Master in Finance and Accounting
Rotterdam Business School
Rotterdam Business School Schooling for business: education at Rotterdam Business School has always been driven by the demands expressed by students and the international business community. Our wide international network is the source of continuous innovation. As a result, Rotterdam Business School’s population keeps growing, with students coming in from all over the world. Up-to-date programmes and international possibilities are often cited as major reasons for choosing Rotterdam Business School. Students feel that both the curriculum and the diverse social environment give them a head start in their international business careers.
Philosophy of learning Student autonomy is key in Rotterdam Business School’s Master programmes. A significant part of study time is spent on self-study. As a student in our programmes, you are encouraged to set your own personal learning goals and determine your own learning strategy. We believe this will benefit your self-confidence and inspire you to be an initiator rather than a follower.
Communities of practice New ways of thinking are required if we want to contribute to the technological breakthroughs that will determine the 21st century. Rotterdam Business School creates the environment to develop these new ways of thinking in communities of practice, where students, lecturers and experts from the professional field gather for open intellectual exchange.
Master in Finance and Accounting Finance and accounting professionals play an increasingly active role in modern businesses. Managerial decisionmaking depends on professionals with a financial background, who take into account behavioural aspects, describe and analyse problems of choice and provide the background and tools for razor-sharp analysis. A degree in Finance and Accounting puts you right at the heart of industrial change, where you will be able to fully utilise your analytical skills. This one-year, full-time Master programme is one of three Master programmes offered by Rotterdam Business School. The other two are Master in Logistics Management and Master in Consultancy and Entrepreneurship.
Programme structure Rotterdam Business School’s Master programmes are built on three pillars: • Education consists of core, specialisation and elective modules. You can to a large extent determine your own course while developing all the necessary knowledge, skills and competencies of a professional in international business.
• Research is the focus of the final stage of our programmes. You will complete your studies with a thesis research project, which can revolve around a theoretical subject or a project executed for an existing organisation. • Personal development is encouraged through a system that invites you to set your own particular study goals – and continually test those choices.
Programme overview Block 1 Core modules • Organisational Architecture • Research Methodology • Management of Technology • Critical Thinking & Argument Analysis • Advanced Statistics + Personal Development Programme + Interactive Project Design
Block 2 Core modules • Organisational Behaviour
Block 3 Core modules • Business Ethics and Politics
+ Personal Development Programme + Interactive Project Design
+ Personal Development Programme + Interactive Project Design
Specialisation Finance and Accounting • Strategy and Financial Decisions • Strategy and Profit Goals • International Finance and Accounting
Specialisation Finance and Accounting • Treasury Management • Strategy and Performance Measurement • Strategy and Control Systems
Block 4 • Final thesis
Electives: You need to choose three electives in blocks 2 and 3 together.
‘Intense interaction with students and teachers adds an extra dimension to your education. Most importantly, I’ve learned that it’s always possible to find new challenges and take yourself to a higher level.’ Hans Reijmers Currently following the Master in Finance and Accounting and the Master in Logistics Management simultaneously
Electives
Career perspectives
Electives are specialisation modules from Rotterdam Business School’s other two Master programmes. Students add these modules to their regular programme. This fits in with our belief that at this level, students need to be able to look beyond the boundaries of their field and develop interdisciplinary competencies.
Graduates of the Master in Finance and Accounting perform successfully in such fields as: • translating external developments into internal business procedures; • providing support for decisions on critical financial issues; • analysing the financial performance of an organisation as a whole as well as business units; • implementing up-to-date costing systems and allocating decision rights; • developing conceptual frameworks for providing accounting information to investors and creditors.
In the Master in Finance and Accounting, students can choose from: • Logistics Management electives: Lean Manufacturing and Inventory Strategy, Sales and Operations Planning, Successful Performance Management, Collaboration in Supply Chains, Consequences of Technology, Leading and Managing Logistics Enterprises. • Consultancy and Entrepreneurship electives: Managing Risk, Strategic Management Consulting, Entrepreneurial Challenge, Managing Performance, Change Management, Consultancy Process.
Personal development programme The Master programmes at Rotterdam Business School are known for their learning processes and focus on competencies. In our specific competency development model you are responsible to a large extent for determining your individual learning objectives and areas of development. Together with a development coach and in various groups you will work on the skills and competencies as defined in your personal development plan.
Final thesis The conclusion of the Master programme is your thesis research project. Your thesis can be based on either a theoretical research project or practical business research for an outside organisation.
