MSc Management, Economics and Consumer Studies (MME)

April 2020 Master's Open Day Wageningen University

“Researching problems that matter in Business, Consumer Studies or Economics”

Contents

● MME characteristics

● Content of specialisations

● Job positions

● Admission procedure

● HBO students / linkage programme

Welcome to Wageningen University

Social Sciences

Agrotechnology and Food Sciences Environmental

Sciences Group

Plant Sciences

WUR = a life science University All programmes in the social science domain all somehow link to that life science focus. MME also, it’s part of Social Science Group in Wageningen.

MSc programs in Social Sciences

▪Communication, Health and Life Sciences (MCH)

▪ International Development Studies (MID)

▪Development and Rural Innovation (MDR)

▪Management, Economics and Consumer Studies (MME)

The character of MME

▪Umbrella programme with four specialisations:

● Business Studies

● Consumer Studies

● Economics and Governance

●Management in Life Sciences (MLS)

▪Business Studies and MLS are closely related

▪Disciplinary depth in each specialisation

▪International orientation: content & students

Business Studies / Management for Life Sciences

Economics and Governance

Consum

er Studies

MME Specialisations

MME studies the supply chain from primary producer until consumer and back again. Producers work more and more consumer drive, consumers increasingly determine what producers can or can’t make. And consumers get increasingly more information about the production proces.

Within the master you will choose one of four specialisations in the area of Business, Consumer Studies or Economics and Governance.

MME Student inflow

- Other WU-BSc's- HBO-BSc's- Other Dutch BSc's- International BSc's

Management, Economics and Consumer Studiesspecialisation Business Studies

specialisation Consumer Studiesspecialisation Economics and Governance

specialisation Management in Life Sciences

BSc Business & Consumer studiesspecialisation Businessspecialisatie Consumer

BSc Economics & Governance

Students in MME come from different backgrounds, either from one of our own two BSc’s BBC and BEB or externally. These external students come from other WUR BSc’s, Dutch HBO BSc’s (professional bsc’s), other Dutch Academic Bsc’s and international BSc’s.

Characteristics of current MME students

Nationalities

Dutch78%

International22%

Type of BSc

HBO22%

Other Academic38%

BEB/BBC41%

Structure of the programme

First Year:

▪Common and compulsory specialisation courses (24 ec)

▪ Individual specialisation courses (6-18 ec)

▪Academic Master Cluster (12 ec)

▪ Thesis preparatory course (6ec)

▪ Free Choice (0-12 ec) (eventually repair shortcomings)

Second Year:

▪ Thesis (36 ec) and Internship (24 ec)

See the Information and Programme Guide for Course information per Specialisation

Content Business Studies and MLS

▪Management

▪Marketing

Organisation of Production and Sales

▪ Logistics

▪ Information technology

Efficiency of working

▪ Costs and Returns

▪ Risk Analysis

Economic analysis at business level

The Business Specisalisation comes in two variants: the specialization Business Studies for people with a business related bachelor and the specialization Management for Life Sciences for people with a more technological, life science related background. The Business Studies specialization is a broad programme that can be compared with other Business focused masters but then specifically leaning on the Wageningen expertise in food, agriculture and sustainability. This specialization focusses mainly on the central supply chain itself, either with a focus on the whole supply chain, looking at streams of goods or information through the chain, optimization of logistical process or on individual business within the chain. Different thesis tracks that can be chosen: marketing, logistics, Information technology, Business Economics, Business Management and Entrepreneurship or Facility Management, if this all goes to fast, please explore this in the information and documents on our site. The Management for Life Science specialization is a more narrow programme with a similar focus as the Business Studies specialisation, but specifically inviting students to connect their technological or life science background to the Business field.

