Emilie

Why did I choose my programme (and CBS)?
While studying at bachelor level at CBS, I found organisational sociology to be my favourite subject and something to look for in a master’s programme. PBD was a new programme, and therefore, it was difficult to figure out what to expect. However, during a live-introduction of the programme, a professor described how the courses should be thought of as more than "just" HR - it is about all the people processes that shape organisations. Therefore, this programme was a good way of continuing my education in the more human aspects of organisations.

What do I like the best?
The best thing about the programme is the focus of using larger projects and cases to develop competencies in understanding organisational people processes. We have actively worked with organisations to get a deeper understanding of how to solve issues that have root in the human aspects of organisations. For instance, while learning about digitalisation and people data, we worked with Novo Nordisk to develop digital solutions that could strengthen recruitment processes and on-the-job skill development.

How do I experience the difference in academic level between my bachelor and master programme?
There is clearly an expectation that you come with a toolbox that contains certain elements, e.g. knowledge about how to properly conduct case-based project work using both quantitative and qualitative methods. However, there is less focus on reading heavy theory, which I found to be quite intense at my bachelor level - instead, energy is put into how to use what you have already learned actively, when trying to understand how a specific organisation functions.

What are the biggest challenges in my programme?
The structure of the PBD programme feels quite loose compared to what I was used to from my previous programme. You are the master of your own time, hold full responsibility for your own learning, and you develop your own projects without having many strict guidelines. When being used to more fixed structures and clear expectations, navigating a loose structure takes time to get used to and feels scary. However, it also gives you the opportunity to develop the specific competencies that you want and dive into areas that you find intriguing.

What would I have liked to have known before starting my programme?
Generally, there was little information about the programme prior to me starting, so knowing that it was very project-based, it still surprised me how much focus is put on this. I would have liked to know more about these projects, especially the large PBD-project, which you write during the 4th quarter. In a sense, you might describe it as a mixture of a school-project and consultancy work, and it takes much time and energy to align the expectations of the different stakeholders. Knowing this beforehand would make it less intense.

What do I want to do after finishing my programme?
PBD has sparked my interest in how to develop organisational capabilities through the people that constitute the organisation, and this I wish to work with. I wish to keep a sociological perspective in my future work, working with the interplay between workplace culture and the digitalisation of people processes. I find it interesting how digitalisation can change interactions between organisational members, while also giving access to a more diverse workforce - considering the effects such changes have on organisational culture.

If I could give myself a piece of advice, before starting it would be…
First advice: To loosen up and go with the flow. Don’t be scared of the loose structure - in the end, you’ll come to like it, as it gives you the opportunity to pursue specific interests and choose which knowledge to obtain and competencies to develop. Second advice: to be social. You are not that many people, so you can easily get to know your entire class. Network in class to find the people that have the same interests as you, because it makes the project work so much more fun and fulfilling when you have a partner that is as passionate as you are.