International Business and Trade
Major of the bachelor's degree International Business Management
Broaden your horizons!
- Entrepreneurship is in your blood; you know an opportunity when you see one.
- You’re ready to dive into the fast-paced world of global business and trade.
- You will explore cultural differences and their impact on foreign trade.
- The theoretical knowledge and insights you acquire come together with pragmatic models and practical skills to make a real impact.
- A real-life international project will challenge you to push your limits.
- International experience and networks will add substance to your CV as will your internship abroad.
- By combining language courses in Chinese, German, Spanish, French or Dutch, your studies will pave the way for an inspiring international career.
- Your time is valuable, so we are flexible!
- You can start this 6-semester programme either in February or September.
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3 countries in 3 years
Take your degree global via your international project, study exchange abroad and international internship. At least 3 countries in 3 years: the US, China, India, … the choice is yours. So go head, open your mind and your pathways to success!
Business skills from A to Z
You will learn all the business skills you need! Besides data analytics, economics and financial management, you will develop your preferred languages: French, German, Spanish or Chinese? We give you more insight into yourself and your business management skills: decision making, time management, taking the lead. Are you ready?
Prepare for a professional career
Put theory into practice right from the word “go”. With extensive hands-on project work, real-life business cases, international conferences and a 3-month international internship that fully immerse you in the exciting, fast-paced world of global business. Your international network will be well established by the time you graduate.
- Structure
- Courses
- In practice/Workplace learning
- Personal coaching
- Go international
- Short programme
- Admission Requirements
Structure
- Phase 1 | Start building your core knowledge base with fundamental insights in economics, international trade, marketing, entrepreneurship, financial management and digitalisation.
- Phase 2 | Broaden and deepen your knowledge by applying it to real-world cases and live projects. Play a crucial role in an international project and put what you’ve learned to the test in a new environment during your study exchange abroad. To expand your international experience and enhance your intercultural skills.
- Phase 3 | Launch your own independent research project in international business during the third and final phase of your degree programme. And then combine it with practical insights from your international internship to kick-start your future career.
Courses
Below you can find an overview of the courses ( under reservation of changes), with the number of credits per phase. Credits express how many hours you need on average to process the subject matter (incl. lessons). Count about 25 to 30 hours for 1 study credit.
- We have explained the most important courses in a blue tooltip.
- Would you like to know the detailed content of each subject? Check the programme guide.
Phase 1 2 3 International Business Asian Business Topics 3 African Business Topics i 3 International Project 3 EU Business Topics i 3 Business & Culture 3 Latin-American Business Topics 3 North American Business Topics 3 Contract Law 3 International Business Law 3 Societal & Consumer trends 3 International Innovation Lab 3 International Trade 3 Languages Business Communication i 3 Professional Communication 3 Foreign language (own choice: Spanish, French, German, Chinese,…) i 6 3 Business Management Business Fundamentals 3 Procurement & Supply Chain 3 Marketing Fundamentals 3 Entrepreneurial Management 1 i 3 Micro Economics 3 Project Management 3 Sales 3 Phase 1 2 3 Transport Economics 3 Supply Chain Processes 3 Sales Management 3 Financial Management i 6 Macro Economics 3 Business & Culture 3 Business Game 3 Entrepreneurial Management 2 3 Enterprise Resource Planning 3 Social Media 3 Cost Calculation 3 Corporate Social Responsability 3 Personal Development Personal Development 3 Management skills 3 Business Intelligence Digital Skills 3 Business Analytics 3 Business Intelligence Fundamentals 3 Introduction to Financial Management 3 Business Intelligence Lab 3 at Work Bachelor Project 9 International Internship 21 Phase 1 2 3 International Business Asian Business Topics 3 African Business Topics i 3 International Project 3 EU Business Topics i 3 Business & Culture 3 Latin-American Business Topics 3 North American Business Topics 3 Contract Law 3 International Business Law 3 Societal & Consumer trends 3 International Innovation Lab 3 International Trade 3 Languages Business Communication i 3 Professional Communication 3 Foreign language (own choice: Spanish, French, German, Chinese,…) i 6 3 Business Management Business Fundamentals 3 Procurement & Supply Chain 3 Marketing Fundamentals 3 Entrepreneurial Management 1 i 3 Micro Economics 3 Project Management 3 Sales 3 Transport Economics 3 Supply Chain Processes 3 Sales Management 3 Financial Management i 6 Macro Economics 3 Business & Culture 3 Business Game 3 Entrepreneurial Management 2 3 Enterprise Resource Planning 3 Social Media 3 Cost Calculation 3 Corporate Social Responsability 3 Personal Development Personal Development 3 Management skills 3 Business Intelligence Digital Skills 3 Business Analytics 3 Business Intelligence Fundamentals 3 Introduction to Financial Management 3 Business Intelligence Lab 3 at Work Bachelor Project 9 International Internship 21 Timetable
Check out an example timetable for phase 1.
In practice/Workplace learning
Tie everything you’ve learned together during an exciting and challenging 12-week international internship at the end of your degree programme. Identify relevant target companies in the country and sector of your choice via your own research and/or the university database.
