Are you able to think critically and are you a team player? Do you have a general interest in how business works? Do you have a background in quantitative reasoning? Then the specialization in Managerial Decision-Making and Control could be right for you. The specialization is part of the master's program in International Business and is for students interested in decision-making, overall business management, and the provision of relevant information for internal decisions. Controllers are often referred to as the navigators of a firm, engaging in the gathering, interpretation, and support of decisions throughout an organization. Controlling is about the ‘people side’ of numbers, focusing specifically on management and control rather than auditing, assurance, or accountancy alone. Come join the IB/Managerial Decision-Making and Control program and place yourself at the nexus of management, accounting, and big business decisions.
Fast facts
also available as a two-year, part-time program in Dutch (IB/Accounting and Control)
work in controlling departments, consultancy, general management
Double-Degree options
1-year, full-time master’s taught in English
starts in February & September
weekly: 8 hrs classes, 12 hrs group work, 20 hrs individual study
you’ll get an MSc in International Business
Why this program?
Many CEOs and CFOs in large companies have a background in Controlling. Why? Because Controlling is about making the big decisions. Being a Controller means having an overview of business situations, and understanding the accounts on the one hand and the managerial side on the other. Controllers are often compared to the navigators on a ship; they know where the ship is and where it needs to go. They play a major role in profitability, analysis, performance evaluation, and the viability of mergers and acquisitions.
Amazing education opportunities
Premium honors program
Premium gives you that extra edge by offering real-world experience during your studies. As part of a team of students, you’ll build the experience and skills employers are looking for. Work on a real-world assignment for a company, NGO, or educational institution. Create a personal development plan. Participate in intensive individual coaching, masterclasses, and workshops.
Internships
Internships give you practical experience that enhances your studies and increases your employability. Many graduates often end up working at the organization where they intern. SBE encourages master’s students to do an extracurricular, 8-26 week internship. The SBE Internship Office has an extensive database of internship opportunities and is on hand for guidance and counseling.
Combine thesis & internship
Rather than face a trade-off between finishing their studies and doing an internship, SBE students have the option of combining the two. During the Thesis-Internship Programme (TIP), your thesis will be written on a topic relevant to a company or organization during a part-time internship. This gives your thesis focus and applicability and gives you practical work experience.
Double Degree program
The Double Degree program at the School of Business and Economics lets you study at two universities and earn two master’s degrees! You can participate at the beginning of the academic year in September, completing part of your master's program at an institution abroad and part at SBE. After completing all the requirements of both master's programs, you will be awarded a degree from each university. Almost all Double Degree programs can be completed with little or no delay in your studies and with minimal extra fees. The Double Degree program has carefully selected partner universities that are high-profile, research-oriented, and preferably accredited by both EQUIS and AACSB.
Courses & curriculum 2022 - 2023
Your education will focus on management and control, but it will also give you an overview of financial accounting principles. The opportunity to choose electives allows you to tailor your master’s program to your interests. Courses prepare you to design management control instruments (such as scorecards, managerial incentives, budgets, etc.), implement strategies, assess their effectiveness and prepare reports, design and improve internal reporting systems, and help management to improve their pricing and mergers & acquisitions decisions. Several firms participate in our curriculum by providing workshops, and in the Strategic Performance Analysis course, a number of smaller firms allow students to work on small-scale consulting projects. Small teaching groups and practical case studies are excellent preparation for the world of work.
EBC4131 Forecasting and Business Analysis
EBC4263 Data Analytics
EBS4011 Writing a Master’s Thesis Proposal IB Accounting, Information Management, and Business Intelligence
EBC4154 Performance Management and Strategy Execution
Elective
EBC4262 Corporate Reporting and Internal Decision-Making
Master's Thesis or Thesis Internship Programme
EBC4069 Risk, Control, and Compliance
Rankings & recognition
Triple Crown accreditation - School of Business and Economics
Financial Times lauded SBE in best practice examples of sustainability, ethics, and social purpose in teaching and education methods
UM is the sixth-best Young University in the world
Financial Times MIM 2021: MSc International Business ranked #37 Masters in Management
84% of students recommend this program
Your future
Representatives from companies like Henkel AG, Bayer AG, DSM, Medtronic, and a number of smaller yet equally fascinating firms are actively involved in the Managerial Decision-Making and Control master’s program. You can expect them to help you with case studies, company projects, and so on. Some students even go on to do internships because of connections they’ve made with people working in the field.
Certification and further education
After graduation, you can enter the workforce directly, but you will probably also want to be certified as a Chartered Controller, either in the Netherlands or internationally, at the School of Business and Economics or at another prestigious institution abroad. At the post-graduate stage, links with the corporate world are stronger still. The post-graduate programs listed below are a vital part of company management and executive development.
As a graduate, you can look for work in:
controlling
finance management, eventually as a finance director (CFO)
consulting
in-house consulting departments
general management in major firms – decisions makers such as CEOs and CFOs often have a background in control
Graduates have found positions such as:
Business Controller at Unilever
Consultant at Horvàth & Partner
Head of Strategic Controlling at Generali Versicherung
