Elisabeth

Why did I choose my programme (and CBS)?
I chose ASC as I have always had a strong interest in business strategy and economics within companies, but also had a deep interest in the more managerial and leadership area and these do not always kind of match within the study programme. Looking for an economically oriented master’s including more strategic and managerial aspects, I got my eyes on ASC. ASC seemed like a good choice to cover my interests, and it has shown to be true. 

What do I like the best?
I especially like how we both cover financial and calculative matters of companies and their economics, but also that we add the managerial level to get a full understanding of how everything works in practice. The constant strategic overview we keep of the company gives a very good understanding of different areas of the real world and lets us investigate the problems and how we can try to accommodate or plan ahead to avoid certain problems.

How do I experience the difference in academic level between my bachelor and master programme?
When starting my master's, I immediately felt that the academic level and difficulty increased. Even though I have had some of the topics before, it was clear that the master's level was more advanced and in-depth than the bachelor's. Of course, I have also quite quickly learned how I need to prepare differently here than on my bachelor's, so it's maybe more a matter of adaption to a new environment.



What are the biggest challenges in my programme?
It might be a small challenge, but we have quite many long lectures where it can be difficult to stay focused during the whole lecture. ASC has a quarter structure. Therefore, you have to kind of keep up in lectures as exams come quickly after. But this also means everything is fresher in memory and you don't really forget the things from lesson 1.

Moreover, sometimes courses overlap a bit, which can be nice, but a bit confusing in some areas, as different courses then take up different themes but within the same kind of problem or term. 

What would I have liked to have known before starting my programme?
Perhaps I could have known this, but I would like to have been more aware of the increased academic level. I think I personally took on too much work in the beginning, meaning I could not follow up equally well on everything. 

Also, when starting, I did not think there would be many social activities on the Master’s, but that was put to shame. We have a good social committee that arranges different events or dinners quite often, and it really gets people together. Especially on a programme where people come from different countries.

What do I want to do after finishing my programme
As I find managerial economics very interesting, I want to pursue a career within that field - perhaps as a consultant within the field of management or within the economic field with a focus on the optimization of accounting procedures and practice. An interest that has grown within my current work, and I think about staying in that direction for some time. The consultancy world has always intrigued me, as you get to work with different clients and try to accommodate different challenges.

If I could give myself a piece of advice, before starting it would be…
Don't get overwhelmed or let everything overwhelm you in the beginning. Even though some things look unmanageable in the beginning, you will get there and you will learn it eventually, so no worries. And be open-minded and open to new topics of interest. Don’t lock yourself on one thing or something before starting.

Also, attend the introductory week and social activities. That way you get to meet the people you are going to study with and meet people from different countries.