Aarhus University Seal

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

Master's Degree Programme

About the programme
Language: English  (See language requirements)  | Place of study: Aarhus  |  Commencement: August / September (no winter intake)

Introduction

Business Intelligence (BI) bridges the gap between modern data science and business applications by transforming data into insights that enable strategic business decision-making. The MSc in Economics and Business Administration – Business Intelligence takes a data-driven approach to solving business problems by focusing on:

  • extracting and analysing information from data to predict behaviour and recognise natural patterns
  • visualising and presenting results to support managerial decision-making. 

The BI programme aims to prepare the students to use a variety of state-of-the-art data analytics tools and apply data science to solve the complex and interdisciplinary challenges that businesses face. During the BI programme, the students will work with data-driven business projects such as:

  • Generative AI for Customer Service: Build a chatbot using open-source language models that can handle common customer inquiries in the retail industry, potentially reducing response times.
  • Fraud Detection in E-Commerce: Implement machine learning algorithms to detect unusual purchasing patterns, potentially preventing fraudulent transactions in online stores.
  • Data-Driven Business Development for Healthcare: Develop predictive models to forecast patient inflow in hospitals, enabling efficient staff and resource allocation.
  • Visual Analytics for Sales Managers: Build interactive dashboards that analyse sales data, helping managers forecast trends, identify underperforming regions, and optimise resource allocation.
  • Commodities Trading Database Design: Engineer a robust and scalable database system to centralise global commodities market data, facilitating traders to swiftly query, analyse, and forecast price movements, thereby supporting informed trading decisions in real-time.
  • AI Adoption in Hospitality: Guide hotels in deploying AI solutions for automating room bookings, feedback collection, and optimising housekeeping schedules.
  • Recommender Systems for Media: Develop algorithms that suggest movies or series to subscribers of a streaming platform based on their viewing history.
  • Customer Analytics in Retail: Implement clustering techniques to segment customers of a fashion brand, predicting inventory needs for different locations based on regional preferences.
  • Quality Control in Manufacturing: Utilise deep learning to inspect images of products on an assembly line, identifying defects or inconsistencies to ensure quality and reduce recalls.
  • Environmental Analytics: Develop BI tools that monitor and forecast energy consumption, providing insights for sustainable practices.

A broad quantitative profile

Combining a solid business understanding with strong analytical skills is essential for turning data into business value. The BI programme is designed to equip participants with the analytical expertise needed for managerial and data specialist roles in both private and public sectors, as well as consulting firms. Participants will gain experience in planning and implementing business intelligence solutions, utilising the latest methods in machine learning, data mining, and deep learning. They will acquire the ability to generate insights from large and complex datasets, commonly known as Big Data. Additionally, attendees will become proficient in using data analysis programming languages such as R, SQL, and Python for tasks ranging from data structuring and extraction to modelling, communication, and deployment.

Careers

Graduates who complete the Business Intelligence programme acquire analytical and quantitative skills that are highly demanded by both the public and private sector. BI graduates take up positions in international or Danish companies, public institutions, and consulting firms as BI consultants, data scientists, data engineers, advanced data analysts, machine learning developers, or product owners. After a few years on the labour market, many BI graduates advance to senior data specialist roles (senior data scientist, senior automation engineer, etc.) or managerial roles (BI lead, head of AI, etc.).

MSc in Business Intelligence Mikkel from Vestas and Uffe from Inspari explains why there is a need for graduates from this degree programme. Lene is a graduate from the Business Intelligence programme.

Admission Requirements

Legal right of admission

Applicants with a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Business Administration (HA) from Aarhus University have the right to be admitted to the Master's degree programme in Economics and Business Administration (cand.merc.) at Aarhus University on the condition that application is made for admission to the Master’s degree programme no later than three years after completion of the Bachelor’s degree programme. The legal right of admission requires receipt of the application by Aarhus University within the appropriate period of time.

Bachelor's degrees with direct admission

The following Bachelor’s degrees fulfill the admissions requirements for the Master’s degree programme in Economics and Business Administration at Aarhus University but are not automatically secured a spot at the programme:

  • Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with supplementary subject (erhvervsøkonomi med tilvalg) at study plan 2017 and onwards from Aarhus University.
  • Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Commercial Law (Erhvervsøkonomi-erhvervsret (HA jur.)) from Aarhus University.
  • Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Business Administration (HA - general business economics) from one of the Danish universities.*
  • Applicants a Bachelor´s degree in Economics and Business Administration (HA) from Aarhus University who no longer have legal right of admission.*

* With a diploma older than 2000, your Bachelor’s degree will be assessed according to the specific admission requirements described under the section: “Students that hold a degree from another university”. 

