Please note: This page is aimed at prospective students. Are you already a student at Radboud University? You can find your current study programme in the Course catalogue.

Study programme of International Business Communication

Structure of the Bachelor's programme

The year consists of four periods. Each period contains seven course weeks and one to five study weeks. For each course you will receive a number of course credits, EC (European Credits). 1 EC equals a study load of 28 hours. Throughout the entire programme, there is a strong link between theory and practice: you immediately translate the knowledge you acquire into communicative situations you might encounter in organisations practice. The Nijmegen programme emphasizes the use of language in organisations in a multilingual context.

In International Business Communication, you learn to communicate strategically in business, government, and non-profit organizations. You will delve into themes such as marketing communication, health communication, communication with social impact, and digital communication. You will receive a solid academic education that includes developing academic writing skills, understanding existing research and ultimately performing your own research. You will improve your communication skills in English, with the opportunity to learn Spanish too.

General structure of the three academic years

In the first year, you will take introductory courses to get to know the entire scientific field of language and communication. You will gain broad theoretical knowledge of the interaction between language, communication, and culture in organisations. You immediately apply this knowledge to communicative situations from daily practice. In the second and third year, you build on the knowledge from the first year and delve deeper. From the second year you have the opportunity to specialise in one of three profiles: International Business Communication, Communication with Social Impact, and people and Digital Communication.

During the three-year bachelor's programme, you also learn how to design research, collect and analyse data. You learn about various qualitative (interviews, focus groups, interaction analysis) and quantitative (experiment, survey, corpus) research methods, so you will be able to choose the right method for an academic or professional research question. The theoretical, practical, and methodological knowledge you gain during the bachelor's programme culminates in writing the bachelor's thesis, which you complete in the third year.

Curriculum

  • Curriculum year 1

    During the first year of the English-taught Bachelor’s programme in International Business Communication, you will take a range of courses that allow you to build a strong academic basis is the areas of language, communication, and culture.

    View curriculum year 1

  • Curriculum year 2

    In the second year, you will deepen your knowledge of intercultural and international business communication and can choose to specialise in your area of choice. You will also expand on your knowledge of conducting an academic research study. In the minor space, you decide for yourself how you want to fill part of your programme. Please note that the programme structure and courses might change over time.

    Please note that this study programme is for prospective students. Current students can find their programme in the course guide. 

    Provisional overview for prospective students 

    This overview provides an indication of the study programme of the academic year 2027-2028 and is aimed at prospective students. It is subject to change and no rights may be derived from it. Already a student at Radboud University? View your current study programme in the Course catalogue.

    View curriculum year 2

  • Curriculum year 3

    In the third year, you will follow courses on job market orientation, with a focus on practical skills necessary for the job market. In addition, there is a free space in which you can choose courses to further develop yourself and broaden your studies by taking courses from other programmes. Choosing these courses will help you put focus in your programme, making it easier to set yourself apart from others when entering the labour market. 

    View curriculum year 3

This programme has a binding study advice

Minimum ECTS
45
This study programme consists of 60 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) per year. At the end of the first year you will need to have accumulated a minimum of 45 ECTS in order to receive a positive BSA to continue your studies in the second year. Failing to meet this minimum requirement and receiving a negative BSA means that you are no longer allowed to continue with your studies. Of course, we will consider outstanding circumstances such as sickness or other personal factors. Your study advisor or mentor will regularly discuss your study results with you so that you are not faced with any surprises.

Study abroad

During your Bachelor's programme, you will have the opportunity to go abroad for your studies, internship and/or thesis. You will learn to look at things from the perspective of a different culture and you will meet new people; it is an experience that will enrich your life. What’s more, it will look great on your CV. Please see the International Office web page for information about meetings, scholarships, internships and other practical information.

Additional challenge

Do you want an extra challenge during your studies? Do you find it interesting to think about current, social themes from different academic perspectives? Discover what the Radboud Honours Academy has to offer to achieve your maximum potential during your time as a student.