Business economics

Master of Science in Business Economics Master of Science in Advanced Business Studies PhD in Business Economics Faculty of Business and Economics... Faculty of Business and Economics As

Master of Science in Business Economics

Master of Science in

Advanced Business Studies PhD in Business Economics

Faculty of Business and Economics

Leuven is a dynamic, vibrant city in the centre of Belgium,

only a fifteen-minute train journey from the airport and a

twenty-minute journey to Brussels, the capital of Belgium

and seat of the European Union institutions With Paris,

London, Amsterdam and major German cities within easy

reach, it is an ideal hub for the inter nationally inclined

student Leuven offers a wealth of cultural and recreational

opportunities, including a lively gastronomic and social

scene, state-of-the-art sports facilities and opportunities

to hike and bike in the vast woodlands south of town The humanities and social sciences campuses are scattered throughout the old town, Oxbridge style Connoisseurs will enjoy Leuven’s architecture, which spans 10 centuries and includes a truly stunning fifteenth-century Gothic city hall, a UNESCO world-heritage beguinage, and a Renaissance-style castle set in a 3 square kilometre park The population is highly educated; many alumni choose to stay in an around Leuven after graduation Graduates work mostly in the service-based or knowledge-based sectors, but there is also a sizable hi-tech industrial presence (with 94 KU Leuven spin-offs employing 3,000 people) and one big traditional employer, Anheuser Bush Inbev, which has

a large brewery and its headquarters in Leuven

Catholic University of Leuven

KU Leuven is a modern university offering an ideal research and learning environment strongly rooted in tradition but with sights set firmly on the future The aim of the university is not merely

to train professional experts, but also to foster critical thinking, intellectual openness, a genuine taste for culture and a sense of civic responsibility At present, KU Leuven caters to more than 38,000 students, around 14% of whom are international scholars from over 140 countries

KU Leuven is a charter member of the League of European Research Universities, together with Cambridge, Oxford, Leiden, Edinburgh, Geneva, Strasbourg, Heidelberg and others

In terms of scholarly output, KU Leuven is consistently ranked among the top ten European universities in European surveys Recently, it was ranked 67th worldwide in the 'Times Higher Education Supplement' QS places KU Leuven at the 68th spot worldwide The university

is ranked fourth worldwide in terms of research valorisation Imec, the solid-state science lab

on the Arenberg campus, employs about 1,700 academic researchers and designers, delivering cutting-edge work And yes, rumours that the Big Bang theory originated at KU Leuven are correct

Likewise, external quality assessments show that KU Leuven's teaching is on par with inter -nationally respected institutions This academic reputation attracts students and scholars from across the globe, creating a vibrant, multicultural atmosphere Leuven has a truly international outlook, and its alumni can be found all over the world

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Faculty of Business and Economics

As one of KU Leuven’s 15 faculties, the Faculty of Business and Economics carries out education and research in five departments:

• Economics

• Marketing and Organisation Studies

• Accountancy, Finance and Insurance

• Managerial Economics, Strategy and Innovation

• Decision Sciences and Information Management

One of the faculty’s most important assets

is its vast national and international net -work We maintain strong links with the business and financial community by organising regular workshops with industry leaders and the European Commis sion, situated only 30 minutes from our campus Many of our alumni work at European institutions, and many of the department’s staff members act as advisers to various European bodies and international companies The student association, Ekonomika, is equally active via its Business-to-University lecture programme Our Alumni network offers excellent communication channels and networking opportunities with leading figures in industry and politics

We have a wide international student exchange network as well Not only

do we participate extensively in the (intra-EU) Erasmus programme (with 65 partners),

we also have numerous agreements with leading universities outside the EU, e.g

the Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania), the University of Chicago, Cornell University, the University of Illinois and Rochester University in the United States, the University of British Columbia, Queen’s University, the University of Toronto and the Université de Montréal in Canada, the Indian Institutes of Management Calcutta and Bangalore in India, the Chinese University and the City University of Hong Kong, Beida, Tsinghua and Fudan in China, Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, National Taiwan University, Seoul National University in South-Korea, Queensland University of Technology Brisbane and the University of Sydney in Australia, Stellenbosch in South Africa, Insper in Brazil, Esan in Peru, the University of Monterrey in Mexico and the Singapore Management University

