2.1.2 Academic Calender The planning for the academic year is as follows:

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1 2 Bachelor s Programme 2.1 General Introduction The bachelor's programme is set up according to the Bachelor's Master's structure. This system was introduced to harmonize European university programmes, so as to make them more easily comparable. Accordingly, the degree programme consists of a three-year Bachelor's programme, which can be followed by a one-year Master's programme. The IBA programme gives you a thorough, theoretical grounding in business administration. At the same time, considerable attention is devoted to applying this theoretical knowledge to specific problems. This involves various academic skills, such as making reports and giving presentations. This guide gives a detailed description of the programme. It contains all sorts of information relevant to your studies. It also describes which Master's programmes you can take after you graduate. For the Master s programmes themselves, see the study guide entitled Master s Programmes. The paragraph Rules and Regulations is especially important. This contains the rules of the game, as it were, of the study programme. While such rules are undeniably important, bear in mind that they may change over time. Accordingly, no rights may be derived from the information contained in this study guide. The most up-to-date information can be found at the University website ( on Blackboard and on the monitor screens at the programme secretariat. Details of amendments and other information will also be send to the address that was given to you by the University. You are advised to check this account regularly Academic Calender The planning for the academic year is as follows: lectures for period self-study period exams period lectures for period self-study period and resits period exams period lectures for period exams period lectures for period self-study and resits periods 2 and 3 Bachelor s Programme 21

2 exams period lectures for period self-study period and resits period exams period lectures for period exams and resits period 5 and resits period In no lectures or examinations will be held on the following dates: December 22- January 2 Christmas Holidays Friday April 10 Good Friday Monday April 13 Easter Monday Thursday April30 Queen's Day Tuesday May 5 Liberation Day Thursday May 21 Ascension Day Friday May 22 Bank Holiday Monday June 1 Whitsun July - September 4 Summer Holidays 2.2 The programme Description of the programme The IBA programme is geared towards professional business services. It focuses on business service providers and how they operate. Think for instance of banks and insurance companies, distributors and transport companies, consultancy firms, software houses, and Internet-based companies. However, industrial companies also have service-based processes. Some examples of these are internal consultancy services, an IT department, and a distribution centre. focuses - as the name implies - on professional business services in an international context. As a bonus, special attention is also paid to professional business services in a specifically European perspective. The professional service industry is entirely different from manufacturing companies or commercial concerns. Rather than manufacturing tangible products, companies in this sector supply intangible services. They maintain frequent contacts with their customers, the service is often specially attuned to the customer in question, and human aspects have a crucial part to play in the service process. Service implies made-to-measure products. It necessitates familiarity not only with the 'hard' aspects of the organization, such as structure, processes, and finances, but also with the 'soft' side, such as the people that are employed and the culture they work in. This is why you will learn to view business aspects from four different angles: Economic sciences, which in turn focus on the economic and financial background to operational management 22

