Master's Degree Programme
| About the programme Language: English (See language requirements) | Place of study: Aarhus | Commencement: August / September (no winter intake) |
The MSc programme in Digital Business Management responds to the growing demand for professionals equipped to apply digital technologies and data-driven approaches to drive business innovation. The programme provides a comprehensive understanding of how digital technologies affect management, organisation, and work. It prepares you to contribute to accelerating digital development. You will be able to help companies – whether digitally native or undergoing digital transformation - develop the skills necessary to create substantial value in the digital economy.
Digital technologies are revolutionising businesses across industries, driving transformations that affect not only efficiency but also customer and supplier relationships, and even entire business models. Companies must approach digitalisation as an organisation-wide change process that blurs the line between business and technology. This requires employees who are skilled in working at the intersection between business and technology, equipped with both technical expertise and the ability to manage and lead digital innovation.
The MSc programme in Digital Business Management equips you with a balanced mix of technical competencies (e.g., programming) and non-technical competencies (e.g., digital business understanding). The core components include foundational knowledge in business administration, digital technology, and data science, combined with organisational and management perspectives. Through a combination of theoretical study and real-world applications, you develop a nuanced understanding of emerging trends such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and big data – skills that are essential for leading digital transformations effectively.
The MSc programme in Digital Business Management offers a structured exploration of digitalisation through three interconnected perspectives: business, technology, and data.
Developed in collaboration with industry representatives, the MSc in Digital Business Management ensures that you meet the future needs of the job market. Companies are actively engaged in the programme, offering guest lectures, case studies, and an optional internship with a company (in Denmark or abroad). This collaboration not only keeps the curriculum relevant but also provides you with real-world insights and networking opportunities, enhancing your employability upon graduation.
The MSc degree in Digital Business Management prepares you to drive digital transformation and leverage data-driven approaches to innovate across various industries and markets. The programme includes global case studies, providing you with an understanding of digital trends across international contexts.
Positions include:
Additionally, you can engage with potential employers through networking events and collaborations through the student association Digital Business Association (DIBU)
In this section you can learn more about the admission requirements relevant to the master's degree programme in Digital Business Management. 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 you will also be able to learn more about language requirements and find out whether or not this master's degree programme has a limited intake.
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 |
Methods The following subject areas must be covered:
| 15 |
| Marketing | 7,5 |
| Finance | 7,5 |
| Accounting | 7,5 |
| Organisation and leadership theory | 7,5 |
| Microeconomics | 5 |
| Operations management | 5 |
| Additional ECTS points within the abovementioned areas | 25 |
| Bachelor’s project | 10 |
| Total | 90 |
| Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Commercial Law (HA (jur.)) with commencement of study September 2014 or later from Aarhus University must have passed a total of 10 ECTS within the business economics subjects below: |
|
Certain Professional Bachelor's degrees or similar covering specific subject areas from other Danish institutions have been determined to fullfill the admission requirements to this master's degree programme:
| Required subject areas – Professional Bachelor’s degree in Financial Management and Service from Business Academy Aarhus |
Industry specialisation in Accounting (“Programme specialisation subject A – external accounts” and “Study programme subject B – strategic accounting”) With the following electives:
|
Industry specialisation in Finansielle forretninger (this industry specialisation is only offered in Danish) With the following electives:
|
| Required subject areas - AP degree in Marketing Management in combination with a Professional Bachelor’s degree in International Sales and Marketing from Business Academy Aarhus | Number of ECTS |
| BSS module (including Methods 5 ECTS, Finance 5 ECTS, and Operations Management 5 ECTS) | 15 |
For applicants who hold one of the abovementioned professional bachelor's degrees from another business academy, it will be assessed whether the electives correspond to abovementioned electives.
For applicants who hold another professional bachelor's degree, the degree will be assessed according to the requirements described in the section “International and other qualifications”.
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.
The following Bachelor's degree programme(s) from Aarhus University entitles you to an offer of admission to the Master's degree programme in Digital Business Management:
Bachelor's degree programme in Economics and Business Administration (HA)
Please note that you must apply for admission to the Master's degree programme within three years of completing your Bachelor's degree programme.
Learn more about Legal right of admission.
Certain Bachelor's degree programmes from Aarhus University and various other Danish Universities have been determined to meet the admission requirements to this Master's degree programme in Digital Business Management:
* With a diploma older than 2010, your Bachelor’s degree will be assessed according to the specific admission requirements described under the section: “International and other qualifications”.
You must fill in this appendix and upload it to the application portal. The appendix helps the Admission Board to assess your application.
Download appendix
This master's degree programme has a limited intake.
Because of the limited intake all qualified applicants will be prioritised according to a set of selection critieria (see below).
