MSc PHIL combines philosophy and business studies. You will be trained in applying philosophical concepts, theories and analyses in the study of business practice as well as general economics.
Each course in the programme is organized as an encounter between philosophical theory and a specific theme that has relevance to business practice or general economics. The purpose is for students to attain specific knowledge about themes such as finance, leadership, Corporate Social Responsibility, money, sustainability or Human Resource Management, while providing them with methods and concepts to reflect critically on this knowledge.
During the programme, you have various opportunities to create your own academic profile.
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.
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.
Studying in English
If you do not have 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.
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
Read more on Teaching and working methods
Exams
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 you learn
The MSc PHIL develops your skills in business philosophy - a combination of business economics and philosophy.
The programme enables you to identify and solve complex challenges in private companies as well as private and public organisations through business philosophical reflection and analysis. You will be competent in:
- Applying central philosophical concepts, systems and mindsets to analyse and solve specific problems in companies and organisations.
- Developing concepts and models to map the complex problems in particular faced by knowledge-intensive companies.
- Analysing and handling complex processes in companies and organisations.
- Exploring the fundamental knowledge-related, ethical, political and aesthetic aspects of corporate practices with a view to creating economic value, sustainable growth, and practical changes.
Competence profile
In the competence profile you can read more about the purpose of the programme and the competencies you achieve in the programme:
Competence profile for MSc in Business Administration and Philosophy