3 Technology, both in its support role in existing business processes and information systems, as in its innovative role in organizing (or re-organizing) the service-based processes Social sciences, which address the issue of human behaviour in organizations General business administration which focuses on strategy and organization. This discipline also involves efforts to integrate the above three disciplines. The first two years of the bachelor s programme revolve around the four basic disciplines: economic sciences, technical sciences, social sciences, and general business administration. The third year offers room for specialization as well as the possibility to select a number of optional courses. The guaranteed exchange programme is also scheduled in year three. The bachelor's programme is completed with a thesis, after which an official diploma is awarded. You will then be entitled to use the internationally recognized title of Bachelor of Science in International Business Administration (BSc in IBA). Each year s programme has a study load of 0 ects (European Credit Transfer System) credits. The first two years of the programme each consist of four periods of eight weeks, in which lectures take place, and two periods of four weeks, during which integration projects are carried out and supplementary courses are taught. The exams are held at the end of each period. The resits are held at the end of the period following the first exams. Competent business administrators can use their comprehensive knowledge to solve issues in everyday situations. This is why is such an intensive study programme. Much of the teaching is done interactively: you have to study the theory, prepare questions about it, work out cases, prepare study assignments, and present your work to your own group. Many assignments have to be completed during the courses. These assignments help you to keep up with the content of the lectures, and teach you to apply theory to practice. In many courses, the grades obtained in these assignments influence the final mark. Studying successfully takes a lot of time. You must be prepared to make a forty-hour working week. Part-time jobs that take up much of your time will interfere with your studies, since a great deal of time is spent working on group assignments at the university. If you are entertaining any doubts about your abilities, your part-time job, or other issues, and their effect on your studies, you should discuss this with your tutor or the study advisors. They can assist you with any decisions on what would be best for you to do (or not to do) about this. For excellent students, the faculty offers the opportunity to participate in the VU Honours Programme. This programme starts in year two and consists of 30 credits of additional, special electives with a high degree of teacher-student interaction, small classes, and the opportunity to interact with talented and motivated students from other VU faculties. Students can apply for the Honours Programme at the end of your first year. Selection will be based on a written application including a letter of motivation. Excellent Academic performance and motivation are requirements for enrolling in the Honours Programme. Bachelor s Programme 23

4 2.2.2 Mission Statements Main Aspects and Final Attainment Levels The Programme carries the following mission statement: The bachelor s Programme at VU University Amsterdam trains students for an academic degree in business administration with special expertise in the field of the professional services industry. Central to the mission statement are the concepts academic and business administration. These are described as follows: Academic The academic programme revolves around acquiring scientific knowledge and application of this. Acquisition and application of knowledge should meet criteria such as objectivity, convincing argumentation, critical analysis and, when application is to be judged in any specific situation, critical reflection. To this end, graduates have at their disposal specific academic and practical skills, such as literature research, data collection, argumentation, written and oral presentation skills. The objective of the programme is to provide thorough knowledge of the disciplines central to international business administration, to develop the skills needed to integrate knowledge from these disciplines, and to apply both skills and knowledge when solving everyday organizational problems. Graduates are able to analyse everyday problems through relevant theories from various disciplines, develop solutions within the context of a multidisciplinary team and to convey these solutions to customers. The graduate has learnt to take into account the effects of implementation on all business processes. Finally, the graduate can operate in an international context, and is sensitive to cross-cultural issues. Professional service industry The programme trains individuals for general management and consultancy roles. In addition, the programme pays extra attention to acquisition and application of knowledge in the framework of the professional service industry, such as financial institutions, IT companies, accountancy firms, consultancy firms, logistics and service-based departments of large industrial companies. As such, graduates possess not only general managerial skills, but also have specific expertise in the field of the professional service industry Target Group The programme aims primarily at international and local students having completed a secondary education equivalent to the level of Dutch pre-university education. Selection as to motivation, knowledge of English and Mathematics is part of the admission procedure. Working out the mission statement into main aspects The mission statement described above is worked out to into the following main aspects contained in the programme The programme : 24

