Masters Degrees in Management Studies, Netherlands

MSc Management Economics and Consumer Studies

The Management, Economics and Consumer Studies programme deals with the interrelationships between producers, consumers and society-at-large. We offer specialisations for students with a Social Sciences background as well as a technical Life Sciences background.

Programme summary

During the programme, students will study the dynamics in the agro-food chain involving suppliers, producers, retailers and consumers; focusing on how they affect each other and how they affect, and are affected by, the economy and society. The domain of this programme is business and all the components of industry including production, distribution and final use or consumption. It covers managerial, economic, sociological and environmental aspects – internal and external – of households and businesses in the Netherlands, Europe and the rest of the world, in both developed and developing countries.

Specialisations

Within the MSc Management Economics and Consumer Studies you can choose from four specialisations. Each specialisation trains you to become an expert in that field.

Management Studies
This specialisation includes several options. Students can investigate and analyse the strategies and operations of companies in production and distribution networks as well as the dynamic decision-making processes involved in production. Alternatively, you may choose to focus on the various aspects of marketing and consumer behaviour in business, agribusiness and the food industry. It is also possible to acquire expertise in facility management, information systems, operations research (logistics), information management or quantitative decision modelling.

Consumer Studies
This specialisation allows you to study the behaviour, lifestyles and consumption patterns of consumers and households. Students will acquire insight into the economic and sociological aspects of consumers and households, and the factors determining consumption behaviour and patterns. Alternatively, the role of communication between the various actors in the food chain or consumer technology can be studied.

Economics, Environment and Governance
Students analyse the economic behaviour of various participants in the agricultural sector and rural areas in developed countries or study the pivotal role of agricultural and rural development in low-income countries. You can also specialise in Public Administration and Policy if you are interested in the governance of complex problems in domains of sustainable agriculture, climate change or water management. If students are more interested in environmental issues, they can focus on the economic or policy aspects of national and international environmental problems or the processes of environmentally-induced social change in modern industrial and developing societies.

Management, Innovation and Life Sciences
The goal of this specialisation, especially designed for students with a life science background, is to integrate technical and managerial knowledge. Examples of how this interaction can be of optimal use are complex innovation processes in production, logistics or market development. These processes have a high technological character in which innovation plays a central role and for which good communication and managerial skills are necessary. Three different profiles can be studied within this specialisation: innovation management, innovation in decision support and economics, and innovation in operations management.

Your future career

Graduates have career prospects as managers, consultants, researchers and teachers in the public or private sector. Career opportunities are found within financial institutions, marketing agencies or in the field of consumer affairs. Also, alumni work as policy makers in government agencies or non-profit organisations, in development and innovation in life science related businesses or organisations.

Alumnus Bart Zwartjes.
Innovate a new chip flavour, assist in expanding an encyclopedia made by consumers (Wikipedia), or write a review of a purchased product. These are just a few examples of co-creating as a consumer. Co-creation is a joint effort by company and consumer and companies have a lot to gain by this. Namely, 50-70% of all product innovations fail at market entry. Co-creation allows companies to offer products and services that meet consumer needs better. But why would consumers spend their free time helping out companies? Currently Bart works as a consultant for Cap-Gemini advising businesses on how to make successful use of co-creation.

Related programmes:
MSc International Development Studies
MSc Food Quality Management
MSc Applied Communication Science
Health and Society (specialisation)
MSc Development and Rural Innovation.

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The Master in International Business and Management is a unique joint, double degree programme between Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen (Hanze UAS), The Netherlands, and Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, UK, leading to the following two degrees:
-Master in International Business and Management by Hanze University Applied Sciences, Groningen
-Master of Arts in International Business by ARU Cambridge

This programme is designed for students with a wide interest in international business and management, who are aiming at a management position. All subjects and modules are placed in an international context. The demands placed upon the manager are subject to increasing changes, which arise from the changes that take place in the international business environment and usually effects all business operations.

The Master in International Business and Management programme is a 17 month full-time postgraduate programme for graduates of business-related disciplines, e.g. economics or management studies. The programme challenges students to apply business management theory to current international business practice. It prepares graduates for international management positions by focusing on corporate strategy, marketing, operations, accounting and human resource management, all from an international business perspective.

Educational concept

Our educational concept is characterized by small group sizes, and intensive contact between students and staff. Next to lectures and workshops, students work in teams as well as individually on practice-based and experience-based projects and case studies. Students interact with the world of practice through guest lectures by entrepreneurs, senior business executives and knowledge experts, seminars and company visits. Our teaching staff is selected to ensure a interesting mixture of business experience and expertise in applied research. Throughout the programme the integration between different knowledge areas is strongly emphasized. The full programme is taught in English.

