business + culture

Quick Info

By Term

• Fall 2013
• Spring 2013
• Spring 2014
• Academic year 2013-2014

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Program Overview

Home to the stock exchange, central bank, and the head offices of numerous Dutch and international companies Amsterdam is not only the financial heart of the Netherlands but the perfect site to study the increasing complexity of global business.

Through language study, coursework and internship opportunities, the Business and Culture program at the University of Amsterdam explores the theories and tools used by academics and professionals alike to contend with today’s economic questions.

Study abroad in Amsterdam and you will:

• Gain an insider’s perspective on how business is done in the Netherlands and the European Union; visit Dutch and international companies and enhance your resume by taking advantage of an internship
• Take a wide range of high quality courses in business, economics, and/or finance
• Study Dutch language and integrate into the Dutch and international student community through the International Student Network, interest groups, and weekend homestays.
• Live in an accessible, multicultural European capital city, explore the region through program excursions, and cruise around the city on your bike

The CIEE Difference

Coursework

Take advantage of extensive course offerings and local faculty at the University of Amsterdam. Subjects include corporate social responsibility, entrepreneurship and innovation, behavioral economics, advanced corporate finance, e-business and market management

Excursions and Company Visits

You will explore unique destinations within and around the Netherlands. Excursions include a visit to another historical Dutch city; an overnight trip to either Schiermonnikoog Island (a UNESCO world heritage site) or a Dutch or other Low Country city such as Rotterdam, Maastricht, Luxembourg, or Brussels; a visit to the site of a typical Dutch product (a cheese farm, flower industry, or the Delta Works that protect the Dutch countryside from the sea); and a visit to a cultural venue to see a ballet or soccer match.

As part of an optional internship course, there are guided company site visits to allow you to explore various Dutch businesses and their practices. You may visit KLM, Philips Electronics, or Albert Heijn, the Netherlands’ top supermarket chain, to get a behind-the-scenes tour. All Business and Culture program students are invited and encouraged to participate in these visits.

Cultural Immersion

The CIEE Study Center in Amsterdam aims to provide an insider’s perspective that most people, both locals and tourists, never see. If you're interested in experiencing Dutch culture more in-depth, you'll have the option of participating in a CIEE-organized day and overnight stay with a host family outside of Amsterdam, which is included in the program fee.

You’ll also have several volunteer opportunities which allow you to connect and give back to your host community. As a CIEE Business and Culture student, you can participate in one of the interest groups such as the Amsterdam Schools group where you’ll help disadvantaged primary school children from Moroccan and Turkish descent with their English language skills. There are also one-day volunteer events several times per semester in which you can participate.

Dates, Deadlines & Fees

We want to make sure you get the most out of your experience when you study abroad with CIEE, which is why we offer the most inclusions in our fees.

• Tuition and housing
• Pre-departure advising and optional on-site airport meet and greet
• Full-time program leadership and support
• Field trips and cultural activities
• CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits

Please note, program dates are subject to change. Please contact your CIEE Study Abroad Advisor before purchasing airfare. Click the button to view more detailed information about dates and fees.

Program

Application Due

Start Date

End Date

Costs

Fall 2013 (18 wks)

Extended to: 05/01/2013

08/19/2013

12/21/2013

$17,850

Program Date Notes

Program Fees

In addition to the items outlined below, the CIEE program fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, foreign police registration fee, a museum card, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

Participation Confirmation *

$300

Educational Costs **

$12,148

Housing ***

$5,300

Insurance

$102

This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.

* non-refundable

** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students

*** Breakfast and one other meal per week are included in the homestay option. No meals are included in the apartment option.

Estimated Additional Costs

Meals not included in program fee *

$2,600

International Airfare **

$1,650

Local Transportation

$125

Books & Supplies

$450

Personal expenses

$2,750

The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

* for students in the residence hall; homestay students should budget $1600 per semester for meals not included in fees.

** round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure

Spring 2013 (18 wks)

11/15/2012

01/30/2013

06/04/2013

$17,850

Program Date Notes

These program dates are tentative. Please contact your CIEE Study Abroad Advisor prior to purchasing an airline ticket.