5 Teaches students to adopt an academic attitude: critical, reflective, and conscious of academic standards Provides students with thorough knowledge of the disciplines business administration, social sciences, economics, technology and law, the aim of which is to provide students with multidisciplinary knowledge Teaches students to integrate knowledge of these disciplines to solve managerial problems from an interdisciplinary perspective. Attention is paid to business processes and international issues. Pays attention to theory and application; including the acquisition of the necessary skills to apply theoretical concepts Focuses on the professional service industry Offers active participation; is attractive and challenging Teaches students to cooperate, present results orally and in writing, and debate Offers intensive guidance Offers an international context Can be completed in three years Is open to any qualified student, but is selective once the programme has started Effectuating the core aspects as final attainment levels Appreciation of academic disciplines Students have an appreciation of the theoretical and methodological field of knowledge associated with international business as an academic discipline, together with the academic disciplines of economics, social sciences and technology. Students who have completed this programme will have sufficient basic knowledge to analyse business issues, and to develop solutions using business methods and techniques for collecting and analyzing data. In addition, these students will have had experience in setting up, conducting, and reporting on research projects in a scientifically sound manner. Access to academic knowledge Students must be capable of locating academic articles and professional publications that they need for their (academic or social) professional life, and of critically evaluating such publications. After completing the bachelor s programme, students will be capable of conveying the central academic issues and theoretical frameworks, and of furnishing them with knowledgeable comments. Holders of a bachelor s degree will also have developed sufficient expertise in the field of business services in their chosen specialization to enable them to tackle specific business issues. Academic attitude Holders of a bachelor s degree: have an understanding of the nature of academic knowledge, and how this is generated are able to describe and explain business issues, using an academically sound approach have an open mind when it comes to academic and social developments, as well as the attitude and skills needed for lifelong learning and professional growth are capable of producing clear written reports and oral presentations, attuned to a given forum, and can express themselves adequately orally as well as in writing Bachelor s Programme 25

6 have the conceptual and reasoning skills needed to conduct and apply academic work. Practical skills Holders of a Bachelor s degree are able to set up and implement projects systematically, and to operate as team players. They also possess the communicative and social skills needed when working in organizations, for cooperating with others, and when dealing with customers and opponents. Once they have completed the Bachelor s programme, students are able to describe the bottlenecks and pitfalls commonly encountered during project implementation. They will be able to present solutions in the areas of organization, people (acceptance), and systems (both the production systems and the information systems). Professional skills After completing the programme, graduates have acquired the professional skills to work in a variety of markets. They are quality-conscious by habit; taking the set conditions into account, they deliver professional-quality products and services. Further, they are able to recognize circumstances in which independent, rational, disciplined thought is of the essence. At such times, they also have the strength and courage to put their abilities to the test. The programme s broad international outlook means that holders of a bachelor's degree are able to operate in an international context, approaching business issues by integrating the views of economics, technical sciences, social general business administration Teaching The methods of teaching used are geared to the final objectives of the programme. This means that knowledge must be garnered, but also that students must acquire sufficient insight to evaluate the practical value of such knowledge and the skills to apply it. It is for this reason that great emphasis is placed on interactive ways of learning, such as discussion classes, case tutorials and projects. The process of working with theories and models provides valuable insights into their potential and limitations. You can employ cases and study assignments to practice using the application. Many lectures take the form of practical classes, relatively little use is made of formal lectures (about one third of all face-to-face contact time). These lectures are used to introduce students to the theoretical aspects. Teaching during the first and second year involves formal lectures, discussion classes, case tutorials, and practical classes. The discussion classes, case tutorials, and practical classes involve groups of 20 to 25 students. Formal lectures involve large groups of students. Lecturers use formal lectures to introduce students to the theoretical aspects. On average, you should expect to have two formal lectures per week, each lasting for two hours. There are also discussion classes. In the course of a discussion class, a lecturer guides a group of students in a critical discussion of the literature. As part of this, you will often be asked to complete short assignments. In case tutorials, you get the chance to apply what you have learned to real cases, derived from everyday life. You will usually work on a case as part of a team, consisting of two to three individuals. When working on a case, you have to 2

