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Education Master's and PhD degree programmes Research Master in Economics and Business - Research
Header image Research Master in Economics and Business
Research master - full-time

Research Master in Economics and Business

Are you interested in high-end research in the field of Economics and Business? Are you ready for an intellectual challenge? Then this is the programme for you.

**Top-rated programme and best Research Master in Economics and Business in the Netherlands in 2019 and in 2018- Higher Education Guide Masters**

**Top rated programme in 2017, 2016, and 2014 **

The Research Master's degree in Economics and Business is a two-year programme and is open to bright and ambitious students. This programme provides you with a thorough basis for academic research in the fields of economics and business. The aim of the programme is to qualify you for a career in research. Therefore, there is a strong focus on scientific and academic skills. You can choose from three different profiles:

1) Business Analytics and Econometrics
2) Business Research
3) Economics

You will participate in lectures given by the best researchers, not only from Groningen but also from our national and international networks. The small-scale programme ensures an intensive exchange of knowledge, both between lecturers and students as well as among students themselves. Moreover, each student is individually supervised by experts in the student's area of interest.

Please visit the Faculty website to find specific information about online and on-campus activities, and your study start in September 2020.

Curious to find out more? You can download the brochure of the Research Master.

Facts & Figures
Degree
MSc in Research Master in Economics and Business (research)
Course type
Research master
Duration
24 months (120 ECTS)
Croho code
60315
Language of instruction
English
Start
Faculty
Economics and Business
AACSB accredited
Apply now
Why study this programme in Groningen?

The programme was chosen 'Top-rated programme' and 'Best Research Master' in Economics and Business in the Netherlands in 2019 and in 2018 by Higher Education Guide Masters. It was rated as 'Best Research Master in the Netherlands' in 2016, 2015 and 2012 and as 'Top Programme' in 2016 and 2014.

You are individually supervised by high-quality researchers and in the programme we focus on research skills training, as well as deepening and broadening knowledge.

The Research Master is an internationally accredited programme, ensuring high-quality education that meets both the AACSB and EQUIS standards, which only one percent of universities reach worldwide.

Programme

The Research Master programme consists of 3 different profiles: Business Analytics and Econometrics, Business Research, and Economics. In the first year, all students take 15EC research courses, 10EC research methods courses, 30EC profile courses, and a 5EC elective course.

CoursesCourse Catalog >
Elective course
Learning and Practising Research (10 EC)
Philosophy of Science and Research Methodology (5 EC)
Profile courses (30 EC)
Research methods courses (10 EC)

In the second year, students further specialise in their research field and take 25EC electives and a 5EC research course. In the last semester, students write a 30EC research master thesis.

CoursesCourse Catalog >
Academic Writing (5 EC)
Elective courses (25 EC)
Master's Thesis (30 EC)
Programme options
Profile I: Economics (profile)

The Economics profile gives you a solid foundation in working with economic principles. You will learn how to use theory to formulate sharp research hypotheses, to build models and to put these predictions to the test using state-of-the-art quantitative methods. The programme is structured specifically to develop your research capabilities by combining theory and empirics side by side. It consists of core economic approaches, training in research skills and a choice of specialisation courses, delving deeper into Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Monetary Economics, Industrial Organization, Experimental and Behavioral Economics, Development Economics, International Trade, or Finance.
Profile II: Business Research (profile)

The Business Research profile provides you with a broad overview of organization and management theories and their applications in different fields of business research. It focuses on research questions that contribute to a better understanding of behaviour both within organizations and of organizations in their environments. In the first year, the compulsory part of the programme includes courses such as Organization Theory, Organizational Behavior, Strategic Management, Marketing Theory, and Supply Chain Management. In the second year, you have the opportunity to specialize in a particular Business Research field such as Marketing, Operations Management, Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior, or Innovation Management.
Profile III: Business Analytics and Econometrics (profile)

The BA&E profile targets students with a background in Econometrics and/or Operations Research or a background with a strong focus on statistical and/or stochastic methods.

