motivational essay copenhagen business school

Copenhagen Business School MiM – Sample Essays & LOR

Free samples from past clients, copenhagen application essays & questions 2023-2024.

Motivational Essay. Maximum 1 page (PDF) Max. 1000 words: motivation and interest in the CEMS MIM program and answering the following three questions with a practical example:

• International orientation: describe an experience/situation abroad that challenged or impressed you (e.g. during an internship, a project, travels, or the like)
• Integrity: what was the greatest set-back in your life so far, and how did it affect you?
• Desire to achieve: describe an outstanding achievement and why you are proud of it.

Copenhagen Winning Sample Essays – 1

Motivational Essay. Maximum 1 page (PDF) 

Max. 1000 words: motivation and interest in the CEMS MIM program and answering the following three questions with a practical example:

1. International orientation: describe an experience/situation abroad that challenged or impressed you (e.g. during an internship, a project, travels, or the like)

One of the most challenging and impressive experiences abroad occurred during my volunteer work with AIESEC in the Czech Republic. Leading a team of 20 international volunteers on a project focused on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was both a significant challenge and a profoundly impactful experience.

Our primary objective was to promote SDG4, Quality Education, by organizing workshops and educational activities in local schools. This experience was challenging for several reasons. First, coordinating a diverse team with members from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds required exceptional communication and leadership skills. Each team member brought unique perspectives and working styles, which I had to harmonize to ensure cohesive and effective project execution.

Moreover, working in a foreign environment presented logistical and cultural challenges. Navigating the Czech education system and understanding local customs and expectations required adaptability and sensitivity. I had to quickly learn and respect cultural nuances to build trust and cooperation with local partners and stakeholders.

One particularly memorable moment was organizing a large-scale workshop on cultural exchange and global citizenship. Despite initial skepticism from some local educators about the project’s relevance, our team managed to create an engaging and impactful event that received overwhelmingly positive feedback from both students and teachers. This success was a testament to our collective efforts, creative problem-solving, and the ability to turn a vision into reality despite numerous obstacles.

This experience abroad profoundly impressed upon me the power of cross-cultural collaboration and the importance of flexibility and open-mindedness. It honed my leadership skills, enhanced my cultural intelligence, and deepened my commitment to global education and sustainable development. The lessons learned and the personal growth achieved during this project continue to influence my approach to professional and personal challenges, reinforcing my dedication to making a positive impact on a global scale.

2. Integrity: what was the greatest set-back in your life so far, and how did it affect you?

The greatest setback in my life occurred when a real estate investment I convinced my family to pursue during the COVID-19 pandemic turned out to be a scam. Our business had already suffered significant losses due to the economic downturn, and we decided to sell our ancestral property to cover some of these losses and reinvest the remaining amount in a smaller property. A trusted friend, a well-known property dealer, assured me that this new investment would double our money quickly.

Trusting his advice, I persuaded my father to invest. Unfortunately, after purchasing the property, we discovered it was a fraudulent scheme, leading to a 20% financial loss. This setback not only resulted in substantial financial strain for my family but also brought immense emotional distress, as it was our ancestral property that had been sold to fund the investment.

This experience profoundly affected me in several ways. First, it taught me the critical importance of due diligence and the necessity of thoroughly vetting any investment opportunity, regardless of the source of the advice. I realized the weight of the responsibility I had taken on and the impact of my decisions on my family’s financial security.

Additionally, this setback pushed me to reassess my approach to risk management and financial planning. I enrolled in finance and investment courses to enhance my understanding of the field and to prevent such mistakes in the future. This proactive approach not only helped me regain confidence but also equipped me with valuable skills that have been beneficial in my professional career.

On a personal level, the experience taught me resilience and the importance of learning from failures. It strengthened my resolve to make informed, cautious decisions and underscored the value of transparency and integrity in all dealings. This setback, though challenging, ultimately fostered significant personal and professional growth, shaping me into a more diligent and thoughtful individual.

3. Desire to achieve: describe an outstanding achievement and why you are proud of it

One of my most outstanding achievements was successfully increasing corporate connections by 30% in just three months at Masters’ Union, a new-age business school. This accomplishment stands out not only because of the quantitative impact but also due to the strategic and relational skills it required.

When I joined Masters’ Union as Senior Manager of Corporate Relations, the institution was in its early stages, and establishing strong industry connections was crucial for the school’s credibility and the career prospects of its students. My primary task was to develop and implement outreach strategies that would significantly enhance our corporate network.

I began by conducting thorough market research to identify key industry players and potential partners who aligned with our mission. I then crafted personalized engagement plans that included direct outreach, collaboration proposals, and invitations for industry leaders to participate in guest sessions and mentorship programs.

One particularly challenging yet rewarding aspect was securing partnerships with top-tier companies, including several MBB firms (McKinsey, BCG, Bain). Through persistent effort, strategic networking, and leveraging mutual connections, I managed to schedule meetings with senior executives. These meetings required meticulous preparation and persuasive communication to effectively convey the value of partnering with Masters’ Union.

The result was a remarkable 30% increase in corporate connections, significantly boosting our students’ internship and job placement opportunities. This achievement not only contributed to the school’s rapid growth and enhanced reputation but also provided students with invaluable industry exposure and career advancement prospects.

I am immensely proud of this accomplishment because it demonstrated my ability to develop and execute a strategic plan, build and leverage professional relationships, and contribute to an organization’s growth. It validated my skills in business development and corporate relations and underscored the impact of perseverance and strategic thinking in achieving ambitious goals. This experience continues to inspire me in my professional journey, reinforcing my commitment to driving positive outcomes through innovative and strategic initiatives.

Quick Essay Review

Using Chat GPT to Write your Essay? Worried if your Essay is Good enough or Not? 

Need a last-minute review?

Submit your essays below & get in-depth feedback within 48 Hours.

What Our Clients Say

Copenhagen recommendation letter – key questions.

• In what capacity have you known the candidate? (No word limit)
• If this is a work-related reference, in what position is/was the candidate employed and for how long? (No word limit)
• What do you consider to be the candidate’s principal strengths/talents? (No word limit)
• What do you consider to be the candidate’s weaknesses or areas that need improvement? (No word limit)

MiM Recommendation Letters (Free Samples & successful Examples)

Here is a quick PDF of a sample recommendation our client submitted for a successful admit. 

How do you know the applicant? How long have you known them for?

I am the Dean and Professor at Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Technology in Rohini, India. I have known Pavani since her first semester, where she was in my “Fundamentals of Computing” class. 

I have had multiple opportunities to interact with Pavani as she was leading the student activities for her batch and was also working on the “Automated Stock Trading algorithm” project as a part of the curriculum, under my guidance. 

What would you say are the applicant’s key strengths and talents?

