Program Overview

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Bachelor Economics and Business Economics

The Bachelor Economics and Business Economics at VU Amsterdam is a three-year program that delves into the behavior of companies, consumers, and governments in the pursuit of their wellbeing. The program is divided into three years, each with its unique focus and set of courses.

Year 1 Economics and Business Economics

In the first year, students build a solid foundation in both economics and business economics courses. At the end of the first year, students choose between Economics or Business Economics. The first year consists of compulsory courses, including:

• SAM Programme EBE
• Economic Challenges
• English Language Test
• Quantitative Research Methods I
• Marketing I
• Microeconomics I
• Academic Skills
• Accounting I
• Macroeconomics I
• Economics and Management of Organizations
• Finance I
• Programming for Economists

Year 2 Economics and Business Economics

The second year is the year in which students make important choices. They start the year choosing between the Economics track or the Business Economics track. In case they opt for Business Economics, halfway through the second year, they make a second important choice by deepening themselves further in Accounting, Finance, or Marketing. During the second year, students also deepen their methodological knowledge and their ethical and philosophical knowledge and skills, regardless of which track they have chosen.

Economics

The track Economics consists of compulsory courses, including:

• Macroeconomics II
• Quantitative Research Methods II
• International Trade and Development Economics
• Regional and Urban Economics
• Ethics
• Microeconomics II
• Public Economics
• Environmental and Transport Economics
• Monetary Economics
• Research Paper

Business Economics

The track Business Economics contains a number of compulsory courses, plus further profiling within the track. Students choose one out of three tracks: Accounting, Finance, or Marketing. Each track consists of one compulsory course, and in addition, students choose one course from one of the other tracks.

Business Economics Year 2 - Tracks

• Track Accounting: Management Accounting, plus a course of choice from one of the other tracks (Corporate Finance or Value Based Marketing)
• Track Finance: Corporate Finance, plus a course of choice from one of the other tracks (Management Accounting or Value Based Marketing)
• Track Marketing: Value Based Marketing, plus a course of choice from one of the other tracks (Corporate Finance or Management Accounting)

Business Economics Year 2 - Obligatory courses

• Accounting II
• Quantitative Research Methods II
• Finance II
• Marketing II
• Ethics
• Financial Accounting
• Law
• Research Paper

Year 3 Economics and Business Economics

In the first semester, students may choose a minor of 30 EC (or fill in the first semester in a different way, after permission of the Examination Board). In the second semester, students continue the track they have chosen in the second year.

Third year Bachelor Economics and Business Economics – Minor

The first semester consists of electives, in which students may do a minor (5 courses of 6 EC each). Students can choose a Faculty Minor, a University Minor, an Educational Minor (the latter is only offered in Dutch), or compose a course package themselves (inside or outside the VU, note that approval of the Examination Board is required in both cases).

Faculty Minors SBE

The School of Business and Economics offers several minors, including:

• Minor Entrepreneurship
• Minor Understanding and Influencing Decisions in Business and Society
• Minor Health Care Management
• Minor Real Estate Economics and Finance
• Minor Risk Management for Financial Institutions
• Minor Applied Econometrics: A Big Data Experience for All
• Minor E-Business and Online Commerce
• Minor Sustainability: Management and Innovation

University Minors EBE

Students Economics and Business Economics are allowed to participate in all university minors, except for the university minors - Economics - Business Administration: New Ways of Doing Business.

Minor Brain and Mind

The minor Brain and Mind acquaints students with different disciplines within the field of Neuroscience.

Minor Sustainability: Global Challenges, Interdisciplinary Solutions

This minor explores a number of burning issues in the global world, such as environment and sustainability, poverty and unequal economic growth, global political economy, diversity and inequality, and urbanization.

Minor Sport, Movement and Health

This minor focuses on the themes of sport, movement, and health.

Minor Managing Digital Innovation

This minor explores the opportunities of the digital era and how new digital technologies change the way of working in various fields of expertise.

Minor Islam

This minor delves into the study of Islam.

Minor Digital Humanities and Social Analytics

The minor Digital Humanities and Social Analytics provides an introduction to the field of digital humanities and social analytics.

Minor in English

This minor focuses on the English language.

Minor Gender and Diversity

This minor explores the themes of gender and diversity.

Minor History

This minor delves into the study of history.

Minor Literature

This minor focuses on the study of literature.

Minor Psychology and the Brain

This minor explores the field of psychology and the brain.

Minor Law and Global Society

This minor examines the role of law in defining and resolving social issues concerning the globalization of societies.

Minor Technology, Law and Ethics

This minor focuses on the intersection of technology, law, and ethics.

Minor Development and Global Challenges

This minor explores a number of burning issues in the global world, such as environment and sustainability, poverty and unequal economic growth, global political economy, diversity and inequality, and urbanization.

Minor Peace and Conflict Studies

This minor delves into the study of peace and conflict.

Minor Political Science

This minor focuses on the study of political science.

Minor Philosophy

This minor explores the field of philosophy.

Education Minor EBE

Students Economics and Business Economics may do an Education Minor Economics (Economie).

Honours programme

The Honours Programme contains 30 EC on top of the regular programme and offers several advantages to ambitious students.

SBE Honours Courses

The SBE honours courses of the Honours Programme are taught mainly in the evening by lecturers from the School of Business and Economics.

Interdepartmental Honours Courses

The interdepartmental courses of the Honours Programme are taught mainly in the evening by lecturers from Vrije Universiteit, the University of Amsterdam, and Amsterdam University College.

Additional 0 ECTS Internship

The Bachelor's Internship is available for students.

Additional courses for admission to one of the SBE Master programmes

After the bachelor's degree, students can further specialize in one of the master programmes. The VU website provides more information about the master programmes, as well as the admission requirements.

Bachelor Economics and Business Economics - Transitional arrangements

In case of curriculum changes, a transitional arrangement applies to higher year students who still have to take courses from the old curriculum. The transitional regulations are stated on the website as well as in the Teaching and Examination Regulations (OER).