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3 Bachelor IBA starts still to come in 2012-2013 – English Preparation classes also popular.

Through careful use of the module concept, students can start Wittenborg University’s Bachelor of International Business Administration programmes at 6 times a year. Also, the English preparation and foundation programmes offer 6 entry points a year. Currently the popular IBA study routes include Economics & Management, Hospitality Management and Marketing & Communication. Entrepreneurship and SME Management is more specifically aimed at young entrepreneurs.

All content of the programme is fully modularised, and implemented in a systematic way that will enable other programmes to be expanded and developed on the same system used in the IBA programme. The modules are aligned with each other horizontally within the phase and vertically between the years and phases.

The timetabled year is divided into two terms (Winter and Summer). Each term consists of 3 teaching blocks of 6 weeks and 1 re-take exam block of two weeks (20 timetabled weeks per term).

Modularisation of Core Business Modules

Modules at Wittenborg have been offered in a 6 week block format. This provides flexibility in the programme, allowing new students to stream into a phase at any block during the year, with prerequisites within a phase being kept to a minimum. Modules have the same amount of contact hours, and credit weighting, they are just offered in a more compact manner which means that students study fewer subjects at one time, however more intensely, and are able to achieve their credits for that module within a six week time frame. Until now, modules have been examined on 1 day, with three examination components being given on that day. In line with the changes mentioned above it is proposed that only 1, more substantial, exam component will be given in the future, using one of the available formats.

Study Load

Students have up to 3 core subject modules in a block from 1 year. Obviously if a student is following the planning through the Phase programming, sometimes they might be following up to 4 core modules at one time. This is an extremely intensive load, however many international students are prepared to study longer hours and at weekends. The timetable spans 40 weeks, however the year is planned over 44 learning weeks (see below), and highly motivated students, who find learning easy, can achieve a higher number of gained modules.

Although the programme is timetabled in the 3 phase system, allowing students to follow more modules in a block than the 60 credit year would normally allow, Wittenborg has noted that since the start of the current programme cycle it has been found that most students are taking the full four years to complete the IBA programme; this often has to do with external factors such as work and work experience, and the priorities set during the graduation phase.

WUP 14/01/2013