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Education Master's and PhD degree programmes Business Administration
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Business Administration

Study business administration in Groningen and choose from one of the five profiles in change management, strategic innovation, management accounting, health and entrepreneurship.

The MSc Business Administration equips you with a versatile knowledge and skill set that you can use to solve real-world problems across industries. One of the key areas you will get to explore is decision-making in various situations. Imagine questions like this: How can you shift the organisational culture to embrace sustainability or digital transformation? How can you effectively collaborate with stakeholders to bring about innovation? What are the challenges associated with adopting new tech innovations or starting your own business? How can we incorporate environmental and social factors into our management accounting practices? In a highly relevant sector such as healthcare, how can a manager make a significant impact? To stay at the forefront of knowledge, we invite industry experts to share the latest business practices with you and help you develop the right competencies to create a positive impact on business and society. What study area interests you most? In Groningen, you can specialise in five different profiles:

A unique feature of the programme in Groningen is the active student community with members from many countries and diverse study backgrounds. You will work closely in small groups on projects that require a critical analytical mindset and mirror work situations, gaining teamwork skills that matter. With a mix of international students and teachers, you will experience a global perspective that is essential for today's business world.

Facts & Figures
Degree
MSc in Business Administration
Course type
Master
Duration
12 months (60 ECTS)
Croho code
60644
Language of instruction
English
Start
February, September
Faculty
Economics and Business
AACSB AccreditedEQUIS
Why study this programme in Groningen?
  • In Groningen, you can tailor your studies depending on your interests and career aspirations. What's unique is the wide range of elective courses you can choose from during the one-year programme. You can also dive deeper into subjects such as Healthy Society, Digital Business, Energy and Sustainable Society by taking a focus area.
  • Our programme is designed to help you develop a diverse skill set applicable across industries, making you a well-rounded professional capable of tackling various business challenges.
  • The MSc BA often integrates sustainability and digital topics, preparing you to make responsible decisions that balance business objectives with the latest business developments.
  • Through real-world case studies and simulations, you will practice making decisions in scenarios mirroring actual business challenges. In all five profiles, you will work on assignments and challenges, analyse data from companies, build on cutting-edge academic research and attend guest lectures from business professionals.
  • The programme has been internationally accredited by the AACSB and EQUIS, ensuring a high-quality education, which only 1% of universities reach worldwide.
Programme

In the Master's degree in Business Administration, you can choose right from the start what profile you wish to follow.

  • Change Management: learn to navigate and lead transformations within organizations for positive growth.
  • Health: explore the intersection of business and healthcare management and how a manager can add value to this field.
  • Management Accounting and Control: learn to master financial strategies to optimize resources and guide informed decision-making.
  • Small Business and Entrepreneurship: unleash your entrepreneurial spirit and learn to build and grow successful small and medium-sized businesses.
  • Strategic Innovation Management: harness innovation to drive competitive advantage and shape the future of businesses.

    To see the full course overview, please go to the profile website below, under programme options.
Courses
Programme options
Change Management (profile)

Study change management in Groningen and learn how to best manage organizational change in the era of transformations.

How can you use change management techniques to embed sustainability goals and practices into an organization's culture? What steps can you take to navigate potential pushback from employees during digital transformation? In today's dynamic landscape, organizations must transform to thrive. Over the past two decades, rapid shifts like digitalization, global demands for sustainability, and various crises have reshaped the world. In the MSc Business Administration - Change Management, you learn how to apply the latest insights from research, theory, and practice in change management to make a positive impact on the business and society. Organizations rely on change management for survival, creating an exciting demand for skilled change experts who can craft and manage these impactful transformations in business and our society. In Groningen, you will learn to deal with the complexity of change as a dynamic interplay of organizational, technological, cultural, and human factors. You study in an international and challenging environment in which you develop a solid understanding of the diversity in theories and approaches but also learn from practice. You get to apply in real-life situations what you study by conducting company-based research, attending guest lectures, and working on business cases given by various organizations. The programme is proud to have a lively and active community with students from many different countries and lecturers and alumni who are open to sharing their knowledge and expertise to prepare you for your future career.

