Bachelor in Commerce Economics and Entrepreneurship Tio Business School

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Do you have a knack for sales, an entrepreneurial spirit and a talent for thinking outside the box? Make the most of your talents and choose the Commerce Economics and Entrepreneurship degree programme. You will draw up marketing plans, develop online campaigns and close deals like a pro.

The industry
Online business is booming; there are more than 14 million online shoppers in the Netherlands alone. And according to Thuiswinkel.org, they account for almost 31 billion euros in turnover per year. This obviously creates a great need for e-commerce professionals! By the time you finish your study programme, you’ll know how to deliver a big boost to online and offline sales. You will build a large e-commerce network thanks to Tio’s partnerships with the Thuiswinkel.org sector organisation and lecturers who work in the industry.

Best Commerce Economics degree programme
For six years in a row, the Higher Education Study Guide has named our Commerce Economics and Entrepreneurship programme as the best bachelor programme in Commerce Economics. The programme has also consistently earned the highest scores in the National Student Survey for years. And the Elsevier survey on ‘Best Study Programmes 2021’ awarded the study programme a gold medal as well.

Associate degree
Do you want to earn an Associate degree in Commerce Economics and Entrepreneurship? That too is possible!

Why do students choose Commerce Entrepreneurship and Organizations?

1. Tio offers the option of accelerated studying: complete a bachelor’s degree in just three years or an associate degree in only two years.
2. You study at the best Commercial Economics / Marketing program in the Netherlands (Keuzegids).
3. There is a great demand for (online) marketers from the labor market.
4. You follow interesting projects, for example, you create your own webshop and you set up a company.
5. Through Tio's collaboration with, among others, Ecommerce Foundation, the study program meets the wishes of employers in the online marketing world.
6. You will have many career opportunities available to you after completing this bachelor program.
7. At Tio, you are not a number; there is a strong focus on personal development and supervision.

Study Programme

This study programme focuses on sales and e-commerce. Marketing and management and entrepreneurship will play an important role as well.

You will also complete modules related to professional development and practice-oriented research (see page 21 to learn more). You will attend inspiring masterclasses, go on an international study trip and make many choices for yourself. You can take one or two minors or do an internship with a world-famous company.

International experience
International experience is important, which is why you will complete at least one study component abroad. You can opt to do your (final) internship abroad or study at a partner university.

Modules

Sales
You will learn to sell like a pro and know how to build and maintain a good relationship with your customers. You will learn about sales processes and refine your sales pitch and sales skills during the Sales Week.

• Sales skills
• Introduction to sales and account management
• Advanced sales and account management
• English
• Online sales
• International sales
• Sales processes

Marketing and e-commerce
Learn how to develop a product or service, successfully market it online and offline and obtain your Google certification. You will follow the latest trends and developments closely and learn how to capitalise on new opportunities for your business. During the project week, you will also gain an introduction to website optimisation.

• Search engine marketing
• Introduction to e-commerce
• Law and ethics
• Web design and web tools
• Branding
• Advanced e-commerce
• Marketing communication
• Strategic e-commerce

Management and entrepreneurship
You will develop your management and entrepreneurial skills and learn how to use your qualities to make a real difference for your clients and partners. You will also learn to work with management information and know how to use this data to your advantage.

• Operations
• Marketing
• Digital marketing
• Finance
• Entrepreneurship
• International strategic management

Professional and personal development
During your study programme, you will develop professionally and personally. For example, by working on your communication skills such as presenting, conversation techniques, storytelling and writing. You will also complete a module on intercultural communication and work on a personal development plan. As part of this, you will practise reflecting, giving feedback and learning to deal with stress, while also taking an in-depth look at time and project management.

Practice-oriented research
Through practice-oriented research you develop an investigative approach through which you improve your professional skills. You learn how to give advice, make recommendations and design a plan or product. You will also learn how to devise solutions together with others for challenges that arise in practice. What are the exact requirements? What information do you need? And how do you collect that input in a good way?

Bachelor’s degree in 3 or 4 years

Ambitious students can obtain a bachelor’s degree at Tio in just three years. If you achieve satisfactory results in the first year, you may qualify for the accelerated bachelor course. In the three-year course, both internships will take place during the summer and this will shorten your summer holiday. Students who opt for the four-year program will be able to enjoy summer holidays (with the exception of the first year) and can also participate in the grand international Tour, which gives students the opportunity to study abroad at Tio’s partner universities for two semesters. Upon completion of the bachelor’s degree, you may carry the internationally recognized title Bachelor of Science (BSc).

