Are you moving into the role of a manager or supervisor for the first time? You will need techniques and competences for running your team smoothly and effectively; you also have to deal with pressure from your manager and team members. But you can’t navigate this phase in your career relying only on the skills you learned in your undergraduate studies.
This course is offered by Rotterdam School of Management b.v.. For more information about the legal structure of Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, visit this page.
The RSM Diploma in General Management is a modular management programme that provides you with carefully designed stepping stones that will boost your management skills, and help you excel in your new leadership role. The modules and content can be tailored to your personal and professional preferences. You will experience a wide variety of learning methods; you’ll prepare at home with reading, online tutorials and exercises before you come to the workshops to learn from your teachers. You will also learn from your peers in sessions facilitated by our top faculty.
You are eligible to receive your RSM Diploma Programme in General Management when you complete four modules and a research project. Each module requires two to three days in the executive education classroom in Rotterdam.
First, you will address the core modules Team Leadership and Finance for Non-Financial Managers – they deliver what every manager needs to know. Then you can adjust the programme to your personal or professional preferences by choosing two elective modules.
The Diploma Programme in General Management is made up of four modules plus an Applied Research Project. You start with the Team Leadership module, followed by the Finance for Non-Financial Managers module. There’s a reflection assignment after the leadership and finance module, and in the fifth module – your Applied Research Project – you’ll study the research methodology online before applying it to a project in your organisation as you are coached by RSM faculty. The whole programme can be completed within 12 to 18 months.
The Team Leadership, Finance for Non-Financial Managers and Applied Research Project modules are mandatory. For the two other modules, you can choose from a selection of short programmes. You can choose to develop your confidence and inspiration, your transformation tools, or your forward thinking with data and digital. All these subjects will equip you with the skills and knowledge to excel in your new leadership role.
Do you have the skills to be an effective team leader? Are you struggling with team leadership challenges and issues, or need to boost your skills to manage your team to collective excellence? In this three-day workshop, you will learn relevant team leader skills from RSM Executive Education's top faculty members. Your new knowledge and tools to deal effectively with motivational problems, dysfunctional team members, conflicts and lack of a common direction can be applied into your work immediately.
After this programme, you will be able to:
Acquire a strong grounding in the most widely used financial tools. In two days on campus – plus some online work prior to and after the course – you will learn about financial reporting in balance sheets, cash flow and income statements, and how these are used for decision-making, performance management, business improvements and valuation. From November, RSM's Finance for Non-Financial Managers will include an individual assignment and a follow-up feedback session with your professor to discuss your progress.
When you have completed this programme, you will be able to:
The Applied Research Project (ARP) is the final and capstone module of RSM’s Diploma Program in General Management. It offers a unique experiential learning opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills developed in the diploma modules on a real-world business problem in your own working environment. After successfully completing the Applied Research Project, the Team Leadership module and your chosen three modules, you will be eligible to get your diploma.
Do you want to lead with confidence and the ability to inspire? Develop and authentic presence and learn how to construct effective and impactful business stories that deliver messages that stick. Choose for Leading with Presence or Storytelling for Business Success.
What are the best practices and tools in planning, organising, and controlling projects? And how can you make pragmatic and realistic plans for something as messy as change? Choose for Leading Change or Project Management in Practice.
Keep your decision-making relevant by learning about big data and AI. Embed a digital agenda in your organisation. Choose Digital and AI Strategy or Leading with Decision-Driven Analytics.
*If you are interested in developing your leadership qualities in a single short course, we advise you to look at our Team Leadership programme instead.
This programme makes new managers go out of their comfort zone. You learn great tools to think strategically, to present, to explore new trends and projects in a constructive manner, and also how to deal with the dynamics of your team. The strategic project and applied research project can make a real difference in my company. And the sessions with my coach were always productive to make more improvements. The practical tips are easy to remember and I can apply them in daily situations at work.
This was my first general management course – it was a fruitful one! Most of the knowledge we learned in the different modules was new to me. It is a great starting point for professionals who have been appointed manager for the first time, independently of their background. The next step for me is to acquire more knowledge in key areas such as strategy. RSM has really helped me get a feeling of the skills I need to further develop.