One of Pavani’s primary strengths is her ability to lead a team even in uncertain situations. In her final year, Pavani was the Organizing Committee Member of the International Conference. Since it was the first conference of its kind, there were no previous benchmarks, or processes in place. Right from marketing, outreach events, finding vendors for event management, to logistics – everything had to be figured out from scratch. The budget was also crunched which further did not help the situation.

Pavani went beyond her responsibilities and took the lead on the project. She worked with other team members, discussed with them and charted a plan. She delegated responsibilities to fellow peers, and also guided them on their tasks. There were also conflicts in the team, and unforeseen problems. One of the vendors cancelled the contract two days before the conference. Pavani immediately reached out to other vendors through personal contacts and engaged the team with a calm mind and got things done. Thanks to Pavani, the conference was a huge success with over 60 participants from multiple countries. As a result, 3 projects were selected and funded by our institution. The conference is now recognised internationally and is set to take place again next year in February. 

Pavani also demonstrated her leadership capabilities while working on a project under my guidance. The project was focused on building automated stock trading algorithms that managed to maximize cumulative profit. Although she did not come from a finance background, Pavani quickly learnt the basic concepts. She also brought her team members onboard by coaching them and teaching how the stock market works. With the team’s support, Pavani was able to build a functioning algorithm that got published in a reputed Journal – “Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research”. I believe Pavani is the kind of candidate who can take ownership and deliver things with minimal guidance.

In which areas of development has the applicant progressed the most in the time you’ve known them?

Initially, when I met Pavani, she was a shy person who was not confident to lead a team. Even though she might have brilliant ideas, she used to keep it to herself and not put it forward. As a consequence of being shy, she even preferred to work alone rather than in teams. She needed a little encouragement to help break her out of her shell. Slowly, she started putting forth her ideas. As those ideas were adopted by her teammates, she started gaining confidence. She quickly learnt to plan, lead and delegate a team effectively. 

Pavani grew to participate in competitions, representing the college on national level. Seeing her progress into an effective leader, I appointed Pavani as the organisational head of an international conference that took place in our campus in February 2020 as mentioned above. 

Pavani also progressed tremendously in her academics from 7 CGPA in 1st semester to 9 CGPA in later semesters. Her performance has progressed not just in theory but practical as well. She was part of 2 research papers that were published in reputable journals.

Another area that Pavani needs to develop is to be open and listen to other’s opinions. Sometimes, Pavani is quite stubborn when it comes to her plans and would want to execute them the way she has planned them. Therefore, she is at times not open to new viewpoints or any suggestions to the plan she came up with. This arises from her own perceptions that changing plans will lead to chaos and hence poor performance. In one of our sessions, I coached her and made her understand that she alone cannot control all things and she alone cannot achieve great things. She understood the importance of teamwork and she has been trying to work it out. She is now a bit more open to new ideas and opinions. I believe she will learn these qualities over time and experience.

In what ways might the applicant contribute to the Masters in Management Program?

Pavani has always volunteered and stepped up to lead student activities. I have no doubt that she would continue to do the same at London Business School. With her experience in event management, she will be a great asset to lead student run activities and events. 

Apart from that, I think Pavani is a fast learner who is always enthusiastic to teach her fellow batchmates. She has held multiple tutor sessions for juniors and fellow batchmates on tough courses. She will contribute to the class by bringing her technical expertise during discussions and also coaching them on relatively tough concepts.

Is MiM Program a right fit for the candidate right now?

This course would be the natural academic evolution for her. On multiple occasions, Pavani has expressed her interest in taking up roles that are in the intersection of business and technology. Engineering gave her a strong foundation in technology and analytical skills. But she needs the academic experience and learning about the business world. More importantly MiM will also groom her leadership abilities and impart holistic thinking capabilities. Pavani has a great potential to learn and succeed. And I believe MiM will be a step in the right direction towards achieving her goals.

Master in Management  Program

Paris, France

Date: 12-07-2022

To whomever it concerns  

I am writing this letter of recommendation on Behalf of Payal Saxena for her admissions into the MiM Program at your prestigious university. I have observed Payal in the capacity of a mentor and guide for about 8 months, during which she, along with her two peers, developed an algorithm for fully automated stock trading. 

Payal approached me for guidance to work on a project, which they aimed to showcase in a project challenge. This project carries a lot of value and adds towards the credits for their final degree. Initially, when the team brainstormed on the ideas, Payal raised her interest to solve some real problem using technology. The team did not want to do robotics or bot building rather create a value using their technical skills. So we decided to build an automatic stock trading algorithm. 

Payal’s willingness to learn and creative problem solving abilities was evident throughout the project.  When we started the project, Payal had a very basic understanding of stocks, but she was determined to learn. She took the initial few weeks to study up and research. I was surprised how quickly she ramped up her knowledge on the subject. She was studying trends on money control websites, mainly high performing stocks over different time periods. She always used to come up with new ideas, parameters to identify some patterns. True that Payal needed guidance on the subject and a little push from my end. Nonetheless, she used to contemplate and brainstorm with the team with utmost enthusiasm and result-oriented mindset. 

Another strength of Payal is her team leading capabilities. As this topic is entirely new for engineering students, she helped her fellow team members understand the topics by coaching them. She was also helping the team by translating the business problem into a technical language that is easy for the team to grasp and understand. I could clearly see Payal taking a lead on the project, guiding her members, provoking them to think differently, and motivating the team with a “can-do” attitude. Finally the team applied different indicators with different timelines and devised a mathematical equation which could be coded upon. And the team succeeded in building an algorithm with the use of a golden crossover indicator with moving averages of 9 minutes and 21 minutes. 

One thing that I have noticed during my time with her is that she is very stubborn. If she wants to try a new model, she wants to try it. Even if I guide her that this model may not actually work, she will still try her hands and then realise on her own when the results come out. She makes this plan in her mind and she wants to follow it through, and she is not very receptive to any changes or updates to that plan. I understand that this stems from her passion to solve problems and experiment on her own . However, she may not have the luxury of time and resources to do this in the real business world. I have advised Payal on the same and she listened to me carefully. I believe she will overcome this weakness over time and experience.

Payal is at the right inflection point in her career transition. She has strong technical skills, and she has always expressed interest to solve business problems using her skill set. I believe a MiM will help her gain that business understanding and also groom her leadership skills early in her career.    I would definitely recommend Payal as  a strong candidate for the MIM program

I hope the admissions committee sees the potential in Payal as I do, and I wish Payal all the best in her future endeavours. 

Manager, XXXXXXX

Based on the Letters of Recommendation Guide, here are five tailored do’s and don’ts for writing recommendation letters for candidates applying to a Master’s in Management (MiM) program:

Do’s:

1. Choose a Recommender Who Knows You Well: – Do: Select a recommender who has worked closely with you and can provide specific examples of your management skills, leadership potential, and professional achievements. This person should be able to speak to your capabilities and character in a detailed and nuanced manner. – Reason: Admissions committees value depth and specificity in recommendations over the recommender’s title or prestige .