The programme consists of two semesters of course work and one semester of applied research in a business context within a period of 17 months, starting in September and ending in January. The total size of the programme is 90 ECTS. You may opt to participate in a double degree programme, in which case you get the opportunity to spend the second semester at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in Cambridge, England.

Course Overview

The MIBM programme consists of three semesters in which a wide variety of courses are taught.

Semester One

The first semester begins with an intensive introduction programme. You take part in a variety of activities and do exercises to enhance group cohesion and personal effectiveness. Of course you will also get an introduction to the city of Groningen, Hanze UAS and its facilities and services, the MIBM programme and its staff. After the introduction, the following courses are offered:
Economics and Business in the E.U.
Dynamic Decision making
International Business Environment
International Strategic Management
Personal Development
Management and Leadership
Business Research Methodology

Semester Two

In the second semester you deal with more complex, inter-related management issues. Acting as a boardroom member or manager of a company you develop creative solutions to complex problems in a dynamic international business environment. The following courses are included:
International Financial Management
International Human Resource Management
International Supply Chain Management
International Marketing Management
International Financial Management & Accounting
International Marketing
Intercultural Competences in Business
Invitation to the Boardroom (simulation game)

Semester Three

The third semester is focused on conducting applied research within a relevant business setting which is the basis for writing the master's thesis. Besides providing the essential knowledge of international business and management during the first two semesters, students are required to select a topic and a business setting for their Master thesis already during the first semester, and further develop their thesis proposal during the second semester. The actual research and writing the thesis are undertaken during the third semester.

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Master's specialisation in International Management

The International Management (IM) programme prepares students for a function as an International Manager or an International Professional in the International Business field. The manager or professional is able to make use of a scientific methodological framework to analyse developments in the international external and internal environment of Multinational Enterprises looking at management processes from a cross-cultural point of view.
The overall aim of the IM Master's specialisation is to provide students with the knowledge and the skills to independently use the scientific method to do research in an international management context or to solve complex problems relevant to managers in an international environment.
The learning strategy used in the International Management programme is action-based. This means that the programme makes use of experiential learning, bringing students in situations where they experience the problems associated with managerial complexities. This will be done by making use of case studies and research projects. Besides, students work in intercultural teams during most classroom sessions.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/im

Non Dutch Students

For the Master's programme Business Administration, the admission requirements for students with a non-Dutch diploma are:
- An academic Bachelor's degree in Business Administration
- English language proficiency

Career prospects

The IM programme prepares students for a position as an International Manager or an International Professional in international business. The manager or professional is able to use a scientific methodological framework to analyse developments in the international external and internal environment of MNEs by looking at management processes from a cross-cultural point of view.
The overall aim of the IM Master specialisation is to provide students with the knowledge and the skills to independently use the scientific method to do research in an international management context or to solve complex problems relevant to managers in an international environment.

Our research in this field

- Theory and action-based learning
This programme is closely associated with the research carried out within the Institute of Management Research, where the focus is on research into relationship management, institutional dynamics, decision making and innovative management. You will become familiar with both the theoretical and practical aspects of your special subject. The programme combines a thorough training in methodology with action-based learning: you apply the theory you have learned to concrete cases and learn to develop appropriate solutions. And, in our Visa Skills Lab, students use computers to make scenario analyses and simulate decision-making processes within organizations.

- Truly international
The education and research training we provide are internationally oriented. Our students have the opportunity to take part in a Master’s level project on European Human Resource Management, a cooperative venture among six leading European business schools and universities. Here, students work in a multi-cultural team and follow a consultancy in-company project in one of the six countries involved.

Programme outline

The Master's specialisation International Management consists in two semesters of 2 blocks each (Semester 1 from September to January, Semester 2 from February to July) at the School of Management. The second block of the second semester is reserved for the final Master's thesis. As a whole, the programme is made up of 60 ECs* with 18 ECs allocated for the Master's thesis. Students can only join the programme in September of each academic year. The design of the programme is modular. It will be taught in English. Guest lectures and practice oriented thesis topics will support the programme in efforts to establish the link between business practice and academic theory.

The structure is as follows:
- Brand management
- Elective course from other specialisations
- Corporate Strategy
- Organisations & Society
- Global Corporate Communication
- International HRMonline prospectus
- Methodology (to choose from
- Marketing and Strategic Management
- Organisational Design and Development
- Strategic Human Reserach Management
- Master's thesis


See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/im

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This specialization focuses on the critical analysis and assessment of the means used to control organizations. It involves studying actual internal and external business experiments.

