About this study program

The University of Aruba’s two-year MBA program is designed to transform and accelerate your career path. While established within the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management Studies, this part-time MBA program transcends the boundaries of the hospitality sector. With a focus on executive development, our curriculum cultivates mastery in business fundamentals, analytical thinking, strategic decision-making, self-awareness, and innovative strategies, empowering you to excel as a leader in today’s professional business landscape.

Joining our MBA program means immersing yourself in a dynamic community of business professionals and entrepreneurs representing various industries, each with at least two years of working experience. Engage in lively, discussion-driven classes led by international and local professors, where real-world experiences shape our discussions and spark transformative ideas.

university of aruba ua faculty of hospitality and tourism management studies fhtms

university of aruba ua faculty of hospitality and tourism management studies fhtms

Quick Facts

What can I expect from this study program?

The program consists of 12 core courses and a choice of two elective courses, totaling 14 courses. Each course spans 8 weeks, with two courses per term. Classes are held twice a week, either face-to-face, hybrid, or asynchronous, on weekday evenings from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm, with occasional Saturday mornings from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. The final term is focused on preparing for the capstone assessment, providing you with the opportunity to apply acquired concepts and theories to address business problems and showcase decision-making proficiency across diverse organizational challenges.

Learning environment

With class sizes typically ranging from 30 to 40 students, our MBA program provides an interactive and collaborative atmosphere. Taught by esteemed professors from the University of South Carolina, USA, and local professors from the University of Aruba, classes blend engaging discussions, insightful lectures, and challenging research sessions. You’ll participate in diverse activities, including group projects, individual
assignments, presentations such as pitch decks, exams, and conduct comprehensive analyses, and detailed reports such as business plans.

Enriching your learning experience, additional readings and real-world application in class discussions further deepen your understanding. Guest speakers occasionally offer firsthand expertise, providing invaluable perspectives from industry leaders. Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of our learning environment is the networking opportunities with your peers—experienced professionals from different industries.

Together, our students support each other’s growth and success, ultimately building a
collaborative community committed to excellence.

Graduate possibilities

Career opportunities

Following program completion, students are positioned to advance in their careers within a diverse range of sectors, encompassing private and public entities as well as entrepreneurial ventures. These sectors include Accounting, Banking, Foreign Affairs, Guest Services, Human Resource Management, International Commerce, International Finance, Policy & Planning, Marketing, Research & Development, and Sales.

Further education

Graduates are provided a strong academic background, preparing them to pursue advanced studies in Business Administration and related fields at the post master’s level.

Alumni

Admission requirements

General criteria

Students wishing to apply for the MBA program must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree (HBO/WO)
• GPA ≥ 3.00 / 8.0
• Management Experience (minimum 2 years)
• English Language Proficiency
  The Duolingo English Test with a minimum score of 115 is obligatory for students who did not attend an undergraduate and/or graduate institution where the primary language of instruction is English or have not completed the requisite years of management experience in an industry where English is the primary language.
• Resume
• Essay
  • Applicants to the MBA program are required to submit an essay on a specific topic. The essay question for the 2024-2026 cohort is:
    
    How has AI impacted your industry? (Max 600 words)
    In responding to this question, we invite you to reflect on the transformative impact of AI, particularly in your field. You are also welcome to share your thoughts on future developments of AI and potential challenges within your industry. Provide specific examples in your narrative and use clear and concise language that can be easily understood by individuals unfamiliar with your field.
• Two Professional References
  • Applicants must submit two recommendation letters of maximum 250 words each. There is no strict rule on who should write your letters. Look for individuals who know you well enough, for example former or current supervisor, colleagues, professors, or collaborators in extracurricular activities. Please ask your recommender to write a letter of maximum 250 words explaining why they think you would be an excellent MBA candidate. They may highlight your performance, background, personal qualities, and potential, among other factors. Providing specific examples to support their points is encouraged.
• Interview
  • Once your application has been submitted and reviewed, you might receive an invitation for an interview. The interview is conducted by the MBA Admissions Committee, who have reviewed your application. During the interview, you will be asked a series of questions that allows us to get to know you better and assess your suitability for the program. While the interview is a positive sign of interest, it does not guarantee admission. It is one of several factors we consider during the final review process, particularly given the substantial volume of applicants relative to available spaces.

Study program overview

Language of instruction

The MBA program is taught in English, and all written and oral assignments, including course papers, projects, reports, analyses, and presentations, must be submitted in English.

Tuition fees

The tuition fee for international students (non-Dutch passport holders who are not residents of Aruba for at least 5 years) is four times the above-listed tuition fees for the full-time program.

Important dates

Deadline first payment: September 1

Deadline second payment: January 15

Study program structure

The MBA is a two-year program. Each academic year is divided into two semesters: Fall and Spring. Each semester consists of two terms, resulting in a total of eight terms throughout the entire program. Terms 1 through 6 focus on core courses, providing a comprehensive foundation in business fundamentals, advanced management practices and applied learning projects. Term 7 offers elective courses where you can explore additional areas of interest. Term 8 integrates the entire program through the capstone assessment, where you will showcase your ability to apply acquired concepts and theories to solve business problems and demonstrate decision-making proficiency across diverse organizational challenges.

Academic program

The following courses are planned for the 2024-2026 cohort.

^{*Capstone Assessment Course}

Graduation requirements

The Master in Business Administration degree is awarded to students who meet the following minimum criteria:

• Fulfill all the requirements of the respective curricular and non-curricular program including achieving a GPA of ≥ 3.00, and a minimum of 45 US credits or 77 ECs.
• Satisfy all outstanding financial obligations to the University.
• Return all borrowed books to the library.
• Maintain excellent academic conduct (i.e., no academic and university violations on student record).

