Expanding your knowledge and at the same time developing your skills is key. That is why you will participate in a variety of teaching activities. Most of the courses are evaluated with one or more tests. This is usually a written examination, but it can also be an essay, a report, or a presentation.

• Lectures (8 hours): Lectures give an introductory overview into the course content. You will attend them together with your fellow students. You take notes and have the opportunity to ask questions.
• Tutorials (6 hours): During seminars, you will discuss specific subjects from the lectures in smaller groups. Exercises and practice assignments will help you to become adept with the theory.
• Self-study (24 hours): During your study week, you spend time to study theory through texts and videos, go over lectures and tutorials, and prepare for exams and presentations.
• Skills & Connect: In the 1^st year of your studies, you will receive weekly coaching from a senior student in a small group. This mentor will help you learn to study more effectively. In the meantime, you will also get to know your fellow students.

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, including business ethics and sustainability. You also take a course on strategy, which forms the foundation for all business decisions.

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. The courses in your 1st year are about these 4 pillars:

• Organisation. For example, this is covered in the course Strategy and Organisation;
• People. For example, this is covered in the course Organisational Behaviour;
• Economics. For example, this is covered in the course Economics;
• Methods. For example, this is covered in the course Quantitative Data Analysis.

The courses in this year are placed under these 4 themes.

In the 2nd 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; 
• Information and Data management: learn about the digital revolution and its impact on companies.
• Business Law and Ethics: learn and discuss the moral aspects of business, such as fraud.

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.

My semester: customise your programme

Your 3rd year is all about exploring your individual academic interests. The 1^st semester of this year is all yours to construct. Options include an internship, studying abroad or free-choice 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 and differentiate your knowledge. 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 over 120 Dutch and over 70 English minors at the UvA.
• Electives: 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. 

Specialisation

In the 2nd semester of year 3 you choose a specialisation that suits you: 'Accountancy and Control', 'Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Creativity', 'Finance' or 'Management in the Digital Age'.

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.

This Bachelor’s offers a Dutch and an English track. If you are a Dutch-speaking student, you can choose to follow our Dutch track. Both tracks are identical in terms of level and content.

Dutch track

In the Dutch track, tutorials, assignments and exams will be in Dutch. The lectures will be conducted in English, and you will attend them alongside your (international) fellow students. In the 3rd year, the amount of English used in the programme increases, ensuring you a smooth transition to a fully English-taught follow-on Master’s programme. The Dutch track can be a good choice if you want some time to adjust to the English language and prefer a gradual transition to a fully English-language programme.

English track

If you opt for the English track, all courses are in English. From year 1 you will study with both Dutch students and students from around the world. This creates a diverse and international classroom.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 abroad, enabling you to study there for a semester.

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.

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)

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).

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 panel. You can also stand for election and dedicate your efforts to the programme and your fellow students.

The course Principles of Economics and Business 1 and 2 focusses on main theoretical concepts in economics and business administration. Through practical assignments based on current topics in the media and real business cases, you will learn how to apply the literature to a current problem. These problems are related to ethics, corporate social responsibility or sustainability.

In the 2nd year, you take the Business Law and Ethics course, where you study topics such as data protection, privacy, business ethics, liability for human rights violations and international dispute resolution. In the course Business Research Methods, you will learn various research methods within business administration. We focus solely on examples related to ethics and sustainability. This way, as a student, you also become familiar with research on these topics.

In the 3rd year you can choose several different elective courses on ethics, sustainability or corporate social responsibility,  (e.g., Social Entrepreneurship, Non-Growth Entrepreneurship, Environmental Economics of Corporate Social Responsibility). You can even take a minor of 6 months in the field of sustainability (minor Sustainability and Economics).