Science, Business and Innovation: track in Chemistry and Physics

Strategizing in a changing world: globalization, collaboration and transformation

In the 21st century, organizations aiming to obtain and sustain a competitive advantage need to achieve global efficiency and local responsiveness, while embracing creative solutions and worldwide learning. The Master’s specialization in Strategy & Organization focuses on these management challenges and is built around the next topics:

Globalization

How can organizations successfully prepare, design and manage their international business activities? Topics include corporate strategizing and the design of multinational enterprises, diversification strategies, multi-market competition, downsizing, offshoring and nearshoring, re-locating production facilities and headquarters, and other issues concerning corporate strategy.

Connected world

How can organizations successfully establish and manage interorganizational collaborative relations, including alliances, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic networks? Topics include management decisions to form, manage, and evaluate strategic alliances, pre-merger & post-merger activities, acquisition strategies, and the design and management of strategic networks as a means to gain competitive advantage.

Career prospects

Having successfully completed the Master’s specialization in Strategy & Organization, you will be well-equipped to follow a range of promising career paths. Our graduates have embarked on careers as junior consultants with renowned consultancy firms and as business analysts for organizations operating in a variety of industries. Others have set up their own businesses or obtained management positions with multinational companies.

The Master’s specialization in Strategy & Organization is a one-year programme worth 60 credits. The curriculum is divided into six periods and consists of courses focusing on key topics, research methods and business ethics. You are free to take a number of optional subjects and you can count on expert supervision to help you complete your Master’s thesis.

Period 1 focuses on the challenges of international management and the strategic design and control of organizations. By using a case analysis to explore these challenges, you discover how to make strategic decisions yourself.

Period 2 gives you the opportunity to study these issues in greater depth. For instance, you examine how organizations use boundary-spanning activities, such as alliances, mergers and acquisitions, to obtain and sustain their competitive advantage. In this period, you also have the opportunity to select an optional course of your choice.

In Period 3 you become acquainted with ethical issues in business and a variety of research methods. These courses help prepare you to design and conduct qualitative and quantitative research projects.

Period 4 enables you to further develop your research skills. Moreover, it features a course on strategic and organizational change, offering you a dynamic perspective on strategy and organization. In addition, you will write a research proposal that forms the basis for your Master’s thesis.

In Periods 5 and 6 you will conduct your empirical research and write your Master’s thesis. You may also take another optional course in Period 5.

There are strict admission criteria. These are set by the Admissions Board, which also decides on individual applications. The requirements are split up into Masters specialization specific requirements and general requirements. Please read them both carefully.VU University Amsterdam requires all applicants to take an English test and to submit their score as a part of the application. In order for you to be admitted unconditionally you must send us a certificate from a recognised authority concerning your proficiency in English including the writing/composition test (e.g. TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge International Examinations CAE: A/B or CPE: A/B/C). Check the specific Language Requirements. English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5 CAE score: (read more) Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) is part of the Cambridge English suite and is targeted at a high level (IETLS 6.5-8.0). It is an international English language exam set at the right level for academic and professional success. Developed by Cambridge English Language Assessment - part of the University of Cambridge - it helps you stand out from the crowd as a high achiever. 75 (Grade B) TOEFL paper-based test score : 580 TOEFL iBT® test: 92

Scholarships / Grants:

Neso Indonesia:
StuNed Scholarships for Master studies, short courses and customized training programmes are available for Indonesian professionals with at least two years work experience in a development-related organization.
For additional information: Website

Nuffic:
The Orange Tulip Scholarship Programme supports promising Taiwanese graduates and young professionals intending to pursue postgraduate degree programmes at a Dutch higher education institution.
For additional information: Website

VU University Amsterdam:
VU University Amsterdam awards its own scholarships to outstanding students joining our international Master's degree programmes. The VU Fellowship is an amount of money between 2.500 and 15.000 Euros to cover a part of the study expenses. The general criteria for selection are excellence, motivatio
For additional information: Website

Accreditation

Accredited by: NVAO in: The Netherlands