Entry requirements To enter Rotterdam Business School’s Master programmes, you must meet the following requirements: • a Bachelor degree with a relevant major in business; • a GMAT score of at least 500 (for more information see www.mba.com); (Students who have obtained a relevant NVAOapproved Bachelor degree in the Netherlands are exempted from the GMAT exam.) • an IELTS score of at least 6.5 (for more information see www.ielts.org) or a TOEFL iBT of at least 90 (for more information see www.ets.org ). (Not required for: students who graduated from NVAOapproved Bachelor programmes in the Netherlands; students who are native speakers of English; students whose previous education was taught in English.)
Accreditation This programme is accredited by NVAO - Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders.
Application procedure
Pre-Master courses If you do not meet all the entry requirements, you can still qualify if you follow one of Rotterdam Business School’s Pre-Master courses. There are two Pre-Master courses: • a six-month programme for students with a Bachelor degree in a business field who do not meet the GMAT requirements and/or have an IELTS score of at least 6.0; • a twelve-month programme for students with a Bachelor degree in a non-business field and/or an IELTS score of at least 6.0. If you do meet all the requirements, but would still like to be better prepared for the Master programme, you are of course welcome to join the preparation programme. Successful completion of the Pre-Master course entitles you to: • exemption from the GMAT 500 and IELTS 6.5/TOEFL iBT 90 requirements; • a Pre-Master course certificate; • deduction of €1,250 on the tuition fees of a Master Programme at Rotterdam Business School. These courses have been designed to ensure that students will be able to participate successfully in the specialised Master programmes. The six-month Pre-Master course starts twice a year, in February and in September, to avoid delays between the two programmes. The twelve-month Pre-Master course starts once a year, in September.
If you want to apply for participation in one our Master programmes, these are the steps to follow: 1. Send in your completed application form (available on our website www.rotterdambusinessschool.nl) and enclose all relevant documents: (certified) copies and English translations of your Bachelor degree, grades list, birth certificate and copies of your passport, plus five passport photos and your score of the IETLS/ TOEFL and GMAT test. If you have more than one Bachelor degree, enclose copies of the documents for all degrees. Special note: students from China are required to obtain the ‘Nuffic Certificate’. Information about this can be obtained from www.nuffic.nl/international-students. 2. Rotterdam Business School will acknowledge receipt of your application and will inform you of the details of your intake interview. 3. Whenever possible, the intake interview will take place in your country of origin (either in person or by telephone/Skype). 4. If you are accepted into the programme, you will receive a letter of admission, an invoice and all necessary documentation from Rotterdam Business School. 5. Ensure timely payment of invoice and send us your signed Statement of Understanding. If you need to apply for a provisional residence permit (MVV) The following extra steps apply for students who need an MVV to be able to study in the Netherlands: • Rotterdam Business School will apply for your provisional residence permit (MVV) at the Immigration Office, and organise practical details such as a bank account, health insurance and accommodation reservations in the international student dormitory on your behalf. • The school will inform you when your MVV is ready to be collected. • You can collect your MVV at the Dutch consulate or embassy in your country. • You make your own travel arrangements. • As soon as you know your flight details, please make these known to Rotterdam Business School . • Upon arrival in the Netherlands, Rotterdam Business School will pick up all those students who have made accommodation reservations.
For more information on the Pre-Master courses, please visit our website: www.rotterdambusinessschool.nl
Application deadline Before 1 June for the September intake and before 1 December for the February intake. You are requested to post the completed application form, which can be downloaded from our website www.rotterdambusinessschool.nl. Dutch students and students who do not need an MVV can apply up to two weeks before the start of the semester.
Accommodation
Tuition fee
Most students find it very hard to arrange housing accommodation from outside the Netherlands. No problem, you can let Rotterdam Business School provide a room for you in the international student dormitory through its International Housing Office. The procedure is simple: together with your admission letter you will receive a reservation form for accommodation.
The tuition fee for the 12-month master programmes is â‚Ź9,250*, including library and computer facilities. (*The price in 2010. The tuition fee may be subject to change in future years.)
Please note that without a reservation, accommodation cannot be guaranteed. It is very important, therefore, that you return your signed reservation form before the deadline mentioned in the form.
Who handles your application? Your application will be processed by the people of our Global Recruitment and Student Support (GR&SS) office. They are also the ones who will apply for your visa and residence permit. Please help them make things easier for you and follow their instructions.
Further information For further information on the Master programmes, please send us an e-mail at rbs@hro.nl or visit our website: www.rotterdambusinessschool.nl
Contact details Postal address Rotterdam University/Rotterdam Business School Attn: GR&SS P.O. Box 25035 3001 HA Rotterdam The Netherlands Visiting address Kralingse Zoom 91 3063 ND Rotterdam The Netherlands E-mail: rbs@hro.nl Phone: +31 (0)10 794 62 50 / 794 62 21 Fax: +31 (0)10 242 01 83 www.rotterdambusinessschool.nl