Master in Public Management and Social Development (MSSc)

This is a two-year master's programme taught entirely in English, run by Copenhagen Business School with the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences through the Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research. You spend the whole programme in Beijing, at the Yanqihu campus north of Beijing, and graduate with a double degree, one Danish and one Chinese.

What you study

The programme looks at how China and Europe handle similar problems: social mobility, demographic change, welfare reform and economic competitiveness. You compare the two regions and ask how they can learn from each other.

Teaching is grouped under three themes. Politics and sociology uses philosophical and sociological perspectives to examine institutions, power and values. Culture and society looks at how history, culture and social factors shape welfare models and citizen engagement. Innovation and entrepreneurship focuses on how new ideas and partnerships can create social value and reform public services.

The first year has eight mandatory courses, each worth 7.5 ECTS: Comparing Societies and Economic Systems, Research Methods, Science and Innovation Policy, Comparative Policy Processes, Comparing Social Policies: Welfare States in Theory and Practice, Organisation and Management, Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Business and Global Governance.

How the programme is organised

You take one course at a time for three to four weeks, then sit the exam. Exams vary and include take-home assignments, group projects and oral presentations. Classes are small, with close contact between students and teachers, and you are expected to take an active part. Teachers are both Chinese and European, so teaching styles differ.

In the third semester you do an internship (30 ECTS) or a research-based problem, using what you have learned in a sector that interests you. The fourth semester is the master's thesis (30 ECTS). The full programme is 120 ECTS.

The programme follows the Chinese calendar. There is no Christmas holiday, but a longer break in February around Chinese New Year. Expect around 37 hours of study a week on average, and more before exams and deadlines.

Who it suits

The cohort is small, about 30 students, roughly half from Denmark and Europe and half from China. You need to be open-minded, adaptable and curious about other cultures. The programme combines social science, management and policy studies, so an interest in both analysis and real-world problem solving helps. It is full-time and demanding, with an internship and a thesis, so independence and strong communication skills matter.

Admission, language and next steps

You must hold a bachelor's degree before study start. You can apply before you finish it, but you must upload your diploma and transcript by 31 August. No applicant has a legal right of admission to this programme.

The language requirement is English level B with a minimum grade point average of 2.0, documented before the application deadline. A letter from your university or a professor cannot be used as an alternative.

Applications for master's programmes go directly to CBS, not 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 and the Sino-Danish Center website for the application steps and deadlines.

Master’s applications go straight to Copenhagen Business School, not through optagelse.dk, and the institution sets its own deadline. 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.