Meeting the admission requirements does not automatically ensure your offer of admission. Only if you have a specific bachelor's degree from Aarhus University with a so-called 'legal right of admission' will you be guarenteed an offer of admission to this master's degree programme.
If there are more qualified applicants than available student places, the selection will be based on the following criteria (each criterion counts for 1/3):
Grades from the qualifying degree
Grades achieved in relevant subject fields:
Organisation and leadership theory
Methods
Please note that grades achieved after the application deadline are not included in the grade point average (GPA).
Relevant subject fields (measured in ECTS). In this assessment, ECTS credits that are a part of the admission requirements described under “International and other qualifications” are not included *.
Organisation and leadership theory
Methods
* The relevant subject fields are evaluated based on the following point system: 1 point per additional ECTS within the relevant field. You can earn a maximum of 15 points in this criterion. Example: If you have 10 ECTS in a relevant field where the requirement is 7.5 ECTS, you will receive 2.5 points.
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.
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.
Below is an outline of the courses and a description of all 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.
Contact Christiane Marie Høvring if you have questions about the Digital Business Management track or the individual courses: cmoh@mgmt.au.dk
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.
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The MSc degree in Digital Business Management prepares you to lead and manage the digital transformation of companies of all sizes and to create business opportunities using digital technologies and data-driven methods. After completing this programme, you will be able to:
Positions include:
1) What makes the MSc in Digital Business Management unique from your perspective?
The degree programme is unique because it has strong focus on the commercial aspects of digitalisation. Many businesses focus extensively on digitalisation but often forget to analyse the external business opportunities provided by digitalisation, including preparing specific business cases or in-depth market analyses. This applies in particular for Danish SMEs. IT and digitalisation have traditionally been placed in finance departments, but recent years have seen a shift towards involving sales and business development to a greater extent, and this demands more of the commercial skills of employees.
2) What competencies demanded by your business does the degree programme provide?
The coupling between technical and commercial aspects enables students to ask critical questions and understand the opportunities as well as the problems arising from digitalisation. Broad understanding of various technological tools and business case modelling enables graduates to independently analyse issues/opportunities and then develop the relevant and most profitable solutions.
3) What type of job function will an MSc Digital Business Management graduate be able to fill at your business (or at your customers)?
Graduates will be able to independently perform tasks related to analysing the opportunities and potentials involved in digitalisation; as a product owner or a business development consultant internally in the businesses of our customers, for example, or on a consultancy basis in the scooping/implementation processes in IT companies such as ours. I see a huge potential in graduates taking on jobs within project management, because they not only understand the technical aspects of a digital product, they also have a good understanding of stakeholder interests, as well as the commercial value created by the digital solution.
1. What makes the MSc in Digital Business Management degree programme unique from your perspective?
Businesses in general are undergoing digital transformation, and understanding technologies and their potentials has highest priority for many, regardless of the industry.
Digital Business Management hits this right on target in this regard because Digital Business Management graduates can use digital technologies to reinvent business models or transform products and customer experiences and to ultimately create value for businesses.
2. What competencies demanded by your business does the degree programme provide?
This degree programme provides core competencies within communication and collaboration which are essential for successful digital transformation that cuts across the entire organisation. We are looking for people with competencies within digital business, and with technical skills; such employees are also in much demand throughout the labour market.
3. What type of job function will an MSc Digital Business Management graduate be able to fill at your business (or at your customers)?
As a management consultant at PwC, you will be a trusted advisor to managements in various types of business. You will get to work with strategies, analyses, business cases, technology selection, process optimisation, change management, data management, agile coaching, and more.
1. What makes the MSc in Digital Business Management unique from your perspective?
The degree programme provides a commercial perspective on the future use and development of IT, as well as insight into how to navigate and manage this development. The programme provides a unique basis for taking on various IT and business roles in businesses with large or small IT projects.
2. What competencies demanded by your business (or that of your customers) does the degree programme provide?
At IBM, we are particularly positive about the commercial perspective provided by the degree programme, which means that any future employee will be able to innovate and create meaningful value both internally in our own business and as a consultant with our customers. Furthermore, the programme focuses on data science and AI, and these are both having an ever-greater impact on IT development.
3. What type of job function will an MSc Digital Business Management graduate be able to fill at your business (or at your customers)?
Many components of the programme provide a solid foundation for fast-track career advancement, because elements of the subjects touch on challenges related management. This means that the foundation you obtain as a graduate can lead you to job opportunities that you would otherwise not be able to achieve as a new graduate. More specifically, the job functions that IBM sees as a possibility for newly graduated students include agile consultant, IT business consultant, associate project manager, business analyst, etc.