2. Highlight Relevant Skills: – Do: Ensure the recommender highlights skills relevant to an MiM program, such as leadership, strategic thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities. Examples of how you managed projects, led teams, or solved complex problems should be included. – Reason:  Relevant skills demonstrate your preparedness for the rigorous demands of a management program .

3. Provide Specific Examples: – Do:  Encourage your recommender to provide detailed examples of your accomplishments. Anecdotes that illustrate your leadership in action or your ability to strategize effectively add credibility to the letter. – Reason: Specific examples make the recommendation more credible and compelling, showing concrete evidence of your potential .

4. Meet with Your Recommender: – Do:  Arrange a meeting with your recommender to discuss your achievements, career goals, and reasons for pursuing an MiM. Provide them with a résumé and a list of your key accomplishments to help them write a comprehensive letter. – Reason: This ensures that your recommender has all the necessary information to write a strong, personalized recommendation .

5. Ensure Timely Submission: – Do: Set a personal deadline for your recommender that is well ahead of the application deadline. Follow up periodically to ensure they are on track. – Reason: This helps avoid last-minute issues and ensures that your application is complete on time .

Don’ts:

1. Don’t Write Your Own Recommendation: – Don’t: Never write your own recommendation letter, even if asked to do so by a recommender. Politely decline and offer to provide detailed information instead. – Reason: Self-written letters lack objectivity and can be easily spotted by admissions committees, potentially harming your application .

2. Don’t Choose Recommenders Based on Title Alone: – Don’t: Avoid selecting recommenders solely based on their impressive titles if they do not know you well. A generic letter from a high-ranking official is less effective than a detailed letter from someone who knows your work intimately. – Reason: Admissions committees value insight and detail over prestige. A superficial letter can undermine your application .

3. Don’t Ignore the Instructions: – Don’t:  Ensure your recommenders follow the specific instructions and format required by each school. Avoid generic letters that do not address the school’s particular questions or criteria. – Reason: Different programs may have unique requirements, and adherence to these shows attention to detail and respect for the application process .

4. Don’t Overuse Superlatives: – Don’t:  Instruct your recommender to avoid excessive use of superlatives without backing them up with specific examples. Phrases like “the best” or “outstanding” should be supported by detailed evidence. – Reason: Over-the-top praise can seem insincere unless substantiated with concrete examples. Balanced, realistic assessments are more credible .

5. Don’t Choose Recommenders Who Are Unfamiliar with Your Recent Work: – Don’t: Avoid selecting recommenders who have not worked with you in the past few years, unless absolutely necessary. Their insight may be outdated or less relevant. – Reason: Current supervisors or colleagues are better positioned to speak about your recent achievements and current potential .

These do’s and don’ts will help ensure that the recommendation letters for candidates applying to a Master’s in Management program are strong, detailed, and effective in supporting their application.

Free Recommendation letter  template specifically tailored for candidates applying to a Master’s in Management (MiM) program, with a distinct structure and instructions to highlight relevant skills.

Admissions Committee [Master’s in Management Program Name] [University Name] [University Address] [City, State, ZIP Code]

Subject: Recommendation letter for —-“

Dear  Admissions Committee,

I am delighted to recommend [Candidate’s Name] for the [Master’s in Management program] at [University Name]. I have been [Candidate’s Name]’s [supervisor/manager/colleague] at [Company Name] for [duration], and during this time, I have closely observed [his/her/their] professional growth and achievements.

Key strenghts and Competencies

[Candidate’s Name] has demonstrated a strong aptitude for management, particularly in the areas of [relevant skills, e.g., leadership, strategic thinking, team collaboration]. In [specific project/task], [he/she/they] [specific action taken], resulting in [quantifiable result/outcome]. This project exemplifies [his/her/their] ability to manage complex initiatives and drive significant results.

Initiative and Problem-Solving

A notable example of [Candidate’s Name]’s initiative was during [specific situation]. [He/She/They] identified a critical issue in [context] and took proactive steps to [specific action taken], which led to [positive outcome]. This instance highlights [his/her/their] problem-solving capabilities and proactive approach.

Leadership and Team Dynamics

[Candidate’s Name] excels in leading teams and fostering a collaborative environment. During [specific team project], [he/she/they] [specific actions taken to lead the team], ensuring that all team members were aligned and motivated. The project’s success, marked by [specific achievements], is a testament to [his/her/their] effective leadership and team management skills.

Areas of improvement and Growth

[Candidate’s Name] is highly adaptable and continuously seeks to improve. After receiving feedback on [specific area for improvement], [he/she/they] [specific actions taken to improve], resulting in [positive development]. This commitment to personal and professional growth is a key attribute that will serve [him/her/them] well in the [Master’s in Management program].

Overall Recommendation

In conclusion, [Candidate’s Name] is an outstanding candidate for the [Master’s in Management program] at [University Name]. [His/Her/Their] combination of management skills, leadership qualities, and dedication to continuous improvement make [him/her/them] well-suited for your program. I am confident that [he/she/they] will make significant contributions and excel in this academically rigorous and dynamic environment.

[Recommender’s Name] [Recommender’s Title] [Company Name]

This template is structured to highlight the candidate’s management expertise, leadership abilities, and dedication to continuous improvement, making it suitable for applications to a Master’s in Management program.

You may also like

Application prep, $ 500 / ₹ 40k.

———————

Unlimited Calls

Unlimited Edits

Free Interview Prep

If not shortlisted for Interview*

100% Refund

Wondering if you can target this school?

Free Profile Evaluation Workshop

Join our live workshop and

Get all your profile related questions answered. 

Get the Reddit app

The subreddit for all things Copenhagen! Visiting or moving here? Read the pinned thread before posting.

Admission to Copenhagen Business School

I am an EU student wanting to apply to CBS. However, I'm getting my upper secondary school certificate way past the deadline (March 15). I'll probably get it only on July 7th. Can I apply first and provide some needed documents later? And if so, what other documentation should I send them? Sorry for these seemingly obvious questions, I'm just really lost.

By continuing, you agree to our User Agreement and acknowledge that you understand the Privacy Policy .

Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app

You’ve set up two-factor authentication for this account.

Enter a 6-digit backup code

Create your username and password.

Reddit is anonymous, so your username is what you’ll go by here. Choose wisely—because once you get a name, you can’t change it.

