Why Studying Digital Management at CBS is Your Big Next Move

Choosing the Right Degree.

There are currently 8 English-taught bachelor’s degrees available in Copenhagen Business School. The website offers very comprehensive information about the program as a whole and allows you to compare programs focusing on the composition of the program which is extremely helpful.

Why Digital Management at CBS?

My reason behind choosing Digital Management was learning about the blend of data and business and how the move towards a more digital world is impacting businesses and innovation. I believe this is an extremely important topic to learn about when intending to learn about how to manage a business.

CBS offers a very international environment and a lot of talks and seminars in English, where students can not only learn about various topics but also network with like-minded people. Most of the English-taught bachelor programmes hold around 50% international and 50% Danish citizens which also allows the international students to meet locals and integrate a lot easier with the culture.

Application Process at CBS: Explanation and Tips.

The application deadline for international bachelor students is 15th of March, however the deadline is different for Master’s application being either on 15th of January or 1st of March based on your citizenship.

The school website is very clear on instructions on how to apply and meeting the entry requirements with diplomas from all around the world. For most of the master’s programmes, the main point of evaluation is your GPA, however, some do require personal statements as well.

For undergraduate students, as an international student you automatically apply through what is called “Quota 2”. In this quota, they look at not only your grade transcript but also your motivational letter and experience, and there is a specified percentage of students who gain entry through this quota which is programme-specific and stated on the programme webpage.

There are no big hurdles with the application process, almost everything is very straight forward and well-explained. My biggest recommendation is to start well in advance to allow yourself the time to contact CBS if you need to ask clarifying questions.

A challenge more related to the Masters application can be figuring out whether you meet the entry requirements or not as you need to complete a self-assessment form and CBS Graduate Admission team cannot give you a definite answer on whether your courses are viewed as a fit or not as the final decision-making depends on the person viewing your final application. In this case, I urge you to attend open-days and make use of the knowledge of current students and representatives.

Life at Copenhagen Business School

As a CBS student you will not have a very heavy lecture schedule. As a Digital Management student, I have had around 3 days of classes per week, each having only one lecture or a lecture and an exercise class where we have smaller groups to enable better discussions, or we apply what we learned in practice.

Most courses only evaluate you based on your final which can either be a sit-in (normal) exam, or a take-home assignment which can either be individual or group. For a lot of the take-home assignment, you also need to orally defend your project once you have handed your exam in. Oral exams are a big part of the Danish education system, and the English-taught programmes also have a high emphasis on them to introduce internationals to this aspect of the Danish culture.

While the classes do require readings and work outside the classroom, the workload doesn’t get too heavy as the programmes are mostly designed to allow you to pursue a student job on the side of your studies. As business students in Denmark, it is much valued if you get into the job market already while you are studying rather than upon graduation and it can become a disadvantage for you if you graduate with close to none experience as most Danes will have already built a decent resume. Companies are of course also aware of that which means throughout the year, you can always find many vacancies for student positions. Similar to most other countries, the job hunt can get frustrating as it can take 2-4 weeks to hear back from companies and it is a very fierce competition between hundreds of qualified students, however, I recommend you to stay on top of application deadlines, reach out to recruiters and ask some questions in order to make your name standout from the crowd of applicants, and don’t let possible rejections get to you as it is something that all students go through and it does not mean that you are not going to find the right fit for you.

Speaking Danish is definitely not a requirement to live in Denmark. You can take care of your day-to-day needs and even find hundreds of roles that don’t require you to speak Danish. However, I would always recommend you put some effort into learning the language as it is gateway to the culture, and it is much nicer if you show that you actively try to engage yourself with the culture of the country you have moved to.

It is a little bit more challenging for international students to get into close friend circles of Danes, however, if you take a proactive approach about it and reach out to your Danish classmates, you would be more than happy to reciprocate your efforts. A very large part of Danish social life is going out for drinks, rather than inviting friends over for dinner etc., and I would recommend you take advantage of all these events and gatherings you will have during the first weeks of university to mingle with all your classmates and find the right people for yourself.

Here, at The College Gate, we can help you prepare getting that CV Experience. We offer a free platforms for students to craft blogs and a Research Analyst program for the most ambitious ones. These can help you stand out by engaging with international topics and peers. For more information click here.

The Digital Management Curriculum

Throughout digital management, you gain a lot of insight into various aspects of business. The programme consists of courses ranging from Data Analytics (Python, SQL, and R) to courses about innovation, marketing, globalisation, economics, and finance. While this means that you don’t dive too deeply about one specific aspect, it allows you to experience various domains and find your own path through it all.

The knowledge you gain throughout the programme is very practical. The exams are almost all about applying the theories you have learned to real-life cases and in most of these exams, you need to find your own real-life case which helps you already master reaching out to companies and budling connections. A lot of students also take advantage of having a student job and use their knowledge, perhaps paired with interviewing their colleagues and researching more into the company and complete their exams using their workplace as a case.

Internships, Career Development and Future Prospects at CBS.

Experiencing an internship throughout your studies at CBS is not mandatory but it is an option. For almost all programmes, the second last semester is where you can choose to go on a semester abroad, take electives at CBS, or take an internship. As a lot of people already have student jobs and have built up a lot of experience, a smaller number of people opt-in for internships as a part of their degree (qualifying for ECTS points) compared to other countries and universities. Another contributing factor to this is that CBS does not allow financial compensation for the internship taken as a part of your degree which leads students to prefer working on their student jobs rather than taking an internship. However, you have the option of interning at companies without it counting towards your degree which means the companies can offer you financial compensation.

Summer internships are also less common in Denmark as companies slow down during summer due to vacation and don’t see it as the best time to hire interns. However, this doesn’t mean you cannot find a suitable position if you look for it and even reach out to companies. If you build a strong case about yourself, a lot of companies are happy to accept your unsolicited application and offer a position.

The normal way to pursue after your graduation from your bachelor’s degree is continuing to a master’s programme. However, it is common for students to take 1-2 years off in between to work or travel and figure out their interests. With digital management, you can apply to a wide range of master’s degrees such as Data Science or Economics and Finance, which means you are able to pursue a career in a wide range of options for example consulting, banking, roles within management, business analytics, and much more. Your career options are more heavily based on your student job experiences rather than academics alone.