Program Fees

In addition to the items outlined below, the CIEE program fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, foreign police registration fee, a museum card, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

Participation Confirmation *

$300

Educational Costs **

$12,148

Housing ***

$5,300

Insurance

$102

This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.

* non-refundable

** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students

*** Breakfast and one other meal per week are included in the homestay option. No meals are included in the apartment option.

Estimated Additional Costs

Meals not included in program fee *

$2,600

International Airfare **

$1,650

Local Transportation

$125

Books & Supplies

$450

Personal expenses

$2,750

The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

* for students in the residence hall; homestay students should budget $1600 per semester for meals not included in fees.

** round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure

Spring 2014

11/01/2013

to be announced

to be announced

Program Date Notes

Program Fees

This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.

Estimated Additional Costs

The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

Academic year 2013-2014

Extended to: 05/01/2013

08/19/2013

to be announced

$34,000

Program Date Notes

Program Fees

In addition to the items outlined below, the CIEE program fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, foreign police registration fee, a museum card, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

Participation Confirmation *

$300

Educational Costs **

$22,998

Housing ***

$10,600

Insurance

$102

This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.

* non-refundable

** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students

*** Breakfast and one other meal per week are included in the homestay option. No meals are included in the dormitory option.

Estimated Additional Costs

Meals not included in program fee *

$5,200

International Airfare **

$1,650

Local Transportation

$250

Books & Supplies

$900

Personal expenses

$5,500

The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

* for students in the dormitory; homestay students should budget $1600 per semester for meals not included in fees.

** round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure

Eligibility

• Overall GPA 3.0
• 1 semester microeconomics, 1 semester macroeconomics, and 1 additional course in accounting, finance, management, marketing, mathematics, or statistics
• Junior status required

Recommended Credit

Total recommended credit for the semester is 15–18 semester/22.5–27 quarter hours.

Most University of Amsterdam courses are 45 contact hours with recommended credit of 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours but may range from 2–4 semester/3–6 quarter hours and 30–60 contact hours per class.

Program Requirements

Study abroad students take either three courses worth 6 ECTS (3 U.S.) in block 1 and 2 courses worth 6 ECTS (3 U.S.) in block 2 to total 30 ECTS (15 U.S.) credits or the reverse, taking 3 courses in block 1 and 2 courses in block 2. All students are required to take either the CIEE course Dutch Culture, CIEE Internship Seminar or an UvA Dutch language course as described below. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that all students have a minimum of academic content specific to the Netherlands.

Dutch Language Courses

Dutch courses are offered at all levels through the Dutch as a Second Language Institute of the UvA (INTT). CIEE recommends three U.S. credits for each level. While Dutch is not required, it is strongly recommended, particularly for academic year students and students in homestays. Upon arrival, students with previous Dutch study take a placement test to determine their level (see course levels and descriptions in the courses section).

About The City

Amsterdam is full of life, day and night, with world-renowned museums, art galleries, music, opera, theater, and dance. It is a truly international and multicultural city. Amsterdammers are easy-going and welcoming to foreigners, and English is the unofficial second language. With over 790,000 inhabitants, Amsterdam offers the advantages of a cosmopolitan center with a small-town feel. Because the city is so compact, bicycles are the most convenient means of transportation; in fact, bicycles outnumber the people in Amsterdam!

Meet The Staff

Hannah Huber

Hannah Huber heads the CIEE Study Center in Amsterdam and Groningen and is responsible for, among other things; program development, the CIEE course curriculum, outreach, hosting site visitors, coordinating customized programs, and overseeing study center activity and staff. Hannah is originally from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and first ventured to the Netherlands as a Rotary exchange student in high school where she learned the language and fell in love with Dutch culture. She received her bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Dickinson College, where she also participated in Dickinson’s study abroad programs in Bologna, Italy and Norwich, England. Prior to working for CIEE, Hannah was employed by the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Washington, DC before moving to Amsterdam where she received her Master’s degree in American Studies (Thesis: Securing Country or Résumé: The History of Drivers for Study Abroad in the United States) with a minor in Educational Policy and Management. Having studied American culture from an outside perspective, and having been an exchange student to the Netherlands at a young age, Hannah is passionate about helping students adjust to their surroundings and appreciate all that the Netherlands has to offer them, as well as encourage them to give back and develop themselves while abroad.

