Getting Started

What makes you do the things you do? Why do you keep hitting a brick wall with this one person? Why isn’t your message getting across?

In this course the focus is on YOU as an individual and a business professional. Through games, reflection, partaking in workshops and studying best (and worst) practices you take the first steps in becoming a business leader like Jack Ma (CEO, AliBaba Group), in channeling your inner Malala Yousafzai, and in speaking like Steve Jobs.

Business Understanding

What makes an organization tick? How are they structured and what’s the link between the different business functions? Is it really all about profit or can you make it big and be good to your community at the same time?

Through (guest)lectures in the fields of Marketing, Logistics, Finance and Human Resource Management and playing the Red Bull Business Simulation game you will start to understand the international business world and the place organizations have in it. You’ll get a taste of what’s to come in the rest of your studies and future profession. 

English Refresher

Get ready to refresh your memory! How did those tenses work again? Do I write beautifully or beautiful? Their, they’re and there are three completely different words, remember? In this practical application of grammar you will write in order to enhance (and refresh) your English grammar skills.

Foreign Language

Hola, dos cervezas por favor. Ich bin ein Berliner. Je suis chaud. Hoe bereid je een paard?

Always wanted to able to ask for more than a beer in Salou? Want to avoid comparing yourself to a German pastry or not be embarrassed because you just told a client you’re hot (not related to the weather)? Want to avoid being accused of cooking your own horse?

Boost your labour market performance and increase your chances of getting the job you want by choosing Spanish, French, Russian or German as your foreign language. Through various written and oral exercises, you will improve your professional language proficiency.

Elective

Always wanted to know How to Survive in Italy? Take a Masterclass Sales? Do you love to cook and want to know more about Food (Culture) and Marketing?

The University offers over 30 electives in English that cover a wide array of subjects (from arts and culture to anthropology and augmented reality and everything in between). Partake in 3 electives this year to boost your labour market performance, add depth to your studies, or just do something because it’s fun (after all, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy).

International Business Environment: Principles

Forget about the BRICS, Poland is the new emerging market for business. Or perhaps Malaysia is a country to focus on? Or Columbia?

What makes International Business different? What are the possibilities in new markets and relevant trends? How does e-commerce influence the way international companies do business? Is what’s happening in the outside world a threat to your organisation or an opportunity?

Study basic business theory and get a broad overview of the external environment of business from a Macro- (the landscape a company works in) and Meso (the environment a company can influence indirectly) point of view.

International Business Environment; Applied

Time to put all your knowledge to good use. Apply the theory you’ve learned in the principles module and gather, manage and analyze relevant data for a Macro- and Meso analysis. Communicate your research results verbally and in writing to your organization – in English AND another foreign language. 

English (Remedial, Regular or Advanced)

The results of your diagnostic test are in and you know your score on the Global Scale of English (GSE). Are you more advanced in English? Partake in advanced classes at year 2 level and speed your progress along. Need a little more help boost your language skills? No problem! Partake in our remedial classes and we’ll help get you at the level you need.

Foreign Language

Hola, dos cervezas por favor. Ich bin ein Berliner. Je suis chaud. Hoe bereid je een paard?

Always wanted to able to ask for more than a beer in Salou? Want to avoid comparing yourself to a German pastry or not be embarrassed because you just told a client you’re hot (not related to the weather)? Want to avoid being accused of cooking your own horse?

Boost your labour market performance and increase your chances of getting the job you want by choosing Spanish, French, Russian or German as your foreign language. Through various written and oral exercises, you will improve your professional language proficiency.

Project Management

“Trying to manage a project without project management is like playing a football game without a game plan” - Karen Tate.

Get ready for future business collaboration! Learn, understand and apply the key principles of project management through PRINCE II and AGILE and apply the SCRUM framework by developing a promotional product for the upcoming Business Week. 

Leadership & Professional Development

“Communication is the sister of leadership”- Prof. John Adair.

Learn how to look at yourself with a fresh new perspective through feedback from your LPD coach and your fellow classmates, as well as the input gained from a variety of personality instruments. Turn your dreams, ambitions and goals into a ‘personal mission statement’. Develop new ways of thinking, communicating and collaborating with others with help of practical (in-class) tools.