7 define clearly the problem at hand, before determining how you are going to go about developing a solution for this problem. Finally, you resolve the case and draw up a written report. The teams present their case solutions during the case tutorial, after which they are discussed by the group. The main purpose of the practical assignments and cases is to promote understanding and to teach students how to apply the results. These lectures are subject to an attendance requirement. Practicals involve discussions of completed assignments. These lectures are subject to an attendance requirement. Third-year courses involve a variety of teaching methods. Most courses are taught by means of formal lectures. In addition, working either individually or in small groups, you will prepare an essay or paper. The instruction in professional skills will be intensely interactive in nature. For more detailed descriptions of the learning methods, see the course descriptions Examinations Material that is taught in formal lectures is assessed by means of written examinations. These can contain both open and multiple choice questions. For further information on the marking of these examinations, see the section entitled General information for Bachelor's students. 2.3 First-year programme The first year consists of four periods of eight weeks and two periods of four weeks. In each eight-week period you will take two subjects, each worth six ECTS credits. The first six weeks are devoted to lectures, and the eighth week to exams. The two four-week periods, which each have a study load of six credits, are devoted to integration projects and supplementary courses. The first year starts off with an introduction to and an orientation on the business model used in the programme. In the introductory course you will get acquainted with the object of business administration: organisations in their international environment. You will study companies in need of improvement, analyse their processes and write a plan for improvement. You will learn which tools a business administrator can employ in situations like these. In addition to its academic aspects, the programme incorporates practical elements, allowing you to develop skills needed during your studies. Thus, attention will not only be paid to academic skills, such as writing texts, using the library, case analysis and problem definition but also to presentation skills and basic cross cultural skills necessary for recognizing cultural diversity and working with this within, for instance, the IBA student population. A study manual is made available via Blackboard at the start of every period. This contains extensive information about the objectives, working methods, and contents of a course. The descriptions of the various courses themselves can be found at the back of this guide. The schedule below shows the structure of the first-year teaching programme: Bachelor s Programme 27

8 Period 1 (Sept-Oct) Period 2 (Nov-Dec) Period 3 (January) Period 4 (Feb-Mar) Period 5 (Apr-May) Period (June) Introduction to Marketing and Marketing Research Financial Accounting and Bookkeeping Business Mathematics Skills Lab Integration : Business Processes Business Research Methods Organizational Behavior Logistics and Operations Research Finance and Financial Arithmetic Statistics I Cross Cultural Management Basics Economics credits credits credits credits credits credits credits 2.4 Second-year programme The second year consists of four periods of eight weeks and two periods of four weeks. In each eight-week period you will take two subjects, each worth six ECTS credits. The two four-week periods, which each have a study load of six ECTS credits, are devoted to integration projects and supplementary subjects. Period 1 (Sept-Oct) Period 2 (Nov-Dec) Period 3 (January) Period 4 (Feb-Mar) Period 5 (Apr-May) Period (June) Strategy and Environment 2.1 BA Business Information Technology Organization Design Financial Management Human Resources Management Statistics II (SPSS) Management Accounting Quantitative Business Analysis European Business Law Logistics and Information Systems Services Marketing Integration: Business Plan Philosophy I credits credits credits credits credits credits credits Enrolment courses first and second year In the first two years of the IBA programme you are automatically enrolled into all the courses and divided into groups. However this does not hold for: second-year students who still have to complete (a part of) a first-year course third-year students who still have to complete (a part of) a second year course 28

9 If this is the case, you have to indicate beforehand which course or which part of the course you wish to follow. You can register for these courses at not on Blackboard. If you wish to attend the entire course, you enrol twice: once for the cases and once for the exam (except for the new courses because you heve to follow the entire course). You will be added to Blackboard and into the group. If you wish to take only the case tutorial again, you enrol cases. You will be added to Blackboard and into a group. If you wish to take only the exam, you enrol for exam. You will be added to Blackboard and have access to the information posted there. 2.5 Third-year programme The aim of the third and final year of the programme is twofold. On the one hand, it is used for completion of your studies and to further expand on and integrate knowledge acquired in the first two years. On the other, it is used to give students the opportunity to select courses in order to prepare for entrance into a master s programme, either at the faculty or elsewhere. The third year is also different from the first two years in that you are able to select courses you are interested in. A variety of courses is offered; the methods of teaching, however, may differ from year one and two. Some courses are obligatory for all students, some for a specific specialisation in the MSc Business Administration, others are entirely optional. The latter are intended to allow you to follow your own interests, or to prepare for a master other than Business Administration. A BSc in with appropriate choice of courses in your third year will allow you to enter the Master s programme Business Administration without any difficulty, but other master s programmes usually require you to pass additional courses in your third year. Greater freedom of choice, pleasant as this may be, also means greater responsibility for students. Unlike years one and two, you are now for a large part responsible for creating your third-year curriculum, for meeting the final examination requirements and for meeting any entry conditions of the master s programme of your choice. You are therefore well-advised to start planning in an early stage, study master s programmes, read course descriptions and compare the possibilities with universities abroad. The third year also includes courses on academic and professional skills and competencies. Academic competencies are necessary for you to carry out scientific research and require you to have insight into how scientific knowledge is gained. Professional competencies are needed in your day-to-day profession, in which social and communicative skills are of great importance. Finally, as the programme is an international one, part of the third year is reserved for exchange with a university abroad. The study-load of the third year is divided as follows: Compulsory courses (27 credits) (International) Business Administration / Economics courses (24 credits) Bachelor s Programme 29

