Zoe

Why did I choose my programme (and CBS)?
I chose this program because it aligns with my goal of building on my business background and gaining a specialized focus on marketing and sales. This program stood out as it's uniquely centered on innovation and entrepreneurship, offering a deep dive into sales strategies while embracing the power of cutting-edge advancements. It was the perfect blend of my interests in sales, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship, making it the ideal choice for my educational journey.

What do I like the best?
I love how hands-on the learning is; we have lots of workshops with experts that share about their job in practice. Moreover, the community is amazing! It feels like a family with everyone being open and happy to help. Plus, this degree opens up a lot of career paths. It is so relevant, making me see endless possibilities for what I can do next. The curriculum keeps my mind open to various opportunities.

How do I experience the difference in academic level between my bachelor and master programme? 
The master's program is quite different from my bachelor's. It focuses more on practical application in the real business world with a focus on marketing and sales. Although both programs are tech oriented, SAM teaches data analysis specifically for customers, markets, and competitors by leveraging transactional sales data, product mix data, and real time data. Moreover, there's a higher level of expectations here compared to my bachelor's. They want us to apply what we learn directly, often drawing from our own professional experiences.

What are the biggest challenges in my study programme?
Managing multiple group projects simultaneously can be quite challenging, especially when coordinating schedules among students with part-time jobs. Moreover, keeping up with extensive literature and the fast-paced exam schedule in quarters instead of semesters also adds to the workload. Finally, this degree challenges students by exposing them to pitching business projects and performing oral exams.

What would I have liked to have known before starting my programme?
I wish I had known earlier that the program runs in quarters instead of semesters. This keeps us consistently busy as there are no breaks between quarters. As soon as exams end, the next quarter begins. Also, I would've appreciated knowing that the emphasis leans more toward B2B sales than B2C, which wasn't clearly stated in the program description. I would prefer giving us the option to choose depending on what our career aspirations are.

What do I want to do after finishing my programme?
Once I complete my program, I intend to explore the startup world, focusing on business development and product launches in fashion and tech. For the foreseeable future, rather than seeking stability on a graduate job, I aim to explore diverse roles across various startups and pursue my own freelance projects. Lastly, I wish to collaborate with an international group of ambitious individuals from different majors and backgrounds.

If I could give myself a piece of advice, before starting it would be…
Before starting, my advice to myself would be this: read the program's course descriptions thoroughly. In fact, when I first encountered the program, I almost passed it up due to its name as I thought that it would be only about making profit. However, I'm grateful that I eventually delved into the course details and I realized that it is much more diverse offering endless opportunities regardless of the industry of interest and career focus.