Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, BBA, International Business

During the studies you will be trained in a wide range of skills:

• conducting interviews
• giving presentations
• collecting and analyzing research data
• collaborating in an international group
• managing the process.

Moreover, acquiring solid knowledge of foreign cultures and languages within a business context plays an essential role.

Year 1

International Business starts with a foundation programme, which covers the following themes:

Block 1: Introduction to International Business (Introduction to Marketing, Finance and Management)

Block 2: Research (Marketing, Statistics and Research Skills)

Block 3: Business and Finance (balance sheet, profit and loss account, costing, legal structures, business plan)

Block 4: International Environment (Microeconomics, Macro-economics, European Law)

Electives: During year 1 the students will have the opportunity to select some of the courses they will  attend in order to complete the foundation programme. Students from the English stream can choose two elective courses. The Language  and Culture lines are part of this elective programme. 

Year 2

The second‐year programme continues with the subjects with which the student started in year 1 and he/she will continue to work on projects. These projects are linked to relevant professions in the field of International Business in order to improve the students’ image of their future job prospects. Team‐working skills and theoretical knowledge are developed by means of these projects, which are always of an international nature. 

Year 3

In the third year of studies the students have the possibility to participate in an international study exchange at one of the many partner universities abroad. The study exchange is optional. If the student decides not to go on an exchange programme, he/she expands his/her competences by attending one of the minors Zuyd has to offer.

Moreover, in year 3 every student participates in a six-month internship abroad. During this semester  he/she will have to work and live abroad, to experience a different work environment and to gain international work experience. This internship abroad is a compulsory part of the IB bachelor’s degree programme. 

Year 4

In the first two blocks of year 4 languages and the specialisation courses are offered. The student  can choose to attend one of these specialisations: 

• Strategic Management: during this specialisation the student will learn how to set up the  internal organization of a company by means of assignments such as how to design/apply a  model for CSR implementation, how to design/apply a change management model based on a  newly developed strategy, or how to design/apply a model regarding innovation. 
• Strategic Marketing: during this specialization the student will learn how to arrange the  procurement department, sales and marketing department of an organization, and how to  improve conducting business with customers abroad. For example, he/she will learn how to  write and implement an export plan, a procurement plan, a customer satisfaction plan, a sales  plan, and so on.
• Finance: during this specialisation the student will learn how to financially stabilize his/her  organization and to do business abroad. He/she will learn for example how to design and  execute a cost‐price analysis, an activity based on a research plan, to write and implement an  advisory report regarding foreign currency policy or to develop a financial and legal structure to  work with staff abroad. 
• Supply Chain Management: during this specialisation the student will learn how to prepare the  logistics‐related departments of an organisation and how the entire supply chain in an  organization must be adapted to do business abroad successfully. He/she will for example  design and implement a vendor selection system for SMEs, write and implement a plan to  reduce the supplier database for SMEs, develop and implement a system for incoming goods  control, etc.
• Enterpreneurship

The proportion of real work participation and research assignment (the basis for a thesis) is 50%‐50% in an optimum situation. These assignments and research projects should have an international dimension, requiring a strong theoretical basis.