MSc in Economics and Business Administration - General Management and Analytics
About the programme
Goal setting and problem-solving in companies
While analytical models and data abound, the general manager typically does not face isolated problems similar to textbook examples. Instead, managers often face problematic situations consisting of many strongly interrelated issues across functional and organisational boundaries. Hence, an essential role for the general manager is to find ways of addressing such problematic situations by setting goals and engaging in value-creating problem-solving.
You will acquire competencies for decision-making and problem-solving by developing your financial and analytical capabilities and applying these to real-life situations. You will learn to use data to engage in decision-driven analytics to develop value-creating solutions in dialogue with stakeholders. While the starting point is general management, you will develop your analytical capabilities and learn how to apply your knowledge in various areas.
Business economics as a foundation for general management
Through the programme, you will acquire knowledge and develop capabilities enabling you to engage in various activities within companies, spanning across functional domains. The programme allows you to make and implement management decisions. You will develop insight into the financial consequences of decisions and how to navigate the economic environment in which a company operates. You will build a strong foundation for general management through the progression from your business economics background.
The general manager has various roles, which involve making decisions on strategy, organisation, and business development and enabling the organisation to implement and execute its strategy. Knowing how to engage the right stakeholders and communicate is vital for general managers to make and implement sustainable decisions that are both financially viable and ethically sound.
Business analytics and informed decision making
The growing availability of data and developments in analytical technologies such as business intelligence systems, artificial intelligence, and machine learning enables business analytics and informed decision-making. You will learn to apply analytics in various areas, such as developing models for understanding customer value and forecasting demand, evaluating complex investments, and evaluating acquisition targets.
Decision-driven analytics requires both a sense of business logic and critical reflection and analytical and technical capabilities to develop insight from large data sets. Analytics and management also involve sense-making processes taking place in interaction with relevant others. Managing stakeholders and communicating across functional and organisational boundaries is essential for making and implementing sound decisions.
Hence, to study and practice management, you will develop capabilities to systematically observe and collect qualitative data to analyse and make sense of interaction processes and implement change in organisations. Quantitative methods are deeply embedded in general management and analytics, but qualitative research methods too are essential in practicing and studying reflexive management.
Customise your programme
During the programme, you have various opportunities to create your own academic profile. The programme will to some extent, also give access to take progressive electives, enabling you to go even further into specific areas.
Electives
On the 3rd semester, you can choose to study courses of your specific interest. CBS offers a large number of electives within a wide range of topics. You can also choose to take electives at other Danish universities. The electives you choose have to be relevant for your programme.
See the current selection of CBS electives on Single courses and electives - Master
Minor
On the 3rd semester, you can also choose to study a so-called minor. A minor is a package of electives within a specific academic area. Typically, it consists of 3 courses. By taking a minor, you strengthen your competences within a specific area of interest, and you can use it to qualify for specific jobs or industries.
See the current selection of CBS minors on Minors
Exchange
Many students choose to go on exchange on their 3rd semester; usually at one of CBS’ more than 300 partner universities. When you go on exchange through CBS, you do not have to pay for the teaching at the foreign university (with a few exceptions), and you can bring your SU (student grant).
Find a list of all CBS partner universities here
Academic internship
You can choose to replace some of your electives with a so-called academic internship. The academic internship consists of an internship period at a company, which is then completed with a project report. You can do the internship at a company in Denmark or abroad.
When doing an internship you get the opportunity to relate theory to practice and reflect on the academic training you receive at CBS in a practical setting. Therefore, the project report and work assignments during your internship have to be relevant to your study programme.
CEMS - Master in International Management programme
On General Management and Analytics, you can apply for the CEMS - Master in International Management programme. CEMS MIM is a double degree programme, which gives you the opportunity to add a second degree in international management to your CBS degree. This means that you will get both the MSc degree and the CEMS in International Management degree.
CEMS is a 1-year programme, which you study in combination with your CBS degree in your 3rd and 4th semester. Part of it takes place at one of the other CEMS universities abroad.
Learn more about CEMS / Master in International Management
Master's thesis
Your 2nd year is completed with a master's thesis. You choose the topic you want to write about, which allows you to focus on a specific topic of your interest. Typically, you write your master's thesis with a fellow student.
What to consider
Interested in combining analytics and management
You are curious about the potential of combining management and analytics. You are neither afraid of working with numbers and quantitative methods nor exploring more abstract issues and relationships. In short, you aim to be analytical with data and curious about ambiguity.
Analyzing complex situations to develop business insights
You want to create value for business and society by leveraging your competencies to generate business insights. You are comfortable in engaging with complex situations and enjoy applying theories and models to create new strategies. In short, you strive to have deep business knowledge placed in a broad context.
Creating and designing new business ideas
Describing the world is not enough; you want to leave a positive mark – to create value. You are creative and curious to find new ideas about markets, strategies and organisations . You thrive when working with developing business ideas and even formulating theories of value creation. In short, you aspire to recognise grand business and societal challenges and have the entrepreneurial knowledge to help resolve them
Committed to learning and working with others
You enjoy developing your knowledge by challenging yourself and by working with others. Working in groups is an important element in some courses on the programme, both in teaching activities and project work. In short, you want to develop your personal competencies to be competetive in business and compassionate in society.
