Bachelor in International Shipping and Trade (BSc)

BSc in International Shipping and Trade at Copenhagen Business School is a three-year English-taught bachelor's degree for students who want a career in the international shipping industry. The programme is built around four subject areas: economics and mathematics (50%), trade and logistics (30%), organisation and management (10%), and innovation and entrepreneurship (10%). You learn how shipping companies operate, how they form strategic alliances, and how global trade, regulation and sustainability shape the maritime economy.

What you study

Courses in the first year include Introduction to Maritime Economics, Financial Accounting, Statistics, Microeconomics, Corporate Finance, Maritime Law, Principles of International Marketing, and Macroeconomics and Trade. In the second year you take Operations and Logistics Management, Risk Management, and Organizational Analysis. You also follow courses related to maritime economics, transport and international trade during your mandatory exchange. In the third year you take Business Research Methodology, Advanced Maritime Economics, an internship, and a bachelor project. Teaching mixes lectures with written and oral exams on campus, group exams, and project work.

How the programme is organised

The second year is split: the first half in Copenhagen, the second half at a partner university in Singapore (Singapore Management University or Nanyang Technical University), Hong Kong (Hong Kong Polytechnics), or Greece (University of Piraeus). In the third year you combine studies at CBS with an internship in a shipping company (15 ECTS in the fifth semester and 15 ECTS in the sixth). You can also apply for Global Supply Chain and Logistics Management, a tri-continental option with semesters at CBS, The Chinese University of Hong Kong in Shenzhen, and The University of British Columbia in Vancouver. That option is open to a very limited number of students from BSc Shipping and BSc IB.

Who it suits

This programme suits you if you are interested in a career in shipping and want an academic, industry-focused degree. You should be comfortable with economics and mathematics, and curious about how companies make strategic and financial decisions in a global industry. Denmark is a leading shipping nation, so you study close to the industry. The programme has 67 students, 45% of them from outside Denmark, and an average age of 22.1.

Admission, language and next steps

The programme is taught in English. Undergraduate applications go through optagelse.dk. Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland study free of charge; other students pay a fee set by the institution. Check the CBS programme page for entry requirements and application deadlines. You can visit Open Days to meet students and staff.

Undergraduate applications are made through optagelse.dk, with deadlines on 15 March and 5 July (12:00 CET). Which one applies depends on your qualification. Entry requirements and language tests are set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, residence permits and housing.