More information about this option

Health (profile)

Study health care management and health economics in Groningen and make a meaningful impact in the healthcare sector.

Can a manager make a significant influence in the healthcare sector? High-quality healthcare is of major importance, as it directly influences individual well-being and the overall functioning of our society. As a healthcare manager, policymaker, or consultant, you will be vital in improving and innovating healthcare at all levels.

In the MSc Business Administration - Health (MSc BA Health), you will study how to analyze and deal with strategic tensions in healthcare such as meeting the increasing demand for care, while facing workforce shortages and the need to control costs. The programme integrates a multidisciplinary approach with special attention to relevant topics in the health sector and our society. For example, the role of technology and innovation: how can you balance the utilization of technological advancements with human attention for clients and satisfactory work for health professionals? We teach you the tools on how to balance the provision of evidence-based care with catering for diverse patient needs.

You can specialize in managerial or economic issues, depending on where you want to add value. We make sure to bring the outside practice to the classroom. You will meet lecturers from diverse disciplines sharing their research insights and guest lecturers who bring in practitioners’ knowledge and real-world challenges. This enables you to explore different perspectives on healthcare, including those from clients, clinicians, managers, insurers, and policymakers.The MSc BA Health is the perfect study if you are looking for a multidisciplinary and societally relevant programme. It combines analytic and managerial skills and offers a crisp understanding of the social-economic environment in the healthcare industry. What is more, you are joining our diverse community of students with backgrounds in business, medicine, economics and facility management.

More information about this option

Double Degree Master International Business and Finance (Shanghai) (specialization)

Are you interested in an international career in or involving China?

Study in Shanghai after your FEB Master's programme in Groningen and gain first-hand knowledge and experience of China and the economy, finance and culture.

More information about this option

Management Accounting and Control (profile)

Study management accounting and control in Groningen and become a finance and business expert who can help organizations formulate and implement their vision and strategy.

In rapidly evolving business landscapes, organizations must formulate strategies and goals that enable them to thrive. While defining strategies is crucial, the true measure of success typically lies in the effective execution of these strategies. Managers need to make informed decisions and allocate resources to support the overarching strategy. However, in a world filled with countless options, how do managers make the right choices?In the Management Accounting and Control (MAC) program, you will acquire the skills necessary to assess strategic options and make decisions that seamlessly align with an organization's strategy. You will get familiar with management accounting and financial management techniques and combine this knowledge with insights from strategy, human behavior, and change management. This synthesis will empower you to acquire critical information for making successful strategic decisions. You will apply your knowledge in real-world scenarios, such as market expansion or M&A decisions, and develop the skills to effectively communicate strategic advice to managers. You will also have the opportunity to gain insights into using data analytics to support decision-making. The programme offers a wide array of career prospects. Our graduates often kickstart their careers as controllers or business partners in the finance department of an organization or as consultants in strategic or financial consulting firms. Others start their career in the strategy, business development, HR, or sales departments. Ultimately, the programme paves the way to ascend to pivotal roles, including general managers or financial managers within organizations.Are you more interested in auditing or financial controlling? Or do you want to know what is the difference between Management Accounting and Control, and Accountancy and Controlling? Find out more about our MSc Accountancy and Controlling.

More information about this option

Small Business and Entrepreneurship (profile)

Study small business and entrepreneurship in Groningen to kickstart your entrepreneurial career, by starting your own firm or contributing to the entrepreneurial spirit and success of another company.