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The Dutch have been, and will always be, business-minded, it’s in their blood. One could argue that this all started in 1602 when they chartered The Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compangnie or VOC) which lead to the heyday of the Golden Age. This company was granted a 21-year monopoly to carry out overseas trading (including spice trade) in Asia. This was the first multi-national corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. The Dutch had the world’s first mega-corporation! What better place to study business than Amsterdam, where this all began?

Here students can learn firsthand about Dutch business practices and how they differ from the U.S. Students can witness how Dutch values like pragmatism, egalitarianism, consensus, and procedures affect their business models. For students wanting a challenging, multi-faceted, and inspirational experience grounded in the areas of business, economics, and finance and linked to the local culture—the CIEE Business and Culture program in Amsterdam is right for you.

— Hannah Huber, Resident Director

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Renee Spruit

Renee Spruit, Student Services Coordinator, has a Master’s from the University of Amsterdam in migration and ethnic studies and a Bachelor’s in communication management from Hogeschool van Utrecht. Renee studied abroad at Seneca College in Toronto, Canada. She brings a wealth of knowledge about Amsterdam and the Netherlands to study abroad students and assists the Resident Director in coordinating student services, housing, course registration. day to day inquiries, and summer programs.

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Annabel Thomas

Activities and Projects Coordinator – Amsterdam

As the Activities and Projects coordinator at the Amsterdam Study Center, Annabel Thomas runs around the Netherlands to look for interesting, special and entertaining activities for CIEE students. Her aim is to find activities and projects that fit the program goals, experiences that add value to studying abroad and locations that are not easy to reach for students on their own. You will find her browsing the internet, reading guidebooks and reviews or leading a group of students to an event.

Annabel strongly believes in volunteering as a way of integrating in another culture. For example, CIEE Amsterdam students have worked in a soup kitchen, taught English to Amsterdam school kids, helped out at a work reintegration project for the homeless and met locals whilst cleaning a local park. CIEE is constantly looking for new ways to reinforce the ‘Dutch experience’. Another project CIEE Amsterdam runs is the ‘Weekend Homestay Project’ where students spend a weekend at the house of a Dutch family somewhere in the Netherlands.

Before she joined CIEE, Annabel received her Bachelor’s in Experience Marketing from the University of Applied Sciences in Haarlem and her Master’s degree in Eastern European Studies from the University of Amsterdam. She has worked with international students as a residence assistant, as an intern at the international office and as the National Representative of the Netherlands in the International Student Network.

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Bonny Wassing

Bonny Wassing has been working as lecturer Dutch for CIEE Amsterdam since 2007. He studied Dutch Studies and Cultural History at The University of Amsterdam and he has studied Linguistics for one semester at Columbia University in New York. After his studies he lectured for two years Dutch language and culture at the University of Bucharest in Romania. Besides working for CIEE, Bonny provides Dutch courses for various businesses as a first and as a second language. “I love to combine working for students and corporate people. I see every day that a good proficiency of the Dutch language and a better understanding of the Dutch culture are so important for all people.”

Bonny currently teaches Dutch Culture on the Business + Culture and Social Sciences programs and Contemporary Dutch Social Policy (CDSP) during the Social Sciences program and all of the summer programs. CDSP is a class that discusses in depth the controversial social topics such as drugs, prostitution, gender and sexuality, abortion and euthanasia; a very popular class. In Dutch Culture we discuss the norms and values of the Dutch on a very pragmatic level as well as on a metalevel.

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Where You'll Study

The University of Amsterdam

The University of Amsterdam (UvA) dates from Amsterdam’s heyday in the 17th century when the city was one of the world’s most important ports and trading centers. The Athenaeum Illustre, which later became the University of Amsterdam, was founded in 1632. The University is spread out over various parts of the city center and is situated in old buildings and in modern high rises. UvA has an enrollment of more than 25,000 students and a strong commitment to international education, as reflected in its international student body and curriculum.

Housing & Meals

Housing is included in the study abroad program fee. Students are placed in single rooms in UvA or private residence halls, which have private or shared showers and kitchen facilities. Residence halls are all within a reasonable commute by foot, bike, or bus to the Faculty of Economics and Business and the center of Amsterdam. Meals are not included in the program fee and are the responsibility of the student. Meals may be taken at cafeterias and UvA restaurants, at restaurants throughout Amsterdam, or prepared in the residence’s kitchen facilities. All residence halls have RAs who take care of minor housing issues and organize activities throughout the semester.