What information do managers need to analyse the performance of their organization? Which control systems are most suitable for managers to influence the behaviour of their employees in such a way that the organizational strategy is realized? How can changes in management control systems be realized successfully?

The MSc Business Administration - specialization Organizational and Management Control explores financial and nonfinancial information gathering and decision-making in the context of the gathering and provision of internal economic information. It also studies the way this information is used by the managers of organizations.

You will explore subjects like Research in Management Accounting Techniques, Research in Management Control and Management Accounting Change. In the second semester, you will write a Master's thesis.

Why in Groningen?

You learn practical management control issues in a scientific manner and focus on the three dimensions ofmanagement control: management tools, behaviour and dynamics of change. You get a grip on management techniques to exercise management control and realize behavioural change. Besides, is an internationally accredited programme, ensuring a high quality education that meets both the AACSB and EQUIS standards, which only one percent of universities reach worldwide.

Job perspectives

Graduates in Organizational and Management Control are qualified for various types of jobs. They may find work in national and international companies, non-profit organizations or government institutions. Some examples of positions are project manager, financial officer, management accountant, controller and junior organization advisor in the field of quality management.

Because all our programmes are EQUIS and AACSB accredited, a standard which only one percent of universities reach worldwide, your degree will be highly valued on the labour market.

Linking education to research and career preparation

Our education is strongly rooted in business practice and society. Also right from the start of your degree programme attention is paid to academic research and preprofessional development. Since an analytical and critical mind and problem-solving capabilities are important qualities in any career our students aspire.

In collaboration with external partners we conduct research projects on e.g banking, local government, customer insights, leadership, energy, healthy ageing and lean operations.

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Facility- and Real Estate Management are on the way to become grown up management disciplines. Managers understand that without a secondary process a primary process cannot exist. Facility- and Real Estate Management are considered nowadays as important parts of the overall business. As a result of this development managers of these departments are more involved in the company’s strategy than ever before and this involvement is not only from a secondary process viewpoint. Assets and facilities services together are responsible for the appropriate support of the primary processes and its stakeholders. Together with the core business they are partners in a kind of joint venture for the benefit of all the stakeholders. Departmental borders get blurred and all business processes interfere. Therefore the Facility- and Real Estate managers have to think and to manage in terms of strategy, choices, visions and goals of the overall business.

Planning should be done in the context of the company business plan. It is important to understand the relationship between the company's business plan, the facility/real estate management plan, and the single strategy of the business units. Incorporated in the task of the manager are two focal points: The first is the use of organisational objectives, both long- and short term. The second is the effective management of the facility/real estate departmental unit(s) within the organisation. Important in his field is the focus on the total environment of the organisation: local, regional, national and global; because a Facility- and Real Estate manager is acting in relationship with- and being responsible for the global world.

Study Plan 2015/2016

The Master Facility- & Real Estate Management (MSc degree) is a 12 month full time study with a study load of 60 credits (ECTS). Integration on a strategic level of Facility- and Real Estate Management is the key issue in this program. This is based upon the insight that assets and facility services together are responsible for the appropriate support of the primary processes and its stakeholders. The program consists of three terms of 4 month each. In Term I the focus is on Strategic Business Management and Strategic Building Management. In Term II the focus is on Strategic Asset Management and Strategic Facility Management. Next to this there is an Module Academic Skills that will be attended during term I and II. Term III is completely focused on the dissertation or thesis, a most valuable instrument for students to customize the program by doing elaborated research on a subject of their own choice. This Research can start as soon as the proposal students need to develop in the module Academic Skills is approved.

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Master's specialisation in Strategic Management

Do you want to be challenged? Would you like to become a creative, flexible, resourceful, communicative, responsible strategic & business expert. Then this programme is perfect for you! It focuses on strategy processes in relationship to the dynamic and complex environment organisations are confronted with and the necessary competencies and skills to deal with the diversity and plurality of stakeholders to create multiple values for the organisation and its surroundings. In Strategic Management you learn to describe and analyse the influences of the various stakeholders, strategy process in organisations, internal and external environment, and internationalisation.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/stm

Why should you choose Strategic Management in Nijmegen?

- A unique focus on stakeholder management, responsible decision-making, intervention and change;
- A multidisciplinary perspective on strategic management, using insights from business, economics, sociology, and psychology;
- Development of academic & analytical competencies & skills;
- Theory and action & practice-based learning;
- Dedicated staff with strong relations to industry & government.

Career prospects

As a manager and leader, you will be able to recognise the opportunities and restrictions presented by different markets and society, use analytical skills to identify relevant market and nonmarket strategies to cope with business risks and to respond to institutional and competitive pressures. Our graduates are greatly valued by their employers for their analytical skills and sound academic understanding of business practices. Examples of career perspectives: consultant, business analyst, financial controller, policy maker, researcher and manager in profit and non-profit organisations.