Reset your password

Enter your email address or username and we’ll send you a link to reset your password

Check your inbox

An email with a link to reset your password was sent to the email address associated with your account

{{phone.Value}}

successful admissions

of students enter the university of their choice

students consult Education Index when applying for universites

Study Abroad

• 1 Choose university
• 2 Choose course
• 3 Tuition fees
• 4 Scholarships and grants
• 5 How get accepted
• 6 Student feedbacks
• Study abroad
• Choose university
• Choose course
• Tuition fees
• Scholarships and grants
• How get accepted
• Student feedbacks

How to Write a Motivation Letter to the University

There are 2 reasons why it is crucial to preapare a motivation letter carefully.

The first reason – this is your chance to stand out among equals and even stronger competitors. To be admitted to a foreign universities you must the best students from around the world. Your competitors' school scores and level of English are (if not higher than yours) definitely not less. You could have no time to retake English exam and change its score. A brilliant motivation letter will distinguish you among others.

The second reason – a motivation letter could minimize the disadvantages of the some components of your application. Perhaps, you have chosen a program that does not coincide with the previous education, you don't have relevant work experience or just lack a few GMAT points. Motivation letter helps to present this information and shift the focus on your strengths.

I. Read the Requirements to Motivational Letter

If requirements are not specified on the program website, register online to get an access to the University application form and find a description of the requirements in this system. Please note that you schould cover the required amount of words or characters and the questions. Check how many motivational essay are required to chosen University: the majority of programs of the first higher and graduate programs usually require only one motivation letter , but there are exceptions, for example: the University of Edinburgh normally required to submit two essays for its graduate programs.

Sample questions for motivation letter for the program MSc Management University of East Anglia in 2016: "The motivation essay should be about 500 words. Describe why You chose the program, how it relates to Your future career plans, Your experience, practice, volunteer activities, and other experience relevant to the program, what You hope to gain, after studying on the program."

II. Define the Structure of Your Motivation Letter

Think thoroughly about your paragraphs which will become part of your essay, how these topics are interrelated; don't forget to include an introduction and conclusion. Consider and what you will write in each paragraph of your motivational essay.

Below, we have the most simple structure of a motivation essay to University, successfully tested on the motivation letters of more than 100 Russian-speaking students , enrolled in foreign universities:

• Introduction.
• Connection between career goals and chosen program.
• Career plan: how described above goals will be achieved.
• What qualities, skills and knowledge are important for your career plan, and what do you need to develop?
• How the program, which you applying for, will help you to develop the appropriate qualities, skills and knowledge and achieve career goals indicated above.
• How could you be interesting/ useful for the University and fellow students.
• Conclusion.

If You are confident enough to write in English, it may be easier to write your motivation letter in Russian and then translate it into English.

III. Define Your Career Goals and Describe Them

Most foreign universities include in motivation letter questions, a question about student's future career. The older student or the higher level of education, the more specific and thoughtful should be a description of his career plan. What industry attracts you more and why? Are there companies for which you would like to work with and why? If you want to start up your own business, describe why you choose the entrepreneurial path, and what area you will work in.

Try to determine Your career goals for the next 2-4 years when applying for a bachelor's degree, 5-7 years for master's and MBA. Goals should be: - Not simple, but realistic; - Professional goals should be related to life goals; - Specific, demonstrating your understanding of the industry, the area where you want to work; - Aimed to improve not only your life and the your bank account, but also the lives of people around you, your society, country and perhaps the world in general.

Try to tie Your career and life goals. In the example below you will find the connection of career and life goals of a student from Moscow, entered the BSc program Biomedical Science at the London UCL : "I have always been interested in the nature of living things. Illnesses that befell my family members and some friends taught me that health is one of the most important things in life. Yet, most people get sick throughout their lives, and I have always seen being able to help find a cure for illnesses as a good purpose in life."

IV. What to Do if There Isn't a Career Plan Yet?

Whe  many students applying for an undergraduate program, there is no clear understanding what they will do and where after completion of high school. In this case you should describe the area which you see yourself in and tell the admissions Committee that by studying at their University you hope to make a more detailed career plan.

Below there is an example of career plan description of a student who hasn't chosen an exact profession, and applied for the BA program in Film Studies University of Reading : "I have not yet decided what type of career path in cinematography I should choose. I hope this course would help me gain a clearer understanding of the activities involved in the filmmaking process, so that I could make an informed decision regarding my career."

V. Tell about Your Qualities, Knowledge and Achievements

How and what to tell about yourself in the motivation letter may puzzle many applicants: we do not often write our own biography. However, this task can be very lightweight, if you will ude the following guidelines:

1. Determine what special qualities and knowledge are necessary for success  in your chosen programme and your future career, and which of them you have. Describe these qualities, giving examples from study, work and life.

2. Determine what persona qualities  you have will help you to succeed in your chosen path. Describe these advantages, providing examples from your academic, professional, public, sports etc. life.

3. If You have an interesting hobby or you are involved in activities that may be useful in your learning or help you become an valuable for the University, briefly describe them.

4. Inform about the qualities and knowledge that are necessary for success in your career y ou would like to develop  while studying the program; universities often indicate these questions as "points of improvements".

5. Do not praise and do not understate yourself , but describe yourself as objectively as possible, citing facts, based on the opinion of others and, if possible, quoting him.

Examine the brochures and website of the selected University. University often reports about what qualities are required from the students and what criteria to meet.

The following is an example description of the personal qualities by a student from Moscow , applying for the program the MBA in the business school, University of Aston : "I enjoy challenges and the learning experience I can gain from them. At university, I learned to value quality knowledge and efforts needed to acquire it. Throughout my career I learned how to be a results-oriented manager and motivate others. I believe my most important quality in this respect is my ability to collaborate and communicate effectively. However, I believe that to implement my business ideas, I still need to learn more about organizations and entrepreneurship in global business."

If it is difficult to describe yourself, you can start listing your strongest personal qualities, knowledge, skills, hobbies and achievements, write them in a separate list to analyze them, and leave it 3-6 items, that mostly fit your suitability for the selected program. These are the qualities you will need to highlight in your motivation letter,  recommendation  letters and resume.

VI. Tell Us why You are Interested in this Program and University

Remember that the person who is evaluating your application, is likely to be an expert in the relevant subject area, and it will be important to see the proof of your sincere interest and understanding. A motivation letter for master degree program should demonstrate a deeper understanding of the subject than an essay for admission to a first degree. Samples of motivation letters in English and Russian .

VII. Put the Final Pieces Together

Following the structure of the essay, make the first version of your essay and modify it, making sure that all parts of your work logically relate to each other.

VIII. Check and Edit Motivation Letter

In the motivational letter thoughts need to be expressed clearly and simply. It is easy to achieve if you limit the length of the sentence as 12-20 words. Avoid as overly familiar and overly formal style. Write so the committee acn understand you easily. Make sure each sentence contains important information and there is no redundancy such as repetition of ideas or words. 

