“It significantly expanded my academic knowledge, but I think I learned even more about myself. I experienced living in a different country with a different culture while making lifelong friends from all over the world.”
When I finished my bachelor in International Business Administration at the University of Twente (UT), I really started to think about what I wanted to do. “Do I want to start with my masters right away?, do I want to do a gap year, do I want to do an internship?” All of the options crossed my mind. However, at one point, I decided that I would start my masters. I was sure that I wanted to do Business Administration at the UT and I decided to choose the track of international management & consultancy. While looking at the description of this track, the option to do a double degree programme immediately interested me. The partner university for the track of international management & consultancy is the University of Trento (Universita di Trento).
The Appeal of an International Minor
During my bachelor’s degree, the international aspect really appealed to me. Therefore, I was always looking forward to my third year, in which I could do an international exchange for my minor. I ended up going to Bologna, Italy, for half a year, and all my expectations were met or even exceeded. Logically, this sparked my interest in studying and living in Italy. Whereas Bologna was completely my own choice, during my master’s, Trento was my only option for a double degree.
Weighing the Value of a Double Degree
First, I started to think about the value of doing a double degree. I immediately began comparing it to the "regular" master’s, and I quickly concluded that I could gain more and broader knowledge in the field of study I am interested in. Furthermore, it would increase the duration of my master’s by a full year, which meant that I would have more time to figure out what I want to do after my master’s. Also, during the regular master’s in Business Administration at the University of Twente (UT), you only follow three courses (with only one elective) during the first quartile. This means you are very likely to base your choice of a master thesis subject on these three courses because you have to start writing your thesis proposal in the second quartile. By going to Trento, I could create a better idea for myself of what I really find interesting and what I want to write my thesis about. After attending courses at both UT and the University of Trento, you only have to write one master’s thesis while earning two master’s degrees, which makes it really attractive to apply for the double degree programme.
Starting the Double Degree: Academic Experience in Trento
I began my master’s journey in Enschede, and after one semester, I could finally start at the University of Trento. From an academic perspective, it was really interesting to follow several different courses in a different country. I was used to being part of the main nationality at UT. However, in Trento, I was the only Dutch person in many of my classes, with a maximum of three Dutch students in the same class. This meant that I almost exclusively spoke English during my classes, which further improved my English proficiency. The programme in Trento was a bit different from the one at UT, as the year in Trento is divided into two semesters instead of four quartiles, which was easy to get used to. I was only the second UT student to attend Trento’s double degree programme and the first to follow both the spring and fall semesters with a summer break in between. Therefore, it was somewhat of a pilot programme for me. I couldn’t choose many subjects myself, which led to some subjects being less interesting. However, I believe that in any study programme, some subjects are always less interesting than others. In general, I enjoyed my time at the University of Trento a lot. If I had to say which university’s courses were harder, I found I had to work a bit harder at UT to get the same grades compared to achieving similar grades at the University of Trento. However, the difference was not too big.
Embracing Life in Italy: A Year of Growth
Beyond university life in Trento, it was really interesting to live in a different country for a full year. I moved to Trento without knowing anyone there, which was quite intimidating at first. However, there were so many international students in the same situation, so it was very easy to get to know a lot of people in a short time. After just one day in Trento, I met people who turned out to be my best friends for the entire first semester. I learned a lot from having friends from different countries all over the world. In fact, after a while of speaking English every day, I even caught myself thinking in English. Personally, my social life in Trento was the most intense I had ever experienced. You get to know people very well in a short amount of time, and you experience a lot together. I attended many events for international students, and I travelled throughout Italy with my international group of friends. The city of Trento itself is quite small, but it is very charming, and its location is perfect. Being in the middle of the Alps, and close to the Dolomites, makes it an ideal spot for mountain lovers.
Reflecting on the Double Degree: Academic and Personal Gains
Overall, going to Trento for the double degree programme was the best choice I have ever made. It significantly expanded my academic knowledge, but I think I learned even more about myself. I experienced living in a different country with a different culture while making lifelong friends from all over the world. The double degree programme helped me discover my interests within the master’s programme. Going abroad added a lot of value to my master’s and my personal life. I can only say that I would definitely recommend it to everyone!