About this study program

Do you want to think like a marketeer?

Would you like to be able to produce and analyze promotional ads that can be published around the world?

Are you interested in understanding how different factors influence the buyer’s purchasing decision and how you can use this to your advantage?

If so, then the Bachelor of Commerce is the study program for you!

The Faculty for Accounting, Finance and Marketing offers a dynamic 4-year program filled with theoretical courses and practical assignments. The theoretical courses assure a solid fundamental knowledge and the practical assignments provide a realistic and professional framework in which the theory is applied. Our courses are given in either Dutch or English and they emphasize the international environment of the Aruban business community. To create the optimal learning experience, we have academic lecturers, professional lecturers from the Aruban business community, and visiting lecturers from various other universities.

Explore Our Marketing Management Program

We are excited to present our promotional video featuring some of our very own alumni in their professional roles, showcasing the diverse career paths that a degree in Marketing Management can offer. The video highlights how broad and versatile the field of marketing is, providing future students with the opportunity to work in various industries and roles. From internal and external communications to shaping commercial strategies and overseeing a company’s branding, marketing management opens doors to a dynamic and fulfilling career. Watch the video to see how our program can prepare you for success in this exciting field.

Quick Facts

What can I expect from this study program?

The Bachelor of Commerce is a four-year program designed to give the students ample knowledge in the field of Marketing. After completing the study, the alumnus would have a diversified knowledge ranging from market analysis all the way to designing and promoting products. Furthermore, the program encourages the students to partake in different group projects for the students to learn how to produce a great final product out of different ideas. These final products are then presented to panels and classmates to develop great presenters with strong personality traits. As the classes are relatively smaller than other faculties, students can expect a more interactive relationship between teachers and students. Due to teachers consisting of both academic and professional backgrounds, the stronger relationship also provides students with the opportunity to grow their professional network. Fully positively judged by the NVAO, our curriculum is structured and updated with the latest trends and developments of both the Aruban business community as well as the international academic community. Our aim is to produce diverse professionals in the workforce of Aruba. After the study, the alumnus view of the world would forever change to a lens of a marketeer.

Learning environment

The activities of a Marketing graduate focus more on the management of relationships between an organization and its environment. This relates mostly to sales and marketing activities. As we are living in a dynamic environment, organizations are constantly in need of people that are creative, that know how to manage projects and that can very easily understand someone else’s needs and wants. Therefore, Marketing graduates easily add value to profit as well as nonprofit organizations.

Study Abroad

The Faculty for Accounting, Finance and Marketing offers you multiple opportunities to gain experience abroad during your studies. Students can attend a minor in their fourth academic year at the FEF or choose for a minor at another acknowledged program at the University of Aruba or abroad. For the latter, scholarships are available via the Erasmus+ mobility program. Likewise, if you don’t study in Aruba but wish to take courses at the UA Faculty for Accounting, Finance and Marketing, you might be eligible to do an exchange program at our university via Erasmus+.

Contact the Office of International Affairs for more information

Graduate possibilities

Career Opportunities

A Marketing & Business graduate is eligible for a number of commercial positions, including brand manager, marketing manager, account manager en export manager. After finishing the M&B program, graduates have successfully started their own business.

Further education

After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree, there is the possibility to continue with the Master’s in Marketing, Organization, or comparable studies at Dutch Universities.

Alumni

Admission requirements

General criteria

Admission to the Bachelor’s program at the Faculty for Accounting, Finance and Marketing is permitted to the person who is in possession of:

1. a certificate of successfully completed final exams HAVO with two out of 3 courses: Wiskunde, Bedrijfseconomie and/or Algemene Economie, with Havo NW-profiel with a grade of 7 or more for Wiskunde;
2. a certificate of VWO;
3. a certificate of Colegio EPI, Financiële or Commerciële dienstverlening (4 year program);
4. a certificate from a MBO in the Kingdom of The Netherlands;

The person in possession of a certificate obtained outside the Kingdom of The Netherlands can apply for admission to the dean of the Faculty for Accounting, Finance and Marketing.