Some essays could start with a catchy quotes, others could contain jokes or  untypical layout. Sometimes it works, but it can have the opposite effect. Members of the selection Committee may not share your sense of humor and viewpoints, so be careful trying to make your essay too unusual.

Check grammar, spelling and punctuation. Essay, compiled with errors, creates a negative impression of the skills and efforts applied for admission.

It is impossible to rely entirely on the function of "spell Check" in your computer. Print a letter several times and read it carefully, trying to detect tricky inaccuracies or typographical errors.

Let people whose opinions you trust read your motivation letter. Make sure the text of your writing clear to readers.

We can help if you want to be sure in your cover letter

For applicants to Bachelor, master and MBA in universities of Australia, UK, Holland, Canada, USA and other countries, in the universities included in the international rankings of universities

Individual consultation

You will be able to ask questions, how to make a motivation letter in your case, which sides to emphasize and how to smooth out the shortcomings

Motivation Letter Preparation

You will receive a motivation letter written by graduates of Cambridge and Oxford, drawn up by all the rules and clear admission Committee of the University

Featured articles

The University of Toledo through the students eyes

Moscow State University ranked among the top 30 in the world

Russian-British double degree programme: 4 years, MGIMO and University of Reading

Russian-British double degree Master programme: 2 years, MGIMO and University of Reading

Business school Brunel University London is among the best in Europe

Programs University of Surrey was ranked fifth in the world rankings "Shanghai Global Rankings 2018"

What SHOULD and SHOULD NOT do when writing a cover letter

What to tell about yourself in a cover letter to an English University?

Major mistakes in his letter to a Russian student

If Certificate not received yet: making letters with the estimates for admission...

Birkbeck University: the opportunity to combine study and work in England

2014: ranking of UNIVERSITIES in the UK from the "The Complete University Guide"

University of Kent is ranked 22nd in the "Guardian University Guide 2018"

Ranking of universities in the UK The Complete University Guide 2016

How not to write PhD thesis

How to stay and work in the UK after the training?

Ways of finding work in the Netherlands for foreign students and graduates

Employment and work of graduates in the Netherlands through the program Orientat...

Master Motivation Letter - Copenhagen Business School

Pahan 1 / 1884   Feb 19, 2014   #2 While in my last years in college, I had also the privilege to work an internship at the local branch of the Chevron Corporation, where I learned the basics of Supply Chain Management working as an Expeditor. In my final year in college, I also had the privilege to do an internship at the local branch of the Chevron Corporation. By working there as an Expeditor, I acquired a sound basic knowledge about Supply Chain Management. It was a most rewarding experience, working shoulder to should with the buyers and category managers to ensure the production teams wouldn't run out of supplies. It was one of the most rewarding experience for me, working shoulder to shoulder with the buyers and category managers in order to ensure that the production teams would not run out of supplies.

Meet the students at BSC SHIPPING

Click on the students to learn more about what it is like to be a student at BSc Shipping. 

Follow on Instagram

Stay tuned for an insight to our programmes - told by our students. Start following now!

Which is the right programme for you?

Compare different bachelor programmes and find out:

• How much economics or languages a programme contains
• How many men and women there are
• How old the students are

Compare bachelor programmes

Join us at CBS

If you want to learn more about the content of the programmes, student life or admission, you are welcome to:

• join us for open days
• join us for info meetings

Chatbot Coby

Coby can help you with your questions about admission to our bachelor's programmes, e.g. questions about application deadlines and admission requirements.

BSc in International Shipping and Trade

• Compare programmes
• Admission and application

About the programme

At the heart of globalisation Shipping is at the very core of international trade. Millions of tons of cargo are shipped from one end of the globe to the other every day, You could even describe international shipping as “globalisation in its physical form”, linking production, people and companies all over the planet. Developing efficient, reliable and cost-effective solutions to moving goods from producers to buyers is increasingly a key component in assuring business success for international companies. Shipping is not only a very large but also a highly dynamic industry. Denmark is a leading shipping country, home to the world’s largest container shipping company and many other strong, global shipping companies.

Specialisation and industry focus The BSc Shipping is different from all the other programmes at CBS in that it focuses directly on just one industry. Rather than a general understanding of business conditions and business economics, you will develop a specific understanding of how shipping companies operate, how they develop strategies and business networks and how to plan and manage in a global and dynamic industry. The programme is for those who feel quite confident that the shipping industry is indeed where they want to have their careers – and who want an academic, industry-focused university degree as the foundation for that career. International and practical experience Through your three years in the programme, you will experience academic studies in the fields of business economics, shipping and trade combined with an international as well as intercultural understanding and practical industry experience. Each year is structured very differently: you will study at CBS, study abroad, study together with students from other countries and cultures and also spend time as an intern in a shipping company. This unique structure will provide you with a varied and exciting study experience, but it will also be demanding and require a lot of hard work.

• The first year will give you a broad understanding of international business economics and introduce you to the unique aspects of the shipping industry. You will study some of your courses together with students from our International Business programme.
• The second year  will give you a global perspective on shipping. It will focus on the economic, legal and operational dynamics of the industry. You will spend this year together with students from Singapore Management University, Nanyang Technical University, Singapore, Hong Kong Polytechnics and University of Piraeus, Greece. All students will spend the first half year in Copenhagen, and the second half in Singapore, Hong Kong or Greece.
• The third year will deepen your academic and analytical skills within maritime economics and management and it will give you considerable practical shipping experience. During this year, you will combine your studies at CBS with an internship in a shipping company. This will give you hands-on experience with shipping operations and enable you to embark on a career in shipping.

Special option during BSc Shipping On BSc Shipping, you can apply for GLOBAL - Global Supply Chain and Logistics Management. GLOBAL SCLM is a programme focusing on international business, global logistics and supply chain management. The accepted students will spend a semester each in Copenhagen and at two partner universities in China and in Canada.

Learn more about GLOBAL SCLM.

Please note that this option only is available to a very limited number of students.

Hear students share insights about BSc Shipping

Hear students at BSc Shipping share some experiences and their thoughts about the programme.

What you should be interested in

To study BSc Shipping successfully and be happy with the programme it would be useful to be interested in:

• international trade and global markets
• the shipping industry on both a strategic and operational level
• shipping and trade from many different perspectives as the programme encompasses a wide range of topics within business administration and shipping
• a general interest in politics, economics and the cultures of different countries and regions

Challenges and considerations

BSc shipping has some particular challenges that are important to think about before you choose the programme. How well do these challenges correspond to the sort of person you are, how you like to work and the things you are good at?

Working with people from different backgrounds BSc Shipping students must be able to adapt and work well with people from very different backgrounds and cultures. During your second year you will study together with American and Singaporean students. During large parts of your third year you will be working together with experienced shipping professionals in an internship. It is therefore a very useful quality to enjoy diversity and be open to other people.