Our approach to this field

We offer an integrated programme of applied learning with academic learning and engagement with the community through real-life research projects. We use the theory and action & practice-based learning approach to developing awareness of issues associated with professional practice and developing analytical skills. This may occur through building scenarios, case studies, experimental exercises, reflection on actual practice or assignments within organisations. We offer the courses: Corporate Strategy; Strategic Change; Strategic Decision Making; Strategy and Nonmarket Environment; and Methodology for Marketing and Strategy Research.

You can opt for two elective courses in period 3 from among Competition and Cooperation, Strategic Scenarios and Business Models, Social and Technological Innovation.

Our research in this field

- Theory and action-based learning
This programme is closely associated with the research carried out within the Institute of Management Research, where the focus is on research into relationship management, institutional dynamics, decision making and innovative management. You will become familiar with both the theoretical and practical aspects of your special subject. The programme combines a thorough training in methodology with action-based learning: you apply the theory you have learned to concrete cases and learn to develop appropriate solutions. And, in our Visa Skills Lab, students use computers to make scenario analyses and simulate decision-making processes within organisations.

- Truly international
The education and research training we provide are internationally oriented. Our students have the opportunity to take part in a Master’s level project on European Human Resource Management, a cooperative venture among six leading European business schools and universities. Here, students work in a multi-cultural team and follow a consultancy in-company project in one of the six countries involved.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/stm

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[[ A highly international, multidisciplinary programme]]

The Master's programme in International Management at Utrecht University School of Economics (U.S.E.) is a highly international, multidisciplinary management programme that pays attention not just to business issues, but to corporate social responsibility, ethics and human behaviour as well. Founded firmly in economics and international financial management, this specialised MSc is designed for a new generation of managers who understand that the real 'story behind the numbers' includes well being for all stakeholders.

Core to this Master is the management of international operations including entry strategies in foreign markets, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, and cross-cultural leadership. Further, senior executives' main role is to create new opportunities and maximise the impact of firms in society, so there is a strong emphasis in this Master's programme on global innovation strategies, entrepreneurship, and corporate social responsibility.

Characteristics

* Integrate theoretical economics with insights from professional practice
You will acquire new knowledge by working with a combination of theory and case studies, as well as working with real-world data obtained from companies. You will also build links to professional organisations and refine your research and analytical skills.

* Have a strong base of managerial economics and research skills
In the MSc in International Management programme you gain a variety of research skills such as metrics, business statistics and qualitative research methods like survey design and case studies.

* Gain from active involvement of experienced practitioners in the programme
Guest lectures, as well as visits to organisations and financial institutions operating internationally, will help you connect to a network of professionals interested in your career opportunities.

* Be part of a small, international community
The mix of students and lecturers from the Netherlands and abroad gives the programme a unique international environment.

"The optimal preparation for managerial decision making in a global context.” - Dr. Hein Roelfsema, Assistant Professor

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Science and Business Management chosen Best in the Field

Students chose the Master's programme Science and Business Management at Utrecht University as the best programme in the field in the yearly review 'Beste studies' by Elsevier

The Master's programme in Science and Business Management is designed to acquire scientific knowledge and skills, together with the ability to translate a scientific idea into a successful product.

The MSc programme in Science and Business Management seeks to bridge the gap between industry and science. It is designed for BSc graduates who are interested in business. The courses are aimed at helping you to further develop your academic and scientific knowledge and skills, while you also acquire expertise on product and process development. Students will learn to identify and manage problems that arise in each phase of the innovation process.

This two-year taught programme teaches you not only to undertake scientific research, but also to make a translation to the market. In the first year you undertake an applied research project with a participating research group from the Faculty of Science, and theoretical courses determined by your research topic.

In the second year you study fundamentals of business such as financial management, entrepreneurship, managerial ICT matters and environmental issues. You'll engage in an obligatory traineeship with a company or institute combining business with your science background. Graduates of the programme are highly qualified for research and management positions in innovative companies, consultancies, or government organisations.

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MSc Aquaculture and Marine Resource Management

The MSc Aquaculture and Marine Resource Management (MAM) is a two year programme, which comprises of 120 credits (ECTS). Students learn to manage living resources in all types of water bodies, natural or man-made. The programme provides understanding of the biology and ecology of aquatic organisms and water bodies.

