M.Sc. in Digital Business and Innovation

The programme offers a a unique combination of information systems and innovation management – no other university offers anything similar. VU Amsterdam has a reputation for integrity, which means the programme also covers the ethical perspective on digital innovations. And as so many organisations are in the process of digital transformation right now, what you’ll be learning is hyper-relevant in today’s job market.

Digital Business and Innovation provides thorough academic understanding of how organizations can effectively use digital technologies to innovate their business processes, products, services and business models. The programme builds on the core domains of information systems and innovation management that address the strategic value of information systems for current business and the specific nature of digital innovation processes. Students are challenged to develop their own innovation ideas and master the required skills and creative confidence.

To break it down:

• Research Design and Methodology
• Ethics in a Digital World

• Digital Business & Information Systems
• Management of Digital Information
• Working and Organising in a Digital Age

A few examples:

• Digital Business & Information Systems – As a team, compete with your peers in a dragon’s den situation where business directors from Deloitte judge which team’s proposal wins.
• Digital Innovation Lab – Get hands-on experience by building the technology to solve a real-life issue. Develop problem-solving skills and creative confidence by working as a team to create a working prototype of a game-based app.
• Ethics in a Digital World – Delivery companies like Deliveroo use new business models based on algorithms. But these digital technologies bring up ethical questions: are delivery drivers employees or self-employed? And what responsibility does the company have to them?

The start date of this programme is September 1st.

The Digital Business and Innovation Master’s programme is broken down into three thematic areas: information systems, innovation management and digital transformation. There are also core academic courses that will equip you with the research methodologies and critical thinking to succeed. The first half of the programme introduces you to the core topics, while the second half puts more emphasis on real-life projects.

The Master’s thesis is the final part of the program, and is an individual proof of your academic abilities. For the thesis, you design, execute, and write up an academic study on a specific subject within the domain of DBI. You can also use the findings from your thesis to develop practical advice to implement for the organisation you choose in the Digital Consultancy Project. Or you can take the Digital Entrepreneurship Project if you’re interested in starting up your own business in the area of digital business and innovation.