Students that hold a Bachelor's degree from another university

Other Bachelor´s degrees can provide admission to the Master’s degree programme. When you apply the university will access if your Bachelor´s degree corresponds in level, extent and content to a BSc in Economics and Business Administration/HA from Aarhus Universitet. The assessment will prioritize the sufficient content of the following subjects and ECTS-points:   

Subject

ECTS

Methods*

15 ECTS

Marketing

7,5 ECTS

Finance

7,5 ECTS

Accounting

7,5 ECTS

Organisation- and Leadership Theory

7,5 ECTS

Microeconomics

5 ECTS

Operations Management

5 ECTS

Additional ECTS points within the abovementioned areas

25 ECTS

Total ECTS within Economics and Business Administration

80 ECTS

*Please note, applicants must have at least 15 ECTS within methods including at least 10 ECTS within quantitative methods or statistics. However only 5 ECTS can be covered by Mathematics.

Admission to the MSc in Economics and Business Administration for applicants with a professional bachelor’s degree (professionsbachelor)

In order to meet the admission requirements for the MSc programmes in Economics and Business Administration, applicants with a specific professional bachelor’s degree must have completed specific elective courses as part of their qualifying exam. In this table the requirements for elective courses are laid out.

Language requirements

As English is the language of instruction in all subjects, all applicants are required to provide evidence of their English language proficiency.
Please see the page on language requirements.

Download appendix for your application

If you apply for admission with an international Bachelor's degree, you must fill in this appendix and upload it in the application portal. The appendix serves to help the Admission Board assess your Bachelor's degree in regard to the admission requirements. 

Download appendix

Restricted admission from 2022

As from the intake 2022, the Master’s degree programmes in Economics and Business Administration (cand.merc.) only admits a limited number of students each year. Therefore, meeting the admission requirements does not in itself guarantee admission to the programme. 

Please note, for programmes with restricted admission special rules regarding supplementary Bachelor’s courses apply. Therefore, we no longer offer pre-assessments for the programme in Economics and Business Administration (cand.merc.).

Read more about supplementary Bachelor’s courses.

Selection criteria

If there are more qualified applicants than available seats, the Admissions Committee assesses each applicant based on the average mark (i.e. GPA) of the Bachelor’s degree at the time of application. Marks/grades obtained after the application deadline will not be included in the GPA. The Admissions Committee assesses each applicant’s marks based on the information provided by diplomas and transcripts.

Programme Structure

ACADEMIC REGULATIONS

Below is an outline of the courses:


The study programme consists of two semesters in the first year which cover the compulsory courses in the programme specialisation and two semesters in the last year which are reserved for the student's own specialisation.

In the first semester you follow the prerequisite courses that form the methodological and academic basis for the further study programme.

In the second semester you follow the specialisation courses of the programme.

In the third semester you can choose elective courses within your areas of interest. The courses can either be taken at Aarhus BSS during the semester, at the Summer University or at one of our more than 300 partner universities abroad. You can also participate in project-based internship programmes either in Denmark or abroad.

The fourth semester is devoted to the final thesis. You may choose the topic of the thesis freely and so get a chance to concentrate on and specialise in a specific field of interest. The thesis may be written in collaboration with another student or it may be the result of your individual effort. 

Please note that you must select the specific Master's degree programme, Business Intelligence, in the tabs just above the study diagram!

Contact

Contact Jesper Wulff (jwulff@econ.au.dk) if you have questions about the track or the individual courses.

Student Life

Learning in an International Context

At Aarhus BSS, we conduct research at the highest academic level.

All researchers employed are engaged in research projects covering a wide range of different subjects and focusing on knowledge and skills considered essential for professional business activities in the global marketplace. All faculty have both research and teaching responsibilities, which means that our teaching is continually based on the latest research results.

Aarhus BSS is very internationally oriented. The broad scope of our research activities and educational programmes enable us to attract researchers, teachers, and students from all over the world, and this creates an international environment for research and learning in which academic views are exchanged, experiences are gathered and friendships are formed.

Aarhus University is a leading university in Denmark in building student exchange opportunities. The university encourages all students to spend time studying abroad. Every year, more than 700 students from Aarhus BSS go abroad to participate in exchange programmes around the world at our more than 300 partner universities. About the same number of students from all over the world come to participate in the exchange programme in Aarhus, and this contributes to a truly international learning atmosphere.

Follow the student life at Aarhus University

-experienced, photographed and filmed by the students themselves.

With thousands of pictures #AUInternational, #AarhusUni gives insight into the everyday life as a student at AU; the parties, procrastination, exams and all the other ways you’ll spend your time at university.

