Course content
Do you want a career in international business and would you like to learn how to conduct business around the globe? The English degree programme International Business prepares you for a managerial position in an international business environment.
You will work with peers from 35 nationalities and you will learn how to become a conscious business professional who really can make a difference. We expect you to spend at least one semester abroad and you will be able to start your career anywhere in the world after your graduation. During the first two years, you will gain a solid theoretical basis and hands-on experience in real business assignments.
- Tuition first year € 1082
for new first year students
- Tuition € 2,168
for EU/EEA students
- Tuition € 7,800
for non-EU students
- Additional costs € 300 - € 500
for books
What will you be learning?
The bachelor programme covers all four essential domains of Business Administration, both theoretical and practical including:
- Marketing & Sales
- Finance & Accounting
- Operations & Supply Chain Management
- People & Organisation
During the four-year course, we expect you to acquire thorough theoretical knowledge and practical experience in all four business domains, and you will become the expert in connecting and balancing the different interests and roles within companies in practical cases.
During years three and four, we expect you to choose one of the four business domains with the aim to graduate on specialist level in your business domain of choice (Marketing & Sales, Finance & Accounting, Operations & Supply Chain Management and People & Organisation). Real-life business cases in close cooperation with real companies form the heart of the programme starting on day one. International Business at Saxion is unique due to its hands-on work experience and the possibility to tailor your specialisation to your own talent and interests; the perfect preparation for your international career.
THE FIRST YEAR
A solid theoretical basis of international business and management
In the first year, you gain a solid theoretical basis of international business and management. You will acquire knowledge of Marketing & Sales, Financial Accounting, Operations & Supply Chain Management and People & Organisation. The approach is very practical, as real company assignments form the heart of the education. Furthermore, you will have courses for orientation to your specialization (Languages, Technology and Innovation, Entrepreneurship) during the first semester. You will start with your specialisation in the second semester. In addition, you will also work on developing your professional skills.
Study load
- 40% Theory
- 50% Practical and group work
- 10% Study career coaching
The second year
Specific courses and projects related to your specialisation
In the second year, your knowledge and experience of Marketing & Sales, Financial Accounting, Operations & Supply Chain Management and People & Organisation will be deepened and you will work on increasingly complex and integrated company cases. Depending on the specialisation you have chosen, you will have specific courses and projects related to your specialisation.
Top Talent Programme
From the second year, you will have the opportunity to qualify for a Saxion Top Talent Programme. This will allow you to develop your talents even further in order to speed up your progress to a university programme.
The third and fourth year
Deepen your knowledge and refine your skills in application in various practical business situations
The last two years will deepen your knowledge and will refine your skills in application in various practical business situations. You will work on developing and fine-tuning your personal brand and choose a business domain where you will acquire the specialist level. You can spend your minor abroad and deploy your theoretical knowledge in an interdisciplinary, practical environment. The conclusion of your study programme consists of a final assignment.
Specialisations
In the first semester, you will get acquainted with the four specialisations and you will definitively select the programme which suits you best. This offers you the possibility to use the first six months as an orientation to your specific interest and future role in the international business arena. During years three and four of your IB course, you will have an additional opportunity to specialise in the business domain that suits your preferences. Our expertise lies in finding the study route that matches your specific talents and ambitions. When you enroll for International Business, you will have the opportunity to make a choice from one of the following specialisations after the first semester:
What will IB/L add to your International Business programme?
You will have the choice to become a fluent business partner in Spanish, German or Dutch. Besides learning to use the language in specific business situations you will become a specialist in intercultural management and bridge differences between cultures and disciplines. IB/L offers a perfect start for an international career.
Do your professional ambitions lie in an international business development context, and are you interested in the impact of new technology on international business? Then International Business / T is the right specialisation for you.
New technology is changing the world very fast. The internet of things, big data, robotics, machine learning and many other new tech trends force companies to modify their business models and become smart businesses. Traditional business models will disappear and new models and businesses will change the world.
Do you want to play a role in making these changes? Do you want to understand the impact and creative possibilities of the tech revolution that is going on? Then the IB/T could be your specialisation.
What will IB/T add to your International Business programme?
You will get inside information about the trends in technology and learn about the possibilities and threats these new technologies offer to existing and new business models and companies. You will learn to work with Technology Road mapping and learn to contribute to change management and business- or product innovation processes in international companies.
Do your professional ambitions lie in being an entrepreneur and starting your own business? Do you have an idea how to improve the life of your potential customers and do you have the attitude and mindset to create your own success? Then International Business / E might be the right route for you.
Many businesses start as one person’s idea. The creator is often an entrepreneur who spots a gap in the market or a commercial opportunity. They turn the idea into a marketable product or service.
Entrepreneurship is an attitude. What is important is that you are prepared to take risks and are driven by achievement. It is also important to learn to understand your motivation. Are you not put off by failure?
During the IB/E specialisation, you work on building your own business. You investigate your potential market and your competition and make a financial plan for your company. All this comes together with an intensive (personal) development package.
New businesses are agile and change the business landscape. Where large companies often fail to make changes, small start-ups are agile and make change happen in business.
What will IB/E add to you International Business programme?
You will learn and practise to put together your own offer to your potential customers and learn and practice to your own company. A lot of emphasis will be put on developing your skills and self-knowledge as an entrepreneur.
Although this specialisation is aimed at students who want to start a company, this course is also very interesting for developing your skills as an “intrapreneur” in existing companies. This programme is the most hands-on course in the IB programme.
Ever since globalization has become a trend, international trade has increased tremendously. Orders at AliExpress (China) are delivered at your doorstep in whatever country you live. Simultaneously, due to topics like geopolitics, safety, digitalization, carbon footprint, human rights, local laws, etc., the complexity of international trade has increased as well. Organizing international trade therefore has become vital to international operating companies and urges companies to adapt and employ experts in this field. Maybe you will be that expert in future?
The international trade context requires professionals who can act quickly and adequately in an ever-changing environment in order to e.g. choose trading terms, consider importing/exporting, change strategy due to developments in global trade policy, etc. Social and individual competencies play a decisive role and creative out-of-the-box solutions must be proposed for complex international challenges. In addition, ethics and social responsibility are increasingly important for business professionals nowadays. The qualities required to operate successfully in such a globalized world determines the success of our students - the future trade professionals!
What will International Trade add to your International Business programme?
The IB-programme is tuned on the broad perspective of doing business internationally. Once companies decide to expand their international scope the practicality of day-to-day business becomes a challenge: How will my products be delivered to my customer on the other side of the world? What hurdles does my company face when importing products from Brazil? Is it conscious to manufacture in Bangladesh? How can I reduce my carbon footprint in logistics? These and many other issues will be tackled in this specialization, giving you also the opportunity to choose your own field of interest. Traders working at international companies together with teachers will challenge and inspire you to become an expert in providing solutions to the day-to-day challenges they face! Join this journey together with us.