Why are some countries rich and others poor? How does globalization affect sustainability? What is the relationship between international trade and economic development?
The Economic Development and Globalization profile in Groningen is one of the few economic programmes in the Netherlands that offers a comprehensive and global perspective on current economic trends. When you choose this profile in your second year, you will study the impact of economic development and globalization on firms and individuals, and the governments’ role in that process.
With the increasing integration of the world economy through international trade and capital flows, it is important and highly relevant to consider contemporary economic issues. You will have the opportunity to take courses into various economic topics and subjects such as sustainability, technological change, innovation, and business ethics. You will learn about strategies that governments can pursue to ensure economic growth. Moreover, development economics will give you insight into the theories, policies and patterns that help analyze why some regions of the world have managed to develop successfully, while other regions are struggling.
You will have access to opportunities to develop practical skills and gain exposure to real-world economic challenges. Continuing with the MSc in Economic Development and Globalization will ensure that you are well-prepared for a range of career opportunities in various fields, both nationally and internationally.
Do you want to learn more about the other two profiles in Economics or Business Economics ?
In the first year, you will tackle the fundamentals of Micro, Macro-, and International Economics, and Finance and Accounting. You will also study the basics of Mathematics and Statistics applied in an economic context. You will also develop many skills, such as research and data skills, writing skills and presentation skills.
| Semesters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CoursesCourse Catalog > | 1a | 1b | 2a | 2b |
| Introduction to E&BE (5 EC) | ||||
| Mathematics for E&BE (5 EC) | ||||
| Microeconomics for E&BE: Consumers&Firms (5 EC) | ||||
| Financial Accounting for E&BE (5 EC) | ||||
| Macroeconomics for E&BE (5 EC) | ||||
| Mathematics and Data Analysis for E&BE (5 EC) | ||||
| Marketing for E&BE (5 EC) | ||||
| Statistics for E&BE (5 EC) | ||||
| Academic English for E&BE (5 EC) | ||||
| Research Paper for E&BE (5 EC) | ||||
| Asset Pricing and Capital Budgeting (5 EC) | ||||
| International Economics for E&BE (5 EC) | ||||
In the second year, you will learn to conduct applied research based on economic data and choose from one of the three profiles. In the Economic Development and Globalization profile, you learn about trade policies, what the fundamentals of growth are in shaping sustainable development, and about similarities and differences in the socioeconomic development of various regions in the world. For this profile, you will follow a specific set of courses.
| Semesters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CoursesCourse Catalog > | 1a | 1b | 2a | 2b |
| Matrix Analysis and Optimization (5 EC) | ||||
| Monetary Macroeconomics (5 EC) | ||||
| Trade Policy and Economic Integration (5 EC) | ||||
| Global Development Studies (5 EC) | ||||
| Microeconomics - Industrial Organization (5 EC) | ||||
| Technological Change & Innovation (5 EC) | ||||
| Capital Structure and Financial Planning (5 EC) | ||||
| Econometrics for E&BE (5 EC) | ||||
| Growth, Institutions and Business (5 EC) | ||||
| Business Ethics, Sustainability and Law (5 EC) | ||||
| Economics of Banking (5 EC) | ||||
| Empirical Research Paper for E&BE (5 EC) | ||||
In the third year, you will choose a minor (faculty, university or study abroad). You can pick from: a minor offered by your own degree programme, a minor from a different faculty of the University of Groningen or a minor that involves studying abroad for a full semester at one of our international university partners in Europe, Latin America, Australia, Canada, China, the USA, to name a few. At the end of the third year, you will write your Bachelor's thesis.
| Semesters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CoursesCourse Catalog > | 1a | 1b | 2a | 2b |
| Minor (30 EC) Minor Business and Taxation, minor E&BE, minor Innovation & Entrepreneurship, minor Management Control, Foreign minor or University minor | ||||
| Growth and Development Economics (5 EC) | ||||
| International Financial Markets (5 EC) This course can be replaced by a course from the E&BE-ED&G electives (see Ocasys). | ||||
| Bachelor's Thesis E&BE-ED&G (10 EC) | ||||
| Electives (10 EC) Intermediate Asset Pricing, Intermediate Macroeconomics, Labour Economics, Marketing Research for E&BE, Financial Statement Analysis for E&BE, Intermediate Corporate Finance, Intermediate Microeconomics, Political Economics. | ||||
| Sustainability and Globalization (5 EC) | ||||
| Trade and Firms (5 EC) This course can be replaced by a course from the E&BE-ED&G electives (see Ocasys). | ||||
You can choose to spend one semester (30EC) in the third year studying abroad at one of our exchange partners. For an overview of university partners, please visit https://www.rug.nl/feb/education/exchange/partners/.
