United Institute - Netherlands
MBA in Sustainable Business
Amsterdam, Netherlands
MBA
DURATION
36 months
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
EUR 15,840
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus, Blended, Distance Learning
Key Summary
About: The Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Sustainable Business combines core management principles with sustainability, ethics and cross-cultural leadership. The institution offers a global perspective; you can customize courses and apply knowledge in projects. Program specifics (credits, accreditation, duration, part-time options, language, location) provided by the school. The academic calendar follows a flexible structure with an October intake, helping balance study and work.
Career Outcomes: Graduates enter roles such as sustainability manager, CSR manager, sustainability consultant, ESG analyst, supply chain manager, and sustainability director, working across corporate, nonprofit and public sectors in sustainable management and environmental strategy and leadership.
Program Overview
The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program combines Management Theory, Business Cases, Challenges, and Skills, allowing you to:
- Focus on foundational management principles across Financial, Human Resource, Marketing, and Supply Chain Management.
- Integrate courses from Global, Digital, Sustainable, and Social Business clusters.
- Customize your learning path with shared electives from various programs and concentrations.
- Apply knowledge through a Business Plan or Business Project to synthesize your learnings.
You’ll have the opportunity to personalize the program based on your previous studies, current interests, and career goals, enhancing the value of your degree while collaborating with peers from diverse programs.
Key Program Details:
- Credits: 60-credit professionally-oriented Master’s program designed for recent graduates and young professionals, with or without work experience.
- Accreditation: Programmatically accredited by ACBSP + Graduate Degree in Business Administration awarded by UIBS.
- Duration:
- Full-time: 9 to 12 months.
- Part-time: 12 to 36 months.
- Language of Instruction: English.
- Location: Downtown Amsterdam.
Academic Calendar:
The program follows a quarter system, consisting of four 10-week quarters per year, with each quarter divided into two 5-week terms. The academic year includes Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer quarters, and students can choose from multiple starting dates:
- October, November, January, February, April, May, July, August.
This flexible design allows you to optimize your study schedule and balance personal or professional commitments.
Modular Design
The program follows a flexible modular structure inspired by the American model of higher education. This design allows you to customize your academic journey by choosing from a range of courses, though there are certain program requirements that must be met to successfully complete the degree. These requirements vary based on the specific program you are enrolled in, ensuring that each student’s academic experience is both personalized and aligned with their goals.
This approach enables you to balance the flexibility of course selection with the structure necessary to achieve your educational objectives.
Program requirements
2 courses from the Financial Management cluster
- 20-21-FIN5002 – Budgeting (2 EC)
- 20-21-FIN5004 – Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis (2 EC)
- 20-21-FIN5006 – Financial Statement Analysis (2 EC)
- 20-21-FIN5008 – Working Capital Management (2 EC)
- 20-21-QUA5001 – Applied Financial Calculus (2 EC)
- 20-21-FIN5007 – Mergers and Acquisitions (2 EC)
- 20-21-FIN5003 – Capital Budgeting (2 EC)
- 20-21-FIN5001 – Applied International Financial Management (2 EC)
2 courses from the Human Resource Management cluster
- 20-21-HUM5004 – Personnel Performance Management (2 EC)
- 20-21-HUM5005 – Personnel Planning and Work Design (2 EC)
- 20-21-HUM5006 – Personnel Recruitment and Selection (2 EC)
- 20-21-HUM5007 – Personnel Training and Development (2 EC)
- 20-21-HUM5001 – Compensation Strategy and Systems (2 EC)
- 20-21-MAN5006 – Knowledge Management (2 EC)
- 20-21-MAN5003 – Change Management (2 EC)
- 20-21-HUM5002 – International Labor Relations (2 EC)
2 courses from the Marketing Management cluster
- 20-21-MAR5001 – Analyzing Marketing Opportunities (2 EC)
- 20-21-MAR5007 – Creative Advertising (2 EC)
- 20-21-MAR5008 – Developing Marketing Strategies (2 EC)
- 20-21-MAR5011 – Planning Marketing Programs (2 EC)
- 20-21-MAR5002 – Applied Consumer Behavior (2 EC)
- 20-21-MAR5013 – Applied Sales Management (2 EC)
- 20-21-MAR5006 – Applied Brand Management (2 EC)
- 20-21-BUS5003 – e-Commerce (2 EC)
2 courses from the Supply Chain Management cluster
- 20-21-OPE5507 – Applied Operations Management (2 EC)
- 20-21-OPE5508 – Applied Production Management (2 EC)
- 20-21-OPE5509 – Applied Project Management (2 EC)
- 20-21-OPE5001 – Enterprise Resource Planning (2 EC)
- 20-21-OPE5010 – Total Quality Management (2 EC)
- 20-21-QUA5003 – Operational Decision-making Tools (2 EC)
- 20-21-INF5001 – Business Intelligence (2 EC)
- 20-21-QUA5002 – Management Science (2 EC)
2 courses from the Business Cases cluster, of which at least the module highlighted in bold below
- 20-21-BUS5151 – Comprehensive Cases in Digital Business (4 EC)
- 20-21-BUS5152 – Comprehensive Cases in Global Business (4 EC)
- 20-21-BUS5154 – Comprehensive Cases in Social Business (4 EC)
- 20-21-BUS5153 – Comprehensive Cases in Sustainable Business (4 EC)
2 courses from the Business Challenges cluster, of which at least the module highlighted in bold below
- 20-21-ECO5505 – Circular Economy Insights (4 EC)
- 20-21-ECO5504 – Digital Economy Insights (4 EC)
- 20-21-GLO5001 – Global Economy Insights (4 EC)
- 20-21-ECO5506 – Sharing Economy Insights (4 EC)
2 courses from the Business Skills cluster
- 20-21-COM5501 – Business Communication Skills (2 EC)
- 20-21-HUM5503 – Business Leadership Skills (2 EC)
- 20-21-COM5006 – Business Negotiation Skills (2 EC)
- 20-21-MAN5506 – Cross-Cultural Skills (2 EC)
Program Highlights
- Free-to-Choose Electives:
You have the flexibility to select 6 shared electives from a wide range of courses, provided they do not already count toward other program requirements. This enables you to tailor your learning experience to your interests and career goals. - Final Project – Business Project Focused on Sustainable Business:
The Final Project is a culmination of your learning, where you develop a Business Plan or Business Project with a focus on Sustainable Business. This project includes:- Business Plan/Project development.
