Emilie

Why did I choose my programme (and CBS)?
I chose to study Strategic Design and Entrepreneurship for my master’s, because I found it a unique opportunity to enter the creative industry, working closely with designers and architects from the Royal Danish Academy. Being enrolled in two universities, working with design and architecture from a strategic, entrepreneurial and managerial perspective, is a rare opportunity that I immediately knew I would seek, when the master’s programme was created in 2018.

What do I like the best?
I mostly enjoy the collaborative aspect of the programme, working closely together with both architects, designers and business students with a variety of backgrounds. The class is very international, why many different perspectives are added in the collaborative process, which just makes the process more exciting and inspiring. 

In addition, I also enjoy the courses and content given, that facilitate the journey of becoming a strategic designer really well, balancing the business-oriented content with the artistic.

How do I experience the difference in academic level between my bachelor and master programme?
I previously studied a BA in Design Culture and Economics, which was also a mix between business courses and design-theoretic courses, so this combination isn't new to me. The biggest difference is working in teams for almost every course and project, which really makes us learn how to collaborate with many different skills, experiences, knowledge and perspectives. Most of the projects are based on client challenges, meaning there are high ambitions, speed and engagement, which is a great way to practise and work in your master’s.

What are the biggest challenges in my programme?
Not being able to really try out new ways of learning from each other, for example becoming better in doing graphics, building prototypes etc. Since time is limited, we easily do what we're good at, so the business students tend to write, and the design and architecture students tend to create. Now that we're in the same programme, we'd all love to really learn from each other and develop our skills a bit more across disciplines. On the other hand, it's also a journey of really understanding what skills you have and use them in practice.

What would I have liked to have known before starting my programme?
I'd like to have known that the classes are spread all over the week, because of the Royal Academy’s way of working. There is therefore very little time for other activities throughout the week, since there're classes almost every day. This master’s really requires that you're invested time wise if you want to get the most out of it. Thus, there has been a discussion about clustering the classes for the upcoming years, so people can schedule ahead, coordinating with work etc.

What do I want to do after finishing my programme?
I want to work with strategic consulting in the creative industry. I want to use my experience in working with both design thinking, actor-network theory etc., together with more traditional consultant tools, to guide companies into the green transition on a holistic level. Because of my BA background and now also this master’s, I see myself as the intermediate link that can create sustainable business development in a variety of ways, but most importantly with an empathic, innovative, conscious and holistic mindset.

If I could give myself a piece of advice, before starting it would be…
That the high expectations you have for this master’s programme will actually be fulfilled and even surpass the dreams and hopes. You'll really be a part of a great adventure that only a few can get. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to work with these amazing people, both at CBS and at the Royal Academy. We're in the centre of knowledge, experiments, innovation and development, and it's extremely inspiring and giving.