RSM's BSc in International Business Administration (2024)

An academic year typically runs from early September to approximately mid-June. Every year you enrol in 4-6 blocks where you focus on different academic topics for a period of 5-8 weeks. For each block various assignments and exams are due.

Weekly schedule:

• A weekly schedule that typically includes attending 2-3 lectures per week, as well as participating in 1-2 workshops.
• Dedicated self-study time is crucial, and the amount of time required varies based on the number of subjects you take on and the specific demands of each course.
• On average, you allocate 2-6 hours per day for study. It’s important to note that this range may fluctuate depending on the complexity and workload of your individual courses.

Types of assignments:

• Throughout the programme, you encounter various types of assignments that encompass different formats and tasks:
  • Group assignmentswhere you collaborate with your peers to tackle a shared project.
  • Essay assignments that require you to demonstrate your analytical and writing skills.
  • Exercises and case studies are also essential parts of the curriculum, offering practical applications of the concepts you have learned.

Exams:

Exams are both in written form and computer-based, which are usually conducted on campus. These exams may consist of a combination of multiple-choice questions and open questions. Additionally, you might be assigned a final essay that assesses your comprehensive understanding of the course material.

Our education system places a significant emphasis on active student participation in the learning process, which empowers you to take charge of your own education.

In many courses, we implement a hybrid format to combine different modes of learning. Lectures can be conducted in-person, through pre-recorded videos, or via online platforms like Zoom. Recorded videos and online lectures have a student-centred approach. This requires students to independently engage with the content and manage their learning schedule according to their own pace and preferences.

For most courses, students can attend both plenary lectures and workshops. Most in-person lectures are teacher-centred. The teacher explains the content and you can ask questions. Additionally, there are guest lectures given by industry professionals who provide real-world insights and experiences.

Workshops take place amongst smaller groups of students and are led by teaching assistants. This facilitates lively interaction, more opportunities to ask detailed questions and tailored feedback.

If it’s not your native language, studying in English might seem intimidating at first. But rest assured, there is no need to worry. Your proficiency in English naturally improves at a rapid pace as you engage in the academic environment. Moreover, if you meet the English language requirements for the programme, you should have the competencies needed to excel.

However, if your goal is to fully integrate into Dutch society or to pursue employment opportunities in the Netherlands, we highly recommended that you learn the Dutch language. To discover more about learning Dutch, check out the Language and Training Centre here (links to LTC page).

The first year of the IBA bachelor programme consists of four blocks and provides you with an overview of the main processes in most companies: production, marketing, organisation, finance and information management. You learn about all the relevant dimensions of business administration and management.

Course spotlight – strategic business plan (SBP)

SBP provides you with an opportunity to connect with real-life businesses. Over the course of three blocks in the first year, you collaborate closely with your chosen company by conducting multiple company visits and looking into their market and environment data. Finally, you hand in a well-researched and practically relevant report that contains strategic advice to both the company and the university.

For a detailed description of all of the courses, please view the course catalogue (for reference only, catalogue continually updated throughout the year).

Professional development and mentoring course

Binding study advice

The second year of the IBA programme also consists of four blocks, but courses such as the research project or entrepreneurship stretch over a longer period of time. A wide array of topics are covered with courses focusing on everything from business law and innovation management to responsible business leadership.

Course spotlight – technology management

The IBA programme has formed a partnership with the neighbouring Technical University Delft (TU Delft), which is a science, engineering and design university. In the technology management course, you and your RSM group work with a group of students from TU Delft on an assignment which requires both groups to understand each other’s worlds of business and industry. This part of the programme encourages mutual understanding of business and industry, an essential skill for any manager.

For a detailed description of all of the courses please view the course catalogue(for reference only, catalogue continually updated throughout the year).

Honours programme

Double degree with philosophy

Your IBA programme concludes with your bachelor project. For this, your knowledge from the advanced research methods course is crucial as it provides you with the research methodology knowledge and training necessary for the bachelor project. The bachelor project is used to measure your ability to present research and opinions – about management of businesses and organisations – in a well-structured, coherent and academic document.

Together in a group of four students, you write your bachelor project, which is based on a theme offered by one of RSM’s departments. You’re closely supervised by an experienced member of academic staff.

