In the International Business programme, you'll discover the ins and outs of running international businesses, from the small details to a global perspective. You'll look at issues such as:

• Where do you get your raw materials?
• How can you manage your people and your finances?
• How should you make, market and sell your product?
• What’s the best way to evaluate sales and adjust the strategy as needed?

You’ll cover topics from accounting to marketing, and supply chain management to information management. And you’ll also develop the personal qualities you’ll need to succeed in the international business world: adaptability, creativity, self-assurance and more. It’s little wonder that this programme tops the Dutch rankings year after year.

The first two years of the programme are all about what makes the business world go round. You’ll take courses such as Finance and Accounting, Management of Operations and Product Development, all of which will have an international focus. And you’ll take courses that are specifically geared toward the international markets, such as Global Business and International Marketing Management. In the third year, you’ll take more specialised courses and also spend a full semester abroad at one of our partner universities. And throughout the programme, you can take part in high-profile research projects or internships, and get in touch with real companies at student-run business fairs.

What you’ll actually do

• learn by doing in small teams with students from around the world
• address the kinds of problems you’ll face in your career, in a study setting designed to resemble a real working environment
• examine the latest developments in international business and solve real-world cases
• find out how to make a business run, taking into account factors like law, taxation and globalisation
• develop skills such as teamwork, conflict resolution, leadership, presentation skills and intercultural communication

Emerging Markets

Most of the world’s economic growth is taking place in rising economic powers such as the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, China) and other countries in Asia, Latin America, Africa and Eastern Europe. In this specialisation, you’ll use a multi-disciplinary approach to study these emerging economies and the new business opportunities associated with their growth. You’ll learn what drives the high growth in these markets, how they are evolving, where the next business opportunities will be, and how to make responsible management and policy decisions in these rapidly changing and sometimes fragile economies.

Career prospects

The challenging structure of the specialisation is designed to make you an attractive candidate for:

• international (multinational) companies
• international development organisations
• global financial institutions
• trade promotion offices and ministries of national governments
• business and economics consultancies
• market research companies