Working analytically and academically Some students expect BSc Shipping to be very practical in its approach. However, it is important to understand that BSc Shipping is a university programme which will also introduce you to general theories within business administration and expect you to work analytically and academically. You need to be comfortable with this theoretical and analytical approach to studying.

Quarter-structure BSc Shipping has a so-called “quarter structure” where you follow two courses for about six weeks before taking your exams in those two courses. Each year of study is divided into four such quarters. Some students enjoy this way of working as it allows them to focus on only two courses and two exams at a time. Others find it challenging because it means that you need to keep up your study discipline all the time and if you have just a couple of weeks where you are not very productive it can be challenging to catch up.

Maths as a tool In close to half of the mandatory courses in BSc Shipping you will use maths as a tool. You will not use maths that is complicated beyond the entry requirement for the programme, but you need to be comfortable having courses where you use maths and do calculations at a practical level.

Studying in English If you are not used to studying in English or if you are not a native speaker, we recommend that you read more about what to consider before applying for an English-taught programme. 

See  Studying in English on Student Life

Hear a student guidance councellor share some challenges and considerations you should be aware of before applying to BSc Shipping

The study environment

Career options and Master's programmes

Entry requirements

Read about entry requirements and how to apply at bachelor admission

See Admission Statistics for all bachelor programmes.

Overview of courses

Introduction to Maritime Economics

The course introduces students to the economics and management of international shipping. The overall aim of the course is to give students knowledge about shipping markets and shipping’s relationship to global trade.   The course focuses on recent developments and future challenges in international shipping and introduces theories from micro- and macroeconomics to the study of shipping markets.   The course enables students to identify and critically assess factors which determine business opportunities in international shipping.   Structure and key topics:

• Shipping and global trade
• The four shipping markets
• Shipping cycles and forecasting
• Economics of dry bulk shipping
• Economics of tanker shipping
• Economics of liner shipping
• Maritime finance and risk management
• Regulatory framework for international shipping
• National shipping policies
• Outsourcing and ship management
• Quality shipping
• Green shipping

Learning Objectives

• 1. Discuss how shipping is related to international trade and how international trade affects shipping
• 2. Identify drivers of demand and supply in the main shipping markets
• 3. Introduce theories and models from micro- and macroeconomics to the study of shipping markets
• 4. Identify and critically assess factors which determine business opportunities in international shipping

Maritime Law

To be announced

• • Understand the legal aspect of shipping in respect of maritime contracts and tort law
• • Describe the general legal setting of the international shipping industry in respect of shipping contracts and tort matters
• • Identify and explain common legal problems in the international shipping industry and to solve such contractual and non-contractual disputes
• • Explain commonly used standard contracts such as Bills of Ladings and Charter Parties
• • Apply the relevant laws/instruments applicable to a tort dispute involving maritime key-actors such as ship-owners, carriers, governmental and inter-governmental authorities

Operations and Logistics Management

The course objective is to provide the students with an understanding of how the principles, theories and concepts of operations and logistics management can be used to improve operational effectiveness within the shipping industry. The task of managing a firm involves making tradeoffs among a range of interrelated decisions that have a major impact on performance. This task is key for any organization and is what Operations Management is concerned with - the activity of managing the resources of the organization that deliver goods and services. Logistics management deals with the supply chain that plans, implements and controls the flow and storage of goods, products and services, and related information to meet customers’ needs.  

The course will discuss various themes and problems involving strategic as well as operational and logistics managerial activities such as (but not limited to):  

• Introduction to Operations and Logistics Management
• Operations and logistics strategy
• Performance objectives
• Product and service innovation
• Managing capacity
• Managing supplier relationships
• Transportations operations
• Planning and managing inventory
• Lean operations
• Quality management
• Supply chain integration
• Port operations
• Human resources in operations and logistics
• • The student should be able to discuss and evaluate the theories, tools, concepts, and methodologies of operations and logistics management presented in the course.
• • The student should be able to identify and analyze issues pertaining to operations and logistics management in the shipping and related industries.
• • Explain the concept of supply chain management in relation to a specific product, company activities and the flow of goods.
• • The students should be able to evaluate case situations and provide clear recommendations.

Course related to maritime economics, transport and international trade 1 (7.5 ECTS)

Common course I takes place at Singapore Management University, Nanyang Technical University (Singapore), Hong Kong Polytechnics and University of Piraeus (Greece) as a part of the exchange on the 4th semester.

Business Research Methodology

The course topic falls within methodology and philosophy of science as it applies to business research and social science. The learning objectives should be interpreted through this lens. The course content is thus structured by (1) various positions from philosophy of science (positivism, hermeneutics, critical rationalism etc.) but with (2) the simultaneous aim of showing how such epistemological positions apply to the study of core disciplines in business economics such as microeconomics, organization theory, strategy, finance and CSR.

The course teaching delivers (1) lectures on the theories and concepts of such positions along and (2) training and group exercises of the ability to apply and exemplify such methodological concepts within a concrete practical or scientific context. This also reflects what is ultimately expected of the student at the end of the course: (a) theoretical and conceptual mastery of basic concepts from philosophy of science along with (b) the ability to apply such methodological concepts within the context of social science, business economics and international shipping in particular.

• Describe and explain basic concepts from philosophy of science such as, for instance, ’epistemology’, ’ontology’, ‘validity’ or ’falsification’.
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of basic epistemological assumptions underlying different core disciplines in business economics such as ‘microeconomics’, ‘organization theory’, ‘accounting’, ‘strategy’, etc.
• Independently apply basic methodologies in such research, including both selection and critical evaluation of secondary sources and techniques or the collection of primary data.
• Critically evaluate the choice and implementation of research methodologies in international business research.

Organisational Analysis

This course aims to familiarize you with key ideas and concepts of organization, such as organizational structure, culture, change, leadership, technology and power. We will explore the ways these have been understood historically in organization studies and will ask you to engage critically and practically with these concepts both individually and in groups while analyzing texts and cases and presenting them in class.

Beware that potential company visits are mandatory and part of the course.

• • Explain and practically apply key concepts and ideas of organizational analysis as presented in the course
• • Show the ability to relate these different concepts and ideas
• • Understand the strengths and weaknesses of the concepts and ideas
• • Understand the usefulness and limitations of concepts and ideas in guiding concrete decisions in practice when applied to case examples
• • Demonstrate appropriate communication skills, including the ability to present information together with analysis, argument and commentary

The major goal of the statistics course is to produce statistically educated students which mean that students should develop statistical literacy and the ability to think and reason statistically. Statistics is a valuable tool in the practical application of every other science. Emphasis is on interpretation and understanding of simple statistical methods as applied in business, economics, different types of companies or institutions and industries. The topics of the curriculum are:

a)The basic laws of probability and the most important probability distributions. b) Descriptive statistics, both numerical and graphical. c) Statistical inference; estimators, confidence intervals and significance tests of hypotheses. d) One and two sample tests for means and proportions; paired and unpaired data. e) Analysis of association using contingency tables and correlation. f) Regression analysis; simple, multiple, logistic. g) One-way and two-way analysis of variance, analysis of covariance.  