Studying in English
If you do not have a bachelor’s degree taught in English, we recommend that you read more about what to consider before applying for an English taught programme.
Read more about Teaching and litterature in English on Teaching and working methods.
Study environment
The GMA programme has an active study environment combining social and academic activities. The programme includes a balance of courses that can be studied more individually and courses where group activities are a vital element. The student association, GMA Society, is critical to underpin the study environment and organise social and academic events.
At GMA, we want a stimulating learning environment based on mutual respect through professionalism and kindness. Professionalism means adopting academic curiosity, integrity and striving to develop. Kindness means acknowledging differences and collaborating to achieve mutual development.
Student life at CBS
Studying at CBS is much more than just preparing for and going to classes.
At CBS, there are more than 20,000 students with different backgrounds and nationalities. Teamwork is an essential part of studying at CBS both in classes and in extracurricular activities.
With more than 100 student organisations, you also have plenty of opportunities to engage and connect with students across programmes and classes.
Learn more about the vibrant student life at CBS, the student organisations, and the international environment on Student life
For internationals
If you are an international student, we have gathered a lot of information about what it is like to be an international student at CBS and how you can prepare for life in Denmark.
Read more on For internationals
Teaching and exams
Teaching
The programme combines a variety of different teaching approaches, such as, lectures, exercises, and project work. While all courses include on-campus activities, blended learning is used to support student learning. Some courses focus more on lectures and individual learning activities, whereas others focus more on exercises and group activities.
In some courses, learning is centred around the development of a written report or the presentation of a business venture. In other courses, learning focuses mainly on the application of specific analytical methods and understanding their underlying principles. For all courses learning is focused on developing both practical and theoretical competencies with the ambition of enabling students to become reflexive analytical managers.
Most of the programme’s courses have individual exams but include group activities as important elements in the learning process (Market Development, Management Accounting, Business Analytics, and Qualitative Methods and Reasoning). The programme also includes courses that can be studied individually (Corporate Finance), courses with individual exams based on group projects (Strategy and Organization), as well as courses with group assignments (Market Informed Decisions and Business Project).
Read more on Teaching and working methods
Exams
All courses on the programme include a final exam and the programme includes a variety of examination formats, such as, written sit in exams, oral exams and home assignments. To facilitate learning, feedback is included in all courses. Some courses include a mandatory feedback assignment required to participate in the exam.
Read more on Exams at CBS
Time consumption
You should know that it is demanding to study in a graduate programme, and both the curriculum and workload is significantly higher than at bachelor level.
If you are studying on a full-time graduate programme, you should expect spending approximately 37 hours on average on your studies each week. The workload will vary during the year.
The time leading up to assignment submissions and exams can be hectic, and you can easily work more than 40 hours a week in this period. Preparing for oral exams can be especially time consuming, because you have to be able to explain and discuss the covered concepts and theories and learn things by heart.
Read more on Teaching and working methods
Student job
Most programmes are quite flexible in terms of combining studies with a student job. Most students work a maximum of 15 hours a week in order to have sufficient time for their studies.
Studying in Denmark - for internationals
If this is your first time studying in Denmark, you may find teaching and exam formats, the grading scale and the academic calendar very different from what you are used to.
Read about everything you need to know as an international student studying at CBS on For internationals > Academic information
What gets you the job?
The programme aims to enable graduates to qualify for positions in large organisations such as business analytics, general management positions within small and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s), and business and management consulting.
The programme provides candidates with competencies enabling them to act as reflexive, analytical managers and analysts. The programme combines a strong and broad business understanding with deep analytical competencies to enable informed decision-making. Specifically, the Msc EBA – GMA programme emphasises competencies to be commercially creative, technically competent, economically proficient, and relational decision-makers.
Business ecnomics and analytics
By combining business economics with decision-driven analytics, graduates learn to enable informed decision-making for complex business problems. The focus on general management and financial implications allows graduates to set strategic directions, create value through problem-solving and interact with stakeholders across functional, organizational, and geographical boundaries. The programme aims to enable graduates to qualify for positions in large organizations such as business analytics, general manament positions within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and business and management consulting.
Graduates from Msc EBA – GMA hold capabilities enabling them to:
- innovate and develop sustainable business models
- design, model, and program analytical solutions
- apply advanced financial expertise
- carry out complex organisational changes through relationships
- dialogue with multiple stakeholders.
Graduates hold the capabilities to think and act scientifically, whereby they can carry out scientific inquiries with an aim for decision-making, value creation, and organisational learning.
As managers, graduates will have the competencies and experiences required to collaborate and coordinate across functions and domains and create value through integration. As analysts, graduates will have the competencies to develop insight using data and models to see through complexity. Graduates from Msc EBA – GMA understand how data are not neutral and are aware of the (un)intended consequences of action and ethical dilemmas. In analysis and decision-making, graduates have the curiosity to understand and work through ambiguity and the judgment to act responsibly beyond their perspective.
Competence profile
In the competence profile you can find more information about the various competences you achieve on the programme:
Course overview
1st semester |
2nd semester |
3rd semester |
4th semester |
Electives / Exchange / Internship/ CEMS (30 ECTS)
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You can read more about the programme, academic content and exams in the programme regulations for GMA