on the Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathways, please see the relevant contacts:
Undergraduate: Your Course Director or Study Abroad Lead Coordinator studyabroad@aston.ac.uk
Postgraduate: abs_exchange@aston.ac.uk

Undergraduate

This opportunity is similar to an exchange, but during your placement year, as an undergraduate student, you'll follow a particular curriculum setting you on the track for our partner institution’s degree award, meaning, if successful, you will graduate with two undergraduate degrees.

Fees

Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway is tuition-free (you will pay the standard placement year fee cost)

Language

All programmes are taught in English. While we would encourage you as much as possible to learn the language of the country you are studying in, all the programmes we offer have been selected because they are taught and assessed in English.

For the Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway we partner with a small number of triple-accredited business schools who share Aston's philosophy for employability, and offer courses that reflect the needs of industry. These institutions are shown below:

Australia

Queensland University of Technology Business School, Brisbane

Available for students studying BSc International Business and Management or BSc International Business and Economics
To be awarded the Queensland University of Technology degree, students will have to successfully complete two semesters at Brisbane.
The ABS students will have to follow a specific curriculum (within one major).

"The Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway offered a unique opportunity to gain an extra qualification from another reputable university whilst experiencing all Australia has to offer. That said, since it is a compact double degree, it does require a work hard, play hard approach.

I found my passion at QUT as I first studied Risk Management and Financial Derivatives. I have since specialised in this area by pursuing a MSc in Financial Risk Management and I am now an Investment Risk Analyst at Bank of New York Mellon in London."

Matthew Donlan, BSc (Hons) International Business & Economics (Aston University) and Bachelor of Business (Queensland University of Technology)

"The Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway was a great chance to apply the business modules that I studied at Aston University in the APAC region. Who wouldn’t want to study in Australia for a year? Beautiful weather day and night in the incredible city of Brisbane."

"There were a lot of interesting opportunities in Brisbane both in and out of university. University student organised nights out were a great opportunity, especially for international students, to mingle and have some fun. During my studies, we had the opportunity to present our findings in front of a real business, which was a really good experience too and quite nerve wrecking." Read more

Jack Bonken, BSc (Hons) International Business and Management (Aston University) and Bachelor of Management (Queensland University of Technology)

France

Audencia Business School, Nantes

Available for students studying any Aston Business School Undergraduate degree, with the exception of Law LLB, and Business Enterprise Development BSc.
To be awarded the Audencia Business School degree, students will have to successfully complete two semesters at Nantes, or one semester and a 4-6-month internship, Thesis, and oral defence.

emlyon Business School, Global BBA Program, Lyon-Ecully Campus

Available to students studying BSc International Business and Management or BSc International Business and Economics.
To be awarded the emlyon degree, students will have to successfully complete two semesters at Lyon, as well as a three-month internship, including Thesis, and oral defence.

Poland

Kozminski University, Warsaw

Available for students studying BSc Accounting and Finance, or BSc Finance.
To be eligible for admission at Kozminski University, students will need to provide evidence they have completed a non-English language course and sports activities during their studies at Aston (the latter can be pursued at Kozminski University).
BSc Finance students should have passed (with a minimum of 50%) the Introduction to Econometrics as an elective course in the second year of their studies at Aston.
To be awarded the Kozminski University degree, Aston students will have to successfully complete two semesters at Warsaw, as well as a three-week internship.
Find out more about the financial management programme that eligible Aston University students may study if they embark on the second degree pathway in Warsaw.

“I strive to achieve as much as possible and that is why I chose to undertake the Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway. This opportunity seemed to be a natural progression in my foregoing studies and a great complement to it. I also thought the course was very well structured and the lecturers were always happy to help with any issues.” Read more

Jakub Lawrenz, Bachelor in Finance and Accounting (Kozminski University) and BSc (Hons) Finance (Aston University)

Application eligibility criteria: Undergraduate Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway study

Applications will only be considered from students on track to meet the following:
A minimum of 60% average (2:1) on 120 Aston credits by the time of application;
240 Aston credits by the time of enrolment at partner University.

Contact Us

For further details on the Undergraduate Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway, please contact your Course Director or Study Abroad Lead Coordinator: studyabroad@aston.ac.uk.

Postgraduate

Aston Business School students can apply to undertake an Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway at postgraduate masters level.

The degrees offered by our partners may change from one year to the next and are not directly linked to the Aston portfolio of masters programmes. They offer students the opportunity to either diversify their professional profile by undertaking a completely different qualification or to strengthen their existing Aston degree by completing a different but complementary masters programme.

The Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway is similar to an exchange opportunity, but you’ll spend an additional year at one of our partner institutions and, if successful, graduate with two masters degrees.

This is an exceptional opportunity and there are only a few places available with each partner institution. Places on the Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway will be allocated on a competitive basis via an application process. In addition to the ambition to study overseas you will need to successfully complete the first year of your studies at Aston.

Administrative Fee

The Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway is offered through our partnership exchange agreements and there are no additional tuitions fees involved. However an administrative fee of £1,250 for UK students, and £2,500 for international students, is applicable.