• Identify key theories, models and concepts of probability and statistics.
• Use graphical and numerical methods for exploring and summarizing data
• Describe basic probability and how probability helps us understand randomness in our lives, as well as grasp the crucial concept of a sampling distribution and how it relates to inference methods.
• Choose and justify appropriate descriptive and inferential methods for examining and analyzing data and drawing conclusions.
• Analysis of the association between categorical, discrete, and continuous variables, using contingency tables, correlation, regressions, and analysis of variance.
• Communicate the conclusions of statistical analysis clearly and effectively, i.e identify connections between basic statistics and the real world.

Principles of International Marketing

This is the core marketing class in the BSc International Shipping and Trade program. The course gives an overview of the marketing activities of companies operating in global markets. The course covers five main themes over seven weeks: 1. deciding whether to internationalize, 2. deciding which markets to enter, 3. market entry strategies, 4. designing a global marketing programme, and 5. implementing and evaluating the global marketing programme. In addition, we discuss the influence of digitalization and the increasing relevance of corporate social responsibility. The primary goal of the course is thereby to provide a comprehensive overview of the basic principles of international marketing-related activities within a firm. After the course, students should be able to apply methods for generating a marketing plan for a company in an international market and reflect on performance outcomes of the suggested marketing program.

The above-described course content directly supports the learning goals: Practical application of theory, learning in relation to practical business settings (learning through case studies), a clear focus on an international economic and business perspective, and research-based teaching (fulfilled through class readings which incorporate contemporary research articles in the field of international marketing

• Have a clear understanding of globalization - anti-globalization movements, global marketing strategy, and global firms,
• Learn online and offline data sources and how to access and use them for improving global marketing decision making
• Assess the market size and market potential for products and services in foreign markets, countries, and regions
• Critically assess, analyze, and design international marketing strategies including the choice of entry mode and the development of the marketing mix for companies at different stages of internationalization,
• Adopt the mindset of a global marketing manager and generate relevant managerial solutions while solving concrete case studies

Risk Management

• Describe the main sources of risk in the shipping industry
• Discuss how risk is identified, measured, reported and managed and calculate relevant risk measures
• Discuss the role of risk management and real options in value creation
• Define the financial hedging instruments that are available for shipping firms
• Discuss and analyze hedging strategies relevant for shipping firm

Course related to maritime economics, transport and international trade 2 (7.5 ECTS)

Common course II takes place at Singapore Management University, Nanyang Technical University (Singapore), Hong Kong Polytechnics and University of Piraeus (Greece) as a part of the exchange on the 4th semester.

Advanced Maritime Economics

Advanced Maritime Economics focuses on shipping company performance. The course analyses factors that influence shipping firms’ performance and explores the causes for performance differences. It qualifies students to engage in strategic management processes within shipping companies and prepares them for their subsequent work with their BSc theses.

Advanced Maritime Economics covers financial, environmental, and social dimensions of firm performance and discusses to what extent performance along these dimensions align or conflict. The course draws on different analytical lenses from strategic management, corporate finance, and sustainability studies and provides students with analytical tools that may help firms improve their performance.

In the course, students also learn how to evaluate the quality of maritime research. They learn how to apply the most common research quality criteria (i.e., reliability, validity, credibility, novelty, rigor, and significance) in assessments of maritime research. They get an opportunity to evaluate several studies on shipping company performance from the syllabus and design their own study on shipping company performance.

The course covers a broad spectrum of shipping segments, from container shipping over tankers and dry bulkers to shipping niches, and leverages on previous courses in the International Shipping and Trade program.

• Identify and analyze factors that influence the financial, environmental, and social performance of shipping companies.
• Apply theories and concepts from strategic management, corporate finance, and sustainability studies in a study of shipping company performance.
• Evaluate the quality of maritime research.
• Design a study to explore why shipping company performance varies.

Internship 2

The topic of Internship II is real-life problems of a strategic or organizational nature, which maritime companies and organizations are currently facing. The course focuses on finding solutions to such problems. It allows students to leverage their practical experiences from their shipping internships as well as their theoretical training from previous courses of the bachelor program to address current real-life problems for maritime companies and organizations.

Based on their own experiences in the respective internships students shall identify and describe an organizational or strategic challenge, which maritime companies and organizations are currently encountering. Students shall describe the nature of the challenge and discuss possible solutions for it. In pointing out solutions, students shall refer to selected theories or models from previous courses of the bachelor program such as (but not restricted to) strategic management, finance, marketing, organizational analysis, operations and logistics management, microeconomics and maritime law. Students shall explain how theories or models can inform and guide solutions for the challenges that maritime companies and organizations are experiencing.

The course will train students in communicating and discussing real-life business challenges. In class, students shall make presentations for an audience of shipping company practitioners and nautical school students. They shall demonstrate that they can communicate clearly and effectively with colleagues from nautical departments in shipping companies

• Describe a practical, real-life problem of strategic or organizational nature for a maritime company and organization
• Propose and argue for a solution to the problem based on selected theories or models from previous courses within the bachelor program
• Explain the proposed solution in such a way that colleagues from different departments of a company or organization are able to understand their argumentation

Microeconomics

Course content and structure  

This course provides an introduction to the functioning of economic markets: it describes what lies behind the notions of demand and supply. Emphasis is placed on the behavioural assumptions that generate demand for particular products, and on whether the producers of a particular product compete in a perfect or an imperfect way. We also explore important extensions to the basic model such as uncertainty and symmetric information. The main blocks of the curriculum are:

• Supply and Demand
• Consumer theory: preferences, rationality assumptions, budgetary constraints
• Producer theory: production and costs functions
• Market structures: perfect competition, monopoly, oligopolistic competition, etc.
• Public goods and externalities 

Practical Application of Theory In each main block the theory is exemplified with everyday problems and issues. We will consider economic models evaluating policies such as minimum wages and commodity taxation. Relation to a Business or an Institutional Setting We consider in depth how different market structures affect firms and consumers. We also emphasize how governments design institutions to correct market imperfections. Relation to International Business or Economics Several examples from the international business area are considered. Examples will be drawn particularly from U.S., Canada and Europe. Research Based Teaching Issues which are currently under debate in economic research are presented when relevant. In particular, we will discuss the limits of neoclassical models and how the research frontier confronts those limits.

