“Studying Business Administration has given me the grounding for the international business world”
Are you a born leader, eager to learn how companies function and what you can do to keep things running smoothly? Does business appeal to you? Do you see yourself being a vital addition to a company, regardless of the sector or country in which it operates? Your journey starts with Business Administration!
This course amounts to a total of 240 ECTS.
EU: 15 January/15 August
Non-EU: 31 October/31 May
More information
The Business Administration programme prepares students for positions in senior management. As business administrators, graduates are required to ensure that the part of the organisation they are responsible for performs well. Whether they work in ICT, purchasing, finance, facilities management or administration, these managers have to know what is needed and how the department can contribute successfully to the overall company objectives. A typical graduate of this programme is able to identify problems quickly and enjoys solving them effectively.
Business Administration is an ideal all-round management programme focused on a company’s internal organisation. Graduates are eligible for careers such as:
To be admitted to one of our 4-year bachelor programmes, you will need to meet the admission requirements as outlined in Dutch Higher Education law. For a 4 -year bachelor programme at NHL Stenden, you need a diploma that is at least equivalent to an NLQF 4/EQF 4 level (Dutch/European Qualifications Framework)* and comparable to the required Dutch diploma.
The Central Student Administration at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences carries out an assessment on every individual application to our 4-year bachelor programmes. It generally recognises the international qualifications listed here**
If the qualification you will obtain or have obtained is not listed as a recognised qualification, you may still be eligible to study at NHL Stenden and should also apply for the programme through Studielink. Your qualifications will be assessed by an Admissions Officer at the Central Student Administration (CSA) department at NHL Stenden once you have submitted your application.
If it is unclear what the equivalent level of your secondary school diploma is within the Dutch education system, NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences will have your diploma evaluated by Nuffic, a Dutch organisation specialised in the assessment of international qualifications. For an indication of how your educational system compares to the Dutch system, please visit the Nuffic website.
* The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) is a tool for understanding and comparing qualifications awarded in different countries and by different education and training systems. Its eight levels are described in terms of learning outcomes: knowledge, skills and competences. The levels of the Dutch Qualification Framework (NLQF) are linked to the levels of the EQF.
** All applications are assessed on an individual basis by the Central Student Administration (CSA) even if your diploma is listed as a recognised qualification. Although this document has been composed carefully by NHL Stenden, rights cannot be derived from this overview.
All non-EU/EEA applicants are required to submit an English proficiency test with their application to show that their English language skills are at a high enough level to succeed in their studies.
Exceptions can be made for students who have had their preparatory education in a country where English is the only official educational language.
If you are applying for a bachelor degree and hold a diploma from a European institution listed here, and English was included as part of the final exam curriculum, then the additional English language test is not required. The same applies to students who have attained General Certificates of Secondary Education (enough O and A/AS levels with the sufficient score), the European Baccalaureate Certificate, International Baccalaureate Diploma, or an IB career-related programme taught fully in English.
All other applicants need to submit a valid and adequate English language test result with their application.
NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences accepts four kinds of official language tests in accordance with the Code of Conduct International Student in Dutch Higher Education:
• Academic IELTS 6.0 ** (with an advised minimum of 5.0 for each skill)
• TOEFL 550 ** (paper-based), 213 (computer-based) or 80 (internet-based). Original test results must be sent directly from the Educational Testing Service to NHL Stenden. The TOEFL institution code for NHL Stenden is C652.
• Cambridge ESOL score FCE-C (169, or higher).
• TOEIC *670 (Listening and Reading) and 290 (Speaking and Writing).
*We only accept TOEIC® certificates from public programs and not from institutional programs. Public programs are organized in public centers and delivers an official score report which is recognized worldwide.
** IELTS, TOEFL and TOEIC certificates more than 2 years old (at the start date of the study), will not be accepted.
View the comparison of the different scores.
Please note: If you do not yet have the necessary level in English, you may enrol in our Preparatory English Language Course.
“Studying Business Administration has given me the grounding for the international business world”
Do you like to take initiative and enjoy discovering where new opportunities lie? Do you want to learn about how an organisation operates and how to keep it running successfully? If so, the Business Administration course could be for you!
Right from the start you will experience this in a Business Simulation Game.
You also get to know the operational side of management. This means learning about the day-to-day business of a company, including customer contact. Internal communications are just as important, so this area is highlighted as well. You discover the (international) field, so you know what to expect from your future line of work.
You will learn how to deal with all kinds of elements of a business, like operations, marketing, accounting, customer and employee satisfaction, law, ethics and ICT.
First-year subjects include: Human Resource Management , Marketing, Finance, and Organisational Behavior.
In the second year, you will expand on the knowledge you have gained in the first year. Tactical decisions and long-term planning are foregrounded during this stage. You will revisit a lot of the subjects from the first year, but this time around you will really dive into the specifics.
You gain in-depth knowledge of business processes and the quality of an organisation: how do you handle yourself under pressure and within a team? Additionally, you will conduct research for a company, for instance on customer satisfaction.
The final two years of the programme are geared towards your field of interest. You will choose a minor and do an internship at a company where you will further develop your skills. You also have the option to do your minor or internship in a different country, ensuring you of plenty of international experiences.
The final stage of your course is concluded with a final-year assignment for a company of your choosing. On completion, you will have proven yourself to be a valuable addition to any organisation!
This research unit collaborates with students from Human Resource Management and Business Administration. Students analyse real-world issues together with a researcher. They contribute to knowledge about value-driven professionals in organisations. The goal of this unit is to get a grasp of the ethical way in which these type of professionals work.
Results are applied in the professional field and in higher education. This unit tries to find answers to questions like:
During the third year, students can choose in which area they would like to specialise in. This allows students to further develop themselves. Students can choose from a variety of minors that are offered in the Netherlands and abroad.
The minors that are available to Business Administration students are:
With Design Based Education (DBE), ideas are turned into practical solutions, often in an international context. You will work in small interdisciplinary groups on assignments from actual clients. This is the best way to prepare for your future field. DBE places a strong emphasis on the personal development of our students. Guided by the academic staff, students will take charge of their own learning path. Our new educational concept will be used in a selection of our study programmes, starting in September 2018. It will also be implemented in all of our study programmes in the years to come.