During the programme

In the Creative Business study programme you acquire up-to-date knowledge and skills in creative thinking, human-centred design, relevant technologies and business savviness. You'll become a cultural savvy global professional. Marketing and Media are important business domains. You will develop skills to come up with innovative solutions for creative industries, media, and global organisations that embrace creative innovation. You can also start your own business.

Content of the creative Business programme

Creative Business prepares you for the creative industry, but also for all the other industries that embrace creative innovation - such as Health, Education, Government and Business Services.

You will develop a deep understanding of business and customers. You learn to use both empathy and creativity to develop new concepts and strategies. Furthermore, you learn how to communicate these concepts and strategies to organisations, stakeholders and media. Through a truly global learning context students gain experience with international and cross-cultural collaboration.

Important topics in the study programme are marketing, cultural diversity, consumer behaviour, creativity, humanity, technology, business models, branding, culture, media, entrepreneurship, professional identity, multiple electives (such as Artificial Intelligence, Circular innovation and Growth hacking), various research approaches and a graduation project.

In your first year, you explore the foundations of international creative business together with your fellow students. You focus on marketing, professional onboarding, research skills and innovations in the creative business field. Important approaches such as agile working and design thinking are introduced, you learn the basics of collaboration and get acquainted with project work.

  • Block A & B: Innovations of Creative Business, Creative Lab, Collaborative Studio, Effective Communications, Professional Onboarding
  • Block C & D: Marketing Playground, Challenging Human Biases, Research Design, Media Culture, Professional Onboarding

In the first year, you need to obtain a minimum of 50 ECTS credits to continue your studies with us. All first-year courses are 5 ECTS credits each.

Courses year 1

In the second year, you learn to think and work like a creative professional. You'll get many reality checks in the form of real projects, guest lectures, and introductions to the professional field. This year, you get a taste of what it means to work like a creative problem-solver and pioneer. You choose the elective courses that are most interesting and relevant to you, thus constructing your ideal learning path.
  • Block A & B: Future Scenario, World of Work, Electives (see below)

  • Block C & D: Transcreation Narratives, Data-Driven Prototyping, Electives (see below)
Courses year 2

In year 2 you can choose four out of the following courses: Exploring Cultural Differences, Participatory Cultures, Branding Fundamentals, Managing Creatives, Interactive Experiences, Framing the Media, Content Marketing and Influencing Your Audiences.

Year 2: electives

In the third year you can start the work placement or your Profiling Space in the semester of your choice. We strongly encourage students to spend a part of this year in a non-native environment, to develop your global mindset and intercultural skills. 

One semester is devoted to your minor. You may study at one of our 70+ foreign partner universities or any Dutch university, or choose to stay in Utrecht.
Whatever you choose to do, this year, you experience new cultures and truly learn what it's like to work in international creative business.

Examples of work placement assignments

  • Implement a social media plan for a global game studio
  • Map the customer experience and propose improvements for an international magazine
  • Produce state-of-the-art videos for a virtual reality company
  • Develop creative brand strategies to attract tourists to Amsterdam

In your final year, in the first semester, you will follow a number of interdisciplinary courses which require co-design, creative problem-solving and business innovation at a high level. The second semester is dedicated to your graduation project, for which you conduct independent research into an issue of your choosing. Many of our graduation projects are triggered by genuine research requests from (international) businesses. Critical thinking and interpretation are truly important this year.

Examples of graduation projects

  • Improve a content strategy for a fashion and lifestyle brand to increase interaction with Instagram users.
  • Analyse the marketing strategy for a children’s programme for a global entertainment and media enterprise.
  • Develop a digital marketing plan for an international food company.
During the programme Creative Business: Students in a classroom

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15
hours per week
    Study in figures

    Want to know more about this programme?

    You will have about 15 hours of lesson time per week, and will spend about 25 hours on group work and individual study. Our teaching methods vary depending on the module, but the focus is always on student participation. You build up your own professional experience through workshops, incubators, assignments for companies, games, e-learning and labs. We think reflection, self-evaluation and critical thinking are as important as hands-on skills.

    Courses conclude with exams, tests, assignments, essays, portfolios, pitches and/or presentations. Exams may also be broken down into partial exams (or partial tests). Exams are mostly held at the end of each term and are posted on the examination timetable.

    Are you keen to follow an expanded and more intensive version of the standard programme, or accumulate Honours Stars during your regular studies? Our Honours Programme could be for you! If you collect five stars in total, you graduate with honours.

    During this programme you work in learning teams: small groups of students who learn together to build their knowledge and skills collectively and individually. A CB learning team consists of five to seven students, guided by coach or lecturer.

    .Check your tuition fees here

    At the end of your first year you receive a study advice based on your results. Have you earned at least 50 out of the possible 60 ECTS? You can continue studying unhindered. Have you failed to earn at least 50 ECTS during your first year? Then you will be advised to stop, because in all likelihood you will not finish the programme successfully. In the end, the choice to stop or continue is up to you. However, we expect you to take our advice under serious consideration.

    LinkUP is a dedicated team organising a wide range of social activities for their fellow CB students: trips abroad, arts and music festivals, educational events and regular parties, as well as the introduction camp.

    From day one, you are allocated a personal study career coach (SCC), who supports you during your time with us. Your SCC helps you with all study-related issues, from time management to study methods and career planning.

    “In the third year you can start the work placement or your Profiling Space in the semester of your choice. We strongly encourage students to spend a part of this year in a non-native environment, to develop your global mindset and intercultural skills. 

    Please note: in previous years students were required to spend either their work placement or Profiling Space in a non-native environment. This is no longer a requirement and instead has become a recommendation.

    Why study Creative Business at HU?

    • Innovative curriculum preparing you for the workplace of the future

      Creative Business contributes to virtually all industries that embrace creative innovation next to the Creative Industries so your skills will be in high demand.

    • International network

      You learn in an international environment from top-quality researchers and experienced lecturers. International exchange programmes/internships are included in the programme.

    • The city of Utrecht

      Beautiful Utrecht is a university city with plenty of young people and excellent facilities for student life.

    Foodcourt Padualaan 101, Utrecht Science Park

    Interested in the bachelor Creative Business?

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