In this profile you learn a large variety of skills to work on the frontiers of research in the fields of Business Analytics, Econometrics and Operations Research to solve theoretical and applied (business) research questions. The compulsory part of the programme has a strong focus on the theoretical aspects of research methods with courses such as Econometric Theory, Data Science Methods, Quantitative Logistics, Panel Data Econometrics, Asset Pricing, Market Models and Supply Chain Modeling. In the second year, you can further specialize in any field of Economics and Business in which these methods can be applied. Examples include solving difficult logistic problems, developing econometric models or working with big data techniques to examine the behaviour of consumers.

Study abroad

  • Study abroad is optional
Entry requirements

Admission requirements

Specific requirementsMore information
previous education

Admission to the Research Master (RM) programme is selective, based on a thorough assessment of study results, personal competences and motivation. In principle, students with a BSc degree in Economics or Business are eligible for the RM programme.

Furthermore, students with a Bachelor degree in a related field, like psychology or sociology, may be admitted to some profiles of the programme. The Admission Board of the RM (appointed by the Examination Board) decides on admission. The Admission Board consists of the Director of Graduate Studies and the directors of the research programmes.

  • A strong motivation and talent for scientific research as exemplified by the motivation letter, course papers, thesis, and the activities listed in the curriculum vitae;
  • Excellent knowledge of the relevant fields and methods. In principle, students must have completed their Bachelor's or Master's degrees with an average grade of 8 (on a 10 point scale) and with a grade for their Bachelor research work (i.e. thesis) of at least 8;
  • Students with a relevant diploma from a Dutch university do not need to submit a GMAT/GRE score or an IELTS/TOEFL score.

If you want to know more about the programme, please contact:

(For general information on the application procedure and requirements)

(coordinator Research Master)
other admission requirements

Application date with scholarship: January 1

Application date (limited scholarships available): June 1

Read more about scholarship opportunities for EU/EEA-students (http://www.rug.nl/research/gradschool-economics-and-business/master-programme/scholarships)

Note: Late submissions may be processed, please first contact the coordinator.

Transfer options

Study programmeOrganizationTransition
Accountancy en ControllingAll Research universitiesNo additional requirements
Business EconomicsAll Research universitiesNo additional requirements
Business AdministrationAll Research universitiesNo additional requirements
Econometrics and Operations ResearchAll Research universitiesNo additional requirements
Economics and Business EconomicsAll Research universitiesNo additional requirements
Fiscale EconomieAll Research universitiesNo additional requirements
International BusinessAll Research universitiesNo additional requirements
Psychology (EN)All Research universitiesNo additional requirements
SociologyAll Research universitiesNo additional requirements
Technologie ManagementAll Research universitiesNo additional requirements

Application deadlines

Type of studentDeadlineStart course
EU/EEA students01 May 202101 September 2021
non-EU/EEA students01 May 202101 September 2021

Admission requirements

Specific requirementsMore information
language test

IELTS Academic overall score 6.5 (Speaking 6, Writing 6.5); TOEFL internet-based overall score 90 (Speaking 20, Writing 24); C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency (with minimum score 180); University of Groningen Language Centre Test (Speaking B2, Writing C1). SOM's TOEFL code is 9077.

  • ETS is offering the TOEFL tests as an online option to take from home worldwide. Please check their website for more information.
previous education

Admission to the Research Master (RM) programme is selective, based on a thorough assessment of study results, personal competences and motivation. In principle, students with a BSc degree in Economics or Business are eligible for the RM programme.

Furthermore, students with a Bachelor degree in a related field, like psychology or sociology, may be admitted to some profiles of the programme. The Admission Board of the RM (appointed by the Examination Board) decides on admission. The Admission Board consists of the Director of Graduate Studies and the directors of the research programmes.

  • A strong motivation and talent for scientific research as exemplified by the motivation letter, course papers, thesis, and the activities listed in the curriculum vitae;
  • Excellent knowledge of the relevant fields and methods as exemplified by BSc or MSc grades and GMAT or GRE scores (our GMAT code is 7207). In principle, students must have completed their Bachelor's or Master's degrees with an average grade of 8 (on a 10-point scale) and with a grade for their Bachelor research work of at least 8. All applicants with a non-Dutch diploma need to have a GMAT/GRE.
  • Good abilities to read, write and speak in English, as exemplified by a TOEFL score of at least 90 (internet-based) with speaking at least 20 and writing at least 24. SOM's TOEFL code is 9077.
  • Alternatively, a score of at least 6.5 (speaking at least 6, writing at least 6.5) should have been obtained at an IELTS test of English proficiency.

