Economics and Business Economics

How do companies manage their money and how do they make the right choices? What makes people decide to purchase a certain product? How does the EU contribute to economic stability? During the bachelor’s programme in Economics and Business Economics at VU Amsterdam, you will study the behaviour of companies, consumers, and governments in the constrained pursuit of their wellbeing. 

In the first year, you will build a solid foundation in both economics and business economics courses. At the end of the first year, you will choose between Economics or Business Economics. 

After you make your choice, you will work in smaller groups so you can get to know your fellow students and lecturers better. Subjects that you might encounter include the relationship between income inequality and life expectancy in rich countries, the stock market and economic growth, or corporate culture and intrinsic motivation. If you choose Economics, your specialization begins at the start of the second year. If you choose Business Economics, you will take Finance, Marketing and Accounting in the first semester. In the second semester, you will further specialize in one of these three tracks.
During the first half of your third year, you will have complete freedom of choice. You choose a minor and can opt to study abroad or to do an internship within this minor. In the second half of the third year, you will complete the bachelor's programme by focusing on your specialisation more in-depth and writing a bachelor's thesis. 

On top of this, excellent and ambitious students are also given the option to follow an additional Honours programme.