All courses are taught in English and combine theory and practice. You will work on business cases and learn how to carry out data science and business analytics projects from beginning to end.

• Lectures (8 hours): Lectures give an introductory overview of the course content. You will attend them together with your fellow students. You take notes and have the opportunity to ask questions.
• Seminars (6 hours): During seminars, you will discuss specific subjects from the lectures in small groups. Exercises and practice assignments will help you to become adept with the theory.
• Practicals (2 hours): During practicals, you learn how to work with various mathematical and statistical computer programs.
• Self-study (24 hours):  During your study week, you spend time studying theory and preparing for lectures, seminars, exams or presentations. 
• Skills & Connect: In the first 6 months of your studies, you will receive weekly coaching from a senior student in a fixed group. This mentor will help you learn to study more effectively, and you will work together on your basic mathematics and statistics skills. In the meantime, you will also get to know your fellow students.
• Exams: At the University of Amsterdam, the academic year is divided into 2 semesters and 6 study blocks. In each block, you take courses that are assessed through exams. Almost all courses have a final exam at the end, and some also have a midterm exam halfway through. The exams are usually written and last 2 to 3 hours. You are generally allowed to use a calculator, and in some cases a formula sheet. You solve quantitative exercises with pen and paper and explain your reasoning. You receive partial credit for partially correct answers. If you fail an exam, you will have a chance to take a resit after a few weeks. 

You will gain a basic understanding of how organisations work and interact with their environment. At the same time, you learn how to apply quantitative methods and techniques to analyse these processes and activities. You will follow several foundational courses in mathematics and statistics, such as Calculus, Linear Algebra, Probability Theory and Statistics. In addition, you take introductory courses in Artificial Intelligence, Programming and Data Science, which help you apply mathematical methods to real-world problems. Together, these courses form a solid foundation for the more advanced and specialised subjects in the following years.

Binding Study Advice (BSA)

All Bachelor’s programmes at the University of Amsterdam are subject to a Binding Study Advice (BSA). For this programme, you need to earn at least 48 of the 60 ECTS credits in your 1st year. If you do, you will receive a positive study advice and can continue into the 2nd year. 

In the 2nd year, you further develop your ability to analyse and model business problems in different domains, using analytical methods from data science, AI and machine learning, and computer science. You will take courses in optimisation, machine learning, algorithms and data structures, and a hackathon.   

Semester 1

My Semester: customise your programme

Your 3rd year is all about exploring your individual academic interests. The 1st semester of this year is all yours to construct. Options include an internship, studying abroad, taking a minor or electives. 

• 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 one of our many partner universities to give you an exciting experience.
• Take a minor programme at the UvA or elsewhere: this gives you a chance to broaden 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.  At the UvA, you can choose from a wide range of Dutch- and English-taught minors. 
• Choose 5 electives from a list of Bachelor’s courses.

Semester 2

In the 2nd semester, you take common courses that strengthen your background in business analytics:

• Text Retrieval and Mining (6 ECTS)
• Marketing Analytics (6 ECTS)
• Computer Systems and Engineering / Information and Data Management (6 ECTS)
• Bachelor Thesis and Thesis Seminar Business Analytics (12 ECTS)

Is there a particular recent development that sparks your enthusiasm, or do you have a great business idea of your own? While writing your thesis, you have the chance to explore it fully while training your ability to conduct relevant research independently. Your thesis is the final requirement for your graduation. Supervised by our researchers, you will follow a clearly defined path that will lead to your graduation with a Bachelor's degree. 

The programme director of the Bachelor’s programme in Business Analytics, explains during this online information session what you can expect of this challenging Bachelor's programme. Additionally, two of our students share their experiences with this Bachelor’s and student life in Amsterdam.

The transition from secondary school to university can be a major step. For this reason, as a 1st-year student, you will receive intensive academic guidance. You can also count on individual support throughout the rest of your studies.

The UvA offers a variety of minors and a wide range of elective courses that you can take during your university years to broaden or deepen your knowledge. 

If you are ambitious, you can choose to take part in our Honours programme. You take the Honours programme alongside your regular studies. When you complete it, you graduate 'with honours', an internationally recognised distinction.

During your Bachelor's programme, you can put your knowledge into practice with an internship.

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 agreements with over 100 universities abroad, enabling you to study there for a semester.

Are you interested in learning Dutch? A range of courses is available to help you make the most of your time in the Netherlands and prepare for a future career here. 

Many of our students are members of a study association. It is fun and useful for your future career at the same time. Faculty study associations are a great way to meet fellow students and future employers. 

The VSAE is the study association for the ‘quants' in the economics department: students of Econometrics and Data Science, Actuarial Science and Business Analytics. It is the main association where Business Analytics students meet each other and other students. They organise study trips (abroad), career events, weekly debates, parties and receptions with drinks.  As a member, you can buy your textbooks and course syllabi at reduced rates. There are other associations as well.

Overview of Study Associations

• Faculty study association Sefa
• International Student Committee (ISC, part of Sefa)
• Study Association Actuarial Sciences, Econometrics and Data Science and Business Analytics (VSAE)
• Financial Study Association Amsterdam (FSA)
• Marketing Association Amsterdam (MAA)
• International study association (AIESEC)

Amsterdam has a thriving student community with many activities organised outside the university’s grounds. You will find student associations devoted to networking, specific interests and sports. It is only at sororities and fraternities that you can expect an initiation ritual (hazing). 

At university, you are entitled to make your voice heard and assess the quality of your own education. You 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 panel. You can also stand for election and dedicate your efforts to the programme and your fellow students.