Programme

Table 1 (below) outlines the structure of the program for the specialization Information and Knowledge Management. The main goal of periods 1-2 is to have students develop knowledge on relevant topics. The first three courses in the program are compulsory and provide a broad overview of theory, research and current developments in the area of information and technology management (E-business & Information Management), knowledge processes and networks (Knowledge and Innovation Networks) and organizational and technological arrangements that are conducive to the effective management of such processes (Knowledge and Innovation Networks and New Ways of Working).

Period	Courses	# ECTs
1 (Sept-Oct)	E-business & Information Management *  Knowledge and Innovation Networks	6 6
2 (Nov-Dec)	New Ways of Working One of the following specialization courses:  - Interactive Marketing  - Optional course related to innvation **	6 6
3 (Jan)	Research Seminar Part 1 Ethics	3 3
4 (Febr-Mar)	Research Seminar Part 2 Thesis (start) On of the following specialization courses:  - Interorganizational Systems  - Knowledge Management Scan	3 3 6
5 (Apr-May)	Optional courses: - Capita Selecta - E-business Development ***	6
6 (June)	Master Thesis Master Thesis	12

Table 1: Program of the specialization E-Business and Knowledge Management.

 This is an updated version of the current course 'Managing Information Systems' in the Master Specialization E-Business and IT Industry.
** Recommended courses include Innovation Trajectories & Creativity (dr.ir. I.S. Lammers, dr.ir. R.J.A. Klein Woolthuis) and Geo-Logistics (dr. E. Dias; prof.dr. H. Scholten).
*** This is an updated version of the current course 'E-Business and IT Industry' in the Master Specialization of the same name. 
 
Structure of the program
Such broad knowledge is transferred in a very interactive way: in E-business & Information Management and Knowledge and Innovation Networks students critically evaluate and discuss current research, and in New Ways of Working such critical evaluation is combined with an actual research project (an experiment).
 
After these courses, students can choose their own specialization courses in period 2 (Interactive Marketing or an optional course from a list of courses about innovation ), in which the knowledge acquired in the first three courses is further deepened or amended with a more specific focus.
In period 3, students acquire knowledge of the methodologies used in research in the field of information and knowledge management (Research Seminar part 1), knowledge which is applied in period 4 (Research Seminar part 2) as students conduct their own research and report on this, as a prelude to their Master's thesis. In period 4, students select a second specialization course: Interorganizational Systems or Knowledge Management Scan (in which a research project is conducted as well).
In period 5 students have the choice between a Capita Selecta course which will be used to explore the topic of one's Master's Thesis, or E-Business Development which focuses on starting up new E-business initiatives.
Finally, drawing upon the knowledge on theory, practice and methods developed in the previous periods, students write their Master's Thesis in periods 5-6. 
 
Thus, the program has a logical sequence: from broad knowledge in the compulsory courses to more specific knowledge in the specialization courses, and a shift from an emphasis on theory in the beginning to more emphasis on actually conducting research as the program proceeds.