Combined Master's Degree Programme for Working Professionals (3 years)
| About the programme Language: English (See language requirements) | Place of study: Aarhus | Commencement: August / September (See if this programme also offers a January/February start for international applicants). Programme type: Combined Master's Degree Programme for Working Professionals (3 years) |
The Combined Master’s degree programme for working professionals in Computer Science at Aarhus University is a three-year programme that combines research-based education with relevant work experience. You study full-time in the first year, then combine your studies with a relevant job averaging at least 25 hours per week during the final two years.
You complete 120 ECTS credits and earn the same academic degree and qualifications as students on the standard two-year master’s programme in Computer Science.
You can specialise in:
In your first year, you become part of the research and student community at the Department of Computer Science. Over the following two years, you can apply new knowledge and methods to real-world challenges at work while studying part-time.
See the specific requirements under ‘Admission requirements’.
In this section you can learn more about the admission requirements relevant to the Combined Master's degree programme in Computer Science. Depending on your educational background and your qualifications, there are different ways to meet the admission requirements:
This section is relevant for you, if you have:
The two sections listed below are relevant only for students with a bachelor's degree from a Danish institution:
Below these sections, you can learn more about the employment requirement and the English language requirement. You can also find out which ranking criteria we use to assess your application when prioritizing among the submitted applications.
If you have an international educational background, you must meet both the general admission requirement and the specific admission requirements:
You must have a Bachelor's degree or equivalent that is comparable to a Danish Bachelor's degree in both level and duration (180 ECTS).
For more information about how your Bachelor's degree is assessed, please see the national database.
If you meet the general admission requirement, the university will continue on to assess whether or not you meet the specific admission requirements.
You can be admitted to the Master's programme if the university assesses that your education has a level, scope, and content that corresponds to the academic requirements specified below.
| Subject area | Number of ECTS |
Programming You must have a minimum of 20 ECTS credits in programming. The following subject areas are typically considered, but other relevant courses within programming may also be included:
| 20 |
Computer Systems You must have a minimum of 20 ECTS credits in computer systems. The following subject areas are typically considered, but other relevant courses within computer systems may also be included:
| 20 |
Theoretical Computer Science and/or Human-Computer Interaction You must have a minimum of 20 ECTS credits in Theoretical Computer Science and/or Human-Computer interaction. The following subject areas are typically considered, but other relevant courses within Theoretical Computer Science may also be included:
| 20 |
Basic subjects in Mathematics, Probability Theory and Statistics You must have a minimum of 20 ECTS credits in foundational mathematical subjects, like calculus/analysis, (linear) algebra, discrete math/graph theory, or probability theory and statistics. | 20 |
| Total | 80 |
We cannot assess in advance whether your specific degree will meet the above requirements. Therefore, we recommend that you apply for the programme if you believe that you meet the academic requirements. In this regard, it is a good idea to compare your degree with the programmes that provide direct admission.
There are no Bachelor's programmes that grant a legal right to admission to this programme.
Certain Bachelor's degree programmes from Aarhus University and various other Danish Universities have been determined to meet the admission requirements to this Combined Master's degree programme in Computer Science:
If you obtained your Bachelor's degree from an educational institution outside Denmark, we ask you to complete an appendix to help us assess whether you meet the programme's academic admission requirements. In the appendix, please specify which courses you have completed as part of your Bachelor's degree within the required subject areas.
You will find a link to the appendix in the confirmation message you receive in the application portal (DANS) after submitting your application.
You must meet the requirement of being in relevant employment when you transition to the part-time part of the programme, i.e. after the first year.
“Relevant employment” means that you work at least 25 hours per week in a public or private company, or as an entrepreneur, and that your work tasks are professionally related to both your qualifying education and the education you are applying for.
In order to be admitted to this programme you must meet the university's English language requirements.
Students with bachelor's degree from Aarhus University with a so-called 'Legal right of admission' are exempt from the English language requirement.
All Master’s degree programmes at Aarhus University have limited intake. This means that you are not guaranteed admission even if you meet the entry requirements. When we prioritize among applicants, we assess your application based on a set of fixed ranking criteria, which you can see below.
If you have a legal right of admission, you are guaranteed a place in the programme and do not need to consider the ranking criteria.
