Studies & Degrees in e-Business
e-Business Study Programs
E-business is the study of how a company works through digital channels. It includes selling online (e-commerce), but also digital marketing, customer relationship management, online payment, order logistics and the platforms and data that connect them. Schools now often use the names digital business or e-commerce for the same field.
The market is large. According to Eurostat, 78% of internet users in the European Union bought or ordered goods or services online in 2025, up from 62% in 2015. In the United States, the Census Bureau estimates that e-commerce accounted for 17.1 percent of total retail sales in the second quarter of 2026.
Students learn to design online business models, run e-commerce platforms, plan marketing campaigns aimed at online customers, organise the logistics of online orders and manage customer service. Programmes in computing faculties add web technology, data analysis and information systems. Programmes in business schools add strategy, finance and management.
Qualifications and levels
- Vocational training. In Spain the Curso de especialización en Comercio electrónico is a 700-hour specialisation course of higher vocational training (FP de grado superior), established by Real Decreto 565/2024. It is open to holders of certain Técnico Superior qualifications, such as Marketing y Publicidad, Comercio Internacional or Administración y Finanzas. Its modules cover the administration of e-commerce platforms, relationship marketing, e-commerce logistics and customer service, and it includes a training period in a company.
- Bachelor's degree. In the European Higher Education Area a bachelor's degree has 180 or 240 ECTS credits. EU Business School Barcelona offers a Bachelor of Arts in Digital Business, Design & Innovation: a three-year, seven-semester programme of 240 ECTS credits taught in English. The school states that graduates receive a título propio awarded by Universitat de Vic – Universitat Central de Catalunya, a private degree from EU Business School Switzerland and a UK state-recognised BA (Hons) awarded by the University of Derby.
- Master's degree. An official Spanish master's degree (máster universitario) has 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. The Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) offers an official Máster universitario en Marketing Digital of 60 ECTS credits, fully online, in Spanish or Catalan. EU Business School Barcelona offers a one-year Master in Digital Business of 60 ECTS credits in English, which the school describes as a título propio (Máster de Formación Permanente) awarded by Universitat de Vic – Universitat Central de Catalunya together with a private degree from EU Business School Switzerland. Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana (FUNIBER) offers a Maestría en Dirección Estratégica en Tecnologías de la Información of 90 credits, with a part on e-commerce. The degree is issued by the university where the student enrols.
Spanish law requires universities to distinguish their own lifelong-learning qualifications from official degrees. If a programme page does not say which kind of qualification it awards, ask the school what recognition it has.
Fees depend on the school. In October 2026 EU Business School lists €7,350 per semester for its bachelor's programme and €5,450 per term for its master's programme in Barcelona.
Where to study it
This directory lists 26 active schools that teach e-business. Spain has 11, the United States 7 and Switzerland 2. Denmark, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Japan and Slovenia have 1 each.
Several of the Spanish schools are in Barcelona: EU Business School Barcelona, UOC, FUNIBER, C3S Business School, UIBS / Barcelona Business School and ESADE. The list also includes Universidad Europea Miguel de Cervantes in Valladolid and CCC Centro de Estudios in Madrid. In the United States the listed schools include Ferris State University, National University in San Diego, the University of Scranton and Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. Elsewhere, the directory lists the EU Business School campuses in Geneva, Montreux and Munich, VIA University College in Denmark and the University of Maribor in Slovenia.
Online study is common in this field. The UOC master's degree is taught fully online. Programmes at international business schools such as EU Business School are taught in English, and Spanish universities also teach in Spanish.
Careers
Graduates work in online shops, marketplaces, digital marketing agencies, logistics companies and the digital departments of traditional companies. Some start their own online business. The Spanish specialisation course leads to jobs such as e-commerce technician, e-commerce specialist, customer relationship management (CRM) specialist, e-commerce logistics technician and digital customer service specialist. According to the Spanish education ministry, these professionals can work in every sector that carries out marketing, communication and online sales activities.
Job titles and requirements change quickly in this field, so compare the content of each programme with current job offers in the country where you want to work.
Frequently asked questions
Is e-business the same as e-commerce?
Not exactly. E-commerce is buying and selling online. E-business is wider: it also covers digital marketing, customer relationships, logistics and the internal systems a company uses to work online.
How long does it take to study e-business?
The Spanish specialisation course in e-commerce has 700 hours. The bachelor's programme at EU Business School Barcelona takes three years. The master's programmes named on this page have 60 ECTS credits, which is one year of full-time study, or 90 credits.
Can I study e-business online?
Yes. UOC, for example, teaches its official master's degree in digital marketing fully online. Check the start dates and language with each school.
Are these qualifications officially recognised?
Some are and some are not. The UOC master's degree is an official qualification, and the specialisation course in e-commerce is part of the Spanish vocational training system. Other programmes lead to a university's or a school's own qualification, so ask the school before you enrol.