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Choose your mas­ter pro­gramme

Are you about to choose your mas­ter pro­gramme? Here you will find con­crete ad­vice, in­spir­a­tion and tools that help you choose the dir­ec­tion that matches your in­terests, aca­dem­ic pro­file and fu­ture am­bi­tions.

Take the time to choose well

“It is about understanding what motivates you and which competences you want to develop. When you take the time to explore your options, it becomes easier to make the choice that is right for you.” Lu­kas
Stu­dent guid­ance coun­cel­lor, CBS
Lukas, student guidance counsellor

Go for facts - not your ima­gin­a­tion

It can be difficult to understand a master programme just by looking at the title. Many students are surprised by the actual content once they begin studying. Some realise too late that their expectations do not match reality, and they end up leaving the programme. That is a shame, especially because it can often be avoided.

This is why there are a few simple steps you can use to get a clearer idea of what each programme offers.

Spend time exploring the programmes

• Read the course descriptions so you understand the structure and the academic themes.
• Talk to students and ask about their experiences, but remember that their dreams and preferences are not necessarily your own.
• Use Open Day and the student guidance service when you want to dive deeper into the content.
 Do not choose a programme because it is popular, has a catchy title or "sounds good". Choose based on what the programme actually offers.

Get a grip on the pro­cess – feel con­fid­ent about your choice

If your thoughts keep go­ing in circles, adding struc­ture may be what helps you get a clear­er over­view.

Write down what you are look­ing for: which aca­dem­ic areas ap­peal to you, and which com­pet­ences you would like to de­vel­op.

Think about the study en­vir­on­ment, teach­ing formats, elect­ive op­tions and your fu­ture ca­reer am­bi­tions.

Cre­ate pros and cons lists for the pro­grammes you are con­sid­er­ing, and com­pare them with your pri­or­it­ies.

Avoid post­pon­ing the de­cision. The earli­er you be­gin, the easi­er it be­comes to see which pro­gramme ac­tu­ally matches your goals.

Con­sider the over­all pro­file – not just the first year

Your choice is about more than the compulsory courses you will take in the first year. Your master programme also includes electives as well as your master’s thesis, giving you the chance to shape your own academic direction.

  • Describe the overall profile you would like to create.
  • Consider whether you want to specialise or prefer a broader academic focus.

  • Look at which electives have been offered in previous years so you can get a sense of your actual options.

    Check courses at master level

    See the master programme as a whole that you can shape to match your ambitions.

Your plan B and C may be­come your plan A

You are ad­mit­ted to one pro­gramme, but most ap­plic­ants have sev­er­al pri­or­it­ies. This is why it is a good idea to work ser­i­ously with more than one op­tion, so you be­come aware of which pro­grammes you can ac­tu­ally see your­self en­rolling in.

Cre­ate a real­ist­ic plan A, B and C, and think each of them through so you can see your­self in all scen­ari­os. Ex­plore dif­fer­ent pro­grammes and ap­ply only to the ones you genu­inely want to be ad­mit­ted to.

Your choice is a path for­ward – and there may be sev­er­al routes lead­ing to the same goal.

Con­sider your ca­reer when you choose your mas­ter

Choos­ing your mas­ter is only the be­gin­ning of your ca­reer. It is not your en­tire fu­ture. You are not hired solely for your aca­dem­ic com­pet­ences, but also for your per­son­al strengths. A work­ing life is long and can take you in many dir­ec­tions. You might even de­cide to study again later on.

Ex­plore the jobs that in­spire you

Read job ads and ex­plore what sparks your in­terest in the roles you find ex­cit­ing. Which com­pet­ences sound like a good match for you? And why can you see your­self be­ing pas­sion­ate about them?

Identi­fy which com­pet­ences are in de­mand

Ex­plore both the aca­dem­ic and the prac­tic­al com­pet­ences that com­pan­ies pri­or­it­ise, and look into which pro­grammes can equip you with what you are aim­ing for.

Con­sider courses that strengthen your pro­file

Some courses might not be your fa­vour­ites, but con­sider wheth­er they can give you com­pet­ences that open doors to the jobs you find ex­cit­ing.

Get guid­ance

Mette, studievejleder

Talk to a stu­dent guid­ance coun­cel­lor

You may have found one or more programmes that genuinely interest you, and perhaps new questions have come up that you cannot find answers to.

If you are uncertain about anything related to the programme, enrolment or anything else, it is a good idea to contact a student guidance counsellor. They can answer your questions and help you make an informed choice.

Contact Student guidance

Talk to a friend

It can be a good idea to talk to a friend or your family about your options and what might be the best fit for you right now. They may be able to highlight what you are good at and what suits you well.

It can also be reassuring to have support when you are making the right and sometimes difficult choice.

Read about stu­dent life at CBS

Get a glimpse of student life at CBS. Here you can explore a typical week with classes and exams. You can see how the programmes are structured and read about the social life on campus, including how you can find communities with other students.

Read about student life