Thesis Tracks Business Studies and MLS

Thesis tracks in:

▪Business Economics (BEC)

▪Business Management and Organisation (BMO)

▪ Information Technology (INF)

▪Marketing (MCB: Marketing and Consumer Behaviour)

▪Operations Research and Logistics (ORL)

▪ Facility Management (at BMO group, only for Business

Studies specialisation)

See the Information and Programme Guide for examples of Thesis topics per Thesis Track

Difference Business Studies and MLS

12

Business (related) BSc

Technical Bsc

MME: Business Studies

- broader

MLS-less broad

- catch up “BSc-knowledge”

- same end level

For admission Business Studies a broad background in Business courses required, It gives access to the broad business Studies specialisation with the possibility to reach master level in several subdomains (finance, logistics, marketing etc). MLS is a more narrow programme where normally only in one subfield the master level is reached.

Consumer Studies: 3 approaches

13

▪ Information Processing

▪ Buying behaviour

Individual decisions

▪ Lifestyle

▪ Behavioural Economics

Influence of environment

▪ Perception

▪ Experience

Product Use

The specialization Consumer Studies is unique in the Netherlands, being the only option in a master to focus specifically on the consumer side of the supply chain. It focusses on consumer lifestyles and well-being in households. Either a commercial consumer behavior focus: understanding the consumer to optimize sales or a more social focus, looking at e.g. moving consumer behaviour towards more healthy or sustainable choices. Different thesis tracks are Consumer Technology, Communication, Sociology, Marketing and Consumer Behaviour and Economics. Check them out in the further info.

Thesis track / chairgroup

See Brochure p.7

Chairgroups:

• Strategic Communication (CPT)

• Consumer Technology and Product Use (FQD)

• Urban Economics (UEC)

• Marketing and Consumer Behaviour (MCB)

• Consumption and Healthy Lifestyles (CHL)

See the Information and Programme Guide for examples of Thesis topics per Thesis Track

Specialisation Economics and Governance

Economic and governance aspects of the agri-food chain and the environment

Topics International trade, the bio economy, environmental problems, natural resource management, and rural development.

Use & apply theories Economics, political science, public administration, and sociology

The third specialization Economics and Governance can be compared to other general economics masters and focusses on the broader context of the supply chain: either on e.g. economical functioning of markets or market institutions or from a more governmental perspective, focusing on issues of governance. Thesis tracks are either related to environment and sustainability, agriculture and food, spatial and regional economics or more development focused. From this specialisation you will graduate as an economist.

Thesis tracks Economics and Governance

See Brochure P.9

Chairgroups:

▪Agricultural Economics and Rural Policy (AEP)

▪Development Economics (DEC)

▪ Environmental Policy (ENP)

▪ Environmental Economics and Natural Resources (ENR)

▪Urban Economics (UEC)

See the Information and Programme Guide for examples of Thesis topics per Thesis Track

Future Positions

• Product/Brand Manager, Marketeer

• Manager Production, Logistics, Quality, Finance, trainee

• Entrepreneur: new business, family business

• Consultant, knowledge transfer

• Scientist: PhD, R&D

• Governments, policy department

• Etc ..

Starting positions most recent graduates

Analytics and Process Consultant, Project leader / consultant, Business intelligence analyst, Commercial trading trainee, Customer supply chain Professional, Finance trainee, Geography Teacher on a high school, IT consultant, Developing social media and marketing strategy for a startup, Junior assortment manager at an online grocery start-up, Junior Consultant, Logistics Coordinator of packaging required for production. Junior consultant Merging and acquisition firm, Product (development) manager green waste and organic fertilizers, Production planner of baby food, Projectmanager, Purchasing Manager Northern Germany and Denmark, Quality assurance of fruits and vegetables at a retailer, Quality management, Sales support assistant, Startup Founder, Specialist in spatial development and environment (in agricultural context), Transportplanner

Just as an example some of the positions of our most recent graduates and some of the organizations they end up working in.

So where do our graduates end up working? This is diverse, it can be commercial Business e.g. in multinationals like Unilever, but also entrepeneurs in star-ups, research, consultancy, government and semi government. Graduates work in diverse roles, but typically functioning as a spider in a web, easily connecting and working together with people from different sectors or backgrounds. In my experience the students that use the study time in the master to also orient on possible jobs and sectors to work generally are well prepared and find jobs quickly, with on average around 40 % of the students having already landed their first job at the time of graduation.