10 Optional courses (9 credits) Description of third-year programme Compulsory courses (27 credits) A total of 27 credits is spent on the following five compulsory courses. This includes the bachelor s thesis, written at the end of the year. Advanced Business Research Methods ( credits) Professional Skills () Philosophy II () Social Network Analysis ( credits) Bachelors thesis (9 credits) International) Business Administration / Economics courses (24 credits) You should spend 24 credits on Business Administration or (Business) Economics courses, of which at least half, that is, at least 12 credits, should be spent on courses having an international focus. A list of courses is provided in paragraph Note that this list only includes courses taught in the faculty; you can add courses taught at other faculties or universities, including those taught abroad, as long as they are business or economics courses. Take care that these courses should be third-year courses or, when taken elsewhere, of equivalent level. This is usually indicated by the term intermediate level. Note further that at least 12 credits of these courses should have an international focus, that is to say, at least half of these courses should be Economics or Business Administration courses on international economics and management. Examples are: Development Economics, Diversity management, European Integration, International Economics, International Management, Intercultural Communication etc. International courses include those taught abroad and having a country-specific focus, e.g. Mexican Business Management or Japanese Technology Management. The courses listed in paragraph also allow you to satisfy the entry requirements of a Master s programme of your choice. Each master s programme has its own entry requirements, sometimes specified per master s specialization. Thus, should you wish to take a Master s in Business Administration, specialization Finance, Banking and Insurance, you are required to take two courses on finance in your third year. The entry requirements for the faculty s master s programmes are listed in paragraph ff. Optional courses (9 credits) A total of 9 credits can be spent on optional courses, which serve to give room to widening one's academic interest. These may be chosen from third-year courses taught within the faculty, in which case they are already approved of, or from other faculties, e.g., Psychology, Social Sciences or Law. Courses chosen from outside the faculty need to be approved of in advance by the Examination Board. Of course there is no problem at all if you decide to spend these credits on extra business administration or economics courses. 30

