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University of Groningenfounded in 1614  -  top 100 university
Education Master's and PhD degree programmes Business Administration
Header image Business Administration

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.

Are you ready to make a significant impact and tackle real-world business challenges? In the one-year MSc Business Administration , you will address challenges like shifting organizational culture, collaborating with stakeholders, adopting new technologies, and making a significant impact in crucial sectors like healthcare. In Groningen, you can specialise in five different profiles:
We address key challenges organizations encounter and analyze them through the lens of core academic insights . To stay ahead with the latest industry insights, 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.

Choose this programme if you would like to study in an active, diverse student community and collaborate on projects in small groups to gain valuable skills, essential for today's business world.

Facts & Figures
Degree
MSc in Business Administration
Course type
Master
Duration
12 months (60 EC)
Croho code
60644
Language of instruction
English
Start
February, September
Faculty
Economics and Business
AACSB AccreditedEQUIS

Why study this programme in Groningen?

  • You can tailor your studies based on your interests and career aspirations. The programme offers a wide range of elective courses, allowing you to explore focus areas such as Healthy Society, Digitalization and AI, Energy and Sustainable Society .
  • We help you develop a varied set of skills applicable across industries. We integrate sustainability and digital topics, equipping you to make responsible decisions that align with current business trends.
  • You work on real-life case studies and simulations to practice decision-making in scenarios that mirror actual management challenges.
  • Across all five profiles, you will work on assignments, analyze company data, build on cutting-edge research, and attend guest lectures from industry 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

You can choose right from the start what profile you wish to follow:
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 embed sustainability goals into an organization's culture? What strategies are effective when employees push back during digital transformation?

In today's fast-evolving world, organizations must adapt to thrive. In the MSc Business Administration - Change Management, we teach you about the rapid shifts like digitalization, global demands for sustainability, and various crises that have reshaped the world. You will learn to apply the latest insights from research, theory, and practice to drive positive impacts on business and society.

In the programme in Groningen: you will be prepared to manage impactful transformations, taking into consideration the organizational, technological, cultural, and human factors;you study in a challenging and international setting;you work on assignments from various organisations, do company-based research and learn from practice by attending guest lectures;you can specialize in focus areas such as Energy transition and climate change, Future prosperity and sustainability, Healthy society, or Digitalization and AI.

More information about this option

Health (profile)

Study Business Administration - Health in Groningen to gain a specialised approach to health care management and health economics, and make a meaningful impact in the healthcare sector.

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

In the one-year MSc Business Administration - Health, you can take a multidisciplinary approach, combining the latest academic theory with practice to give you the best foundation to start your career. You will gain expertise in healthcare management and health economics to understand best and tackle the challenges facing the health sector today.

Make your study programme unique to you: Customise your programme further with a wide variety of elective courses.Take an extra Master's internship in the second semester of your studies and apply what you have learned to add value to practice already.Join our diverse community of students with backgrounds in business, economics, health sciences, and a range of (para-)medic disciplines.Study abroad by joining the double degree master's with our partner Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Portugal, which broadens your scope to health and service management.

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 a world filled with countless options, how do managers make the right choices? n today's fast-paced business world, success is not just about setting strategies but executing them effectively. In the Management Accounting and Control programme, you will acquire the skills necessary to assess strategic options and make decisions that align with an organization's strategy.

What will you learn in Groningen?

  • Management accounting and financial management techniques to make informed decisions;* Insights from strategy, human behaviour, and change management topics;* Apply your knowledge to real-world scenarios (e.g. market expansion or decisions);* How to work with data analytics to support decision-making.Our programme opens doors to diverse career paths, from finance and consulting to strategy and business development.

You can specialize in the following topics: Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, Energy Transition and Climate Change, Future Prosperity and Sustainability, or Leadership and Governance.

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 firm or contributing to the success of another company.

How can small firms and family businesses positively impact society today? What knowledge and competencies do entrepreneurs need to gain to start up?

If you want to learn about the dynamic world of start-ups and small businesses, this is the programme for you! The MSc Business Administration - Small Business and Entrepreneurship will equip you with the knowledge and skills to thrive in today's fast-paced business environment.* Focus on real-world challenges: unlike many management programmes that concentrate solely on large corporations, our programme is tailored to address the unique challenges faced by small business owners and entrepreneurs.* Practice what you study: through guest lectures, real-life case studies, and interactive events, such as our start-up and small business safari, you will gain invaluable insights and hands-on experience.* Connect with businesses: there will be numerous opportunities to engage with industry experts and develop your business ideas in collaboration with Innokite.* Freedom to develop yourself: you can choose from a wide range of electives and focus areas (e.g. sustainability, digital transformation, business consulting, energy transition) and build your curriculum depending on your interests.* Career-ready: our graduates are well-prepared to excel as entrepreneurs, small business consultants, or in entrepreneurial departments of large businesses.