Our view on education in business and economics Our mission in the Master’s programmes is to develop participants’ critical, conceptual,

problem-solving and decision-making skills A Master’s degree from KU Leuven’s Faculty

of Business and Economics equips students with fundamental and conceptual knowledge and with analytical tools to cope effectively with the problems of the current and constantly changing business and economic environment Adopting a research-based approach,

the school focuses on the disciplines that underlie business operations and economic

decisions This enables its graduates to acquire the necessary skills and tools for coping with current and future challenges

A variety of teaching methods (lectures, case discussions, exercises, computer-assisted problem-solving and individual research) is used to enhance students’ educational

experience Students are expected to participate actively The faculty evaluates classroom work, written assignments and examinations on a regular basis The workload is demanding,

as to be expected in a high-quality graduate school Be forewarned: our management

courses are known to be more analytical than those at other business schools

Our students receive rigorous training in economics

The faculty’s international credentials and academic reputation guarantee the quality

of the programme

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Master of Science

in Business Economics

The Master of Science in Business Economics programme emphasises the acquisition of fundamental knowledge and skills in an area of specialisation related to the corporate world

By combining this programme with initial specialisations from the Bachelor’s programme, you will develop deeper insight into a broad range of fields and fine-tune your personal graduation profile

On completing this programme, you will be able to apply scientific frameworks independently and critically, allowing you to evolve continuously in a dynamic society KU Leuven occupies

a leading position in management and economic research and is highly ranked by the European Economic Association Top-level research and education complement and strengthen each other The Faculty of Business and Economics Alumni Association includes many leaders

of industry, ensuring excellent career opportunities for our graduates

Profile

You have an entrepreneurial personality with broad socio-economic interests You are fascinated by the business world and would like to pursue a management career in strategy, international business or finance

Admission requirements

• For Flemish applicants, see www.econ.kuleuven.be/ond/studiekiezerdiploma.

• For all other applicants, the following requirements apply:

Prior education requirements

• Applicants should hold a university Bachelor's degree in Economics or Business Economics comparable to a Bachelor's degree in Economics, Applied Economics or Business Engineering from the Faculty of Business and Economics at KU Leuven By a degree in Business or Economics we mean an academic education (with sufficient credits in macro -economics, micro-economics, management, statistics, mathematics,…), not a technical training (e.g marketing or hotel management) Notice that our faculty has a strong analytical/ mathematical approach In order to verify whether you have sufficient background knowledge

in this respect, see www.econ.kuleuven.be/eng/edu/docs/mbe-prerequisites.pdf

• Comparability is evaluated by the Admissions Board on the basis of information provided by the applicant (see required documents)

Proof of proficiency in English

• All applicants must submit a satisfactory score on one of the following internationally

recognised test of English language proficiency:

- TOEFL (minimum score 575 paper-based, 233 computer-based, 90 internet-based)

- IELTS (minimum score 7)

No other proficiency tests will be accepted

• An exemption from the TOEFL or IELTS requirement is possible for applicants with a

university degree or high school degree earned in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom or the United States The certified degree and transcripts suffice,

provided they confirm that the entire study was completed in English

Required documents

All applicants should provide the following documents:

• certified copies of transcripts, degrees and, if available, a ranking indication;

• the comparability form with a course description of all relevant courses

(see www.econ.kuleuven.be/eng/edu/admissionrequirements);

• a letter of motivation written and signed by the applicant, explaining the choice for

Leuven and for this particular programme;

• two recommendation forms, see www.econ.kuleuven.be/eng/edu/admissionrequirements,

filled out and signed, and mailed in a sealed envelope signed across the flap by the referee

to the Faculty of Business and Economics Forms not provided in a sealed envelope signed across the flap by the referee will be regarded as void The recommendation forms can also be mailed directly by the referee to fbe@econ.kuleuven.be

These documents suffice for applicants with a non-Belgian degree from:

• universities that have an exchange agreement with the Faculty of Business and Economics

of KU Leuven

• universities that are in the global top 200 in the most recent Times Higher Education

or QS rankings

Additional information is required for applicants from other universities as it is impossible

for us to reliably assess degree comparability In those cases a GMAT or GRE result above the 75th percentile on the quantitative part is required

The Admissions Board evaluates all applications and has the final say on the admissibility

of the applicant, taking into account the relevant information Incomplete application files

will not be processed.