11 2.5.2 Exchange Programme For all third-year IBA students who meet the exchange criteria there is a guaranteed exchange semester in autumn. To this end, a number of places abroad have been earmarked for the exclusive use of IBA students. In addition, a number of universities abroad offer courses already pre-approved for selection and meeting, for instance, the entry requirements for Master s programmes. You are, however, entirely free to select other universities or courses. In this case, the courses chosen must be approved of by the examination board before you leave. Although the third-year programme is geared towards exchange in the first semester, it is possible to go abroad in the period February-June. This may prove more problematic, however, and will require greater flexibility on your part as more individual arrangements need to be made. Exchange programmes are arranged through the faculty s International Office. The International Office can provide you with detailed information on courses on offer abroad and how to incorporate them into your third year, but also on arrangements for visa, insurance, allowance etc. Their website contains a wealth of information on studying abroad. It is well worth visiting this for orientation before you start making definite plans. See feweb.vu.nl > English > exchange. For information you can contact Ms Lara Hager, BA or Ms Tamar Pagrach, MSc, in room 2E-8; international@feweb.vu.nl; office hours Monday-Thursday from hrs or by appointment. The deadline for enrolling for an exchange programme with the international office is usually around 1st March, but check the website for precise dates. Remember also that you can only go abroad if, at the start of your third year, you have at least 90 credits and have completed all first-year courses. This means that you must have at least 78 credits when enrolling in order to be eligible for exchange. Although studying abroad is highly recommended, it is not obligatory, and, in case of foreign students, sometimes impossible because of visa-arrangements. Still, you are advised to take this opportunity as going abroad will greatly add to the value of your university degree Third-year teaching schedule The schedule below shows the structure of the third-year teaching programme. It contains the courses suitable for making up your 24 credits of (international) business administration or economics courses. The column Remarks gives further information on the status of the course and, in capital letters, for which master the course is required for entrance. It is important to check paragraph 3..ff., in which the entry conditions to the faculty s master s programmes are described, especially the entry conditions to other master s than Business Administration. There you will find which courses to take from other programmes as well as other information relevant to their selection. Period 1 (Sept-Oct) Credits Remarks Exchange OR Management Accounting and Control 12 BA-fbi; ACC Bachelor s Programme 31

12 Advanced Human Resource Management Business Intelligence European Integration and Network Development (p. 1 and 2) Dutch-taught European Distribution and Supply Chain Logistics Technology and Innovation Financial Accounting Macro-economie Consumer Behaviour Midden- en kleinbedrijf Ondernemingsrecht Methoden en technieken AE/FE onderzoek See p. 2 BA-ms BA-eb Int. course BA-tdl ACC EC MKT EC; FIN; STrE Period 2 (Nov-Dec) Credits Remarks Exchange OR Organization Perspectives and Dynamics Introduction to E-Business and IT-Industry Knowledge Management Microeconomics International Economics Urban Economics European Integration and Network Development (p. 1 and 2) 12 BA-ms BA-eb EC Int. course Int. course Dutch-taught Accounting Information Systems Corporate Finance Enterprise Systems Economische en sociale geschiedenis Toegepaste kwantitatieve economie Introduction to Finance, Banking and Insurance Introduction to Transport, Distribution and Logistics Introduction to Consultancy Industry BA-fbi; FIN BA-eb. BA-fbi BA-tdl BA-ms Period 3 (Jan) Credits Remarks Exchange OR Tutorial Marketing (periods 3 and 4) Optional courses See p. 4 MKT; Dutch-taught Werkcollege, Micro- of Macro-economie (periods 3 and 4) Werkcollege Accounting (FA/MA) (periods 3 and 4) Werkcollege Corporate Finance See p. 4 See p. 4 See p. 4 EC; STrE ACC MF Period 4 (Febr-Mar) Credits Remarks Advanced Business Research Methods Social Network Analysis Logistics Christian Philosophy in an International Perspective Development Economics Investments Marketing Research Strategic Management and the Strategy process Transport and Network Economics Financial Risk Management Purchasing and E-Procurement Compulsory Compulsory BA-tdl Int. course Int. course BA-fbi; FIN MKT BA-ms BA-fbi BA-eb; BA-tdl 32