A limited number of homestays with Dutch families are also available. This option provides an excellent opportunity for immersion in the Dutch culture. The student has a furnished room and shares a kitchen, bathroom, and living area with the host family. The homesteay includes breakfast daily and at least one other meal per week with the family. All other meals are the responsibility of the student.

Orientations

You'll begin your study abroad experience in Amsterdam even before leaving home by participating in a CIEE online pre-departure orientation. Meeting with students online, the resident director shares information about the program and site, highlighting important issues, and giving you time to ask questions before leaving home. The online orientation allows you to connect with others in the group, reflect on what you want to get out of the program, and learn what others in the group would like to accomplish. The CIEE goal for the pre-departure orientation is simple—to help you understand more about the program and site, as well as your goals for the program, so that you'll arrive at the program well-informed and return home having made significant progress towards your goals.

Each semester begins with a mandatory orientation session organized by CIEE in Amsterdam. It includes a welcome canal cruise, an academic orientation, an introduction to Amsterdam and Dutch society and culture, a ‘survival’ Dutch lesson, and excursions in and around Amsterdam. During the orientation, students have the chance to meet each other and learn more about Amsterdam, CIEE, and the University. Ongoing support is provided on an individual and group basis throughout the program.

University Life

CIEE works closely with the UvA’s International Student Network (ISN) during orientation and throughout the semester to ensure that students are well integrated into the international student body, working as much as possible against creating an American enclave. You'll be matched with an ISN coach and student group at the beginning of the semester. Weekly gatherings are held throughout the semester as well as various cultural events and excursions.

Academics

The CIEE Business and Culture study abroad program is designed for students who are majoring or minoring in business or economics and considering a career in the business world, or who plan to explore graduate studies in business or pursue an MBA. Students can take courses from the areas of business studies, economics, or economics and finance, either pursuing courses in one of these tracks or choosing courses from multiple areas. Of the 300 students in the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) Bachelor’s program, approximately 75% students are international and 25% are Dutch. The program is fully taught in English, giving CIEE students the opportunity to interact with Dutch and other international students on issues relating to business and economics.

Academic Culture

Students from the U.S. may notice a substantial difference between the educational style employed in their own countries and that used in the European system.

The European educational system allows students a high level of individual responsibility and initiative, and developing an independent and critical way of thinking is strongly encouraged. This academic environment will be part of the challenge for visiting students at the UvA.

The University of Amsterdam’s Faculty of Economics and Business (and many other of its faculties) divide each semester into two eight-week blocks. FEB courses take place only during one block. All courses are 6 ECTS (3 semester/4.5 quarter hours U.S.).

Average class size at the FEB is approximately 75 students in the lectures and 40 in the tutorials.

The University of Amsterdam operates on a semester calendar, with each semester consisting of two consecutive eight-week class periods. The University’s fall semester runs from the end of August to the end of December, and the spring semester runs from the beginning of February to the beginning of June.

The CIEE Study Center office is located on the Roetersstraat directly across from the Faculty of Business and Economics academic buildings.

Nature of Classes

CIEE classes are with other CIEE study abroad participants only. Some UvA classes enroll Dutch and international students, while other classes are for international students only.

CIEE Community Language Commitment

As students gain proficiency in Dutch, resident staff encourage them to use their language skills in everyday settings. The more students participate, the more a community that contributes to Dutch language proficiency and understanding of Dutch society develops.

Grading System

The credit system is based on a student’s overall workload, including lectures, seminars, and independent study. In general, grades are based on a combination of class participation, oral presentations, papers, and/ or written or oral examinations. Unlike in the U.S>, grades are based on a numerical scale of one to 10, rather than letters. All CIEE participants receive a University of Amsterdam transcript listing course titles, final grades, and credits earned, as well as the CIEE Academic Record which converts the grades to a U.S. grading scale.

Language of Instruction

Dutch
English

Faculty

CIEE faculty are associated with Dutch institutions of higher education. University courses are taught by University of Amsterdam faculty.

Course Description

Program Blog

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