Structure

International Business and Management Studies programme (IBMS) is a four-year course but we also offer a three-year accelerated programme for candidates with suitable background. Each academic year is split into two semesters – the entire study programme is eight semesters long.

The academic year

Our academic year starts in September and ends in mid-July. We have a six-week summer holiday and two weeks off at Christmas. Each semester is also split into two half-terms, both six weeks long. There’s a week-long break between each half-term (in February/March, May and October).

Each half-term includes one test or assignment period. Exams take place twice a year.

Your Foundation Year

Your first two semesters make up your foundation year - a general introduction to the core business subjects.

In your foundation year, we’ll see if you’ve really got what it takes to complete the programme. If you pass this year, you’ll be invited to continue your studies. As the first year is so important, unsuccessful students may have to leave the programme. All foundation modules must be completed by the end of your second year in order to continue on the programme.

In the second year you can choose a minor, next to our major program. With a minor you can either specialize or widen your scope. IBMS currently offers minors in Branding, Business-to-Business Marketing, Financial Markets and Human Resource Management and Languages. But we are continuously developing new minors, to keep up with the trends in the market. You also have the possibility of choosing entirely different minors from other programmes in The Hague University of Applied Sciences.

Studying and working abroad

In the second semester of the second or third year, depending on the length of the programme being followed, the travel begins and you’ll get to go abroad and study at an international partner university. While you’re here, we’ll expose you to as many international and cross-cultural experiences as possible. We have over 150 partner institutions, all over the globe. We send hundreds of students to study or do work placements abroad - from the US and Europe to South Africa and South America, from the Far East to the Middle East.

During your last year, it’s time for real business, and you’ll do an internship with an international company.

The final steps

Fresh from your business experience abroad, it’s back to The Hague in semester eight to finish your programme. During this final semester, you’ll complete your modules and complete an exciting consultancy project for a company or organisation – the Final Integrated Project.