International Facility Management

You can find more information about planning, curriculum and subjects in the complete programme. We will explain below what you can expect in each year.

Year 1

Year 1 is the propaedeutic phase. The two first year modules are offered on an alternating basis. 

Knowing the Fundamentals of Facility Operations. This module is an introduction to Operations Management and Management Information Systems in facility management organisations, in combination with practical training in the in-school training company Sibelicious. You will work in several outlets such as catering, Service Desk, store room, restaurant and kitchen. You organize, cater for, manage and provide service to real customers, who come in daily for lunch, dinner, a meeting or a conference. In addition, you will learn the basic principles of emergency response. 

Understanding the Facility Management Industry. You will learn how to deal with the basics of Finance, Economics, Marketing, Business Law & Ethics and Research & Design in relation to the facility management industry.

Competencies learned in these modules are brought together at the end of the year in a final project. In a small group of students you will make a prototype or renewal of a facility environment.

Years 2 and 3 

Years 2 and the first semester of year 3 are referred to as main phase I. Main phase I consists of  a total of three modules, the second and the third of which are offered on an alternating basis. 

Developing People and Organisations
Take a close look at behavioural aspects of working with people in organisations. (Courses: Oganisational Behaviour, Business Law & Ethics, Research & Design and Economics)

Managing Business Performance and Innovation
Learn how to deal with customer relations, service marketing and pricing strategies. (Courses: Accounting, Operations Management, Management Information Systems and Marketing)

Exploring the International Facility Industry
In this five-month practical placement you will experience living and working in a real life, cross cultural facility environment abroad. 

Specialisation: Attractions & Theme Parks Management

In year 2 you can specialise in Attractions & Theme Parks Management. This is an English-taught study track that you will complete in years 2 and 3, together with students from Leisure & Events Management and International Facility Management.

Attractions and theme parks are continuously innovating and diversifying. For instance, attraction parks are evolving into complete holiday resorts offering accommodation and entertainment at the same time. Shopping centres nowadays often have additional attractions such as food courts or simulators, zoos are expanding to include more facilities (e.g. climbing parks), and museums are adding entertainment and experiential elements to their cultural and educational offerings.

If you choose this area of specialisation, you will gain insight into marketing, finance, staff planning, hospitality and security and safety. You will also have the opportunity to do a work placement at leading parks such as Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Europa-Park in Germany and Efteling.

More information on this study track can be found on the website Discover Attractions and Theme Parks Management.and in the video below.

 

Year 3

In year 3, you will follow the course Creating Impact, during which you will design a sustainable strategic business that creates impact. A good challenge where you can put your knowledge and skills from the first 2 years to practice! During the course you’ll dive into the sustainability debate of the industry, as well as developing strategic thinking skills and expand your knowledge on experience design. Understanding the interrelation between these aspects will form a sweet spot for your design!

Year 4 

In the final year, the graduation phase, you choose a personalised context in which you will perform your bachelor’s thesis and you have the possibility to complete a personalised curriculum component (e.g. a minor, work placement, advisory report, business plan). Under the supervision of a personal coach, you will work on your final thesis, which you will defend at the end of the year.

Pre-master's

BUas offers its own pre-master's programme Strategic Business Management and Marketing (SBM). Successful completion of this track will give you direct access, after Breda University of Applied Sciences, to various Master of Science programmes in business-related studies in management and marketing at several partner universities. A few examples are the universities of Amsterdam, Maastricht, Tilburg, Brussel (B) or Warwick (UK). In this way, it will be possible for you to earn an academic master's degree within five years' time or, after having completed an accelerated three-year track, even within four years' time.

Study load and coaching

Study load
The study load differs per theme but you will spend an average of 32 hours per week on school. This means attending lectures, working on projects and assignments and preparing for assessments. During the practical weeks 'Food and Beverage' weeks, you will be working full-time in the kitchen, restaurant or at the reception of our school.

Study coaching
To help you develop your personal and professional skills, you will take part in the Management Development Programme that runs throughout years 3 and 4 of your studies. 

