International Business

Kurzprofil

International Business at HAN University of Applied Sciences is an innovative, flexible course that equips you for the dynamic and fast-paced world of international business, where no two days are the same. During the 1st year you get a solid foundation in all areas of international business. You also study a foreign language in your 1st year: Dutch, Spanish, French or German. From the 2nd year you focus on one of four specialisations:

• Finance
• Management
• Marketing & Sales
• Supply Chain Management

Throughout the course, you work on group projects and gain valuable international experience during your work placement and study abroad. What’s more, you can choose for how long you want to go abroad: from 6 to 18 months. In the 4th year of your course, you work in a team of students on a project for a company. The final step is conducting research for an internationally oriented organisation: your graduation assignment.

Theory and practice

During the International Business course you not only learn theory, but also how to put it into practice. HAN’s courses are renowned for their seamless integration of theory and practice. This is because the institution works in close collaboration with the professional field. You get the opportunity to work on a number of team projects in groups of 4 to 6 students: real projects for real companies. So when you graduate, you’ll have the knowledge and skills that employers are looking for.

Research

As an international business professional, you need to validate the choices you make and the advice you give to companies. In other words, you need to do research. Research begins with making a sound judgement of the sources. During the course, you learn how to tell the difference between reliable and unreliable sources. You also gain other valuable research skills. These will be crucial when doing market research for a company that wants to expand into another country, for example. When you need to answer questions such as: Is there a feasible market in that country? Which target group should we focus on? Which resources should we use to get the best results? Questions you’ll be able to answer by putting your research skills to work.

Studiumsverlauf

From the 2nd year you choose on one of four specialisations:

• Finance
• Management
• Marketing & Sales
• Supply Chain Management

Finance

As a finance expert, you operate at the company’s financial heart. You develop and control procedures and systems so that decision-making is based on objective analysis and quantifiable information, while keeping the entire organisation in mind and balance the interests of all stakeholders. This requires a deep understanding of the human, cultural and non-financial aspects of a decision or transaction. Themes covered in this specialisation are international and corporate finance, accounting, risk management, external reporting and taxes, business communication and performance management.

Management

In the Management specialisation you learn how to support and advise businesses to tackle the changes of today’s globalising world. Themes covered are E-business, sustainability, change management, innovation, leadership, project management and new types of businesses. You also study either Dutch, German, French or Spanish and learn to communicate in this language for business purposes.

Marketing & Sales

The main themes covered in Marketing & Sales are entering new markets abroad, international account management, improving international sales, international marketing and E-commerce. In this specialisation you learn how a company can expand into the global marketplace by investigating crucial marketing and sales questions. What’s more, you can choose from German, French, Dutch or Spanish and you’ll learn how to use this language in a business environment.

Supply Chain Management

The supply chain covers the entire track: from raw materials, through production and distribution, into the hands of the customer, patient or client. As a supply chain manager, you’re constantly weighing three competing interests: the customer needs, the operational possibilities and the financial consequences. You know the possibilities and limitations of all three parameters, whether in-house or at your suppliers. Your job is to find a balance between these interests and devise the best possible solution to ensure products or services are at the right place at the right time. To do this, you have to understand customer service and marketing perspectives, as well as sourcing, production, distribution and finance.