“There is no other university of applied sciences, especially in Germany, that offers this kind of practice-related education.”
Are you curious, communicative and fascinated by the world of media and entertainment? Are you an International Baccalaureate (or equivalent pre-university education) student interested in earning your bachelor’s degree in just three years as part of a highly challenging degree programme? If so, you may just find our Creative Business (Media Management) 3-year Track programme the right fit for you.
This study programme was previously offered as Media and Entertainment Management (MEM).
This course amounts to a total of 180 ECTS.
EU: 15 August
Non-EU: 31 May
More information
Graduates in Creative Business have a wealth of career opportunities in the world of media and entertainment. You could end up working as a manager for a magazine or other publication, a media planner at an advertising agency or TV station, or start your own company developing cross-media formats.
As a media professional, you will possess highly developed conceptual thinking skills. You will also be able to manage a creative team and know how to use the various communication media and technologies to which you have access. Get ready for an exciting career in a rapidly changing field!
Careers open to you after graduation include:
To be admitted to one of our 3-year bachelor programmes (also known as fast tracks), you will need to meet the admission requirements as outlined in Dutch Higher Education law. Your diploma must be the equivalent of a Dutch pre-university high school diploma (VWO).
NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences recognizes the international qualifications listed here for admission into our 3-year bachelor programmes*.
If the qualification you will obtain or have obtained is not listed as a recognised qualification, you are most likely not admissible for the 3-year programme. However, if you want to know this for sure, we recommend you apply for the programme through Studielink. Your qualifications will be assessed by an Admissions Officer at the Central Student Administration (CSA) department of NHL Stenden once you have applied.
It may be that you could be admitted to one of our 4-year bachelor programmes. Check the admission requirements for those programmes here to find out.
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.
* All applications will be 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.
Once you have successfully registered via Studielink and it has been confirmed that you meet the admission requirements, you will be asked to compose a Motivation letter in English talking about why you would like to enroll in the 3-Year Fast Track programme.
This Motivation letter has to be submitted digitally and should contain a maximum of 300-500 words. The letter should cover the following points:
“There is no other university of applied sciences, especially in Germany, that offers this kind of practice-related education.”
After acquiring your bachelor's degree, you may choose to pursue a master's degree by studying the master Content & Media Strategy.
The course in Creative Business teaches you how to think and work from a cross-media perspective. You will be trained as a specialist in these areas over the course of the three-year programme. The course is more intensive than its four-year counterpart, including more in-depth study, and you will also acquire a large part of the theoretical knowledge through self-study.
As you start your course, you will discover exactly what the profession of media and entertainment manager entails, exploring various multimedia methods and tools. You will delve into subjects such as new media, mass communications, creating programmes, media law, trends in the media and the role of the media in our culture. Management, Consumer Psychology, Marketing, Ethics, Organisational Theory and Business Economics, are some of the subjects teaching you all about the practical side of the field by creating your own media productions.
In your second year, you will develop more focused and detailed knowledge, building on what you have learned so far. Explore the financial side of the industry, organise a media production and discover the fundamentals – and more – of experience marketing, concept development, storytelling and brand management. You and your fellow students will create a mock production, which you will see all the way through from concept to end product.
You will participate in an internship at a media company in the Netherlands or elsewhere and specialise by taking a minor.
Creative Business covers a wide range of relevant and interesting topics. In your final year, you will have the option to specialise by taking a number of minors: these are electives in which you focus on a specific subject or expand your knowledge by taking an additional subject. This allows you to truly take charge of your education by ‘customising’ your course.
You can take these minors at the Leeuwarden branch or at the NHL Stenden campus in Bali or in Thailand (we call this the Grand Tour). You can also choose from various minors offered by other courses – this is all part of broadening your academic skills.
Creative Business minors:
Music Management
You specialize in all aspects of music exploitation and learn what it’s like to earn a living working in the music industry.
Intrapreneurship
During this minor, you gain practical experiences which help you strengthen your professional attitude and be entrepreneurial within an organisation (network).
Digital Marketing Strategy (Thailand)
In this minor, you will learn how to develop a solid digital marketing strategy. You will be able to further strengthen your creative skills and develop new hands-on technical skills. The minor is offered at our campus in Bangkok (Thailand), one of the creative hotspots in the world, in a region where two-thirds of the world population lives. Next to gaining academic knowledge, you will also be able to improve your intercultural and language skills.
Problem-based learning (PBL) is a style of active learning in which you learn by solving problems, as well as develop your practical abilities, including cultural skills, management skills, and meeting and presentation skills. To round out the course, you will take classes in a foreign modern language The language of instruction at the International Hospitality Management Programme for all classes, coursework and projects is English. Additionally, you will be allotted a second language from a shortlist you submit prior to your second year. The second foreign language can be French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Russian or Chinese.
All NHL Stenden programmes are working towards a system of Design Based Education (DBE), which puts co-creation with professionals in the field front and centre. You will be working in small teams of students, teachers, researchers, and industry professionals.