Why should you choose Tio Business School and the Commerce Economics and Entrepreneurship bachelor’s degree? Simple: because the marketing world is looking for well-educated young professionals such as yourself and because this bachelor’s degree was awarded the title of best marketing degree in the Netherlands for the fifth consecutive year (Higher Education Guide).

Is this bachelor program right for you?

Tio’s bachelor program is Commerce Economics and Entrepreneurship with an additional focus on e-commerce a.k.a. online marketing. Do you recognize yourself in the following description? Are you:

Commercially oriented?

Do you have a sense of commerce, do you know what sells, are you aware of the latest (online) trends? Then the bachelor program Commerce Economics and Entrepreneurship suits you. During the program, you learn how to make a business profitable with your commercial insight.

Interested in the online world?

Can you always be found online on your mobile or laptop? Do you wonder how you can get the best online sales? Perfect match! Setting up your own digital student company is part of the study program and also boosting your online sales via, for example, Google.

Entrepreneurial?

Do you see opportunities, always and everywhere? Would you like to start your own business? You can get started with this in this commercial economics program. Together with your fellow students, you set up an online business and you advise companies in the field of strategy and (online) marketing.

Sales minded?

Do you pitch the best sales idea and do you leave the competition far behind? Your sales skills will be developed and put to the test during, among other things, the sales week and the final of the Student Company project.

Creative?

Are you creative and do you think "out of the box"? Get started with developing your own brand, from logo to complete corporate identity.

Action-oriented?

Do you like to roll up your sleeves and often take initiative? Develop the ultimate summer promotion and give the ice cream sales of a company like Magnum a boost. Just an example of a future assignment.

Not afraid of numbers?

How is it possible that you have fewer website visitors this week than last week? You have of course noticed the statistics on your website. Is it due to seasonal influences or is there more to it? At Commerce Economics and Entrepreneurship you learn to understand these figures and take action accordingly.

Strong in communication?

Do you know how to convince customers with a catchy text? You learn to write texts that get your customers to your website or app via social media, which encourages them to make a purchase and that is ranked highly in Google.

Do you recognize yourself in these descriptions? Take a look at the curriculum for more information about this bachelor program or attend an open day to experience the atmosphere and meet students and lecturers.

After Graduation

A glimpse of your future

There are many roads open to you when you earn your Hotel and Event Management bachelor’s degree. What about

working as an event manager at Tomorrowland (ID&T) or as a banqueting manager at the Hotel Sofitel Legend The Grand. You can also work as a hotel manager or organizer of conferences.

Do you want to continue your education after completing the Hotel and Event Management bachelor’s degree? This bachelor’s degree grants you access to many domestic and foreign master’s degrees.

Starting salary

The gross starting salary for recent graduates is around € 2,346 per month (Higher Education Guide 2020).

Employment opportunities

The growing number of online sales has created thousands of new jobs and a strong demand for young professionals with e-commerce expertise.

Successful in the hospitality industry

Online business is booming: 96% of the Dutch people like to shop online, where they spend a total of €23.7 billion (source: Thuiswinkel.org). This has also led to an increased demand for e-commerce experts. After completing this programme, you will know how to boost online and offline sales, both in SMEs and multinational organisations. You can have a career as an account manager, online marketer, communication advisor, sales manager or start your own business!

What can you do and where can you work?

What can you do once you complete the Commerce Economics and Entrepreneurship programme at Tio University of Applied Sciences? Nearly every sector of industry has a need for well-trained young professionals with excellent management skills. After earning this bachelor’s degree, you can therefore have your pick of many positions and areas of expertise.

Think of professions such as:

• E-commerce manager

• Brand manager

• SEO/SEA consultant

• Sales manager

• Market researcher

• Online marketeer

• Account manager

• Consultant

• Marketing manager

• Social media executive

• Entrepreneur

Where can you work? Examples include:

• Advertisement and communication agencies

• Webshops

• Multinationals

• Research agencies

• Automotive, fashion or electronics companies

• SMEs

• Multimedia organisations

• Travel agencies

• PR agencies

• Retail organisations

• Your own business