The programme
You will complete many assignments in small teams. This process will teach you to cooperate quickly and effectively with fellow students, each of whom has a different (potentially international) background. Employers increasingly value this skill as well.
During the 1st year of this Bachelor's the lectures will be given in English. You will have the option to take your seminars in the 1st year in Dutch if you prefer.
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Year 1: develop a steady basis
The first course that you take is called Principles of Economics and Business. You learn about fundamental themes and theories in economics, business economics and business administration.
4 business perspectives
Business administration is a multidisciplinary science that draws on different disciplines for solving business problems. We’ve divided the various disciplines into 4 pillars:
- organisation
- people
- economics
- methods
The courses in this year are placed under these 4 themes.
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Year 2: deepen your basis and work on a business case
In the second year, you dive deeper into specific business functions like marketing or finance and combine these later during courses such as:
- International Business: learn about doing business (and collaborating) across borders: an absolute must in the international business community;
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Information and Data management: learn about the digital revolution and its impact on companies.
Real-life business case
To finish off this year, you work on your first real business case. In this assignment, you use your knowledge and skills to develop a plan for setting up your own business. -
Year 3: internship, study abroad or minor
You have the freedom to structure this last year according to your own interests:
- Choose one of these options:
- Do an internship: work at a company where you can put the experience and skills that you have gained into practice.
- Study abroad: spend a semester studying at a different university to give you an exciting international experience.
- Take a minor: expand your knowledge and stand out from the crowd with a mini study programme in a completely different field such as Philosophy, Law or Italian Studies. You can choose between 121 Dutch and 73 English minors at the UvA.
- Deepen your knowledge: choose between more than 40 specialised courses in the area of business and economics to deepen your business knowledge, ranging from Intercultural Skills to Consulting Methods, Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Analytics. - Choose a specialisation that suits you: 'Accountancy and Control', 'Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Creativity', 'Finance' or 'Management in the Digital Age'.
- Choose one of these options:
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Thesis
Is there a particular recent development that sparks your enthusiasm or do you have a great idea of your own? Writing your thesis, you have the chance to explore it fully while simultaneously training your ability to independently conduct relevant academic research. Your thesis is the final requirement to be completed for your graduation. Under the supervision of our staff, you will follow a clearly defined path that will lead to your graduation with an internationally recognised Bachelor's in Science (BSc) degree.
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Principles of Economics and Business 1Period 16
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Strategy and OrganisationPeriod 16
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Principles of Economics and Business 2Period 1Period 2Period 36
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Business Research MethodsPeriod 26
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EconomicsPeriod 26
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Organisational BehaviourPeriod 46
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Quantitative Data Analysis 1Period 46
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Project Qualitative Research Methods and AnalysisPeriod 4Period 5Period 66
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Business Operations and ProcessesPeriod 56
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Financial Accounting 1 for BusinessPeriod 56
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Management Accounting 1 for BusinessPeriod 16
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MarketingPeriod 16
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Finance 1 for BusinessPeriod 26
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Quantitative Data Analysis 2Period 26
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Project: Quantitative Research Methods and AnalysisPeriod 2Period 36
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Information and Data ManagementPeriod 46
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Restricted-choice electivesPeriod 46
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Project: Company AssignmentPeriod 4Period 5Period 66
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Business Law and EthicsPeriod 56
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International BusinessPeriod 56
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Free-choice electives: Minor's programme, or Studying abroad, or Company Internship, or ElectivesPeriod 1Period 2Period 330
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Specialisation coursesPeriod 4Period 5Period 630
Student coaching
The transition from secondary school to university can be a major step. For this reason, you will receive intensive academic counselling as a 1-year student. You can also count on individual support during the rest of your studies.

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Additional options during your studies
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Minors and electives
At UvA there are all sorts of activities you can undertake during your university years to explore and develop your network, talents and skills. You can follow more than 70 minors and more than 40 electives to broaden and deepen your knowledge and skills.
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Honours programme
If you are ambitious, you can choose to take part in our Honours programme. You take the Honours programme alongside your regular studies. In interdisciplinary courses you will work together with students from other faculties on topics of high societal relevance. Completion results in you graduating 'with honours': an internationally recognised qualification.
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Internships
During your Bachelor's programme, you could put your knowledge into practice by means of a work placement. Internships can be included in your programme for a maximum of 12 credits. They can be very useful for your future career.
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Studying a semester abroad
Studying abroad allows you to get to know a different culture, language and country, and we strongly recommend you take advantage of this opportunity. We have made collaborative and exchange agreements with over a 100 universities all over the world, enabling you to study there for a semester.
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Dutch language course
Are you interested in learning Dutch? There are different options to give you the opportunity to maximise your Dutch experience and prepare for your future job in the Netherlands.
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Study associations
Many of our students are members of a study association. It is fun and useful for your future career at the same time. Faculty student associations are a great way to meet fellow students and future employers. They organise study trips (abroad), career events, weekly debates, parties and receptions with drinks. Usually you can also purchase your textbooks and course syllabi at reduced rates via our faculty student association: Sefa.
Overview Study Associations
- Faculty student association Sefa
- International Student Committee (ISC,part of Sefa)
- International Student Network Amsterdam (ISN, part of Sefa)
- Study Association Actuarial Sciences, Econometrics and Operational Research (VSAE)
- Financial Study Association Amsterdam (FSA)
- Marketing Association Amsterdam (MAA)
- International study association (AIESEC)
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Student associations
Amsterdam has a thriving student community with many activities organised outside of the university’s grounds. You will find student associations focusing on networking, specific interests and sports. It is only at sororities and fraternities that you can expect an initiation ritual (hazing).
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Student participation
At university, you are entitled to make your voice heard and assess the quality of your own education. Students can participate in the discussion on the university's education policy in various ways, such as by joining the Programme Committee, the Faculty Student Council or the student focus group panel. You can also stand for election and dedicate your efforts to the programme and your fellow students.
You have to be independent and self-reliantHalil Kaynak, student BSc Business Administration Read Halil's review

Interactive Online Learning at UvA Economics and Business
During your Bachelor’s, you will experience an inspiring combination of both on-campus and online education. We work with a blended learning teaching method. By applying this method, you will be able to combine different types of learning into 1 approach and enjoy mastering knowledge at your own pace. During class there will be more time for in-depth analyses and interaction with your lecturer and peers.
Types of education
In this programme, you will find that in your education there’s a balance between innovative teaching methods and traditional forms. Writing an academic paper can be alternated by an online challenge. A peer-feedback assignment or an educational video recording with explanation can also be part of the teaching methods. The core of our programme are the interactive, small-scale on-campus tutorials though that are a compulsory part of every course.
Our Centre for Educational Innovation and our Teaching and Learning Centre are continuously working on improving our teaching methods. We take the interactions between students, teachers, and learning resources into account. In doing so, we hope to offer you the right combination of challenging, effective, and efficient education.