What are the challenges technology-oriented start-ups face? How can small firms and family businesses incorporate sustainability and make a positive impact in today’s society? What knowledge and competencies do entrepreneurs need to gain in order to start up? Start-ups and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) comprise over 95% of businesses in many countries. At the same time, larger firms aim to become more agile to exploit new opportunities. Thus, the likelihood that you will work for one of these companies is high. We want to prepare you for this!Many management programmes focus only on large businesses, whereas SMEs and entrepreneurial firms have specific characteristics. The MSc Business Administration - Small Business and Entrepreneurship (BA-SBE) programme stands out by teaching you about the strategic and managerial challenges small business owners and entrepreneurs face. You will learn how small business owners and entrepreneurs can effectively manage their businesses in an increasingly complex business environment. We put a lot of emphasis on practice orientation and work together with many entrepreneurs and small business owners with diverse backgrounds (e.g., industry, gender, age, nationality, social goals). There is value to learning from practice and that is why we organize guest lectures and other events where you can connect with business professionals (e.g. during our start-up and small business safari). You will be able to link the specific theories on SMEs and entrepreneurship to practice by working on real-life cases and interviewing small business owners and business challenges. We collaborate with VentureLab North where you can develop your own business idea.Our graduates work as entrepreneurs, small business consultants, in entrepreneurial departments of large businesses, and for organizations supporting start-ups and small firms.

More information about this option

Strategic Innovation Management (profile)

Study strategic innovation management in Groningen and discover how you can help businesses develop and market innovations that are profitable and sustainable.

In a world where innovation drives positive change, how can you build an organization to be innovative? And in an increasingly globalized environment, how can your innovations combine profitability with sustainability? In the Strategic Innovation Management profile, part of our MSc Business Administration (MSc BA SIM), you will gain expertise in the whole strategic process of managing innovations. The programme centers on four themes: * Discovering the best innovation sources; * Harnessing a company’s resources for effective innovation; * Exploring the impact of collaboration on companies’ innovativeness; * Moving from innovation to valorization. These themes, combined with your research, Master’s thesis, and plenty of elective courses, will prepare you to manage a firm's innovation activities. You will be ready to help turn ideas into profitable new processes, products, and business models.The programme in Groningen is designed and taught by a small group of top academic researchers and has a very strong link with the business world. You will get all the tools you need to understand, evaluate, and engage with real-life scenarios, and to conduct your own research – all in the context of strategic innovation. We base our insights on researched evidence from leading scholars worldwide, ensuring the highest standard of informed analysis.

More information about this option

Study abroad

  • Study abroad is optional

A study exchange semester is not included in the one-year programme. If you wish to spend a semester abroad, you must extend the study period by one additional semester. Please discuss this with the programme coordinator as study exchanges are not arranged by the MSc BA programme. You would need to arrange the exchange independently. If you choose to apply for the Double degree master Chinese Economy and Finance and are selected, then you can spend one year abroad in Shanghai.

Entry requirements

Transfer options

Transferring from...

Study programmeOrganizationTransition
Econometrics and Operations ResearchUniversity of GroningenNo additional requirements
Business AdministrationUniversity of GroningenNo additional requirements
Economics and Business EconomicsUniversity of GroningenNo additional requirements
International BusinessUniversity of GroningenNo additional requirements
Industrial Engineering and ManagementUniversity of GroningenNo additional requirements
Psychology (NL)University of Groningen

Additional requirements

More information:

In addition to your BSc programme, you will need to complete a set of (extra) courses. For information, please contact the study advisors: https://www.rug.nl/feb/studyadvisors.

SociologyUniversity of Groningen

Additional requirements

More information:

In addition to your BSc programme, you will need to complete a set of (extra) courses. For information, please contact the study advisors: https://www.rug.nl/feb/studyadvisors.

Study programmeOrganizationTransition
Econometrics and Operations ResearchErasmus University RotterdamNo additional requirements
Economics and Business EconomicsErasmus University RotterdamNo additional requirements
Fiscale EconomieErasmus University RotterdamNo additional requirements
International Business AdministrationErasmus University RotterdamNo additional requirements
Business AdministrationErasmus University RotterdamNo additional requirements
Study programmeOrganizationTransition
Public Administration ScienceLeiden University

No additional requirements

More information:

For profile Economics, Public Administration and Management.