Programme summary

Oceans, seas, estuaries and lakes are major providers of ecosystem goods and services such as food, tourism and coastal protection. In many cases, exploitation levels have bypassed the carrying capacity of these ecosystems, leading to devastating effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. To preserve marine biodiversity and its ecosystem functions, innovative and sustainable solutions are necessary. Therefore, there is a need for young professionals who know how to take an integrative approach to marine ecosystems management.

The MAM programme starts with courses that give a common basis on aquaculture and marine resource management. In these courses, you will learn the principles of marine ecology and the governance of marine systems, the biology and ecology of aquatic organisms and the role of science in public policy processes. Within the Aquaculture and Marine Resource master programme, you can choose one of three specialisations: Aquaculture, Marine resources and ecology, Marine Governance. Graduates are skilled in techniques and methods for analysing and solving biological environmental problems in aquatic systems by looking at the organisms and the communities including ecological, management and social aspects.

Specialisations

All students acquire a thorough understanding of processes governing life in any type of water body. In addition, students can choose to put more emphasis on any of the following aspects: ecology, natural resource management, capture fisheries or aquaculture. Depending on the specialisation the topics differ.

Aquaculture
This specialisation deals with the culture of numerous aquatic organisms (such as finfish, shrimp, shellfish, ornamental fish, corrals, sponges and algae) in a wide range of culture environments (from sea enclosures to semiextensive ponds and high-tech recirculation systems). Production methods should be sustainable, guarantee the health and wellbeing of the culture organisms, be economically viable, socially accepted, and result in safe and healthy products. This can only be achieved through knowledge and skills in aquatic production ecology based on knowledge of biological, physical and chemical integrity of water bodies and insight in economic and social driving factors.

Marine Resources and Ecology
This specialisation focuses on the sensitivity of marine communities in relation to human interventions, including climate change, fisheries and habitat destruction. You will learn to address limiting factors in order to be able to contribute to an improved biodiversity, environmental quality and sustainability of marine ecosystems. To do so, it requires insight into the ecological processes that form the basis for marine food chains, the interaction between species and the functioning of the different ecosystems.

Marine Governance
The main focus of this specialisation lies on the sustainable governance and economics of marine and coastal systems. The goals and strategies of commercial enterprises, non-governmental and governmental organisations and international institutions are analysed, and their effects are evaluated in relation to both organisations and ecosystems involved.

Your future career

The interest in sustainable management of the seas and coasts is booming, while there are only few professionals available with an integrated and specialised training in this field. Numerous types of specialists are needed, including technical specialists, researchers, consultants and project leaders in commercial, governmental and non-governmental organisations.

Alumna Pascalle Jacobs.
"I had already graduated as a terrestrial ecologist before I started the Master Aquaculture and Marine Resource Management. I started the MSc Aquaculture and Marine Resource Management mainly because I saw a lot of potential in marine research. I did my thesis at IMARES and after my graduation they gave me the opportunity to work there as a PhD on a research project. In my research, I look at if and to what extent big amounts of young mussels attached to ropes or nets (mussel seed collectors) change the environment. These young mussels eat a lot so one of my research questions is if this grazing affects the amount of food available for other animals."

Related programmes:
MSc Animal Sciences
MSc Biology
MSc Environmental Sciences
MSc Forest and Nature Conservation.

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MSc Geographical Information Management and Applications (GIMA)

Today’s societies require more and more geographical information. Think of physical planning, analyzing the spread of epidemic diseases, risk management, navigation systems, location based services, movement analysis, augmented reality, increasing use of maps and volunteered geographical information.

Our GIMA course offers a comprehensive MSc programme, focusing on the management and application of geographical information from a scientific perspective. Two additional aspects contribute to the uniqueness of the GIMA programme: GIMA is a joint venture involving four renowned Dutch universities: Utrecht, Delft, Twente and Wageningen; and GIMA is a blended learning programme, enabling you to do most of your studying from the place at which you study best (home or office). Only the first and the last week of each module are classroom-based.

Programme Summary

The MSc Geographical Information Management and Applications (GIMA) offers a challenging programme in the domain of Geographical Information Sciences (GIS). It will help you to develop your knowledge and skills in the field of geo-information management and geo-information applications. As a future geo-information specialist, you have to address a wide number of fundamental issues in today’s society such as: Why is geographical information needed and how can it be used to solve problems in the broadest variety of application fields (in flood risk management, spatial planning, location-based services, orientation and navigation, location of sales outlets, spatial aspects of crime, dealing with natural hazards and humanitarian disasters)? How can proof-of-concept geo-information and geo-information technology based solutions for societal problems be designed and implemented and how can the quality and usabiliy be evaluated? What are appropriate concepts, methods and techniques for the management of geo-information and geo-information processes, which may involve multidisciplinary teamwork?
The GIMA programme deals with all of these issues and, teaches, among other things, how to apply and manage geo-information in organisations and projects by critically understanding and using state-of-the-art geo-information theories and technology.