We offer our Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway at masters level at the following institutions (please note, places are subject to availability):

France

Audencia Business School, Nantes

Audencia Business School is in Nantes, close to the Atlantic coast of France.
Like Aston, Audencia is among just 1% of business schools worldwide to be triple-accredited by AASCB, EQUIS and AMBA
Ranked 32nd in Europe for Master’s in Management (The Financial Times, 2018)
A global reputation for education and research in business and management
A leading business school in corporate social responsibility (CSR), with the World Wildlife Fund (France) as a key partner
International students from nearly 90 countries
Nantes is a youthful and vibrant city, with nearly 20% of the population being students, and is just two hours from Paris by train

EDHEC Business School, Lille or Nice

At EDHEC Business School, you’ll have the option to study in Lille, close to the Belgian border, or Nice, on the Mediterranean coast of France.
Founded in 1906 by entrepreneurs
Leading French business school specialising in business, entrepreneurship, management and innovation
Among just 1% of business schools worldwide to be triple-accredited by AASCB, EQUIS and AMBA
Ranked 14th among business schools in Europe (The Financial Times, 2018)

emlyon Business School, Lyon

Emlyon was founded in 1872 and is a leading business school in Lyon, a major banking centre and the third-largest city in France.
Among just 1% of business schools worldwide to be triple-accredited by AASCB, EQUIS and AMBA
Ranked 21st among business schools in Europe (The Financial Times, 2018)
Hosts an incubator to equip entrepreneurs with the skills and attitudes they need
Study in Lyon, one of emlyon’s six campuses across four countries.

Grenoble School of Management, Grenoble

Grenoble École de Management is in the city of Grenoble at the foot of the French Alps.
Expertise in management of technology and innovation, entrepreneurship and responsible business practices
Among just 1% of business schools worldwide to be triple-accredited by AASCB, EQUIS and AMBA
Ranked 26th among business schools in Europe (The Financial Times, 2018)
Community of students from more than 130 countries
Study in Grenoble, one of two campuses in France in addition to 8 international campuses

Kedge Business School, Bordeaux or Marseille

At Kedge Business School, you have the option to study in Bordeaux, along the Atlantic coast of France, or Marseille, on the Mediterranean coast of France.
Founded from the merger of two business schools founded in the 1870s
Expertise includes marketing, entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility (CSR)
Among just 1% of business schools worldwide to be triple-accredited by AASCB, EQUIS and AMBA
Ranked 35th among business schools in Europe (The Financial Times, 2018)
Study in Marseille or Bordeaux, two of Kedge’s 10 campuses across three continent

Toulouse Business School, Toulouse

Founded in 1903, Toulouse Business School is in the south of France. Toulouse is the fourth-largest city in France.
Among just 1% of business schools worldwide to be triple-accredited by AASCB, EQUIS and AMBA
Ranked 55th among business schools in Europe (The Financial Times, 2018)
Toulouse is one of the business school’s five international campuses
Study in Toulouse, a business and cultural hub near the Spanish border and France’s largest student population outside of Paris.

Canada

Laval University, Faculty of Business Administration, Quebec City

A world-class business school located in the city of Québec
With its two international accreditations, FSA ULaval ranks among the top 1% of the best business schools.
For 350 years Université Laval has shown tomorrow’s leaders how to achieve their goals and has demonstrated its commitment to tackling society’s greatest challenges.

Germany

HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, Leipzig

HHL is in Leipzig, the largest city in the German state of Saxony.
Founded in 1898, the first German commercial college
The first German business school to be accredited by AACSB (since 2004)
Ranked 53rd among business schools in Europe (The Financial Times, 2018)
35% international students
Over 300 start-ups founded by HHL graduates.

Japan

Nagoya University of Commerce and Business (NUCB)

Nagoya University of Commerce and Business (NUCB) is located in one of the largest cities in Japan.
One of the largest business schools in Japan
High-quality education for future business leaders and entrepreneurs
Triple crown accreditation (AASCB, EQUIS and AMBA)
Located in the beautiful Nisshin countryside just outside of Nagoya City’

Portugal

Catolica Lisbon School of Business & Economics

In less than 50 years, Catolica Lisbon School of Business & Economics have built from the ground-up the top Portuguese business school and became an international reference as a top European Business School.
A place where knowledge is absorbed, discussed and further developed, leading to a deeper understanding of economic processes, organisational lives and individual behaviours.

Spain

EADA Business School, Barcelona

EADA Business School is one of only four schools in Spain that have both the EQUIS and AMBA accreditations
Ranked 29th among business schools in Europe (The Financial Times, 2018)
The most international students of business schools in Spain (The Financial Times, 2018)
Focus on ‘learning by doing’
Located in Barcelona, the second-largest city in Spain.

Incoming students

We welcome exchange students from partnership institutions to join our Aston student community. Coming to Aston will allow you to study in an International environment at one of the UK's most exciting cities. You will also get the chance to study at one of only 1% of business schools worldwide with triple accreditation.

Watch a graduation interview with one of our incoming exchange students on the Second Degree Pathway where they talk about their experience at Aston: