• MSc International Business
• MSc Human Decision Science
• MSc Management of Learning
• MSc Economic Studies
• MSc Infonomics
• MSc Financial Economics
• MSc Fiscale Economie
• MSc Econometrics and Operations Research
• MSc Global Supply Chain Management and Change
• MSc Business Research
• MSc Economic and Financial Research
Master’s programmes in Business and Economics
School of Business and Economics
Sharing Success
Language of
instruction:
English
2 Master’s programmes in Business and Economics
Historic yet forward-thinking and contemporary, typically Dutch yet
multicultural and vibrant, Maastricht is a city of contrasts. Known as the
birthplace of the modern European Union, Maastricht continues to
establish itself internationally thanks to Maastricht University’s position
as a leading academic centre in Europe.
Beyond boundaries
With over half of its master’s students and a third of its academic staff coming from outside
the Netherlands, Maastricht University has a reputation for its international orientation and
dynamic, interdisciplinary environment. Almost all of our master’s programmes are taught
in English and international themes are deeply rooted in the curricula.
New perspectives
As a master’s student, you are a contributing member of our academic community. Using the
Problem-Based Learning methodology, you work in small groups alongside students from all

• Value exchange. In everything we do, we are determined
to add value to our international network and
community. In return, we are enriched by and appreciate
the value that we receive from others.
• Inspiring. We strive to inspire our community and
partners all over the world, not through what we say,
but through our actions. Challenging people inspires
people.
Maastricht University is signatory of the “Code of conduct with respect to
international students in Dutch higher education”. More information about this
code of conduct is available at www.internationalstudy.nl.
All programmes in this brochure are accredited by the Accreditation
Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO). For more information on
NVAO, please visit www.nvao.net.
* This specialisation has yet to be formally approved to start in September 2012.
Contents
Message from the dean 4
MSc International Business 5
• Accountancy 6
• Business Intelligence 8
• Controlling 10
• Entrepreneurship and SME Management 12
• Finance 14
• Information Management 16
• Marketing-Finance 18
• Organisation: Management, Change and Consultancy 20
• Strategic Marketing 22
• Strategy and Innovation 24
• Supply Chain Management 26
MSc Human Decision Science 28

and more. The passport to your future.
International and diverse
Maastricht is a charming and vibrant city. Located at the
crossroads of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, it’s
a microcosm of cultures and languages. And so, too, is SBE.
Our staff and students come from almost 50 different
countries. All our programmes have an international focus,
with almost all courses taught in English. And we have
academic and corporate partners all over the world, which
gives you great opportunities to study or intern abroad. All
this serves to broaden both your professional and personal
horizons.
Innovative and dynamic
Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is the methodology for
which Maastricht University is famous. This means small
tutorial groups, close contact with your tutors, continuous
learning (rather than just cramming for exams!), and a
highly interactive style of learning. In this way, PBL trains
you to be an active and independent participant, rather
than just a passive recipient. It’s no coincidence that the
skills you need to use PBL successfully are also a huge plus
in today’s job market.
Practical and professional
Employers like our graduates because they are trained
in valuable, real-life skills: managing yourself and
your team, giving and receiving constructive criticism,
meeting deadlines, producing concrete results, and taking
responsibility, but also taking risks. In order to prepare
you for the international labour market, we have initiated
the International Classroom Development Programme, in

operate and change over time? Are you looking to develop
the knowledge and skills that will put you ahead in today’s
dynamic business world? International Business will help
you succeed.
Why should you choose International Business?
International business covers all aspects of commerce
across borders. It is a very broad subject, which is why
this programme has been divided into several
specialisations. This means that you can choose to focus
on a particular area, depending on your own interests and
future ambitions. Whichever specialisation you choose,
there are some common elements to all of them. These
include a strong focus on business in an international
environment through extensive use of case studies, real-
life business problems, skills training and a master’s thesis.
You will finish the year with the broad analytical and
theoretical skills required for an international business
career, as well as a deep understanding of your chosen
specialisation.
Within this programme, you can choose from the
following specialisations:
• Accountancy
• Business Intelligence
• Controlling
• Entrepreneurship and SME Management
• Finance
• Information Management
• Marketing-Finance
• Organisation: Management, Change and Consultancy
• Strategic Marketing

• Business Engineers
at:
• consultancy firms, such as Cap Gemini and Accenture;
• large multinationals, such as Shell and Philips;
• SMEs;
• governmental and non-governmental organisations.
In 2010, the NVAO awarded the `Distinctive (Quality)
Feature for Internationalisation’ to SBE’s bachelor’s and
master’s programmes in International Business. The
NVAO safeguards the quality of higher education in the
Netherlands and Flanders, evaluates study programmes
and grants acknowledgements of particular qualities.
For this accreditation, the NVAO looked at six different
criteria and focused in particular on the level of ambition
and explicit vision on internationalisation within the
programmes.
distinctive feature, good
6 Master’s programmes in Business and Economics
Specialisation
Accountancy
Interpreting information for better business
decisions
Do you want to get right to the core of business – working
within the central nerve system of any
company? Are you interested in interpreting numbers, as
well as gathering them? Do you aspire to
become an auditor or financial consultant? Accountancy
puts you on the fast specialisation to success.
Why should you choose Accountancy?
Financial information is the basis for all company decisions

a high level of achievement is more important than the
subject itself.
What are your career prospects?
Interaction with companies is an integral part of this
specialisation. You will have the opportunity to visit
companies, network with future potential employers,
join student associations, and attend guest lectures
and workshops given by audit firms, such as KPMG,
Ernst & Young, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and
PricewaterhouseCoopers. These opportunities will bring
you into contact with the professional world and open up
employment possibilities before you’ve even graduated.
Graduates have found positions in:
• audit firms or departments;
• their own businesses;
• financial consultancy.
After graduating in Accountancy, you can take either a Dutch
post-graduate programme or an international post-graduate
programme that both focus on qualifying you to become a
Registered Auditor (see www.umra.nl). You can obtain this
qualification by attending a part-time programme whilst
working in the field. At this post-graduate stage, links with
the corporate world are even stronger: the programmes
are an integral part of firms’ management and executive
development; and executives of corporations sit on the
programmes’ supervisory boards.
7
Course outline
There are certain compulsory courses within the
specialisation, as well as an elective.

be comfortable speaking in front of a group of people
and working in teams.
Maastricht University is internationally well recognized
for its quality education, which I noticed when applying
for my first job, but again when applying for the post-
doctoral international study programme ‘Chartered
Global Management Accountant’ in London.”
Elise van Laarhoven
Finance Advisor Chemicals Operations Europe & Africa
Shell Chemicals Europe BV
Rotterdam
More than numbers
Accountancy
Term I
1
Internal Control Assurance Services
2
Financial Statement
Analysis and
Valuation
Elective
3
Skills Training: Writing a Master’s Thesis
Term II
4
Financial
Accounting
Writing the
Master’s Thesis
5

software in a true ‘learning by doing’ approach.
Examples of well-known real-life cases where you’ll have
the opportunity to apply business models include:
• decisions about a 3G network auction for mobile phone
operators;
• strategic buying decisions for a European office rental
company;
• profit analysis for leveraged takeover of a bank by hedge
funds;
• revenue management for an airline company.
What will you learn?
Having completed this specialisation, you will be able to:
• reach sound strategic decisions;
• understand fundamental models and value drivers of
your company specifically, and of the industry in general;
• use the power of IT tools and technologies in a strategic
business context.
Is Business Intelligence right for you?
As well as the standard admission requirements,
you should:
• have an interest in what generates value in a business,
such as IT, strategic decision-making and business
modelling;
• be familiar with business models;
• be able to think analytically.
A bachelor’s degree in international business or equivalent
is required for career prospects in this area of business,
although other disciplines may be considered for the
specialisation.
What are your career prospects?

• Learning method: problem-based learning; guest
lectures; presentations; assignments
• Assessment method: written exams; final papers; group
participation
• Option:
• double degree programme with EDHEC Business School
and Queen’s School of Business for SBE IB or EBE
bachelor’s graduates
Further information:
• www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/sbe/master
Modelling customers and competitors
Vodafone uses business intelligence to model their customers’ feedback
and to monitor their competitors. Through business intelligence, you can
use these models to make decisions on marketing strategy. You will be
able to analyse which customers to target based on whether they are
profitable, whether they offer cross-selling opportunities, whether they
fit Vodafone’s strengths and so on. You can learn about cases like these
and apply the methodologies in other fields through the Business
Intelligence specialisation.
Business Intelligence
Term I
1
Supply Chain
Operations
Business Analysis
2
Business
Intelligence Case
Study
Data Management

they gather, prepare, interpret and assess information,
which then allows them to advise managers of the best
decisions to make.
Examples of the types of assessments you might make as a
controller include information relating to profitability, the
success of product A vs. product B, people’s performance
within an organisation, the viability of mergers &
acquisitions and so on. Controllers use costing techniques
and performance assessment techniques in order to make
the best business decisions in these types of situations.
This specialisation is particularly suitable for you if you are
interested in management control, but do not want to go
into audit, assurance or accountancy.
What will you learn?
Having completed this specialisation, you will be able to:
• design management control instruments – such as
scorecards, managerial incentives, budgets, and so on
– to implement strategies, assess their effectiveness and
report on this;
• design and improve internal reporting systems;
• help management to improve their decisions – relating
to pricing, mergers & acquisitions and make or buy, for
example.
Is Controlling right for you?
As well as the standard admission requirements,
you should:
• have a general interest in the workings of businesses;
• be able to think critically;
• demonstrate quantitative skills;
• be a team player and interested in people and people

working in the field.
11
Fast facts
• Programme: MSc International Business
• Specialisation: Controlling
• Language of instruction: English
• Duration: 1 year full-time
• Start date(s): in February and September
• Study load per week: 8 hrs classes; 12 hrs group work;
20 hrs individual study. Total 40 hours
• Learning method: problem-based learning;
guest lectures; presentations; assignments; papers
• Assessment method: written and oral exams; final
papers; group participation
• Option:
• double degree programme with EDHEC Business School
and Queen’s School of Business for SBE IB or EBE bachelor’s
graduates
Further information:
• www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/sbe/master
Course outline
There are certain compulsory courses within the
specialisation, as well as an elective.
NB. The course outline applies to the September start date
at the time of publishing. Details of the specialisation could
change, or may differ for the February start date. Before
applying, please check our website for the latest information.
Performance assessment in the Brazilian market
Beiersdorf is the umbrella company that houses brands like Nivea, and
sells products like washing powder, soap, hair-care products and more.

Master’s Thesis
6
Completing the Master’s Thesis
12 Master’s programmes in Business and Economics
Specialisation
Entrepreneurship and SME
Management
Gaining entrepreneurial experience while
studying
Do you want to become an entrepeneur in a small or
larger business, or take over the family firm? Do you want
to gain real-life experience in creating your own student
company or assisting the management team of a small
business, before you’ve even left university? Become an
entrepreneur by taking this specialisation!
Why should you choose Entrepreneurship and
SME Management?
While small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) may
have key features that are different to those of big
businesses, the underlying components are the same.
That’s why this specialisation offers courses in strategy,
organisation, marketing, finance and accounting,
but then tailors them for a real SME focus.
As well as theory courses, you will take an empirical skills
training course, meaning you have the chance to put
academic theory into practice. During this course, you will
have the opportunity to put your skills to work in a real
company: either by setting up a student company or by
assisting the management team of an existing SME.
If you choose to set up a company, the skills and expertise

students in this specialisation have entrepreneurial
experience, or have grown up as part of a family
business, although this is not required to take the
specialisation.
What are your career prospects?
Complementary to the specialisation, the department has
connections with several organisations that can help you
not only with your career, but also with your thesis and
student company. These include:
• the Centre for Entrepreneurship, which organises
business plan competitions and round-table discussions
with entrepreneurs, as well as inviting well-known
entrepreneurs to speak;
• the SME portal, which coordinates issues from small
businesses that are often used as case studies and
company projects within this specialisation;
• the European and International Council of Small
Businesses;
• the UM Holding and other faculties that can offer help
on your thesis or student company; examples include
buying shares, advice on patenting issues and so on.
Graduates have found positions in:
• their own businesses that they set up themselves;
• family businesses that they have later taken over;
• entrepreneurial functions in innovation and marketing in
large and multinational enterprises;
• management functions in SMEs;
• consulting;
• public research institutes;
• venture capital firms and banks;

a fast-paced, global company like Google.
The Economics and Business Economics (Infonomics
specialisation) bachelor’s programme and my master’s
in Entrepreneurship and SME Management have given
me superior presentation skills compared to many
colleagues. Learning how to work well with others
and take on an active and leading role in teams,
has proved to be very useful in an organisation like
Google. ”
Billy van den Ende, New Business Developer
Google
Dublin
Meeting business and technical goals
Entrepreneurship and SME Management
Term I
1
Entrepreneurial
Theory and
Research
International
Business Research
Entrepreneurial
or
SME Management
2
Entrepreneurial
Finance
Elective
3
Skills Training: Writing a Master’s Thesis

structures for employees to raising capital and identifying
new investment opportunities all require both business
and financial knowledge.
In the Finance specialisation, you will explore core financial
issues from a business perspective. Many of the courses
within the specialisation are taught by lecturers who
also work in the industry. This guarantees that the course
material is always current and relevant. In addition, you
will receive training in financial research methods, and gain
skills that will be of great benefit in your future career. To
assist you in your research, you will be given access to, and
be able to familiarise yourself with, a collection of financial
databases. Many of these databases are essential in the
daily operation of large organisations.
What will you learn?
Having completed this specialisation, you will be able to:
• analyse and solve a wide range of financial problems;
• use analytical and quantitative tools to support decision-
making processes;
• discuss financial issues at a strategic and managerial
level.
Is Finance right for you?
As well as the standard admission requirements,
you should:
• have an interest in finance in a business environment;
• be an analytical, logical thinker;
• have international ambitions;
• be a strong team player, enabling you to master valuable
cases;
• be a self-starter, as the specialisation requires individual

• Learning method: problem-based learning; guest
lectures; presentations; assignments; papers
• Assessment method: written and oral exams; final
papers; group participation; 100% attendance
• Options:
• 2- year part-time programme
• double degree programme with EDHEC Business School
and Queen’s School of Business for SBE IB or EBE
bachelor’s graduates
Further information:
• www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/sbe/master
“After I finished my undergraduate degree, I was
looking for further academic education that would
prepare me for a job. The Finance specialisation always
links the theory back to current events, such as the
global economic crisis. I’ve learned skills I can
really apply.”
Hilde Sijbring
Product Manager Structured Inventory Products
Trade & Commodity Finance, Rabobank International
Amsterdam
Academic theory with real-world application
Finance
Term I
1
Corporate
Governance and
Restructuring
Financial Research
Methods

Too often, IT is viewed as an area of technocrats, a domain
inhabited by technical experts with little relevance to
real-world business problems. And yet, the economic
importance of information, information systems, and thus
information management in business has been growing
constantly over the last decades. IT is no longer a tool to
simply automate back-office transactions, but has become
a strategic tool in most businesses.
The Information Management specialisation will give
you the skills to bridge the business-IT gap. Focusing on
information management and systems from a business
perspective, you will learn how to participate in strategic
discussions on a senior level and communicate the
company’s information needs to the IT teams. A varied
syllabus of case studies, often taken from the media,
and guest lecturers from large corporations keep this
specialisation current and give you ample opportunity to
put theory into practice.
What will you learn?
Having completed this specialisation, you will be able to:
• have a good overview of IT applications and how they
are used in organizations;
• have a thorough understanding of the challenges of
managing technology;
• understand the importance of information systems and
flows and how to employ them optimally;
• discuss information management needs at a strategic
level;
• manage international and multicultural IT projects
and teams.

NB. The course outline applies to the September start date
at the time of publishing. Details of the specialisation could
change, or may differ for the February start date. Before
applying, please check our website for the latest information.
Fast facts
• Programme: MSc International Business
• Specialisation: Information Management
• Language of instruction:
English
• Duration: 1 year full-time
• Start date(s): in February and September
• Study load per week: 8 hrs classes; 16 hrs group work;
6 hrs individual study. Total: 40 hours
• Learning method: problem-based learning; guest lectures;
presentations; assignments; papers
• Assessment method: written exams; final papers; group
participation
• Options:
• 2- year part-time programme
• double degree programme with EDHEC Business School
and Queen’s School of Business for SBE IB or EBE
bachelor’s graduates
Further information:
• www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/sbe/master
“The diversity of the students in this specialisation
gives you experience of working in multicultural
teams. This is very important in today’s global IT
environment, particularly as different cultures can
react differently to new technologies. I feel like I’ve
been well prepared for the labour market.”

18 Master’s programmes in Business and Economics
Specialisation
Marketing-Finance
Identifying marketing actions that drive financial
performance
Are you interested in how organisations create value for
their stakeholders? Do you want to know the secret to
launching a successful financial product? Are you intrigued
by why people make certain financial decisions? This
unique specialisation will help you find answers.
Why should you choose Marketing-Finance?
This specialisation is the first of its kind to integrate core
elements from both the marketing and finance disciplines.
Finance often focuses on the ‘technical’ preconditions for
the success of an organisation or financial product. It does
not see the ‘target’ from a marketing perspective that
focuses on stakeholder needs. By bringing finance and
marketing approaches together, you create an environment
in which both financial performance and customer value
can be integrated.
The Marketing-Finance specialisation draws on the
outstanding resources available at Maastricht University.
Through a truly interdisciplinary range of theoretical
courses and empirical projects, you will explore topics
including financial decision-making, product development,
relationship marketing and shareholder value. You will also
follow a practical skills training course. The option to do an
internship will give you an additional opportunity to put
your knowledge into practice.
What will you learn?

at the time of publishing. Details of the specialisation could
change, or may differ for the February start date. Before
applying, please check our website for the latest information.
Fast facts
• Programme: MSc International Business
• Specialisation: Marketing-Finance
• Language of instruction: English
• Duration: 1 year full-time
• Start date(s): in February and September
• Study load per week: 8 hrs classes; 12 hrs group work;
20 hrs individual study. Total: 40 hours
• Learning method: problem-based learning; guest
lectures; presentations; assignments; papers
• Assessment method: written and oral exams; final
papers; group participation; 100% attendance
• Option:
• double degree programme with EDHEC Business School
and Queen’s School of Business for SBE IB or EBE
bachelor’s graduates
Further information:
• www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/sbe/master
“There is tremendous external interest in the
Marketing-Finance specialisation. Companies are
essentially tired of getting homogenous students from
either exclusively marketing or exclusively finance
programmes. As for me, I wasn’t entirely committed to
the idea of studying marketing exclusively, and wasn’t
prepared to fully commit to a degree in finance.
The opportunity to do both is exactly what the doctor
ordered!”

Master’s Thesis
6
Completing the Master’s Thesis
20 Master’s programmes in Business and Economics
Specialisation
Organisation: Management,
Change and Consultancy
Developing your leadership abilities
Do you have the ambition to become a future top manager
or leader in the corporate world? Do you want to get the
best out of the people you work with? Are you willing to
challenge the received wisdom on change management
and organisation in general? Then this specialisation is
definitely for you.
Why should you choose Organisation?
In today’s businesses, the skills required to manage your
own time, other people and organisational changes are key
to staying ahead of the competition and retaining the best
people. This specialisation provides you with the tools to
think critically about your own leadership abilities, as well
as those of others.
Management techniques are subject to ‘fashions’ in
the same way as any other discipline. The specialisation
therefore invites you to challenge the dominant ideas
surrounding the management of organisational change
and its portrayal in the media.
You will achieve these aims through a unique two-
directional learning cycle: experience, reflection,
conceptualisation and action. Through group experiments
and student ownership of seminars, you will experience

members are often engaged in consulting and coaching
roles, themselves, within organisations.
These links have two-fold benefits for students: firstly, you
will learn the most up-to-date techniques and theories,
giving you a broader perspective; and secondly, you will
have access to potential future employers.
Graduates have found positions in:
• management consultancy;
• strategic consultancy;
• human resource management;
• general management functions – this specialisation is
good preparation for management traineeships in any
industry.
21
Course outline
There are certain compulsory courses within the
specialisation, as well as an elective.
NB. The course outline applies to the September start date
at the time of publishing. Details of the specialisation could
change, or may differ for the February start date. Before
applying, please check our website for the latest information.
Fast facts
• Programme: MSc International Business
• Specialisation: Organisation: Management, Change and
Consultancy
• Language of instruction: English
• Duration: 1 year full-time
• Start date(s): in February and September
• Study load per week: 8 hrs classes; 12 hrs group work;
20 hrs individual study. Total 40 hours

Business Research
2
Managing
Organisational
Learning
Elective
3
Skills Training: Writing a Master’s Thesis
Term II
4
Leadership
Writing the Master’s
Thesis
5
Managers @ Work
Writing the
Master’s Thesis
6
Completing the Master’s Thesis
22 Master’s programmes in Business and Economics
Specialisation
Strategic Marketing
Building customer relationships to create value
Do you know what role marketing plays in international
business? Have you ever wondered why customer
relationships are so important to business success? Do you
want to find out how marketing can be utilised to create
the most value? Strategic Marketing will answer these
questions and many more.
Why should you choose Strategic Marketing?

Is Strategic Marketing right for you?
As well as the standard admission requirements,
you should:
• genuinely want to learn about marketing;
• be able to think analytically and creatively;
• not be afraid to try new approaches;
• have good interpersonal skills;
• be interested in working in a fast-paced international
environment;
• have previous experience of statistics and/or psychology,
which is desirable but not essential.
What are your career prospects?
As a Strategic Marketing graduate you will have the
business and managerial skills for a range of exciting
jobs. You will also have learned how to think practically
and creatively, which is essential for conveying a strong
marketing message. Typical starting positions include
product or brand manager, marketing analyst and account
manager.
Graduates have found positions in:
• consulting firms;
• B2C and B2B companies;
• large multinationals;
• research institutes or departments.
23
Course outline
NB. The course outline applies to the September start date
at the time of publishing. Details of the specialisation could
change, or may differ for the February start date. Before
applying, please check our website for the latest information.

real problems from international organisations. This is
exactly the kind of thing I expect to be doing after I
graduate, and I am already building my experience!”
Colin Bom
Strategic Marketing student
A challenging specialisation of a high academic
standard
Strategic Marketing
Term I
1
Relationship
Management
Customer Analysis
2
Return on
Marketing
Research for
Marketing Decision
Making
3
Skills Training: Writing a Master’s Thesis
Term II
4
Value-Based
Marketing
Writing the
Master’s Thesis
5
Marketing
Innovation

mergers and acquisition and sustainable development as a
strategic tool. Through tutorials and group work, you will
discuss and present solutions to these issues.
What will you learn?
Having completed this specialisation, you will be able to:
• think critically about strategic business issues and put
them into context within an organisation;
• maintain a ‘big-picture’ overview of a company and its
capabilities;
• understand the international business environment and
the importance of innovation for staying ahead;
• work in a team and communicate with people of
multiple nationalities.
Is Strategy and Innovation right for you?
As well as the standard admission requirements,
you should:
• be interested in international business;
• be a team player and have good interpersonal skills;
• be able to think creatively and find new approaches to
old problems.
A bachelor’s degree in business or a business-related
subject is desirable but not essential.
What are your career prospects?
Strategy and Innovation puts you on the fast specialisation
to leading positions. Large companies are looking for
managers with a good grounding in international
business who are able to connect a company’s operations
to its position in the external environment. For smaller
companies these skills are extremely important for getting
beyond the initial stages of growth.

• double degree programme with EDHEC Business School
and Queen’s School of Business for SBE IB or EBE
bachelor’s graduates
Further information:
• www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/sbe/master
“This specialisation has taught me a great deal about
how international corporations work and how they
can innovate in order to grow. I am considering going
into the automotive industry, in which innovation is
extremely important, and I think I have been given the
theoretical foundation to do that.”
Maarten Scholts
Strategy and Innovation student
A theoretical foundation for a successful career
Strategy and Innovation
Term I
1
International
Competitive
Analysis and
Strategy
International
Business Research
2
Entrepreneurship
and Innovation
Elective
3
Skills Training: Writing a Master’s Thesis
Term II