Colloquium Doctum

Anyone who has reached the age of 21 and does not meet the above-mentioned admission requirements can nevertheless be admitted to the Bachelor of Commerce program, by demonstrating sufficient general development and suitability for following education at the program by taking an admission test (colloquium doctum exam) which is offered by the University of Aruba.

In certain cases, an exemption from the colloquium doctum exam may be granted on the basis of prior education. More information can be obtained from the dean. In case of an exemption from a colloquium doctum exam, no colloquium doctum statement is provided by the Faculty Council.

Anyone who is uncertain of whether their diploma gives them access to the university or whether or not a partial exemption can be granted from the colloquium doctum exam can contact the Department of Education of Aruba (Directie Onderwijs) at telephone (297) 528-3400.

More information about the colloquium doctum exam, including information about the courses of the exam, registration for the exam, the colloquium doctum regulations, the possibility to obtain an exemption for courses from the colloquium doctum exam (note, this does not concern the possibility of exemption from the colloquium doctum exam as mentioned above), the method where the exam is taken and the dates of the exam can be obtained through the Office of Student Affairs.

Non-degree certificate program

You can also audit a course or take part in the bachelor program without matriculating as a UA student. As a participant in the non-degree certificate program (“toehoorder”) you will not take part in the final exams of the courses taken. At the request of the participant, a statement will be issued, containing a summary of the subjects taken, the period during which these took place, and in the case of a positive result the subjects in which the participant passed the aptitude test. The aptitude test does not have the status of an exam, nor can a positive completion of the aptitude test be converted into the registration as a UA student. Nor will it count as an exemption of that course in the case a participant later applies to the Bachelor’s degree program as a UA student.

For more detailed information about tuition and registration of the non-degree certificate program, please contact the Office of Student Affairs.

Study program overview

Language of instruction

The Bachelor’s degree program is taught in Dutch and English.

Tuition fees

*International students are non-Dutch passport holders who have resided in Aruba for less than 5 years.

Important dates

Deadline first payment: September 1

Deadline second payment: January 15

Study program structure

The Faculty for Accounting, Finance and Marketing provides education and training with a major-minor structure. The undergraduate program is a four-year program, a propedeutic year included.

Academic program

The following gives an overview of the academic courses offered in the Bachelor’s degree program, including the total credits per course subject. In the Study Guide, a description is given of each course subject with its lecturer(s) and the prescribed or recommended literature.

For each academic year a minimum of 60 credits (EC) should be obtained.

The propedeuse is dedicated to align differences in level between different student influxes and to make a well-founded choice between the programs. The second-year is a theoretical year with courses and projects. In the third year, the first semester is dedicated to an internship, the second semester is the last theoretical semester of the major. The fourth year contains a minor (at the FEF or abroad) and a semester for the graduating (research) assignment.

A detailed description of the study program’s course subjects can be found in the Study Guide or in the course catalog of OSIRIS.

Graduation requirements

In addition to taking exams during the study program, the curriculum also includes oral presentations, the production of written papers, and practical competences.

Quality Assurance

Accreditation is a quality label that is granted formally by an independent authority to an academic and professional program that meets required standards. In 2015 both programs of FEF were positively evaluated by the Nederlands Vlaamse Accreditatieorganisatie (NVAO).

NVAO positive institutional audit decision Bachelor’s degree in Commerce

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 the Faculty for Accounting, Finance and Marketing. 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 Bachelor’s degree program is approximately AWG. 3.000.

Other course materials

All study materials 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, 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 Study Program Bachelor of Commerce 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 May 15th until July 15th. 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 July 15. The University of Aruba reserves the right to deny any application submitted after the deadline.

Maximum registration period

The Bachelor’s degree program can be completed in a minimum of three years. You can be enrolled as a student for the Bachelor’s degree for a maximum of five years. This period starts on the day after the registration is completed. In exceptional cases, it is possible to deviate from the established deadlines. For an extension, you must send a written request to the Board of Trustees of the University of Aruba.

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.