Faculty of Economics and Business
Leuven, Belgium
Master of Science in Business Economics
DURATION
1 year (full-time), 60 ECTS
optional third semester abroad
APPLICATION DEADLINE
1 March (for non-EEA citizens)
1 June (for EEA citizens)
ACADEMIC CALENDAR
1st semester: 3rd week
of September > end of
January (exams in January)
The Master of Science in Business Economics (MBE) is oriented towards students with
an entrepreneurial personality and broad socio-economic interests who have already acquired
a bachelor degree in economics or business economics. The programme emphasises the
acquisition of fundamental knowledge and skills in one area of specialisation related to the
corporate world such as international business, strategy and innovation, entrepreneurship,
financial economics and marketing. By combining a major and minor you fine-tune your personal
graduation profile. The major and minor structure also allows you to apply research- and
evidence-based management practices and tools in various domains. It enables you to better
select the most appropriate practices in management in today’s volatile, complex and ambiguous
business environments. The programme equips you for both entrepreneurship and start-up
management and for management and strategic decision making in established organisations.
Do business in the heart of Europe
The faculty aims to excel by offering research-based education in economics and business
science while staying in touch with the corporate world and government circles. The faculty
interfaces with business via a Corporate Council and a wide network of fellows from the
corporate world. It regularly organises workshops and discussion platforms with leaders of
industry and government, including the European Commission, which is headquartered only
30 minutes from the campus. It also cooperates with other faculties at the university, and with
partners and institutions all over the world. Studying at a comprehensive university ranked
35th in the world (Times Higher Education University Rankings 2015-2016) guarantees an
interdisciplinary approach and a healthy balance between rigour and relevance.
Truly international
2nd semester: 2nd week
of February > July (exams
in June)
www.kuleuven.be/academiccalendar
“This master provided the opportunity
to show my international mindset
and to obtain business skills in an
international environment. I chose
this programme since I could design
my own curriculum within the majors
and minors. Although I wanted to
learn about innovation and strategic
management I was able to gain
indepth insights in other fields as well.”
(Sebastiaan, Graduate of the MSc in
Business Economics)
Study an extra semester abroad at one of the faculty’s exclusive partner universities. For an
overview of all partner universities, go to www.feb.kuleuven.be/leuven/student/buitenland/
erasmus/extended-masters. For students in the MBE programme who have completed two
semesters in Leuven and who meet the eligibility criteria, the faculty offers the opportunity for a
complementary semester at one of these destinations. Make your experience truly international
by studying in different parts of the world.
Admission requirements
To be eligible for MBE, you have to hold an academic bachelor’s degree in either economics
or business economics that is equivalent to one of the following KU Leuven degrees: BSc in
Economics, BSc in Business Economics, or BSc in Business Engineering. You need to have a
solid background in macroeconomics, microeconomics, mathematics and statistics. You should
have acquired the basic conceptual frameworks of “diverse areas of management/business”
and have a sufficiently broad view on the general economic and social contexts in which
business operates as well as on the human networks within these organisations. The equivalence
of your degree will be evaluated by the Faculty of Economics and Business on the basis of
the documents you have provided via the online application tool www.kuleuven.be/application.
You have to provide evidence of your proficiency in English as well.
Programme admission: www.kuleuven.be/ma/mbel
General admission: www.kuleuven.be/admissions
Tuition fees
The annual tuition fee for the 2016-2017 academic year is € 890 for EEA students and € 1,750
for non-EEA students. The tuition fees for future academic years may be subject to change.
Please consult the website for the most recent information: www.kuleuven.be/tuitionfees.
KU Leuven. Inspiring the outstanding.
FACULTY OF ECONOMICS
AND BUSINESS
Naamsestraat 69 box 3500
3000 LEUVEN, Belgium
www.feb.kuleuven.be/onderwijshelpdesk
www.feb.kuleuven.be/eng
60 ECTS
COURSE
ECTS
COMMON CORE
6
• Strategic Management
6
MASTER’S THESIS
15
MAJOR
24
You choose one major and select courses worth a total of 24 credits within this major.
Major 1: International Business, Strategy and Innovation
•
•
•
•
•
•
International Business Strategy
International Management
Competitive Analysis and Strategy
Political Business Strategy
Economics of Global Innovation
Innovation Management and Strategy
6
6
6
6
6
6
Major 2: Entrepreneurship
•
•
•
•
•
•
Entrepreneurship and New Business Development
The Foundations of Entrepreneurship
Organising for Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurial Finance
Strategic IP Management
Intrapreneurship
6
6
3
3
3
3
Major 3: Financial Economics
Discover KU Leuven
Founded in 1425, the University
of Leuven (KU Leuven) has been
a centre of learning for almost
six centuries. Today, it is Belgium’s
largest and highest-ranked university
as well as one of the oldest and most
renowned universities in Europe.
As a leading European research
university and co-founder of the
League of European Research
Universities (LERU), KU Leuven offers
a wide variety of programmes in
English supported by high-quality
interdisciplinary research. Boasting an
outstanding central location in the heart
of Europe, KU Leuven offers a truly
international experience, high-quality
education, world-class research and
cutting-edge innovation.
•
•
•
•
Credit and Banking
Business Finance
Macro Finance
Security Pricing and Portfolio Selection
6
6
6
6
Major 4: Marketing
•
•
•
•
Global, B2B & Service Marketing
Marketing Strategy Modelling
Brand Management
Social Marketing
MINOR
6
6
6
6
12
You choose one minor and select courses worth a total of 12 credits within this minor.
• Strategy and Innovation, International Business, Entrepreneurship, Financial Economics,
Marketing, Accounting and Auditing, Business Research, Production and Logistics,
Economics, Informatics for Business Economics, Personnel and Organisation.
ELECTIVES
3 or 6
Choose one elective course / internship / research project / social profit project
Application procedure
KU Leuven uses an online application system. You can download and submit your application
form via www.kuleuven.be/application. Students with a Flemish degree can consult
www.kuleuven.be/studentenadministratie.
Career perspectives
Graduates of the MSc in Business Economics mostly take up managerial and/or research positions
in business, national and international institutions, and at universities. You will also be well
placed for entrepreneurship and start-up management. Given the variety of skills acquired,
you will be highly sought after by a wide range of companies – from start-ups and small firms
to multinational corporations – for a variety of positions and sectors in Belgium or abroad.
KU Leuven is a founding member of
the League of European Research Universities
Contact and detailed course info: www.kuleuven.be/ma/mbel
v.u.: Isabelle Van Geet, Minderbroedersstraat 8, 3000 Leuven
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BUSINESS ECONOMICS
Last update: September 2016. Changes may have been made since the printing of this fact sheet. Please see www.kuleuven.be/internationalprogrammes for any updates.
Master of Science in Business Economics