• Understand and apply conceptually and analytically the basic concepts of microeconomics (e.g., the fundamental concepts in consumer theory, producer theory, game theory, and the theory of markets)
• Describe and rationalise the main assumptions behind simple economic models and analyze the role that those assumptions play.
• Use economic models graphically (diagrammatically) to analyze the effects of policy experiments (e.g. introducing taxes).
• Derive numerically economic instruments and apply them in analytical settings (e.g., find a price elasticity and use it to predict a change in demand).
• Analytically solve simple microeconomic problems (e.g., utility maximisation, profit maximisation, determination of equilibrium economic variables) and interpret these solutions.
• Use economic analysis to explain topical policy issues (e.g., How to reduce carbon emissions?).

Corporate Finance

This is an introductory course in finance focusing on corporate applications in the international environment. It covers the basic theories of interest rates, valuation of streams of cash flows, pricing of risk, and it draws practical implications for capital structure, project valuation, financing, and risk management. More specifically, the course contains a basic introduction to topics such as:

• The main characteristics of corporations
• The relationship between accounting information and the information analysed in corporate finance
• Interest rates and the time value of money
• The valuation of bonds and stocks
• The investment decision
• The financing decision including capital structure theory and the cost of capital
• Payout policy
• Mergers and acquisitions
• International financial mangement and capital budgeting
• Financial and real options
• Risk management

Thereby, the course reflects the BSc IB program learning goals in the following way: Practical Application of Theory The course includes many exercises and cases illustrating the practical application of theory. In particular, this is achieved both through lectures (illustrating practical applications) and assigned readings from The Economist. Relation to a Business or an Institutional Setting Several aspects of different types of financial markets are examined including public versus privately owned companies and various types of providers of capital (investors). Relation to International Business or Economics The international perspective is taken in connection with many of the topics covered during the course especially including mergers and acquisitions, financial management and capital budgeting, and risk management. Several examples are looking at multinational firms. Research Based Teaching The curriculum includes articles that summarize several research papers and ties such research to the practical use of the theoretic methodologies introduced in the course. Furthermore, evidence from several empirical studies is discussed during the course.

• Identify, explain and apply the core concepts, models and methods
• Calculate, interpret and compare financial statistics, prices, returns and costs
• Elaborate and present solutions for financial decision problems

Economic Aspects of Maritime Law

The course is a continuation of the course Maritime Law

The purpose of the course is to give the students an introduction to economic and commercial aspects of maritime law. The students are expected to gain knowledge of basic legal principles within each topic. During the course the students will review examples of the application of the legal principles in practice, mainly within but also outside the maritime sector.

• Understand strategic alliances in the maritime sector and the different approaches to the maritime sector, e.g. business and legal approach.
• Able to identify, describe and apply Company structures in the shipping industry when choosing business strategy
• Able to handle legal compliance and risk management issues in the maritime sector
• Understand and be able to exercise legal rights in an international environment
• Explain and apply the concept "Quality in Shipping"
• Define and analyse specific legal and economic problems in a maritime setting

Course related to maritime economics, transport and international trade 3 (7.5 ECTS)

Common course III takes place at Singapore Management University, Nanyang Technical University (Singapore), Hong Kong Polytechnics and University of Piraeus (Greece) as a part of the exchange on the 4th semester.

Internship 1

• Present and discuss key current developments for the internship company and its markets
• Describe your own most important learning processes in the first three months of your internship
• Reflect critically on practical experiences in the internship regarded in relation to academic theories and/or concepts from previous classes in the BSc in International Shipping and Trade program.

Bachelor project

First and foremost, keep in mind that this is an International Shipping and Trade Thesis. The project must be international in nature.

It is recommended that you examine your past years in the BSc IST programme curriculum. Brainstorm to find a subject area in which all members of your group are interested.

Once you have decided on a subject area, you will need to identify a topic within that area, and then formulate a project proposal which addresses an issue you wish to research. This is your problem formulation.

Your working materials should include a 200 - 500 word statement which clearly indicates your problem formulation; it should clearly show how you shape a topic within the subject and how your topic is directed towards a relevant issue. This statement should provide you with a working title, which can be in the form of a focused question. Project titles should never be formulated as a question.

• • Independently formulate and justify research questions.
• • Select, combine and apply relevant concepts and theories in relation to specified research questions
• • Select and use relevant quantitative or qualitative methods to answer such research questions
• • Identify and use relevant scholarly literature
• • Formulate and present (orally and in writing) coherently argued answers, combining theory, methodology and data, to the research question posed.
• • Reflect critically on the choice of methods and data as well as the quality of the answers produced

Macroeconomics and Trade

This course offers an introduction to macroeconomic analysis and international trade. This includes the theory of output, employment and inflation determination in open economies; the role of fiscal, monetary and trade policy; and the economic impact of international economic relations. The course has a global focus, as it relates macroeconomic analysis to issues relevant to interconnected economies trading financial assets as well as intermediate and final goods.

The lectures on the structure and dynamics of international trade models will provide the backbone for class discussions on the trade flows of goods and on how economic and political changes alter these flows.

• Present the core theoretical frameworks in macroeconomics and explain how output, the interest rate, and inflation are determined in the short and medium-run, both in closed and open economies.
• Describe the conduct of fiscal, monetary and trade policies. Explain how fiscal and monetary policies are impacted by openness to trade and financial flows.
• Identify the core theories and models of international trade and apply them to study global trade flows.
• Analyze how macroeconomics and international trade drivers influence shipping markets from a shipping operator's perspective.

Financial Accounting

• Accounting as a form of communication
• Financial statements and Annual Reports
• Double-entry bookkeeping
• Cash basis and accrual basis of accounting
• Inventories and Cost of Goods Sold
• Cash, receivables and short term investments
• Fixed Assets (Tangible & Intangible)
• Current Liabilities, Present Value, and Long-term liabilities
• Shareholders’ Equity
• Cash Flow Statements
• Financial Statement Analysis
• Emerging trends in non-financial reporting

Course aim: Students learn to develop their understanding of financial accounting via reference to practical examples, exercises and mini-cases.   Relation to a Business or an Institutional Setting: Class discussions are focused around multinational companies in different industries – both European and US. The course textbook has many good examples from US business life, which will be contrasted against their European peers. Relation to International Business or Economics: The core theme of the course is the financial accounting within multinational corporations.  

• Read, understand and examine the data in an annual report.
• Fully comprehend the difference between cash and accrual accounting.
• Prepare financial statements from the source data based on accounting transactions.
• Understand the critical role of ethics in providing decision useful accounting information.
• Develop financial ratios for a company and analyze the information content of these measures to make sound business decisions.

Elective 1 (7.5 ECTS)

Electives are courses of your own choice. You can choose to do your electives at CBS or at other universities.

Elective 2 (7.5 ECTS)

This course takes place at Singapore Management University, Nanyang Technical University (Singapore), Hong Kong Polytechnic University and University of Piraeus (Greece), as a part of the exchange on the 4th semester.