Program Overview

Master's Degree Programme in Commercial and Retail Management

The MSc in Commercial and Retail Management is based on the growing challenges faced by the consumer goods industry, and has been developed in close collaboration with prominent actors from the industry.

About the Programme

The degree programme prepares the student for a career in HQ functions of the consumer goods industry. It provides the student with an understanding of the industry’s specific challenges, which paves the way for a faster climb up the career ladder.

The students will acquire qualifications in areas such as retail strategy and innovation, consumer behaviour, supplier-relations and business negotiations, pricing, performance management as well as category, stock and brand management.

Deep Understanding of the Value Chain

Today, traditional retail trade is supplemented with e-commerce and various hybrids, and more and more communication takes place on social media. Companies must therefore be able to handle an omni-channel situation where a number of different sales and communication channels must be optimised in relation to each other. In addition, the ability to handle big data is becoming increasingly important in the consumer goods industry. This has led to changes in the relationship between supplier and retailer. The supplier must increasingly consider the entire value chain right through to the consumer, while the retailer must structure its supplier relations with an eye for how to create value for the consumer.

The traditional division of the B2B and B2C markets is thus developing towards a much-needed B2B2C mindset. The degree programme reflects this B2B2C mindset since the courses Supplier- relations and business negotiations and Consumer behaviour in a retail setting cover the entire value chain from supplier to consumer. Furthermore, the students will acquire competences within areas that have a particular focus on the consumer goods industry such as retail strategy and innovation, pricing, performance and margin management as well as category, stock and brand management. Digital transformation and the use of big data will play a prominent role in the programme and will recur in many courses.

Collaboration with Prominent Actors in the Industry

The degree programme has been developed in collaboration with prominent actors in the consumer goods industry. These are gathered in a founding partners group consisting of Salling Group, Arla, Bestseller, Danish Crown, MLDK,KFI, Jysk and Rema 1000. The companies play an important role in the degree programme and its courses through guest lectures, internships and Master's theses collaborations. They also offer a number of relevant student jobs. Internships at the above-mentioned companies are an important part of the programme. Students are encouraged to complete an internship, and the participating companies guarantee a significant number of internship positions.

Career

The degree programme prepares the students for a career in various HQ functions in the consumer goods industry. Based on the value chain approach, the students will be able to undertake many functions in either the supply or retail link of the value chain, especially within the consumer goods industry; from category manager or procurement manager to key account manager.

Admission Requirements

• International and other qualifications:
  • A bachelor's degree or equivalent from an institution outside of Denmark
  • A bachelor's degree or equivalent from a Danish institution, which does not ensure you a 'Legal right of admission´ or 'Direct admission'.
• General admission requirement:
  • A bachelor's degree or equivalent that is comparable to a Danish bachelor's degree in both level and duration (180 ECTS).
• Specific admission requirements:
  • Methods: 10 ECTS within quantitative methods or statistics
  • Marketing: 7.5 ECTS
  • Finance: 7.5 ECTS
  • Accounting: 7.5 ECTS
  • Organisation and leadership theory: 7.5 ECTS
  • Microeconomics: 5 ECTS
  • Operations management: 5 ECTS
  • Additional ECTS points within the abovementioned areas: 20
  • Bachelor’s project: 10
  • Total: 85

Programme Structure

The degree 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.

• 1. semester:
  • Value Chain Management (5 ECTS)
  • Retail Strategy and Commercial Innovation (10 ECTS)
  • Consumer Behaviour in a Retail Setting (5 ECTS)
  • Methods in Commercial and Retail Management (10 ECTS)
• 2. semester:
  • Pricing Strategy (5 ECTS)
  • Supplier-Relations and Business Negotiation (10 ECTS)
  • Category, Stock and Brand Management (10 ECTS)
  • Performance and Margin Management (5 ECTS)
• 3. semester:
  • Elective Courses (30 ECTS)
• 4. semester:
  • Master's Thesis (30 ECTS)

Student Life

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.

Career Services

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