Topics addressed in this programme include report writing and referencing, Excel and other relevant IT skills, time management, (interpersonal) communication skills, teamwork, learning styles, and leadership styles. As you move on to the final stages of the programme, the focus will shift towards the industry, where decision-making, advanced leadership, negotiating and entrepreneurship are key elements. 

Within the framework of the Management Development programme, you will create a Personal Development Plan. You will be supervised in this process by your study coach, who will also generally monitor your progress and development throughout your academic experience. 

Student counsellor
The student counsellor provides information, advice and guidance relating to educational and occupational choices, study conditions and student grants. This is also the person to turn to if you wish to discuss any personal problems that may be affecting your life as a student.

You will benefit from the intensive three-year programme in two respects: you gain one year in time, and save one year of tuition fees.

• after vwo (pre-university): you will start in year 2 and also receive basic knowledge and skills from year 1.
• after propaedeutic year (economic programme): you will start in year 2 and also receive basic knowledge and skills from year 1.

The differences between the three- and four-year programme can mainly be found in your first year of study. The three-year programme starts with modules from the second year of the regular programme. To ensure that basic knowledge of the first year is covered, some additional classes are scheduled and relevant study material is made available to you. Furthermore you will receive a short introduction to the facility industry with practical components in our in-school training company Sibelicious.

For both the regular four-year programme and the special three-year programme a minimum of 60 ECTS credits need to be completed during the first year of study. Changing from one track to the other during the course of study will not be possible.

Year 1

This year will be your propaedeutic phase. 

Developing People and Organisations. Take a close look at behavioral aspects of working with people in organisations. (Courses: Oganisational behaviour, Business Law & Ethics, Investigative Abilities and Economics)

Managing Business Performance and Innovation. Learn how to deal with customer relations, service marketing and pricing strategies. (Courses: Accounting, Operations Management, Management Information Systems and Marketing)

Introduction to and orientation in the facility industry. Through a combination of company visits and working in the in-school training company Sibelicious, you will be introduced to the practical side of the facility industry. Furthermore a variety of learning activities will be offered to provide you with a theoretical foundation in relation to the programme. During the practical training part, students will work in several outlets such as catering, Service Desk, store room, restaurant and kitchen. You organise, cater for, manage and provide service to real customers, who come in daily for lunch, dinner, a meeting or a conference.

Year 2

Year 2 of the three-year track is the main phase and focuses on the following components.

Exploring the International Facility Industry. In this five month practical placement you will experience living and working in a real life, cross cultural facility environment abroad.

Creating Excellence in Facility Management. The main focus of this module is strategic management. It examines the corporate strategic possibilities of organisations and encourages you to integrate, at a strategic level, what you have learned in previous courses, based on investigative abilities.

Year 3 

Your final year is your graduation phase and is also referred to as ‘ Owning your Career'. During the graduation phase of your track, you choose a personalised context in which you will perform your bachelor’s thesis and you have the possibility to complete a personalised curriculum component (e.g. a minor, work placement, advisory report, business plan). Under the supervision of a personal coach, you will work on your final thesis, which you will defend at the end of the year.

To experience your theory in the real world, you will go on three international field trips, during your facilities management programme. Only then you can see, look and feel what it’s like to work in the facilities management business.

The main goal during the field trip in the propaedeutic year is to introduce you to the international facility management industry and to familiarise you with the various aspects it consists of. Special attention is given to facility / service concepts, cross-cultural aspects, and sustainable development within the facility industry. Getting in touch with the industry and reflecting on the observations and interactions with it, are an important part of the activity.

The field trip in main phase I focuses on project management in a cross-cultural context, in which group dynamic skills and leadership skills are (further) developed within an international setting. You will be introduced to or get in contact with the international facility management industry.

Together with your fellow students of Hotel Management, you will take part in the third study trip during main phase II. In this trip you will further experience the way in which several departments work together, with overlapping disciplines such as finance, marketing, revenue and sustainability. 
 