13 Environmental Economics and Management Tutorial Marketing (periods 3 and 4) Dutch-taught Belastingrecht Boekhouden (periods 4 and 5) Bedrijfseconomisch practicum E-Business Financial Statement Analysis Toegepaste data-analyse Werkcollege Corporate Finance, Accounting (FA/MA), Micro- or Macro-economie (periods 3 and 4) see p 5 BA-eb BA-fbi; ACC Period 5 (April-May) Credits Remarks Professional Skills Philosophy II start bachelor s thesis International Marketing Labour, Care and Well-Being Strategy and Economics Strategy and Environment See p Compulsory Compulsory Compulsory Int. course Dutch-taught Boekhouden (periods 4 and 5) Financial Statement Analysis Economie van het onroerend goed Period (June) Credits Remarks Bachelor s thesis 9 Compulsory Enrolment courses third year For all third-year courses taught at the faculty you are required to register in advance in order to be admitted. You can do so at For instructions, see Announcements in the opening screen. Failure to register may result in your being unable to take part Bachelor s thesis Before you can start writing your bachelor s thesis, you should have fulfilled two conditions: You must have obtained at least 120 credits; You must have passed the course Statistics II (SPSS) and Quantitative Business Analysis Usually students writing their theses are grouped into smaller groups, each supervised by a thesis supervisor. Group formation is usually done on basis of thesis subject. For a detailed description of the process of writing the thesis, supervision, and the enrolment procedure, see the Manual Bachelor s Thesis, to be found on Blackboard. If you are unable to start your thesis in your third year, for instance because you did not satisfy the entry conditions, you can do so at the beginning of the following year. Thus, there are two opportunities for you to write your thesis: periods 5 and of the third year and periods 2 and 3 of the fourth year. Bachelor s Programme 33

14 Please take due note of the fact that you cannot start any master s programme without having completed your thesis. See also the paragraph on Conditional admission to master s programmes below Internship It is possible to do an internship in your third year. This will take about eight weeks full-time work, although this may of course be spread over the year, or part of the year. A successful internship will be awarded 12 credits; of which will be subtracted from your room for optional courses and from the room for Business Administration of Business Economics courses. If you decide to take an internship, you have to spend 18 credits on Business Administration of Business Economics courses, rather than 24, and on optional courses, rather than 9. Bear in mind that internships should allow you to carry out work on the level of junior business administrator, and should thus contain one or a number of assignments that can be completed by you. Further, internships should have an international focus, that is, they should either be carried out abroad, or at an internationally oriented company. Please observe that taking part in the exchange programme and doing an internship in the same year may prove quite a heavy burden as it implies your absence from the faculty for a large part of your third year. You may experience great difficulty in meeting final examination standards at the end of the year. You are therefore advised not to do both in one year. Internships should be approved of by you supervisor before you start. Should you wish to take an internship, read the Manual Internships International Business Administration, fill out the application form and hand this in. Manual and application forms are available from Blackboard. 2. Master s Programme Business Administration Following your bachelor, you can opt for further study and specialisation by entering the Master s programme Business Administration. This is a scientific programme, in which doing research and application of science play a central role. An important part of this programme is therefore reserved for carrying out an independent, academic research project and reporting on this in the master s thesis. The Master s programme takes one year and consists of a number of general courses and a number of specialisation courses. At the start of the programme, each student makes a choice for his area of specialisation from one of the four following: Management Studies Finance, Banking and Insurance Transport, Distribution and Logistics E-Business 2..1 MSc Business Administration: entry requirements To prepare for any of the four specialisations of the Master s programme in Business Administration you should spend 12 credits on third-year courses in the field of any of the four following. As stated before, these courses are part of the 24 credits you 34