If you want to know more about the programme, please contact:

(for general information on the application procedure and requirements)

(coordinator Research Master)
other admission requirements

Application date with scholarship: January 1

Application date (limited scholarships available): June 1

Read more about scholarship opportunities for EU/EEA-students (http://www.rug.nl/research/gradschool-economics-and-business/master-programme/scholarships)

Note: Late submissions may be processed, please first contact the coordinator

Application deadlines

Type of studentDeadlineStart course
EU/EEA students01 May 202101 September 2021
non-EU/EEA students01 May 202101 September 2021
Tuition fees
NationalityYearFeeProgramme form
EU/EEA2020-2021€ 2143full-time
non-EU/EEA2020-2021€ 15000full-time

Practical information for:

Dutch studentsInternational students
After your studies

Job prospects

As a graduate of the Research Master in Economics and Business, you are ideally placed to become a PhD student or to obtain a research position in a public or private organisation. So far, graduates from this programme have obtained PhD positions at, amongst others, the Universities of Antwerp (Belgium), Bocconi (Milan, Italy), Rotterdam, Sydney (Australia) and of course Groningen.

Because all our programmes are EQUIS and AACSB accredited—a standard which only one percent of universities reach worldwide—your degree will be highly valued on the labour market.

The Faculty of Economics and Business offers a range of facilities to help you prepare for the job market through, for example, a future job talk, a job assessment workshop, and a mock job interview.

FEB Career Services
To support you in developing your career and strengthen your employability skills, our FEB Career Services empowers you to achieve lifelong success through various career services during your studies. In order to give you a better idea of your prospects after graduating, we have gathered some facts and figures from our alumni.

Research

Linking education to research and career preparation

The study programme has a strong focus on scientific and academic skills. Before students can contribute to a field of study, they will need to know a great deal about that field and have sufficient knowledge about research methods and techniques. Students will, therefore, be provided with in-depth knowledge about a certain field of economics and business on the one hand, and will be trained in a wide range of research methods on the other.

The specialised courses offered throughout the Research Master reflect the state-of-the-art research performed by experienced scholars in their respective fields. Moreover, Research Master students are individually supervised in their area of interest by renowned researchers.

Read more about our six research programmes within SOM - the research school of the faculty.

Apply nowBrochureEventsContact
Dutch brochureEnglish brochure

Contact

  • Testimonial of Steffen Eriksen

    "As a researcher each working day is different, as it depends on the project you are working on."

    – Steffen Eriksen
    Read more

    "The work I did as a student assistant combined with good thesis results allowed me to start as a researcher at the University of Groningen immediately after completing the MSc in Finance and the Research Master's. Although my current focus is in the area of microfinance and development economics, I am also interested in Asset Pricing, Investment Banking and Equity Research.

    As a researcher each working day is different, as it depends on the project you are working on. A typical working day for me starts by checking my e-mails and then planning the rest of my day. Some days I just have to do a lot of writing/programming, while other days I teach. The knowledge and skills required for this job overlap to a great extent with my studies – especially the econometric skills, which I still use on a daily basis. Nevertheless, what was missing was a general course unit which focused on how to write an academic article or a course unit teaching advanced tricks for programs such as R and Stata. The biggest difference between my studies and my current job is the level of responsibility. I would therefore recommend you plan ahead as this makes it much easier to get through."

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  • FEB's Research Master in Economics and Business best university Master in the Netherlands

    –
    Watch this videoClose
  • Testimonial of Marit Drijfhout (current PhD student) and Thanh Nam LE (Alumnus)

    Completing the Research Master programme requires that you have to work hard, but if you enjoy doing research and strive to develop yourself, it is definitely worth it.

    – Marit Drijfhout (current PhD student) and Thanh Nam LE (Alumnus)
Study support

The coordinator of the Research Master acts as a dedicated study advisor. He will give you plenty of advice about your curriculum, keep a close eye on the progress of your research projects, and coach you on the road from a Research Master degree to a PhD, or to any other future career you may aspire to.

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