RSM’s Diploma Programme in General Management is very well organised and structured. It focuses on fundamental key elements of management, helping managers to improve their competences. I chose RSM because of its reputation and I was not disappointed: the lectures were extremely professional and with a strong professional background. There was a pleasant work and training environment, and a relaxed atmosphere which added value. I highly recommend this programme!
This was a great way to learn about finance, leadership, working in teams – and I could put this knowledge into practice in my job right away. Through the general management programme, I got a better understanding of those units and business aspects in my organisation. I advise anyone who is interested in business in general to follow these modules. It’s a great concept to understand topics which you are not yet familiar with.
During the RSM Diploma Programme in General Management you will learn from Dr Arjen Mulder, Dr Julija Mell, Dr Marc Baaij and Dr Sofya Isaakyan . Occasionally we may substitute other faculty members according to the content of the programme and their availability.
Arjen Mulder is an Assistant Professor in Corporate Finance at RSM. He earned his doctorate in business at Erasmus University Rotterdam. His research interests are corporate finance and government interventions in private sector decision-making, such as taxation and investment subsidies for otherwise uneconomic investments. Arjen worked at the Netherlands Economic Institute (now Ecorys) prior to obtaining his PhD. His teaching activities focus on corporate finance and value creation.
Assistant professor Julija Mell’s research focuses on collaboration over cognitive, geographical, cultural and structural boundaries in teams and networks. She teaches organisational behaviour, teams, leadership and social networks at all levels, and has a PhD in organisational behaviour from Erasmus University Rotterdam and a diploma in psychology from Humboldt University Berlin.
Marc Baaij is an associate professor of strategic management at RSM. He specialises in methods and techniques for strategy development and execution, with a focus on stakeholder management and foresight development under high levels of uncertainty. He has written books and scientific articles on strategic management, management consultancy and structured problem solving.
Sofya Isaakyan is an assistant professor of organisational behaviour. She researches employees' upward expression of ideas and concerns about work issues, and reactions by managers and team members. She also explores factors affecting leadership development and leader identity. She has a PhD in organizational behaviour from Maastricht University. Sofya also worked in human resource management and in consulting.
23 June 2025
€ 13,100 - 15,500 (depending on modules chosen, excl. 21% VAT) including course materials, lunches, and snacks. This fee does not include hotel accommodation.
15% discount for alumni from Erasmus University Rotterdam and RSM.
You are eligible to receive your RSM Diploma Programme in General Management when you complete four courses and your in-company research project. The whole programme can be completed within one to one and a half year.
Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) offers a dynamic learning environment for professionals looking to learn new skills and gain more knowledge in business and management education.
Here’s why you should choose RSM:
This programme takes place in Bayle building on the Woudestein Campus of Erasmus University Rotterdam, just 15 minutes by public transport from Rotterdam city centre. Our modern and lively campus has innovative study facilities, sustainable design, and calming green spaces.
Class sizes are usually between 12 to 24 people, but it does depend on the programme. We aim for a balance between allowing capacity to guarantee individual attention, and achieving a good group dynamic and networking opportunities.
Yes. Alumni from RSM and Erasmus University Rotterdam receive a 15% discount.
RSM alumni are students who have completed either a bachelor of science, master of science, PhD or one executive education programme of more than 40 credit hours. Additionally, companies which sponsor several participants may also be offered a special price.
Participants of open programmes of less than 40 credit hours will not receive a discount.
Programme fees include tuition, programme materials, access to the RSM study facilities and dynamic learning environment. This also includes lunch and refreshments throughout the programme.
Hotel accommodation is not included, so please make individual arrangements for your stay in Rotterdam.
If you require hotel accommodation during your stay in Rotterdam, we recommend a few hotels:
Please contact the hotels directly to make and secure your own reservations.
Note: We recommend that you select the flexible booking option when reserving a room.
Our general terms and conditions apply when you register for an open programme. Please review them to learn more about our policies for cancellation, deferral and substitution.
If you have more general questions, we recommend you explore our more in-depth FAQs page. If you are looking for personal advice, then please contact one of our advisors using the contact form below.
Programme advisor
It's my priority to help you identify how you can meet your professional objectives, so reach out and let's make a plan for your personal development.