15 have to spend on business administration or economics in your third year programme. They can be taken either at the faculty or abroad. Bear in mind that these courses should be third-year courses or, when taken elsewhere, of equivalent level. This is usually indicated the term intermediate level somewhere in the title of, for instance, textbooks. Specialisation Management Studies (MS) For this specialization you should follow courses in the field of management and organization, such as Management of Change, Human Resource Management, Strategic Management, Innovation Management, Knowledge Management, Organization Design, Consultancy, Organization Theory, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Project Management, etc. Specialisation Finance, Banking and Insurance (FBI) This specialization requires courses in the field of finance and financial services industry, such as: Corporate Finance, Investments, Treasury Management, or Management Accounting etc. Specialisation Transport, Distribution and Logistics (TDL) For this specialization you can choose courses in the field of Transport, Distribution, Logistics, Transport Economy, Supply Chain Management, Purchasing etc. Specialisation E-Business (EB) This specialization requires courses such as E-Commerce, Knowledge Management, Information Systems, Innovation Management, Outsourcing, Management of Technology etc Other Master s Programmes: entry conditions Having a BSc in of course also allows you to enter other, related, master s programmes as well. As with the MSc Business Administration, all of the faculty s master s programmes are scientific ones, in which doing research and application of science are central. The aim of any master s programme is to equip you with the knowledge and skills to carry out an independent, academic research project and report on this in your master s thesis. The following master s programmes are taught at the faculty. All programmes take one year and start in September only. All programmes are taught in English. Master of Science in Accounting and Control Master of Science in Econometrics and Operations Research Master of Science in Economics Master of Science in Finance Master of Science in Marketing Master of Science in Spatial, Transport and Environmental Economics Master of Philosophy (two-year research master) Admission to any of these master s programmes is dependent on the courses you take in your third year. These courses are listed below. Bear in mind, however, that these are usually third-year courses taught in the Bachelor s Programme 35

16 bachelor s programmes Economics and Business or Business Administration and are therefore often in Dutch. See the table in paragraph Many of these courses have their equivalents abroad, so should you wish to take these courses in English, you are well advised to try and complete them during your exchange period. Bachelor IBA + - Management Accounting & Control - Financial Accounting - Financial Statement Analysis MSc Accounting & Control 1 Bachelor IBA + - additional requirements specified by Examination Board Econometrics Bachelor IBA + - Microeconomics - Macroeconomics - Tutorial micro or macro (werkcollege) 2 - Research Methods General and Financial Economics (Methoden en Technieken AE/FE) 3 Bachelor IBA + - Microeconomics - Tutorial Microeconomics (werkcollege) 2 - Research Methods General and Financial Economics (Methoden en Technieken AE/FE) 3 Bachelor IBA + - Corporate Finance - Investments - Tutorial Corporate Finance (werkcollege) - Research Methods General and Financial Economics (Methoden en Technieken AE/FE) 3 Bachelor IBA + - Tutorial Marketing (werkcollege) 2 - Marketing Research MSc Econometrics MSc Economics MSc Spatial, Transport and Environmental Economics MSc Finance MSc Marketing Bachelor IBA + MPhil (two-year research 1 Students wishing to enter the post graduate programme Accountancy without deficiencies can also follow the courses: Accounting Information Systems, Belastingrecht (Tax Law) and bookkeeping. This can be done during the third year, but also at a later point in time. Knowledge of Accounting Information Systems is prerequisite for the Master s course Control and Audit; knowledge of Corporate Finance 3.2 is required for the master s course Corporate Finance 4.2. Fluency in Dutch is required for the post graduate programme. 2 IBA students can only attend tutorials Marketing (English), Corporate Finance (Dutch), Macroeconomics and Microeconomics (both Dutch). In the latter two cases, students must also have followed the preparatory course Macroeconomics or Microecomics respectively. For the tutorial Accounting, should have completed the third-year course Management Accounting and Control. 3 Research Methods in General and Financial Economics (methoden en technieken AE/FE) may replace the course Advanced Business Research Methods). Sufficient knowledge of mathematics is required for this; IBA-students are advised to take the 1 st year economics course, or the pre-master s course on Maths in their second year. Both courses are taught in period 2. 3

17 - Good results - Interested in scientific research master) 2..3 Conditional Admission to Master s Programmes In order to enter any of the faculty s master s programmes, you should have a bachelor s degree which satisfies the master s entry requirements. If you have not completed your bachelor s programme, you can be conditionally admitted to the master s programme if you meet the following conditions: You have completed year one and two You have passed all compulsory courses in year three You satisfy the entry requirements as specified above You have a backlog of 12 credits maximum, consisting of third-year optional courses, Philosophy II or Professional Skills. If your backlog is greater than 12 credits, or if you do not meet the entry requirements, you cannot start your master s programme until you satisfy these conditions. Bachelor s Programme 37

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