Features of the programme

This Master programme is offered by four renowned universities in the Netherlands: Utrecht University, Delft University of Technology, University of Twente and Wageningen University. As a student, you have access to the large pool of experts from all four universities. You can choose between a full-time (two years) or parttime (four years) programme. Exemptions are possible for students who have relevant working experience, making it possible to complete a part-time programme in approximately three years. GIMA is a blended learning programme. It consists of distance learning (85%) with contact weeks at the four universities (15%).

Your future career

Graduates have excellent career prospects. The demand for managers and application specialists in geo-information in the professional market is constantly increasing. Our alumni are employed in both the private and public sector (by companies, consultancies, government organizations and research institutes) as managers, specialists and researchers. APPLICATION AND ADMISSION This programme is registered in CROHO as MSc Geographical Sciences at Utrecht University, code 60732. Application for GIMA proceeds through Utrecht University. The application deadline is 1 June 2015 for the programme that starts in September 2015. All information about application and admission requirements can be found at the GIMA website http://www.msc-gima.nl.

Alumna Gineke Snoeren.
Business consultant at ESRI Nederland. “GIS offers many opportunities and will become more important in future. That is why I decided to enrol in this programme. The course has 2 advantages. First, it does not focus solely on GIS techniques, but also at management. Second, the blended learning system is great because it combines contact teaching with distance learning. You can study in your own time with less contact hours but still contact with teachers and students at set times. Not only Dutch and foreign students take the course, but also people who are already employed in the field of GIS. You learn a lot from each other”.

Related programmes:
MSc Geo-information Science.

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Our Master's programme in Business Administration - unlike other similar programmes - emphasises the social processes that constitute organisations. How do social processes determine the ways in which organisations and management operate and perform? In addition, in Nijmegen we have chosen an integrated approach. This focus on the big picture, including social relationships is what creates a better understanding of the importance of good management and can eventually improve the performance of organisations of all kinds.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/business/

Before the programme starts, you will choose a specialisation:
- Business Analysis and Modelling
- Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Management
- International Management
- Marketing
- Organisational Design and Development
- Strategic Human Resource Management
- Strategic Management

Theory and action-based learning

This programme is closely associated with the research carried out within the Institute of Management Research, where the focus is on research into relationship management, institutional dynamics, decision making and innovative management. You will become familiar with both the theoretical and practical aspects of your special subject. The programme combines a thorough training in methodology with action-based learning: you apply the theory you have learned to concrete cases and learn to develop appropriate solutions. And in our Visa Skills Lab, students use computers to make scenario analyses and simulate decision-making processes within organisations.

Truly international

We provide internationally oriented education and research training. Our students have the opportunity to take part in a Master’s level project on European Human Resource Management, a cooperative venture among six leading European business schools and universities. Here, students work in a multi-cultural team and follow a consultancy in-company project in one of the six countries involved.

Career prospects

- Career Perspective for Strategic Management
The Master's specialisation in Strategegic Management is an advanced study that prepares future leaders for the business world. It offers thorough knowledge of strategic processes from a disciplinary perspective, linked with insights from other business areas. Therefore, the Master's specialisation in Strategic Management trains students in conducting academic research and decision-making and helps them to develop ideas of underlying business solutions based on a thorough academic understanding of business practice. Graduates of our master program face a stimulating future career. Our graduates are greatly valued by their employers for their analytical skills and sound academic understanding of business practices. A master degree in business administration with a specialisation in Strategic Management offers students a wide range of career perspectives, such as consultant, business analyst, researcher and manager.

- Career Perspective for Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Management
The Master's specialisation Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Management prepares you for the function of a diversity professional in public and/or private organisations. Our graduates are likely to be tasked with the development and implementation of specialized gender and diversity policies and/or diversity and inclusion programs, or can be employed in more general talent management and/or organisational change jobs. Students are trained to become critical academic professionals, and are well positioned to enter national or international management trainee programs. Other jobs, such as policy advisor, program manager, consultant or recruiter are also possible. Students with an interest in academic research have the option to pursue a PhD.

- Career Perspective for Organisational Design and Development
As the Master's specialisation Organisational Design and Development engages you with the construction of labour organisations, the degree offers you a career perspective as a consultant, a staff member or a researcher on redesign and change processes within organisations. Later on in your career, you may move on to senior management positions.

