During the programme
Creative Business prepares you for the creative industry, but also for virtually all industries that embrace creative innovation - such as Health, Education, Government and Business Services.
Future of Creative Business Conference 2018
Seven world-class speakers. 300 students and industry guests. Gathering together to explore how emerging economies, blockchain technology, robotics and Google-beating algorithms are reshaping creative business.
What do the CEO of a Google-Beating startup, the creator of a modular human, and the former director of Afrika Burn have in common? Them, and five other world-class speakers, took the stage for this year’s Future of Creative Business Conference. They inspired our audience of 300 students and industry guests to think differently about emerging economies, disruptive technology and the nature of humanity and creativity.
Breeding success
You learn how to be successful in Advertising, Media & Entertainment, Design, Music, Publishing, Gaming, Fashion and IT and many other sectors. We unlock your commercial potential through creative thinking and collaboration. You learn how to study effectively by working in groups on assignments drawn from real industry practice, supervised by a lecturer. Interacting with your fellow students, tutors and people from the field, you also improve your professional and social skills.
Study content
In your first year, you explore the foundations of international creative business together with your fellow students. You focus on new business models, digital media design, marketing, consumer behaviour and research skills. Important approaches such as agile working and design thinking are introduced, you learn the basics of collaboration and get acquainted with project work.
- Block A & B: Introduction to Creative Business; Professional Development; Humanities; Marketing Principles; Digital Media Design; Principles of Communication
- Block C & D: Research Lab and Methods; Research Analysis and Toolkit; Media Culture; New Business Models; Creativity; Consumer Behaviour
In the first year, you need to obtain a minimum of 50 ECTS credits to continue your studies with us. All first-year courses are 5 ECTS credits each.
Courses year 1
During the Creativity course you will learn how to get to creative solutions by using the method Design Thinking and how to arrange creative processes. You will make a presentation on your creative process and present.
In this course you will achieve a thorough understanding of customers, how to satisfy consumers’ needs and how to influence consumer behaviour. You will learn how cultural and sociological influences play an important role in order to implement a marketing concept.
As a professional you will always interact with people and develop products and services. You have to make informed choices and critically reflect on these choices. How can you make sure that what you develop really suits your target audience? How do you get a thorough insight into the other person you are working for? And how will you, as the developer, influence this process?
You will be introduced to communication as a branche of science and you will gain essential knowledge about how it was developed and what it involves today. You will learn about the characteristics and functions of communication as proposed by various academic schools of thought.
You will develop an understanding of marketing processes, including the international commercial environment, the customer segmentation of markets, commercial participation, branding, pricing and channel to market strategies.
Moreover, you will get to know the ways in which organisations communicate with the marketplace and stakeholders about themselves, their corporate commitments and their products and services.
This course offers you an overview of the cultural, social and historical concerns that matter when working in the media industry. You will reflect on your role as active audience, consumer and user of global media content. You will analyse contemporary trends and conflicts in the current media culture. Within class, you debate the social aspects of these new media developments.
You will learn about different types of entrepreneurship in global creative business and the business models that go with it. As a result of societal and technological developments, different types of entrepreneurship have emerged and business models have evolved. You will get a basic understanding of profit and loss and explore the concept of value-creation, which includes also non-financial aspects.
In this course will learn about the typical creative businesses worldwide, often still known as industries, such as film, radio, TV, print, advertising, games, etc. You will learn how to optimize experiences between artists and fans, brands and consumers, games and players, and how to take different cultures into account.
This course empowers you to be an active and responsible learner. The course equips you with the necessary insights and study-skills by means of class exercises, self-assessments, peer feedback and writing of reflective journals. This way we guide you in taking the first steps towards becoming a self-directed learner.
The aim of this course is to learn what quality design work entails and how you make sure that the goals of a marketing, communication or media project are realized through design. You will get familiar with award winning media and how you can make sure that media can be created and delivered across different platforms.
You learn the basics in quantitative and qualitative data analysis. By collecting and analysing data corresponding to a self-defined research question, you gain knowledge of data collection and analysis techniques.
This is an elaborate course on the basics of research and research methods which are relevant for the professional field. Through the conversion of a practical problem into research and by applying the acquired knowledge and skills, you will be trained in the essentials of research design and strategy.
In the second year, you learn to think and work like a creative professional. You'll get many reality checks in the form of real projects, guest lectures, and introductions to the professional field. This year, you get a taste of what it means to work like a creative problem-solver and pioneer. You choose the elective courses that are most interesting and relevant to you, thus constructing your ideal learning path.
- Block A & B: Technology; Entrepreneurship; International Creative Business; Intercultural Communication; Cross Media Fundamentals; Human-Centred Design
- Block C & D: Global Work; Data storytelling; Electives
Electives
Exploring Cultural Differences, Participatory Cultures, Branding Fundamentals, Managing Creatives, Interactive Experiences, Framing the Media, Advanced Marketing and Influencing Your Audiences
In your third year, you must spend at least six months in a non-native language environment. You have the option to study abroad for a semester, or take an international work placement. One semester is devoted to your minor. You may study at one of our 70+ foreign partner universities or any Dutch university, or choose to stay in Utrecht.
Whatever you choose to do, this year, you experience new cultures and truly learn what it's like to work in international creative business.
Examples of work placement assignments
- Implement a social media plan for a global game studio
- Map the customer experience and propose improvements for an international magazine
- Produce state-of-the-art videos for a virtual reality company
- Develop creative brand strategies to attract tourists to Amsterdam
In your final year you can choose from a wide range of interdisciplinary courses which require co-design, creative problem-solving and business innovation at a high level. The second semester is dedicated to your graduation project, for which you conduct independent research into an issue of your choosing. Many of our graduation projects are triggered by genuine research requests from (international) businesses. Critical thinking and interpretation are truly important this year.
Examples of graduation projects
- Improve a content strategy for a fashion and lifestyle brand to increase interaction with Instagram users.
- Analyse the marketing strategy for a children’s programme for a global entertainment and media enterprise.
- Develop a digital marketing plan for an international food company.
Creative Business
More information
Are you keen to follow an expanded and more intensive version of the standard programme, or accumulate Honours Stars during your regular studies? Our Honours Programme could be for you! If you collect five stars in total, you graduate with honours.
Escape is a dedicated team organising a wide range of social activities for their fellow CB students: trips abroad, arts and music festivals, educational events and regular parties, as well as the introduction camp.
Our teaching methods vary depending on the module, but the focus is always on student participation. You build up your own professional experience through incubators, companies, games, e-learning and labs. We think reflection, self-evaluation and critical thinking are as important as hands-on skills.
Courses conclude with exams, tests, assignments, essays, portfolios, pitches and/or presentations. Exams may also be broken down into partial exams (or partial tests). Exams are held at the end of each term and are posted on the examination timetable.
During this programme you work in learning teams: small groups of students who learn together to build their knowledge and skills collectively and individually. A CB learning team consists of five to seven students, guided by a professional development coach and lecturers.
In the third year, you must spend at least six months in a non-native language environment, studying or doing a work placement. This gives you the practical skills you need for a successful international career.
Why choose HU
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Innovative curriculum preparing you for the workplace of the future
Creative Business contributes to virtually all industries that embrace creative innovation – such as Healthcare, Education, Government and Business Services, so your skills will be in high demand.
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International network
You learn in an international environment from top-quality researchers and experienced lecturers. International exchange programmes/internships are included in the programme.
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The city of Utrecht
Beautiful Utrecht is a university city with plenty of young people and excellent facilities for student life.