In Groningen the academic year is divided in three trimesters of 10-12 weeks each. The first two and a half years are devoted towards general inter-disciplinary courses, while in the rest of one and a half year students can specialize in different functional areas. During the last six months students are required to do in-company training in an organization and write a Master Thesis. The Department of Marketing has the main responsibility for specialization in Marketing.
Marketing is at present the most popular specialization area.
International students with at least 3 years Bachelor Degree can participate in the International Business Programme to obtain MSc-Degree in International Business. In the third and fourth year a number of electives are offered and students are allowed to choose their specialization. These courses are called capita selecta and are often research-oriented. A faculty member can supervise these students to develop and complete a research project and write a research report. These projects are often undertaken in close cooperation with a firm.