Foreign Language

Hola, dos cervezas por favor. Ich bin ein Berliner. Je suis chaud. Hoe bereid je een paard?

Always wanted to able to ask for more than a beer in Salou? Want to avoid comparing yourself to a German pastry or not be embarrassed because you just told a client you’re hot (not related to the weather)? Want to avoid being accused of cooking your own horse?

Boost your labour market performance and increase your chances of getting the job you want by choosing Spanish, French, Russian or German as your foreign language. Through various written and oral exercises, you will improve your professional language proficiency.

Internal Organisation Analysis; Principles

“The primary asset for any business is its organization” – William Feather. The question is: how do organizations work internally?

We take you on a company visit and let you experience the culture of a successful international organization: IKEA. Then it’s up to you to apply what you’ve seen and learned there in (in-class) discussions and presentations. Enhance your theoretical knowledge of the internal workings of international organizations through a case study on Ikea and (guest) lectures in the fields of HRM (Organization and People), Marketing and Sales, Operations (Logistics) and Finance and Accounting.

Internal Organisation Analysis; Applied

You’ve studied the place organizations take in the international business world, you’ve studied the internal operations of Ikea in the principles module. You know all the ins and outs of project management. Take all that and in a project team identify and solve one of the issues Ikea is struggling with. Do (desk) research, conduct interviews, analyse and communicate your findings in an original way (build a website, shoot a video, or create a leaflet for example) and pitch them in class.  

English (Remedial, Regular or Advanced)

Your English skills will continue to grow through various types of exercises and a variety of topics. Did you need a little more focus on grammar in the previous block? Take another diagnostic test and see if you can advance to the regular or perhaps the advanced classes. 

Foreign Language

Hola, dos cervezas por favor. Ich bin ein Berliner. Je suis chaud. Hoe bereid je een paard?

Always wanted to able to ask for more than a beer in Salou? Want to avoid comparing yourself to a German pastry or not be embarrassed because you just told a client you’re hot (not related to the weather)? Want to avoid being accused of cooking your own horse?

Boost your labour market performance and increase your chances of getting the job you want by choosing Spanish, French, Russian or German as your foreign language. Through various written and oral exercises, you will improve your professional language proficiency.

Elective

Always wanted to know How to Survive in Italy? Take a Masterclass Sales? Do you love to cook and want to know more about Food (Culture) and Marketing?

The University offers over 30 electives in English that cover a wide array of subjects (from arts and culture to anthropology and augmented reality and everything in between). Partake in 3 electives this year to boost your labour market performance, add depth to your studies, or just do something because it’s fun (after all, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy).

Business Models; Principles

“A business model describes the rationale of how an organisation creates, delivers and captures value” – Alexander Osterwalder

What does a company do, actually? Who are their main partners? Why should a customer pick their product over another? What value do they provide their customers? How do companies interact with their clients?

In this module both the external and internal elements of a real organisation come together. By using the Business Model Canvas, and answering the questions given above (and more) you will learn and experience how the various elements of a business model are linked and influence each other.

Business Models; Applied

Now it’s time to put your money where your mouth is. In previous modules you’ve learned all about internal and external factors influencing businesses and seen how it’s all connected with help of the Business Model Canvas. Now take all that you’ve learned and studied and together with your project team choose a company and apply the Business Model Canvas to their organisation. 

Leadership & Professional Development

This module helps you develop your skills in personal management and continue building inter-personal communication and personal leadership skills. You start reflecting on what you’ve learned and achieved this first year of your studies and start building your personal development plan for your second year of study.

English (Remedial, Regular or Advanced)

Take your final exam and see how your hard work in the previous blocks paid off. You receive a score on the Global Scale of English (GSE) which you list on your c.v.

Foreign Language

In case you are in the possession of a Dutch diploma, you can choose of one of the following languages: French / German / Spanish. It is not possible to choose your native language. In case you are in the possession of a Non-Dutch diploma, Dutch is mandatory for you.

Always wanted to able to ask for more than a beer in Salou? Want to avoid comparing yourself to a German pastry or not be embarrassed because you just told a client you’re hot (not related to the weather)? Want to avoid being accused of cooking your own horse?

Boost your labour market performance and increase your chances of getting the job you want by choosing Spanish, French, Russian or German as your foreign language. Through various written and oral exercises, you will improve your professional language proficiency.