Business & Technology – (M.Sc.)

Contents

Becoming a business engineer

Economics as its foundation, technology as added value and entrepreneurship as a guideline - this, in short, is the philosophy behind the Belgian academic qualification of 'Business Engineer' (Handelsingenieur / Ingénieur de Gestion, sometimes translated as 'Management Engineer' or 'Commercial Engineer').

Bridge the gap between the different worlds

The idea is to train professionals who are able to understand the jargon and business environment of all of their colleagues, whether they are engineers, economists, lawyers, computer scientists or they have other specialisations. Our graduates can bridge the gap between the different worlds of the many and varying professions in the workforce.

Solid foundation in economics

During the bachelor phase of our degree, which is only offered in Dutch or French, our students develop a solid foundation in economics and are immersed in business disciplines such as marketing, finance, management and human resource management. This is combined with a thorough grounding in mathematics, statistics and computer science, while a strong basis in science is provided by coursework in physics, chemistry, electronics and technology. Another unique aspect of the business engineer’s education is a strong focus on language skills.
This broad background is the cornerstone of our master’s programme, and all students admitted to the program are expected to have a similar knowledge base.

Business flavour

The compulsory courses make up the curriculum in the first year. The first semester takes place entirely on the campus of the Université Libre de Bruxelles and has a distinct business flavour, with courses in Advanced Marketing, Advanced Accounting, Advanced Finance, Leadership & Personal Development, and Quantitative Methods for Business. The second semester is organised by the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and concentrates on the technology pillar of the programme. Second-semester courses include Advanced Technology, Advanced IT, Operations Management and Logistics, Web Services Development for Business, and Multinational Strategic Planning.

Choose between three different 'I-profiles': IT, Innovation and International

In the second year, only the dissertation is compulsory, thus allowing students to personalise their curriculum within certain limits. Concretely, the second year is organised around the three I’s: IT, Innovation and International. Three profiles are offered, one for each “I” and each containing up to six courses. Courses range from Global Banking to ICT Project Management and Business Aspects of Biotechnology.

Students are required to take at least one course from each profile, for a minimum of 30 ECTS in total. For the remainder of the credits, students are allowed to take elective courses from the entire Solvay master’s curriculum at either the Université Libre de Bruxelles or the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. These courses can be in French, Dutch or English - another plus for those who want to improve their language skills.

High-level business programme

Through this programme international undergraduate students have the opportunity to benefit from the expertise of the Solvay Business School without having to attend classes in French or Dutch. Participation in a high-level business programme in Brussels, the capital of Europe, is a great asset for any student who strives to be prepared for the challenge of management in a globalised world

Accreditation

All degree programs are accredited by NVAO.