The photos belong to the users, shared with #AUInternational and #AarhusUni.

Meet our graduates

"The MSc in Business Intelligence allowed me to gain a broad understanding of data-driven decision-making processes, advanced analytics, and BI tools. The programme not only built my analytical skills foundation but also taught me how to turn complex data into useful insights. Since graduating, I've confidently applied what I learned, helping organisations leverage data optimally for strategic advantage."

Peer Woyczechowski, Advanced Data Analytics Lead, Vestas. 2022 Graduate 
LinkedIn


"The programme gave me both the theoretical knowledge and the practical programming experience to apply data science in the real world. The programme offers a good balance between theory and application, but with an ongoing focus on creating business value. Having the mindset of business value creation has been key for me when developing data-driven solutions that can have a significant impact on businesses."

Emilie Sophie Rosenkilde Christensen, Portfolio Manager, Novo Nordisk. 2020 Graduate 
LinkedIn


The data science field is a rapidly growing one. Studying Business Intelligence equipped me with essential analytical tools and techniques to make data-driven decisions, which has been invaluable in my career. What you're learning here is not just theoretical; it's directly applicable in both industry and academia. This programme forms the bedrock of your capacity to navigate and work with data, a skill set in high demand across diverse sectors. This is the future – so what are you waiting for?”

Morten Kloster Pedersen, Quantitative Analyst, Nitor Energy. 2019 Graduate 
LinkedIn


“Through my Master's degree in Business Intelligence, I gained a comprehensive understanding of advanced statistical and computational methods used to interpret complex data. I developed proficiency in programming languages such as R and Python, and acquired a strong foundation in machine learning algorithms, data mining, and data visualisation. This rigorous programme also enhanced my ability to think critically, solve complex problems, and communicate data-driven insights effectively. By working on hands-on projects and case studies, I learned how to leverage data to drive strategic decision-making and innovation.”

Lene Hansen, Data Scientist, BESTSELLER. 2020 graduate 
LinkedIn
 


"The Business Intelligence programme gave me the prerequisites to understand, and build upon, my knowledge of what it means to be a specialist, in what might be seen as a generalist discipline, of applied methodological use of data and analytics to generate business value and outcomes. With the rise of emerging generative-AI, cloud-, and data-technologies that every company seeks to adopt, the demand for people with such skillsets is as high as ever, and this greenfield with endless opportunities, is just what the programme thought me how to explore and utilise, which has been of great importance to my career so far.

Michael Thruesen, Head of Advanced Analytics Foundation CoE, Danske Bank. 2017 Graduate 
LinkedIn

Career

Tasks as a Graduate

The chart shows the five most common types of work for graduates 1-2 years after finishing their degree. The data is derived from a survey made by Epinion for the Ministry of Higher Education and Science and Aarhus University in 2020.


Job profile

Below, you can find information about what a number of our alumni work with in their first job after graduation.

Administrative
Reporting, coordination, presentations, proposals, stock control (lagerstyring).

Project Management

Analysis
Market analysis, data analysis, employee satisfaction analysis, customer satisfaction analysis and statistics.

Economy and Accounting
Book keeping, SAP, accounting, financial planning and projection.

Other
Interpreting, marketing and communication, IT (development of performance systems and implementation, business warehouse), teaching, packing, SQL, contact and support to costumers and sale.
 

Profile of competencies

The specialisation in Business Intelligence gives the student the skills to fill positions as BI consultants, business analysts, data scientists, data engineers, and product owners as well as positions focusing on market research.

This research-based MSc study programme in Economics and Business Administration builds on the competencies and insights acquired in the BSc study programme in Economics and Business Administration.

The MSc study programme provides the graduate with specialist knowledge within the disciplines of the study programme, which gives the graduate high academic qualifications to develop solutions to issues pertaining to business administration in companies and organisations in the public and private sectors.

The study programme also qualifies the graduate for further studies, including PhD studies.

Through the study programme, the graduate has acquired knowledge that enables the graduate to:

  • understand and consider knowledge pertaining to the various disciplines as well as identify academic issues
  • master the scientific methodologies and tools of the various disciplines as well as master general skills associated with employment within the areas studied
  • assess and choose among the scientific methodologies and tools of the various disciplines as well as develop new analysis and solution models
  • discuss professional and academic issues with both specialists and laymen
  • manage work and development situations that are complex, unpredictable, and require new solution models
  • initiate and carry out, on an independent basis, monodisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration and take professional responsibility
  • take responsibility, on an independent basis, for own professional development and specialisation.

We want to help our students find successful careers. Students can always contact our Career Services for advice and assistance with getting onto the Danish labour market. Check out our careers page to see the range of services we offer.