As the pinnacle of the 3 phases of your studies and training, your international internship is the ideal occasion to apply your knowledge and learn how to adapt to new professional and cultural environments. And most importantly, hit the ground running when launching your career.
Personal coaching
Count on personalised advice, support, counselling and coaching at every leg of your journey at Thomas More.
- Contact your Programme Manager for any academic questions related to your field of study
- Get in touch with your Study Counsellor for questions about your individual study programme, exemptions and credits
- Reach out to your Care Coordinator for support or even just a listening ear. Depending on your needs, the Care Coordinator connects you with the appropriate services
You’ll also find your lecturers are very approachable, too! And always available to give advice or answer your questions. Don’t hesitate to e-mail them.
Go international
Your degree in International Business & Trade will not so much expand as explode your horizons and make the world that little bit smaller. How about a study trip to South Korea in your second year, for example, followed by an internship in the US during the third?
And when it comes to expanding your international network, our partnerships with top-notch universities around the world are your stepping stones to new stomping grounds, for example, in: Quimper and Paris (France), Seville (Spain), Eindhoven (Netherlands), Vilnius (Lithuania), Budapest (Hungary), Bloemfontein (South Africa), Daejeon (South Korea), Chile, Mexico, China, Taiwan or Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).
Short programme
- Already obtained a bachelor’s or master’s degree? We have a 4-semester programme* ready for you (3 semesters of courses + an international internship (1 semester))! Extra exemptions are possible however and can be requested through the exemptions request form. You will then need to compare the courses within your previous programme and the shortened International Business and Trade programme. Please request the remaining courses in your 4-semester programme and the exemptions request form (incl. the procedure) via your Study Counsellor. Students who already have access to the student portal can also find the exemptions request form there (tab Study Counsellor).
- Already obtained a bachelor’s degree in International Tourism and Leisure? We have a 3-semester programme* ready for you! Extra exemptions are possible however and can be requested through the exemptions request form. You will then need to compare the courses within your previous programme and the shortened International Business and Trade programme. Please request the remaining courses in your 3-semester programme and the exemptions request form (incl. the procedure) via your Study Counsellor. Students who already have access to the student portal can also find the exemptions request form there (tab Study Counsellor).
- Already obtained one of the AP degrees below? We have a 4-semester programme* ready for you (3 semesters of courses + an international internship (1 semester))! Extra exemptions are possible however and can be requested through the exemptions request form. You will then need to compare the courses within your previous programme and the shortened International Business and Trade programme. Please request the remaining courses in your 4-semester programme and the exemptions request form (incl. the procedure) via your Study Counsellor. Students who already have access to the student portal can also find the exemptions request form there (tab Study Counsellor).
- AP Commerce Management (Danmark)
- AP Logistics Management (Danmark)
- AP Marketing Management (Danmark)
- AP Administration & Finance (Spain)
- AP International Trade (Spain)
- AP Marketing & Advertising (Spain)
*subject to change
- Already obtained a degree that isn’t listed above or already obtained some credits but you didn’t finish a degree in higher education yet?
You can request exemptions through the exemptions request form. You will then need to compare the courses within your previous programme and the International Business and Trade programme. Please request the exemptions request form (incl. the procedure) via your Study Counsellor. Students who already have access to the student portal can also find the exemptions request form there (tab Study Counsellor).
Important remarks
- Students who wish to take a shortened track need to apply for the short track (not for the full 3 year degree). Students who wish to take a shortened track also need to apply for the degree programme (full 3 year programme). The student turns to the Study Counsellor regarding the shortened track he/she is eligible for. Once the Individual Study Programmes (ISP) will open in the KU Loket the Study Counsellor will add the obtained exemptions package based on the previously achieved diploma to the ISP of the student. The student adds the courses of the first and second semester of the shortened track received to the ISP. Please note that additionally requested exemptions via the exemptions request form also need to be added to the ISP by the student!
- Students who wish to request some exemptions need to do so before the start of their (shortened) programme, on the second Wednesday of the first semester at the very latest. Belated requests will be refused.
- Students who requested exemptions after the start of the semester or who weren’t informed about the decision (approval/rejection) yet, need to take all courses until they received the decision!
Admission Requirements
Our application process is really straightforward.
You will only need to meet 3 simple requirements:Some more good news! Thomas More has no numerus clausus procedure, nor do we have a limit on the number of admitted students.
You can find more specific information about our admission requirements here.
After graduation
- The job of your life
- Additional studies
- Working in Belgium
The job of your life
- Business developer
- Import/Export manager
- International entrepreneur
- Business owner
- International sales manager
- International project manager
- Consultant
Additional studies
Second shortened bachelor
- Extra specialization within Business Management (in one or two years)
Master
- In Belgium | Master of Business Administration KU Leuven, Brussels (bridging programme)
- Abroad (Partner universities of Thomas More as well as others are possible)
- e.g. in International Business, International Trade, Business Administration, Public Management and Policy Studies, Corporate Communication, etc.
Working in Belgium
Search Year
International students can apply for a new residence permit status upon graduation and extend their stay in Belgium up to 12 months to find work! Eager to launch your career in Belgium after your studies? No worries! We’re here to help you navigate the Search Year application process.