Ranking criteria:
In criterion three, the score is based on the proportion of subjects on the bachelor’s degree diploma that fall within the relevant subject fields. In this assessment, ECTS credits that are a part of the admission requirements described under ‘Other qualifying degrees’ are not included.
Please note that grades achieved after the application deadline are not included in the assessment.
Unfortunately, Aarhus University is not able to assess your qualifications beforehand. In order for your qualifications to be assessed you must apply for admission. To learn more, please go to Assessment of your qualifications.
The programme follows a 1+2 model: one year of full-time study followed by two years combining study with relevant employment.
You study full-time at Aarhus University alongside other master’s students, and complete 60 ECTS credits.
You work an average of at least 25 hours per week in a relevant job while completing the remaining 60 ECTS credits. Guidance is available to help you plan a course of study that fits your academic interests and working hours.
You can choose one of four specialisations (60 ECTS):
Alternatively, you can create your own academic profile by combining courses across subject areas or including relevant courses from other departments (2 × 30 ECTS) within:
You may also choose a 5 ECTS company-based project or other elective courses. The programme comprises 90 ECTS credits of coursework and a 30 ECTS master’s thesis.
Teaching takes place on campus and combines lectures, classroom sessions and group work. You engage with current research and discuss theories and methods with lecturers and fellow students. A 10 ECTS course typically involves 2-5 hours of active on-campus participation per week, in addition to preparation. Lecturers and teaching assistants are available to support you.
The academic regulations for Combined Master's Degree Programme for Working Professionals in Computer science will be available in late autumn 2026.
The academic regulations contain further information about the content of the individual courses. You can also find information about the structure of the programme and the requirements you must meet as a student, including examination formats and requirements.
The Department of Computer Science is located in the IT City Katrinebjerg, where Aarhus University has consolidated all its IT programmes and research.
As the largest IT education center in Denmark, with more than 3.000 students and 200 researchers, IT City Katrinebjerg is an exciting study environment near Aarhus city center.
As a combined master’s student, your everyday life will differ from that of full-time students, but you are still part of the same academic community. You will attend the same courses, collaborate with peers on projects, and have access to study facilities and events at the Department of Computer Science.
Because you combine study with employment in your second and third year, your learning environment extends beyond the university. Your workplace becomes a natural part of your education, where you can test theories, methods, and tools in practice. This dual setting creates a unique study life where you both grow academically and professionally.
You may also participate in department activities such as guest lectures, hackathons, and career events, connecting you with researchers, students, and companies in the thriving IT ecosystem around Aarhus University.
As the second-largest city in Denmark, Aarhus is a young and dynamic place with plenty of opportunities. The 40,000 students at the university make up almost 20% of the city’s population, which leaves its mark on city life. An attractive feature of Aarhus is that beaches and woods are just a short bike-ride away, as well as many cultural events taking place throughout the year, including the Aarhus Festival in September. The theatres in the city and the ARoS art museum offer many events that enable you to experience the Danish culture.
- experienced, photographed and filmed by the students themselves.
With thousands of pictures #yourniversity 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 #Yourniversity, #AarhusUni and course-specific AU-hashtags.
Or follow the everyday life at the Department of Computer Science:
The Combined master’s in computer science lets you start building your career while studying. After the first full-time year, you will apply your academic knowledge in a relevant job, develop your skills and build a professional network.
Companies in Denmark and internationally seek graduates with strong IT skills. Career paths include software developer, systems architect, product developer, UX designer, cyber security specialist and AI consultant. Over time, you may also move into specialist or management roles combining technology, innovation and business development. Explore our graduates’ career paths: Meet our graduates
You do not need to have a job when you start the programme, but you must work an average of at least 25 hours per week in relevant employment during the final two years. CS Jobwall features vacancies posted by companies in our Business Club. You can also meet potential employers at Kdag, where IT companies visit the department to meet students and graduates.
You can join an entrepreneurial community close to the department’s researchers and other IT entrepreneurs. Learn about HatchIT Lab and AU’s entrepreneurship hub Kitchen, which offers advice and resources to help you get started.
When negotiating your first employment contract, you can seek advice on salaries and employment conditions from professional associations such as PROSA and IDA. See PROSA’s salary statistics [in Danish only].