Wiskunde A of wiskunde B.
It is also possible to enter the programme with an HBO propaedeutic certificate, on condition that you meet the required level of mathematics and the English language skills. For mathematics, you must at least have completed A or B (previously mathematics A12 or B1) at Dutch VWO level. For English, you must also have completed this at VWO level or obtained one of the English certificates: IELTS Academic overall score 6 (Speaking 6, Writing 5.5); TOEFL internet-based overall score 90 (Speaking 20, Writing 20); C1 Advanced (with minimum score 169).
You can enroll, as long as you have finished VWO-degree with mathematics A or B.
The degree programme will organize a choice of degree programme check. Attendance is optional. The advice is not binding.
Matching is a way for first year students of a Bachelor's degree programme without a selection procedure to find out whether their chosen degree programme matches with what they want.
If you want to register as a first year student for a Bachelor's degree programme without a selection procedure, you must do so no later than 1 May. That is a statutory requirement. When you have applied via Studielink on time, you are entitled to participate in a matching activity. Through matching you can find out whether your chosen Bachelor's degree programme matches with what you want. Every Bachelor's degree programme has a different matching procedure. After you have registered for a degree programme via Studielink, you will automatically receive a message explaining the procedure for the degree programme of your choice.
| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| EU/EEA students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| non-EU/EEA students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
If you intend to start with a bachelor degree programme at the University of Groningen in September, make sure to apply before May 1 in Studielink. The degree programme will give you the option to participate in a matching activity to see if you and the degree programme are a match. Which matchings activity they provide depends on the faculty and programme.
Any questions about matching? Check www.rug.nl/matching
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| previous education |
To meet the general entry-level requirements, you will need an educational background equivalent to the Dutch pre-university education (VWO). For an overview of VWO-equivalent qualifications, please check https://www.rug.nl/vwo-equivalent-qualifications. If you have any questions concerning admission to the programme, please contact our Admissions Office: https://www.rug.nl/admissions. |
| additional subject |
Mathematics should have been passed as a standard/methods level subject in your secondary school education. Please note that the level of mathematics will need to be assessed by the Admissions Board. |
| language test |
IELTS Academic overall score 6 (Speaking 6, Writing 5.5); TOEFL internet-based overall score 80 (Speaking 20, Writing 20); Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency (overall score 169, Speaking 169, Writing 162). |
Students have to apply via Studielink and the 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.
| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| EU/EEA students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| non-EU/EEA students | 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
Most of our graduates continue their studies with a Master's degree.
A Master's degree in Economic Development and Globalization develops you into a broadly-oriented economist with a strong international profile. You are ready for an international career at multinational firms, in financial institutions, consultancy and public organizations. Jobs such as market analyst, trade expert, global strategy and policy advisor will suit you well. Graduates of the MSc ED&G will be able to take up positions in internationally oriented firms (such as banks and multinationals), international organizations (such as World Bank, IMF, European Union, UN and OECD) and internationally oriented departments of government agencies and policy advisors. Alternatively, if you would like to further develop yourself into the direction of academic research, you could choose the Research Master's degree programme . This degree will allow you to move into academia and perhaps decide to go further and earn a PhD at a university in the Netherlands or abroad.
Our education is strongly rooted in business practice and society. Also right from the start of your degree programme attention is paid to academic research and professional development. An analytical and critical mind and problem-solving capabilities are important qualities in any career our students aspire to. In collaboration with external partners, we conduct research projects on e.g banking, local government, customer insights, leadership, energy, healthy aging and lean operations.
Read more about the research conducted at the Faculty of Economics and Business.
I wanted to study economics because this field is more and more important nowadays and I was interested particularly in the policies that are being considered to prevent and handle the financial crisis. Out of all the study programmes I looked at, the one in Groningen seemed to have the most holistic approach to economics, with not just the core macroeconomics and microeconomics subjects but also a heavy emphasis on developmental economics.
In my second year, I chose to follow the Economic Development and Globalization (ED&G) profile. One of my primary interests was researching uplifting marginalized communities as a driver in reaching a sustainable economy. One of the best things about choosing ED&G is the discussions that you have in classes regarding topics of development. Also, I think courses like Technology and Innovation enhanced my understanding of the global economy and the role technology plays in it. I enjoyed the research-based projects that taught me how to conduct research and prepared me for my thesis. In the future, I would like to do research on global sustainability and equity.
All in all, it is a challenging and very interesting programme and there is a lot to gain from it. Especially when you read financial and economic news and get to see some of the theories come to life.