Quality Assurance

While the MBA program is not yet accredited, the FHTMS faculty is fully accredited.

Course materials

Books

Prescribed textbooks for each unit of study are listed in your Study Guide, Book List, or on the UA Bookstore webpage.

You can purchase your textbooks in a number of ways:

The UA Bookstore at the University of Aruba

The UA Bookstore offers an inventory of textbooks for all faculties. The UA Bookstore also sells new study books and facilitates the sale of second-hand study books by students. If your books haven’t arrived on time you can also borrow certain study books from the UA Library. The University of Aruba’s bookstore is located in the UA Library.

The UA Bookstore online

Course readings and textbooks can be ordered online and collected later at the UA Bookstore.

Via external sources

You can also purchase your study books from other sources, such as second-hand books or online bookstores from the US or the Netherlands. Please take into account that books purchased online can take a couple of weeks to arrive. Buy your textbooks and readers early to make sure you have all your required reading material at the start of the school year.

The total cost of books for the complete MBA degree program is approximately AWG. 1000.

Other course materials

All study materials compiled by the lecturers will be made available via the electronic learning environment, StOnE. Every registered student is also provided with an email address of the UA which is used to communicate with you. It is advisable to purchase a laptop or tablet for this study program.

Digital Tools

Study program digital resources

Important information about this study program can be found in the Study Guide. The Study Guide provides helpful details about the University, the study program, and essential information for every stage of the student journey, from registration, to assessment, to graduation.

You can also consult the Year Calendar, Course Schedules, Book List, and other essential documents relating to the program of study for more detailed information.

Library Databases

The UA library may be of assistance in providing you access to digital databases to quickly find relevant scholarly information you can use in research papers or other course projects.

StOnE

The Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management Studies has an electronic learning environment, the University of Aruba Study Online Environment (StOnE). You can access StOnE via stone.ua.aw with your username and password. This information is made available after your final registration. For any questions, you can contact the helpdesk via StOnE@ua.aw.

With StOnE you can:

• Easily access course content – browse the content of your courses, even when offline.
• Connect with course participants – quickly find and contact other people in your courses.
• Keep up to date – receive instant notifications of messages and other events, such as assignment submissions.
• Submit assignments – Upload images, audio, videos and other files from your mobile device.
• Track your progress – View your grades, check completion progress in courses and browse your learning plans.

Course material and assignments are made available by the lecturer of the course via StOnE. Other important announcements are also sent via StOnE or distributed via your UA email address. To ensure that you are sufficiently informed of the ins and outs of the study program you are expected to consult StOnE and your email address regularly to stay informed of any notifications.

OSIRIS

OSIRIS is a Student Progress Tracking System, in which all information regarding your studies and study progress is stored from the moment of your first registration up to and including your graduation. All UA students have an OSIRIS account as soon as they are fully enrolled and are admitted to the UA.

We recommend downloading the OSIRIS app on your phone so that you can stay up to date with your grades, your schedule and can have easy access to registration for courses and exams. Students must register to take courses via OSIRIS. Consult the course schedule to see when each course is given. This registration is mandatory!

You can log in here or via the OSIRIS Mobile App (available via the Google Play Store or Apple Store). For more information regarding your grades, course schedules, missing information, or other education-related issues to be found in OSIRIS, please contact the Office of Educational Affairs (OEA), in charge of the educational administration of students, at oea@ua.aw.

To gain access to OSIRIS you need a username and password. This information will be made known to you at the start of your studies. Your username for OSIRIS is your student number, your password is your UA network password (the same password you use in the Computer Lab or Library). If you encounter problems logging in, you may have to reset your password. During office hours you can do this at the reception of the main campus at UA.

For further assistance regarding technical problems you can contact the Computer Center at cc@ua.aw or by telephone at (297) 526-2252, or (297) 526-2253.

G Suite

G Suite is a set of cloud computing, productivity, and collaboration tools, software, and products developed by Google. Every registered student will obtain access to their own G Suite account and can make use of its email (Gmail), cloud storage (Google Drive with a capacity of 30GB), and other tools, such as Google Docs. This eliminates the need to use external storage devices such as USB sticks during your studies, minimizing the risks of viruses and losing your data. G Suite also allows you to access your information from any computer, eliminating the need to sync your data on different computers. The data on G Suite is available from your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or computer.

Your student email will be attached to your G Suite account. Important announcements are distributed via your student email. You are expected to consult your email regularly to stay up to date with student affairs and notifications.

For any questions relating to your G Suite account, you can contact the Computer Center at cc@ua.aw or by telephone at (297) 526-2252 or (297) 526-2253.

Application and practical matters

How to apply?

Thinking of applying to our University? It only takes 2 minutes.

Our online registration opens from April 1st until May 24th. To apply visit our homepage and click on the online registration link, which will be visible during the registration period. You will be directed to the application portal Osiris. If you’re a new student, create an account and submit your application. Once you have submitted your application, you’ll receive an email confirmation and instructions on how to submit any required hard-copy documents to the University.

The deadline for submission of your application is May 24th. The University of Aruba reserves the right to deny any application submitted after the deadline.

Maximum registration period

From April 1st until May 24th.

Practical information

For more practical information about student life at UA, the facilities the university offers, and information about your registration or changes in your personal information, please contact the Office of Student Affairs. You can also browse our website, or consult your Study Guide.