- Career Perspective for Marketing
A Master's degree in business administration with a specialisation in marketing offers you a wide range of career perspectives, such as brand manager, product manager, management consultant, marketing researcher and account manager. Later on in your career, you may move on to senior positions, such as marketing director, or even to a CEO position.

- Career Perspective for Strategic Human Resource Management
The Master's specialisation in Human Resource Management focuses on new insights into personnel and organisation issues. This involves, among other things, using the human resources concept and resource-based staff and organisation management. In addition, topical themes are addressed such as competence management, training management and culture management. The Master's specialisation in Human Resource Management is therefore interesting for students who want to contribute to the development and implementation of personnel management in organisations in the role of adviser, scientific researcher or staff member.

- Career Perspective for International Management
The IM programme prepares students for a position as an International Manager or an International Professional in international business. The manager or professional is able to use a scientific methodological framework to analyse developments in the international external and internal environment of MNEs by looking at management processes from a cross-cultural point of view.

- Career Perspective for Business Analysis and Modelling
Most of the students in the BAM specialisation and in the two-year European Masters in System Dynamics (of which BAM is the Nijmegen component) will find jobs at advisory bureaus or the strategic planning departments of large companies.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/business/

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Keeping pace with developments

Like other products in the horticultural production chain, fruit, vegetables and flowers reach domestic and international markets through many channels. Stakeholders in the chain have to respond not only to the changes brought by technology, they also have to deal with an ever-greater number of national and international laws and regulations, such as those governing international food quality standards. Designed to increase your ability to anticipate and exploit these developments, this programme examines each stakeholder in the chain (suppliers, farmers, processors, traders, retailers and consumers), particularly in the stages from input to processing. It also approaches the overall chain from the perspective of logistics, economics, quality control, marketing channels, and information flows.

The programme is primarily aimed for mid-career horticulture professionals involved in management or co-ordination. Typically, they will currently be working in a commercial role or in a ministerial section or department. Others may be involved in regional development policies or development projects. Yet others may be lecturers at institutes of higher education.

Competences

In line with the educational principles at Dutch Universities of Applied Sciences, this programme ensures that participants develop competences with regard to:
• facilitating the governance of sustainable value chains
• initiating innovative chain processes and projects
• supporting business service entrepreneurs
• demonstrating a professional attitude in a changing international business environment
• conducting applied research that contributes to an efficient and sustainable value chain
• developing policies for inclusive value chains
• effectively communicate value chain developments to specialists and non-specialists

Career benefits

Managers and advisors of programmes and companies related to horticulture chains will gain specialised competences that enable them to improve the management and innovative capacity of the organisation. One would be able to function effectively in the areas of logistic efficiency, provision of information, quality control, reducing production cost and improved profitability, managing chain innovation or chain differentiations. The graduate will be able to identify and connect the relevant stakeholders in the value
chain to meet the goals of the organisation.

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Staying in step with international developments

Milk, meat, eggs and their various derivatives find their way to domestic and international markets through a complex series of people and channels. Stakeholders in these livestock production chains have to respond to the changes brought by technology and they also have to deal with an ever increasing number of national and international laws and regulations, such as those governing international food-quality standards and sustainable labels.

As primary producers are affected by international trade agreements, local livestock production can no longer be seen in isolation from such developments, which is precisely what this programme is designed to anticipate. It therefore examines each actor in the chain (suppliers, farmers, processors, traders, retailers and consumers), particularly in the stages from input to processing. It also approaches the overall chain aspects from the perspective of economics, logistics, quality control, certification, marketing channels, and information flows.

The programme is meant for mid-career livestock professionals in the public or private sector involved in management or consultancy. Others may be involved in regional development policies or development projects or they may be lecturers at institutes of higher education. These managers have the task to facilitate the actors and supporters of the chain or to mainstream the concept of value chain development.

Competences

In line with the educational principles at Dutch Universities of Applied Sciences, this programme ensures that participants develop competences with regard to:
• facilitating the governance of sustainable value chains
• initiating innovative chain processes and projects
• supporting business service entrepreneurs
• showing a professional attitude in a changing international business environment
• conducting applied research that contributes to an efficient and sustainable value chain
• developing policies for inclusive value chains
• effectively communicate value chain developments to specialists and non-specialists

Career opportunities

Managers and advisors of programmes and companies related to livestock chains will gain specialised competences that enable them to improve the management and innovative capacity of their organisation. By integrating livestock chain subjects with management skills and by addressing entrepreneurial and institutional aspects of agriculture, the programme will train them to anticipate changes in demand and policies at local, national and international levels. It will thus enhance their ability to manage and innovate.