Computer ScienceLeiden University

No additional requirements

More information:

For profile Informatica & Economie.

Study programmeOrganizationTransition
Business AnalyticsMaastricht UniversityNo additional requirements
Business EngineeringMaastricht UniversityNo additional requirements
Econometrics and Operations ResearchMaastricht UniversityNo additional requirements
Economics and Business EconomicsMaastricht UniversityNo additional requirements
Fiscale EconomieMaastricht UniversityNo additional requirements
Global StudiesMaastricht University

Via a pre-master with a maximum of 45 EC

More information:

You need to first complete the 45 EC (or less) Pre-Master's programme. For information about the Pre-MSc application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster.

International BusinessMaastricht UniversityNo additional requirements
Study programmeOrganizationTransition
AccountancyNyenrode New Business SchoolNo additional requirements
Business AdministrationNyenrode New Business SchoolNo additional requirements
Study programmeOrganizationTransition
Business AdministrationRadboud University NijmegenNo additional requirements
Economics and Business EconomicsRadboud University NijmegenNo additional requirements
Study programmeOrganizationTransition
International Business AdministrationTilburg UniversityNo additional requirements
EconomicsTilburg UniversityNo additional requirements
Entrepreneurship and Business InnovationTilburg UniversityNo additional requirements
Econometrics and Operations ResearchTilburg UniversityNo additional requirements
Fiscale EconomieTilburg UniversityNo additional requirements
Study programmeOrganizationTransition
Actuarial ScienceUniversity of AmsterdamNo additional requirements
Business AdministrationUniversity of AmsterdamNo additional requirements
Business AnalyticsUniversity of AmsterdamNo additional requirements
Econometrics and Data ScienceUniversity of AmsterdamNo additional requirements
Economics and Business EconomicsUniversity of AmsterdamNo additional requirements
Fiscale EconomieUniversity of AmsterdamNo additional requirements
Study programmeOrganizationTransition
International Business AdministrationUniversity of TwenteNo additional requirements
Study programmeOrganizationTransition
Economics and Business EconomicsUtrecht UniversityNo additional requirements
Study programmeOrganizationTransition
Business AnalyticsVU University AmsterdamNo additional requirements
Econometrics and Operations ResearchVU University AmsterdamNo additional requirements
Economics and Business EconomicsVU University AmsterdamNo additional requirements
International Business AdministrationVU University AmsterdamNo additional requirements
Business AdministrationVU University AmsterdamNo additional requirements
Study programmeOrganizationTransition
Management and Consumer StudiesWageningen UniversityNo additional requirements
Economics and GovernanceWageningen UniversityNo additional requirements

Admission requirements

Specific requirementsMore information
previous education

To be eligible for admission to this Master, you need to hold an academic Bachelor's or Master's degree from a research university in one of the following - or closely related - fields: Business Economics, Business Administration, Econometrics and Operations Research, Economics and Business Economics, International Business, Technology Management.

To assess whether your educational/academic background meets the specific programme requirements, we will consider the level and curriculum of your previous studies. For more information, please visit: https://www.rug.nl/feb/apply-msc.

other admission requirements

The information about entry requirements is an indication of your admissibility. Every application will be reviewed individually by the Admissions board so the admission decision may differ from the indication in this table.

Registration procedure

Students with a Dutch diploma can apply directly to Studielink. More information on the  steps to apply .

Application deadlines

Type of studentDeadlineStart course
Dutch students01 May 202501 September 2025
15 October 202501 February 2026
EU/EEA students01 May 202501 September 2025
15 October 202501 February 2026
non-EU/EEA students01 May 202501 September 2025
15 October 202501 February 2026

Admission requirements

Specific requirementsMore information
previous education

To be eligible for admission to this Master, you need to hold an academic Bachelor's or Master's degree from a research university in one of the following - or closely related - fields: Business Economics, Business Administration, Econometrics and Operations Research, Economics and Business Economics, International Business, Technology Management.