More information about this option

Strategic Innovation Management (profile)

Study Strategic Innovation Management in Groningen and discover how you can help businesses develop, organise, and protect innovations.

In a world driven by innovation, how can you foster an innovative organization? And how can your innovations be both profitable and sustainable in the long term?

In the Strategic Innovation Management profile, part of our MSc Business Administration, you will gain expertise in the strategic process of managing innovations. You will explore these four themes: Develop innovation strategies: define a strategy to identify and use the most effective sources of innovation to stay ahead of the curve.Organize company resources: internally re(organize) your company to encourage innovation.Collaborate for success: enhance innovativeness and drive success through collaboration with external parties.Innovate for profit: ensure that organizations capture value from innovative ideas, products, and business models.The programme in Groningen is taught by a small group of top academic researchers, builds on leading academic research and has a very strong link with the business world. You will acquire all the essential tools to understand, evaluate, and engage with real-life scenarios.

More information about this option

Double degree with Fudan University in Shanghai (China) (specialization)

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

Double degree with Católica Porto Business School (Porto, Portugal) (specialization)

Only for profile Health!

Study health and service management in Groningen and Porto to gain knowledge about the structuring and dynamics of the health sector and excel as a service management expert.

More information about this option

Specializations in various topics (specialization)

You have the opportunity to deepen your knowledge in a relevant topic in our society.

The Leadership and Governance focus area provides you with a deep understanding of both macro-level governance frameworks and micro-level leadership processes. This dual approach enables you to understand the broader implications of governance and leadership, while also recognizing the conditions that shape behavior, decision-making and organizational dynamics.

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. For the profile Health, there is an exchange option in Gent or a Double degree master's with Católica Porto Business School (Porto, Portugal) .

Entry requirements

Admission requirements

Specific requirementsMore information
previous education

Below you will see a table with 'transfer options'. Please check the entry requirements for your Bachelor's degree (from a research university of a university of applied sciences).

The entry requirements of some of the MSc Business Administration profiles might differ, please check the specific pages:

If your degree is not mentioned in the table below, you can still apply via a Pre-Master's programme. For information on application and entry requirements, please check https://www.rug.nl/feb/premaster.

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.

Transfer options

Transferring from...

Study programmeOrganizationTransition
Business AdministrationErasmus University RotterdamNo additional requirements
Economics and Business EconomicsErasmus University RotterdamNo additional requirements
Econometrics and Operations ResearchErasmus University RotterdamNo additional requirements
International Business AdministrationErasmus University RotterdamNo additional requirements
Fiscale EconomieErasmus University RotterdamNo additional requirements
Study programmeOrganizationTransition
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
Business EngineeringMaastricht UniversityNo additional requirements
Economics and Business EconomicsMaastricht UniversityNo additional requirements
Fiscale EconomieMaastricht UniversityNo additional requirements
Econometrics and Operations ResearchMaastricht UniversityNo additional requirements
Business AnalyticsMaastricht UniversityNo additional requirements
Study programmeOrganizationTransition
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.

International BusinessUniversity of GroningenNo additional requirements
Econometrics and Operations ResearchUniversity 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.

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

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 students15 October 202501 February 2026
01 May 202601 September 2026
15 October 202601 February 2027
EU/EEA students15 October 202501 February 2026
01 May 202601 September 2026
15 October 202601 February 2027
non-EU/EEA students15 October 202501 February 2026
01 May 202601 September 2026
15 October 202601 February 2027

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.

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 students15 October 202501 February 2026
01 May 202601 September 2026
15 October 202601 February 2027
EU/EEA students15 October 202501 February 2026
01 May 202601 September 2026
15 October 202601 February 2027
non-EU/EEA students15 October 202501 February 2026
01 May 202601 September 2026
15 October 202601 February 2027

Tuition fees

NationalityYearFeeProgramme form
EU/EEA2025-2026€ 2601full-time
non-EU/EEA2025-2026€ 21400full-time

Practical information for:

After your studies

Job prospects

You will be qualified to work in national and international companies, non-profit organizations, and government institutions. Our graduates take roles such as management trainee, consultant, financial officer, or organizational advisor. Your degree will be highly valued in the labour market, opening doors to numerous career opportunities.

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 organizations:
ABN AMRO, Accenture, Albert Heijn, Belsimpel, BlinkLane Consulting, Capgemini, Bol.com, Deloitte, IBM, ING, McKinsey & Company, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water, PostNL, Rabobank, SNN, UMCG.

Research

In Groningen, research is deeply connected to business practice, economics, and society . Some key areas of research you might explore as a student are:
  • innovation, strategy, and entrepreneurship
  • digitization and how AI is shaping organizations
  • sustainability, energy transition and socially responsible strategies
  • strategic leadership in an age of transformations

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/