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Local food security in a globalising world

Food security exists when everybody has access to sufficient, nutritious and safe food at all times. However, various predictable and unpredictable challenges around the globe, including changes in climate (i.e. rising/falling temperatures, droughts and floods, diseases and pests), market tendencies, insufficient access to food for households, unequal distribution of resources and opportunities and inadequate food distribution channels, prevent the realisation of this idealistic and often oversimplified term.

Despite a growing number of large-scale, high-external input farms and enough food production to feed the world, post-harvest losses result in less optimal yields and (locally) produced foods are often used for other purposes, such as animal feed or biofuel. Consequentially, 795 million1 undernourished people around the globe do not have access to this lost and wasted food.

Ensuring access to food for everyone is the key to ending hunger, which will require improved collaboration between various stakeholders - producer (organisations), the private sector, governments, traders and development organisations. Structures, policies and programmes must be continuously adapted to a variety of external factors, such as the economy, environment and current social structures. Rethinking of informal rules and habits is another essential step in attaining food security, considering even members of the same household are not guaranteed equal access to food. In light of these external factors and challenges, this specialisation presents various interventions needed to combat hunger and ensure food security for everyone.

Competences

At graduation, you will have the ability to:
• define the economic, commercial and marketing needs, constraints and opportunities of those in rural communities who produce for local and regional markets
• analyse food security at a local and global level
• apply tools for diagnosing food security
• analyse the livelihoods of farmers who produce for local and regional markets and understand farmers' coping strategies
• select, explain and design an appropriate development intervention leading to food security
• develop support programmes for farmers, producers and other groups
• mainstream food security within Agricultural and rural development programmes
• define the economic, commercoal and marketing needs, constraints and oppertunities for small-scale producers in rural communities
• formulate and recommend any organisational adjustments that are needed within service-delivery organisations.

Career opportunities

Rural Development and Food Security specialists explore effective responses to mal- and undernourishment, by defining needs, constraints, coping strategies and opportunities for small-scale producers in rural communities. In selecting appropriate context-specific interventions, which reflect understanding of the local context in its wider context, they consider stakeholder relationships and how collaboration could be organised to each stakeholder’s benefit while helping farmers to safeguard their ability to ensure local food security. In the face of globalisation, slow economic growth and political instability, specialists may design and implement responses for (non-)governmental organisations or partners in the private sector, in the form of projects, programmes, market structures or policies.

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Prepare yourself for handling a company's major strategic decisions!
The Master's program in Strategic Management provides you with the business acumen needed to make and implement the vital decisions facing every organization - through a comprehensive education that offers you the ultimate start for your future career in general management, consulting, or entrepreneurship.

Tilburg University is ranked #11 worldwide in Business and Economics (Times Higher Education, 2016).

Learn to recognize threats and opportunities in strategic management:
Business is increasingly faced with challenges that threaten current business models, but also represent huge opportunities. The Master’s program in Strategic Management provides you with the knowledge and skills on how to recognize these challenges and act upon them to ensure long-term success. This offers an excellent start for a career in consulting, entrepreneurship, or general management.

And implement strategic decisions that can make or break a company:
As a student of this program, you learn how to make decisions that can make or break your company, but also how to implement them. You are taught by renowned Tilburg University professors who represent some of the world's leading expertise in the discipline. A variety of small-scale teaching methods is employed, ensuring an exciting and challenging learning experience. We emphasize both sophisticated scientific insights and linkages with business practice.

A Tilburg University Master's program in Strategic Management offers you:
•The opportunity to specialize through tracks in either consultancy or entrepreneurship.
•Specialized and broad career opportunities, in consulting, new business creation, and general management in any business sector.
•Insights from state-of-the-art scientific research, taught by famous professors.
•Strong links with practice, for example through assignments and guest lectures.
•Best-practice teaching methods, including, for example, case discussions, assignments, workshops, and coaching.
•Opportunity to combine the thesis with a company assignment, applying scientific tools to solve real company issues.
•Possibility to pursue a dual degree, in collaboration with one of our foreign partner universities.

Future jobs

The Master's program Strategic Management prepares you for jobs that require the ability to identify, analyse and solve the major strategic issues faced by various types of organizations - valuable expertise that delivers abundant career opportunities

Many of our students choose career paths in consulting internally (advising the organization you are employed by) or consulting externally (advising clients of the organization you are employed by). Starting positions include that of :
•strategic planning associate
•business analyst
•junior consultant

Strategic Management is also an essential general management skill. A second major career path for our graduates is a management career, with starting positions including that of:
•management trainee
•(assistant) project manager
•member of a strategy or new business department

Whichever path you choose, your Tilburg University Master's degree in Strategic Management represents an exceptional launch pad and the promise of accelerated career momentum.

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