- An Applied Research Seminar.
- Mentorship from both an academic and a business mentor.
- The project lasts for at least 10 weeks and involves clear, measurable outcomes.
- It is assessed by a substantial written work that reflects various components of your work.
- Other Concentrations:
In addition to the focus on Sustainable Business, the program also offers concentrations in:- Digital Business
- Global Business
- Social Business
Alternatively, you can complete the program without any concentrations, with slightly adjusted program requirements.
Program Duration Options
- Full-time:
You can complete the program in 1 academic year (9 months), consisting of 3 quarters (20 credits per quarter). Alternatively, you can spread the program across 4 quarters (12 months). - Part-time:
The program can also be completed in a part-time format over 3 academic years, depending on course selection and personal scheduling. This option allows greater flexibility in balancing professional commitments.
Teaching Schedule
- Courses are typically scheduled on weekdays in blocks of 3 hours between 08:30 and 18:30, though some may be held in the evening (19:00–22:00) or on weekends (Saturdays).
- Some courses may be hybrid (a mix of on-campus and virtual learning) or fully virtual.
Additional Options
- After completing the program, you can pursue:
- A 90-credit Dual Master program.
- A professional internship to gain hands-on experience.
- During the program, you can also opt for:
- Private tutoring on an hourly or course basis.
- Distance learning for individual courses.
- Pre-Master Foundation Program:
Before starting the program, you may opt for a Pre-Master Foundation program if your Bachelor's degree is not in business or management, or Pre-Master Seminars for a refresher course in business.
UIBS Quality: Accreditations & Global Rankings
United International Business School (UIBS) is dedicated to academic excellence, holding prestigious international accreditations and consistently ranking as a top-tier business school.
Programmatic Accreditations
Our business programs meet rigorous global standards, ensuring your degree is recognized worldwide:
- ACBSP Accredited: Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (USA).
- ECBE Accredited: Accredited by the European Council for Business Education (Europe).
Quality Certifications
- eduQua Certified: Our Zurich and Geneva campuses hold the Swiss quality label for further education.
- ISO 9001:2015: Certified for high-standard Quality Management Systems.
Global Rankings (CEO Magazine)
UIBS is recognized as a leader in business education:
- Tier One European MBA Program.
- Top-ranked Global Online MBA.
- Premier Global Executive MBA.
Academic Memberships
We are proud members of leading educational associations, including AACSB, EFMD, and CEEMAN.
Qualifications
Upon successful completion of the program, students receive an international private (programmatically accredited) Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree awarded by UIBS from Zurich, Switzerland. The UIBS-validated degree is issued based on the recommendation of our local faculty members and Examination Committee (and of those from other campuses or partners where credits were earned).
Blockchain-verifiable
All our qualifications are awarded not only the traditional way on paper in a school-branded diploma cover but also as a blockchain-verifiable award on the Ethereum blockchain. With this cutting-edge technology, we are adding a whole new dimension to diploma verification, from which students and alumni benefit. One major advantage of secure document verification is the instant verification by employers during the recruitment process.
Upon successful completion of the program, students receive an international private (programmatically accredited) Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree awarded by UIBS from Zurich, Switzerland. The UIBS-validated degree is issued based on the recommendation of our local faculty members and Examination Committee (and of those from other campuses or partners where credits were earned).
- 60-credit and professionally-oriented Master's program for Bachelor-qualified recent graduates and young professionals with or without work experience.
- Private Master of Business Administration (UIBS), programmatically accredited by ACBSP.
Several scholarship options are available. Please check the school website for more information.
With the support of our dedicated career services, students and alumni receive the guidance and resources needed to advance their professional careers.
We organize career seminars and guest speaker events on a regular basis. Additionally, our online career center offers 24/7 access to:
- The latest job offers and internship opportunities
- A wide range of videos and articles with valuable career tips and advice
To sign up for the event, make sure to fill out the form to receive the joining link.
Program Duration & Flexibility
You can complete the MBA program in one of two formats:
- Full-time:
- 9 months (1 academic year), divided into 3 quarters of 20 credits each.
- 12 months by spreading the workload across 4 quarters.
- Part-time:
- Complete the program within 3 academic years, with flexibility in your course selection.
- Completing half of the typical workload per year results in double the duration.
- If you are flexible with your professional or personal commitments, you can complete the program more quickly by joining more courses.
Teaching Schedule
- Most courses are scheduled on weekdays, in 3-hour blocks between 8:30 AM and 6:30 PM.
- Evening courses may be available between 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM.
- Weekend courses are offered on Saturdays, and some seminars involve visiting faculty over consecutive days.
- Hybrid courses (partially on-campus, partially virtual) or fully virtual formats are also offered, allowing for a blended program option.