To assess whether your educational/academic background meets the specific programme requirements, we will consider the level and curriculum of your previous studies. For more information, please visit: https://www.rug.nl/feb/apply-msc.

If you have any questions concerning admission to this programme, please contact our Admissions Office: https://www.rug.nl/admissions.

certified competences

A GMAT/GRE test is required from all candidates who obtained their bachelor's degree from a university in a non-EU/EEA country. For specific scores and exemptions, please see https://www.rug.nl/feb/gmat-gre.

language test

IELTS Academic overall score 6.5 (Speaking 6, Writing 6.5); TOEFL internet-based overall score 90 (Speaking 20, Writing 24); Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency (overall score 176, Speaking 169, Writing 176).

other admission requirements

Not meeting the pre-education requirements for direct entry? Please read more about our pre-Master programmes .

Registration procedure

Students have to apply via Studielink and the Progress Portal (replacing the previous system, Online Application System OAS) of the University of Groningen. After you apply for the programme of your choice, the Admissions Office will evaluate your educational background and assess your eligibility. Your application will be assessed on an individual basis. More information on how to apply.

Application deadlines

Type of studentDeadlineStart course
Dutch students01 May 202501 September 2025
15 October 202501 February 2026
EU/EEA students01 May 202501 September 2025
15 October 202501 February 2026
non-EU/EEA students01 May 202501 September 2025
15 October 202501 February 2026
Tuition fees
NationalityYearFeeProgramme form
EU/EEA2024-2025€ 2530full-time
non-EU/EEA2024-2025€ 20800full-time

Practical information for:

After your studies

Job prospects

As a graduate, you are qualified to work in national and international companies, non-profit organizations, and government institutions. Think of positions such as management trainee, internal and external consultant, financial or control officer and organization advisor. As a graduate, your degree will be highly valued in the labour market.

Career perspectives for graduates in Business Administration are bright. An important share of all graduates of Business Administration find jobs in consultancy. But our Business Administration programme offers many other career opportunities. Our alumni have different job positions in a variety of organisations, among others:

  • Examples of job positions: Business and management consultant, Management trainee, Project manager, (Junior) Product manager/owner, Strategic advisor sustainability, Business analytics, Senior transformation consultant, Business transformation consultant, Business controller, Financial controller, Engagement manager, Policy advisor.
  • Examples of organisations: ABN AMRO, Accenture, Albert Heinz, Belsimpel, BlinkLane Consulting, Capgemini, Bol.com, Deloitte, IBM, ING, McKinsey & Company, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water, PostNL, Rabobank, SNN, UMCG.
Research

Linking education to research and career preparation

Our research-driven education is strongly rooted in business practice and society. At the heart of our teaching approach is (interdisciplinary) research and in collaboration with external partners, students and professors conduct projects on societal relevant topics such as healthy society and the economics of healthcare systems, digitalization and how AI is shaping business and societies, leadership and governance, future prosperity and sustainability, climate change and how to tackle the shift to renewable energy. From day one of your degree, we are about making a real impact.

Read more about the research institute related to the MSc programme: Innovation and Organization .

Study associations

EBF

The Economics and Business Faculty association (EBF) is the faculty association for all students studying at the faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Groningen.
The EBF is your partner during your time in Groningen by organising events that support you with your studies and help you prepare for your future career.
https://www.ebfgroningen.nl/
Read more
Study support

Studying means working independently and planning your studies yourself. However successful studying depends on many different factors, so it is understandable that you may need to consult an impartial expert to discuss your study progress and personal circumstances that influence your studies. The faculty's study advisors are available to help you. Obviously, everything discussed with the study advisor remains confidential.