Communication (International Communication Management) – (B.Sc.)

Contents

The bachelor's degree programme in Communication will prepare you intensively so that in four years' time you are ready to do the job for real. Through practice-based education we will ensure that you are ready to put theory into practice. After four years you will be a well-rounded trained professional. You will be able to advise management in the fields of internal and external communication, you will know how to bring a new product to the attention of the consumer and you will be able to address the press. You will also know how to work with advertising agencies and designers.

What is more, Inholland University of Applied Sciences provides student support and is socially committed and ambitious. As a student of Inholland University of Applied Sciences, the focus will be on you and you will get the chance to develop your talents as much as you like. Inholland is continuously striving to improve the quality of the education available and is not afraid of change.

Major/minor

The major is the core element of the bachelor's degree programme and focuses on developing a broad range of knowledge and abilities. Central to this are the personal growth and development that you will need in your future profession.

The major in Creative Business, Communication & Media (50% of the programme) provides a broad base for the study programme.

Differentiation minor

You will begin specialising in your first year. Your specialisation subjects are specific to your Communication programme, to your future profession. You will focus on specific themes and the skills that you need. This element accounts for a quarter of the bachelor's degree programme in Communication.

What is the study counselling situation?

We will do everything we possibly can to enable you to progress through your studies without any problems. The following professionals are here to help:

• Study coach: the coach will closely monitor the work group's progress and will also guide and supervise every project.
• Expert: the expert/lecturer will set the project assignment and will help you become more familiar with the relevant knowledge and theory.
• Student career coach: you will receive personal development and career coaching during your time here. Before every new period of the programme, you will meet up with your student career coach to discuss your progress, personal goals and programme competencies. You will meet again later to determine whether your goals and competencies have been achieved and to establish new ones.
• Student counsellor: you may, at some point, need guidance on personal issues, such as financial matters, illness or bereavement. Your student counsellor can provide advice and a sympathetic ear. We will handle all personal matters with the utmost regard for your privacy.

How is the programme structured?

The bachelor's degree programme in Communication requires your full attention and all your time. Self-discipline and a regular pattern to your studies are just as important as thorough preparation and a broad interest in the world of communication and media.

The study load is approximately forty hours per week. Around twenty contact sessions and classes are scheduled each week. The rest of the time will be spent on:

• Meeting with group members for your project
• Preparing for lectures and exams
• Doing your (individual) assignments

You will be given plenty of time to work on assignments and projects; you will meet with your lecturers during consultation meetings. You will study partly at home and partly with other people. You will also be able to make use of the studios, library, project rooms and the university's individual student work areas.

First year

The first year is a foundation year that will allow you to discover and learn the general competencies you will need for your future profession. You will become involved in projects covering real business issues and, together with your fellow students, you will experience at first hand what it is like to be a project manager, researcher, representative or concept developer.

Second year

In the second year, you will be expected to do more complex projects and show more independence. You will play the role of an entrepreneur, media manager or strategist. You will take courses in media law, strategy and cross-cultural management, and you will attend workshops on audio/visual production as well as managerial and creative skills.

Within NEWb, you will work as a member of a project team (4 to 5 people) on an assignment supplied, in most cases, by an external client. Together with your project team, you will be fully responsible for the coordination and communication with the client and thus completely accountable for client satisfaction.

Third year

From the third year onwards, students can give their study programme greater breadth or depth by selecting a graduation specialisation that matches their personal interests and ambitions. Within the graduation specialisation, you will choose differentiation minors. Examples include: Advertising, Brand Management, Design Management, International Representation, Magazine Production, Visual Knowledge Building.

In the third year, you will also have to do a five-month work placement in an organisation and country of your choice. This is an opportunity for you to learn from professionals and to put into practice what you have learned so far. With careful preparation and supervision, this is a rich and rewarding experience.

Fourth year

In the fourth (and final) year, you will complete your studies with your graduation specialisation and a graduation project. You will research a genuine and practical problem and come up with a good solution for the company you are working for. At the end, you will present your research in a report and also in a professional presentation.

Graduation and continuing education

During the final few months of your studies, you will work independently on a research assignment. This will form the basis for your final dissertation. Your research should relate to the world of communication & media and must be presented professionally, both orally and in writing.

Examples of subjects include:

• Writing an internal communication plan
• Researching identity or image
• Designing and introducing a new company logo

After you complete the Communication programme you can, of course, enter the world of work. However, you can also decide to carry on with your studies and specialise in, for instance, Communication, Business Communication, Policy Management or Organisation & Communication.

Inholland University of Applied Sciences offers the master's degree programme in Design Management and the one-year postgraduate Communication Trainer programme. You can also develop your creative skills further at an art academy. There are also various courses in advertising and marketing. For English-speaking students, further (master's degree) programmes are offered in English.