Digital Business (MSc)

The new master’s programme offers an excellent overview of the effects and the complexity of digitisation in companies, economics and today’s society. Graduates learn how to solve problems related to the digital transformation in companies and other institutions in a both scientific and practical way. To learn more about our MSc programme, click on the videos below.

Testimonials

Time Schedule - 2020/21 and 2021/22

Faculty	Faculty of Business and Management
ECTS Credits	90 ECTS-AP ^a
Academic Degree	Master of Science (MSc)
Level of Qualification	Master (Second Cycle)
Mode of study	Part-time (including webinars)^a
Language	English, B2 level of proficiency
Tuition-Fee	€ 7.800 ^b
Admission Requirements	Relevant Magister / Diploma degree with 240 ECTS or a relevant bachelor's degree or equivalent combined with three years of post-graduate professional experience
Curriculum	Curriculum (2018, English)
Start	October 2020
Application Deadline	June 30th
Application

^a Part time - including Webinars (Time Schedule)^b A limited number of scholarships are available for candidates with a Diploma Degree (Magister, 240 ECTS-AP) of the University of Innsbruck

Content

The study programme covers four main areas: digital fundamentals, digital firms, digital markets and digital society. More ↓

In the first part of the programme, students acquire fundamental knowledge about big data and data analysis. They familiarise themselves with key programming languages (like R and Python), software packages, and statistical methods commonly used to analyze large amounts of data. They also learn how to design IT architectures to make use of emerging technologies and what data protection and cyber security principles firms should pay attention to when using such technologies.

The second part of the programme deals with the transformation of traditional firms into digital ones. Students learn how organisations can leverage digital technologies to transform their business models and how to avoid clashes between existing business models and new digitally enhanced ones. They analyse examples for digital disruptions of entire industries and are introduced to different business models (such as fin techs, online platforms, and the like) that feature in the digital economy. They also learn what such business models imply in terms of taxation and financial reporting. Finally, students acquire knowledge about how firms can leverage big data and predictive analytics to support various business decisions. How can firms use customer data to improve their product offering? How can they use financial data to improve their investment decisions?

In the third part, students acquire fundamental knowledge about the functioning of digital markets. They come to understand the particularities of network goods, competition policy, and the regulation of online business.

Finally, the last part of the programme widens the perspective to societal issues around digitisation. Students learn about the changes, challenges and chances associated with new digital technologies for organising public sector institutions as well as the creation and management of public goods and public values more generally. The learning objective is to understand how new digital tools and new organisational forms reconfigure the public sphere and private lives, respectively.

The following courses, each consisting of 5 ECTS-Credits, have to be completed.

Digital Fundamentals (25 ECTS-Credits, 5 Courses) ↓

Fundamentals of Data Analytics
Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence
IT Security and Data Protection Management
Digital Transformation, Platform and Blockchain Business
Digital Collaboration

Digital Firms (30 ECTS-Credits, 6 Courses) ↓

Business Process Management
Legal and Tax Strategies for Digital Businesses
Business Analytics and Reporting of Digital Business Models
Cryptofinance and FinTech Business Models
Digital Innovation and Transformation
Multi-Channel Marketing

Digital Markets (10 ECTS-Credits, 2 Courses) ↓

Competition and Cooperation in Digital Markets
The Economics of Information, Information Technologies and Human Behavior

Digital Society (10 ECTS-Credits, 2 Courses) ↓

Organizing the Digital in the Public Sphere
Social Media, Regulation and Ethics

Qualification profile and skills

(1) The master's programme Digital Business is intended to provide students with an excellent overview of the effects and complexity of digitisation in companies, economics and today’s society. Regarding management sciences in relation to digital transformation processes, the content of the master's programme focuses on both necessary theoretical and practical fundamentals.

(2) By means of theoretically guided approaches, graduates of the master’s programme are able to deal with the scientific and practical challenges in digital transformation in companies and other institutions and are then able to develop various solutions, reach responsible and substantiated decisions and calculate the consequences thereof.

Future prospects

The master’s programme addresses highly qualified students, who intend to work in a leading position in companies or other institutions or plan a career in the consulting business. Successful networking with international universities and contacts with leading companies and institutions guarantee a permanent transfer of science and knowledge.

Requirements

A Diploma in Business / Business Law with a minimum of 240 ECTS is required. In addition, graduates of a bachelor’s programme consisting of 180 ECTS and a minimum of three years of post-graduate professional experience can apply for the master’s programme. More ↓

Relevant bachelor's resp. diploma degrees at the University of Innsbruck:

Diploma Programme International Economic and Business Studies
Bachelor’s Programme Informatics
Bachelor's Programme Management and Economics
Bachelor’s Programme Economy, Health and Sports Tourism
Bachelor's Programme Business Law

Equivalence requirements:

Admission to this master's programme is also possible if you have completed another eligible master's or bachelor's degree.

Structure

Students have to complete courses of 90 ECTS-Credits. These are divided into four compulsory modules consisting of 75 ECTS-Credits as well as a Master’s Thesis of 15 ECTS-Credits. More ↓

The four compulsory modules are:

Digital Fundamentals (25 ECTS-Credits, 5 courses)
Digital Firms (30 ECTS-Credits, 6 courses)
Digital Markets (10 ECTS-Credits, 2 courses)
Digital Society (10 ECTS-Credits, 2 courses)

Every course represents as a 'Lecture with Seminar (VU)' with 5 ECTS-Credits and 2 semester hours per week. Every course comprises at least two of the following components: lecture, cases and presentations, written essays or tests and represent a mixture lectures on campus and online seminars (webinars).

To write the Master’s Thesis, the relevant compulsory module as well as 50 ECTS-Credits have to be completed.

Lecturers

The lectures will be held by internationally renowned scientists from the University of Innsbruck listed below (in alphabetical order). In addition, managers and professionals of various companies, banks and institutions will contribute to the master’s programme with guest lectures and special courses.

Department of Accounting, Auditing and Taxation ↓