Studying abroad for a while gives you an opportunity to broaden your horizons. You live in an international environment, meet people with different cultural backgrounds and accumulate knowledge. In addition, you will considerably enhance your command of modern foreign languages. The long and the short of it is that studying abroad is a wonderful opportunity... Why not seize it?!

Exchange programmes are offered by the University of:

• Helsinki, Finland
• Jyvaskyla, Finland
• Flagstaff, USA
• Kufstein, Austria
• Hong Kong polytechnic University, China
  Budapest Business School, Hungary

At BUas you are trained to become an entrepreneurial professional in facility management services. In all the professional bachelor’s programmes, you are given the opportunity to develop your entrepreneurial skills. You will be taught about entrepreneurship in courses specifically designed for this purpose. In your second year, you can take part in an Excellence Track in Entrepreneurship.

And in the fourth year you can opt for a BUas-wide in Entrepreneurship, or you can even graduate in your own business! Perhaps, by that time, you already have a profitable business or have plans to start one? BUas Startup Support can help you.   

More information on how to start your own bussines.

Below you will find frequently asked questions about the content of the programme and the workfield, among other things. If your question is not listed, ask your question in the chat. Our students can certainly answer your question!

What is facility management?

As a facilities manager, you ensure that people in a company can work well and purposefully together, and that they remain happy and healthy in their jobs. You play an important role in creating an inspiring and safe working environment within a company or organisation.

You often manage a facilities department. This department takes care of catering, cleaning and security within the company, for example. But if you have studied facility management, you can also end up in other roles, such as policy or advisory positions in which you contribute to sustainable workplace concepts or smart logistics within a company.

How to become a facilities manager

To understand what goes on inside a company and what is needed to keep it running smoothly, you will take subjects such as business management, economics, finance and marketing. Knowledge of ethics, procedures and legislation is also important, so you will get those subjects too. The BUas bachelor International Facility Management prepares you in all of these subjects.

To create an inspiring working environment, you will learn how to design it sustainably on the basis of research. You will also gain a lot of practical experience during your studies, for example in the field of health and safety (emergency response (BHV)).

What does a facilities manager do?  

You can work for a company that specialises in facility management and provide services to other organisations in that position. You can also work as a facility manager yourself at a smaller or larger company. Depending on your interests, you will choose a job that has to do with managing buildings or you will focus more on job satisfaction and the experience of employees or visitors. Some examples of positions and companies are:

• Senior Floor Manager at Efteling Merchandise
• Facility Manager at Schiphol, Unilever or Rabobank
• Workplace Designer at JLL Aecon
• Real Estate Innovation Manager at Philips
• Purchase Manager at Heineken

Do I have a chance of an international career with Facility Management?

The International Facility Management programme of BUas will give you the best chance of an international career, as it is the most internationally oriented hbo programme in the Netherlands. You will take all classes in English. Of course, you will study English for Business and doing a placement abroad is compulsory for all Dutch students. International field trips and exchange programmes also prepare you well for working abroad. Many of our graduates work abroad or have found a job with an international company.

What sectors can you work in after finishing your Facility Management studies? 

Actually, you can go into any sector if you have studied Facility Management. Because in every company or organisation, the workplace has to be in order and comply with laws and regulations. It is your challenge to achieve this in an inspiring and sustainable way. You could do that in business or government, but of course also in healthcare or education if that appeals to you more.

What master’s degree can I do after Facility Management?

To broaden your knowledge and learn more about disciplines related to facility management, you can choose a one-year master's degree at BUas after completing your International Facility Management bachelor’s degree, for example: 

• Master Imagineering
• Master Strategic Events Management
• Master Supply Chain Management

If you want to delve further into the facilities world, you may choose to do a master’s programme in Facility Management at another university of applied sciences, for instance the Master in Facility and Real Estate Management of Hogeschool Saxion.                    

How much does a facilities manager earn?

A facility manager in the Netherlands earns an average €3,950 per month (gross). Salaries range from €3,360 to €4,545. In other positions, you may earn more (or just a little less).