Application procedure

• Non-EEA citizens must submit a complete application file by 1 March Non-EEA

citizens (or EEA-citizens with a residence permit for Belgium) are strongly advised to submit their application file before 1 June but can apply until the end of August

• Tuition fee: ±600 EUR

For more information on how to apply, please visit

www.econ.kuleuven.be/eng/edu/prospectivestudent.

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Career prospects

Graduates of the Master of Science in Business Economics mostly take up managerial and/or research positions in business, national and international institutions, and in managerial functions at universities Given the variety of skills acquired, you will be highly sought-after

by a wide range of companies (from small firms to multinational corporations) in a variety of positions and sectors in Belgium or abroad You can pursue a career as an auditor, entrepreneur,

a consultant, financial analyst, financial manager, project manager, sales manager or stock broker This is only a small selection of the many options available to you

Programme

The programme starts at the end of September The academic year is divided into two semesters, each consisting of 13 teaching weeks, followed by exam revision

periods and exams The programme consists of one core course, a major including

a Master’s thesis (15 credits), a minor and one elective course

I joined KBC Securities Corporate Finance in 2003 In our department, we advise corporate clients on mergers and acquisitions and equity capital market

transactions Many people have an incorrect view of the financial sector and

believe that it only deals with hard numbers However, on a daily basis we

experience the importance of the more personal aspects of a deal Entrepreneurs looking to sell their company often prefer a buyer whose personality matches their own Hence, it is not always the bid with the greatest financial merits

that will be chosen On the other hand, a large acquisition or an initial public

offering on the stock exchange constitutes an important milestone in the life

of a company, which has to fit within its long-term strategy Therefore, we often carry out analyses regarding our clients’ market development and competitive positioning My Business Economics degree has provided an ideal background through its combination of technical-financial courses and ‘softer’ skills.

Basic compulsory courses at the Bachelor’s level provide you with a solid

foundation that can be complemented by specific elective courses, such as Strategic Analysis Through frequent group assignments and presentations, you will gain experience in people management and problem-solving skills

in very diverse contexts – just like in real life!

(Cedric)

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BUSINESS ECONOMICS 60 CREDITS

Students choose one major

Major 1: Strategy, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Students select 4 courses from the following list:

• Applied Game Theory and Economics of Information 6

Major 2: International Business

• Core Courses

• Electives: students select 2 electives from the following list:

- Cultural Issues in International Business 6

Major 3: Financial Economics

• Core Courses

• Electives: students select 1 of both electives:

Major 4: Marketing

Students choose one minor:

• Strategy, Innovation and Entrepreneurship • International Business

• Financial Economics • Marketing

• Accounting and Auditing • Business Research

Free electives: students choose one free elective course 3 For detailed descriptions of this programme's courses and for the course timetable, please consult www.kuleuven.be/coursecatalogue

Master of Science

in Advanced

Business Studies

The Master of Science in Advanced Business Studies is mainly designed to offer students with a background in business or management science an additional and advanced curriculum

in business research methodology The programme allows the participants to deepen their knowledge in a number of substantive areas, both conceptually and methodologically Its courses are not designed to offer a general management background, but instead to provide in-depth, specialised treatment of business research methodology The purpose of the programme

is to familiarise students with current research practices in business and management studies used in leading academic institutions, international companies and institutions

The programme provides excellent preparation for undertaking a PhD in Business Economics, but it is also ideal for students seeking research-oriented positions outside the university Extensive contact with students from different nationalities and cultures adds an extra dimension to the programme

Admission requirements

Prior education requirements

Applicants must hold either of the following:

• a Master's degree in business studies or applied economics

• a Master's degree in another field, provided that the basics of business have been covered and the other elements in the application file are outstanding and should have

a sound mathematical and statistical background

Academic performance should be above average (e.g applicants should have obtained their degree with at least cum laude or with distinction) Admissibility is evaluated by the Admissions Board on the basis of information provided by the applicant (see required documents)