Admission Requirements (brochure pp 18-20)

▪ Relevant Bachelor Degree: ● 60 credits in MME fields of which 30 credits within one

specialisation ● For MLS 12 credits in Management or Business Economics

▪ GPA at least 70% of maximum scale (not for Dutch scientific BSc’s) ▪ Sufficient proficiency in English (look at exemptions, pp.19-20)

● Dutch students VWO 7,0, HAVO 8,0 or RATEr test passing speaking, listening, reading, writing. ● International students need to submit an IELTS, TOEFL or

Cambridge certificate. ▪ At least 5 credits in basic statistics and 5 credits in mathematics in

previous study. ▪ C specialisation: > 10 credits in statistics and >5 credits in

econometrics.

Business studies At least 30 credits of courses during your bachelor in one of the areas:

• Finance • Financial

Management • Commerce • Law • Logistics • Facility

Management

• Management • Marketing • Operations Research • Business Economics • Information

Technology • Accounting

Consumer studies At least 30 credits of courses during your bachelor in one of the areas:

• Sociology • Marketing • Consumer

Behaviour

• Economics • Psychology • Communication • Law

Economics and Governance At least 30 credits of courses during your bachelor in one of the areas:

• Agricultural Economics

• Development Economics

• Environmental Economics

• Econometrics • Agricultural Policy

• Environmental Policy

• Institutional Economics

• International Trade • Public

Administration • Law

Management in Life Sciences Only for BSc Life Sciences: Plant Sciences, Animal Sciences, Food Sciences or Technology

At least one year of courses (60 EC) in a technology area and at least 12 EC in management or business economics

Application for Admission

▪Apply via Studielink. (www.studielink.nl)

▪ Fill in the Online Application form and submit at least transcript of records, C.V., motivation letter, and proof of English mastery. Diploma can be submitted later.

▪ Timing of application: ● Do not wait until graduation. Diploma can be submitted after

graduation ● NL and EU students: Before 1st of July ● Non-EU students:

Start application before 1st of May Submit all application documents before 1st of June

▪Admission Committee of WUR will inform you

After admission: enrolment procedure

• Register yourself for final enrolment, payment of the Tuition Fee is the confirmation of your participation (deadline 31st of August)

• Intake meeting with Study Advisor after enrolment: • Tailoring your Programme, deciding on substitute

and exemption courses and drafting a full study planning.

HBO-students: 6 months Pre-Master

▪ Programme of 30 credits that needs to be completed by Dutch HBO students before starting with MME

▪ Programme consists of courses Research Methodology, Mathematics, Statistics and two specialisation courses

▪Registration as BBC student (also in Studielink); after completion of all courses -> automatic registration as MME student

▪ Three options: ● Start in September: 2,5 years total study at WU

● Start in February: 2,5 years total study at WU

● Pre-master as minor during HBO bachelor: 2 years total study at WU

Examples extra opportunities during MSc

▪ Interest in entrepeneurship? -> Entrepeneurial track

▪ Preparing for a Research Career? -> WASS Graduate Programme for future PhD’s

▪Studying two fields? -> Double master in Wageningen

▪ Possibility to include external courses or join our Double Degree Programme

Governmental legislations -Wet Hoger Onderwijs-

▪ Sharp distinction (harde knip) : You have to finish your Linkage Programme (BSc courses) before you can start with your MSc courses https://www.wur.nl/en/Education-Programmes/Current-Students/Harde-Knip.htm

▪ One year accreditation with DUO! Consequences for OV. https://www.wur.nl/nl/Onderwijs-Opleidingen/Huidige-Studenten/Extra-studiefinanciering-WU.htm

▪ Lending System: You can borrow money from DUO for a maximum of 8 years.

▪ High tuition fee for second study: If you want to do a second Master (after completion of the first), you have to pay the institutional tuition fee. In Wageningen this fee is 13.250 euros.

What else can you do at this open day?

▪Chat with study advisers and students

▪Check our FAQ’s about application, housing, scholarships, visa, costs, introduction days, Wageningen, student for a day, corona and more

▪ Take a virtual tour with one or more of our students who will show you their life

▪Watch videos with tips for choosing a study programme, about student life and study experiences