At a research university (such as RSM) the education is oriented towards academic higher education, which typically means that the programmes have a more theoretical and research-oriented approach to education. While there is usually also a practical and hands-on component, is this less emphasised and instead theory and concepts are prioritised to cultivate critical thinking with the aim of acquiring knowledge.

Bachelor programmes at RUs are usually three years. After that, most students decide to further specialise with a one-year master degree. RUs also require a final research thesis. Traditionally, internships have not always been part of the curriculum, although this has changed recently. And internships are typically for shorter amounts of time such as 3-6 months.

Studying at a RU might be the right fit for you if you want to focus on the following aspects:

• The role and importance of theory within application.
• Analytical knowledge for professional practice.
• Asking the ‘why’ questions (e.g., why business is conducted in a particular way, etc.)
• Independent learning, which means students excel at RUs when they are successfully able to manage self-study time.

At a university of applied science, the education is oriented towards professional higher education, which typically means that the programmes have a more applied-oriented approach to education. While theories and concepts are also discussed, the practical application of theories is emphasised more with the aim of acquiring specific competences.

Bachelor programmes at UASs are usually four years long, since they typically include a one-year mandatory internship.

Studying at a UAS might be the right fit for you if you want to focus on the following aspects:

• The practical relevance of theories and concepts.
• Applied research for professional practice.
• Asking the ‘how’ questions (e.g., how does a business grow, etc.)
• Hands-on mentality, which means students excel at UASs when they learn best by doing and working in groups.

For students interested in the UAS model, below are some of RSM’s UAS partner schools that have business and business-related programmes:

Avans University of Applied Science

Breda University of Applied Science (BUas)

Hotelschool The Hague

Rotterdam Business School, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences (RBS)

University Colleges in the Netherlands offer Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) education. LAS aims to impart broad knowledge and further the development of general intellectual capacities and academic skills. Simultaneously, it allows for the opportunity to specialise in one particular field of study, termed a major, with the possibility of supporting that with another field, termed a minor. LAS programmes tend to have small class sizes to foster a tight-knit community, and they have more interaction between lectures, tutors and students.

If you want to combine business with other subjects, an LAS education could be a good fit. Erasmus University Rotterdam has its own university college (Erasmus University College) with business majors and minors that you can combine with other topics.

Over half of our IBA graduates choose to continue their studies at RSM directly after graduation by joining one ofour 12–18-month specialised master programmes:

RSM specialised master programmes

Other master programmes out graduates pursue

International experience embedded within the IBA programme gives you a competitive advantage when it comes to taking the first step in your career. Many of our graduates find positions in multinational firms soon after graduation. Some find a position even before they graduate, thanks to relationships developed during their international internships and other networking experiences throughout their time at RSM.

One way to obtain such experiences is through RSM'sdedicatedCareer Centrethat helps current students with:

• Looking for internships, full orpart-time jobs in the Career Portal
• Thinking about their ideal career and finding their motivation and strenghts in the‘Your Future Career’ online study module
• Workshopsto develop your CV writing, application writing, and interviewing skills
• Recruitment and career events attended by recruiters from international companies, speed interviews, and career workshops
• Strengthening their career path with mentoring from our 50,000-strong alumni network inthe MentorMe platform
• Note that non-EEA students with a Dutch higher education diploma are eligible for aone-year orientation visa called a zoekjaarto help you find a job after you graduate.

Over 90% of graduates are employed within 6 months after graduation. The image below give a broad idea of the different sectors RSM alumni tend to end up after their studies:

Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) offers scholarships to prospective students from non-EEA countries who are not entitled to pay the EEA tuition fee, provided their grades are considered ‘excellent’.

• RSM Non-EEA Scholarship of Excellence
• Erasmus University Holland Scholarship
• Entrepreneurial Spirit Scholarship

Besides scholarships awarded by RSM, there are also scholarships awarded by the Dutch government or other organisations that are available if you meet certain criteria such as nationality, age, etc We have listed oneof them below but we encourage you to use resources such asGrantfinderor theScholarship Portalto find additional scholarships.

• G&D Europe Scholarship

Scholarship tips

• Contact the Ministry for Higher Education in your home country to see whether there are scholarship options.