Corvinus switching focus to Data Science training, more specialisation and 1-year master’s programmes

Fewer undergraduate programmes, more specialisation options and novel master’s degree programmes will make up the backbone of Corvinus University’s education development project in the coming years. We have discussed the particulars with Lajos Szabó, Vice-Rector for Education.

In developing the new programmes and reforming the existing ones the same principles apply: shifting the focus from frontal instruction to the students themselves and the knowledge, skills and competencies to be acquired. Corvinus has set the goal of becoming a top Central European educational institution in the field of economics, business and social sciences, with an ambition to change the individual course contents and requirements in line with today’s challenges, but at the same time relying on the strengths and traditions of the University.

Various types of specialisation instead of numerous bachelor’s programmes

An important change is related to our bachelor’s programmes; the number of programmes available to students will be significantly reduced by 2025. The primary reason is the structural transformation resulting from the Bologna Process, which created too many highly specialised training programmes in business and social sciences, forcing the students to make choices at a very early stage. Instead of the current structure high quality, comprehensive integrative undergraduate programmes will be developed, allowing students to choose specialisations according to their interests through in-depth master’s training.

The Corvinus Business and Management programme reformed in line with this concept will be launched in September this year. ‘We just cannot expect our students to decide on which course to take in business management at the age of 18. There will be a wide range of specialisations to match to fewer undergraduate courses, giving a choice to students at the end of their second year’, said Lajos Szabó, adding that there will be altogether 16 different specialisations to choose from.

The reformed International Management programme available only in English was launched in 2020.

This will shift the focus toward practicality, with continued efforts to ensure a stable theoretical and methodological foundation at undergraduate level on which the practical knowledge acquired at master’s level will be built.


Data science: moving towards the future

Data Science in Business will be a completely new undergraduate programme to be launched from September 2023. Corvinus University intends to address the market demand, namely that today’s business decisions are exclusively based on the analysis of vast quantities of data and databases requiring IT, statistical and business skills.

The curriculum has already been developed with the necessary knowledge and skills for launching the programme available in numerous fields, and additional personnel and infrastructure developments planned as well.

Social science is another area affected by change: our PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economy) training programme will be launched from September 2022 or 2023. PPE will focus on studying the social processes from three different perspectives (philosophical, political and economic). Global Connections and Communications will be another undergraduate training programme in social sciences which will allow students to progress towards a master’s degree in communication, international studies or diplomacy. Both social sciences programmes will be launched in English fulfilling the goal of providing multiple options for obtaining a master’s degree (e.g. in communication, diplomacy, behavioural economics, international studies or political economy).


Reformed bachelor’s and master’s programmes in economics

Corvinus, the former University of Economics is bound by tradition to become a top domestic and regional educational institution in the field of economics. The Applied Economics BSc Programme and the Economic Analysis MSc Programme of Corvinus University have been renewed in this spirit. In addition to the solid mathematical, statistical and methodological foundations, various practical projects ensure a successful transfer of theory into practice. Both programmes have been running since September 2020 with improved form and content, and very positive feedback received from the students after the first year.


Master’s programmes: one year is enough

At master’s level there are more than 20 programmes available to the students due to the fact that this stage of education is focused on acquiring a deeper knowledge and practical experiences, as well as preparations to enter the labour market or a suitable PhD programme.

There are also some new courses anticipated at master’s level, such as Behavioural Economics, a cross-disciplinary subject in the field of marketing, psychology and organisational behaviour that studies the effects of the market and business processes on various consumer and corporate groups. International Development will be another new programme dedicated to development policy issues and their social and economic aspects. The concept has received professional and financial support from the Hungarian Development Bank as well. Both programmes are expected to be launched in September 2023.

Corvinus University wishes to be the first innovative institution in the region to launch one-year master’s programmes in business and social sciences as a worthy competitor of the Western European universities offering similar programmes.
We have carried out market-level and institutional research to identify the programmes that could be competitive for our one-year master’s training. These are primarily designed for students specialising in their selected fields at bachelor’s level, without the need to study them again under the master’s programme.

The 1-year MSc in Diplomacy will be a completely new programme available in English language, in addition to the following 5 fields in which the one-year master’s programmes would replace the former two-year structure from 2023: 

For example, in order to get onto the 1-year MSc marketing course, the student would enrol for BSc in Business and Management, select any marketing specialisation during his/her 3,5-year term, and pick marketing subjects worth 30 credits for the semester spent abroad, which will provide sufficient foundation to complete the one-year marketing programme. The system is flexible, allowing to switch from BSc International Management to MSc Marketing on condition that the student has enough credits completed in marketing subjects.


Renewed specialist postgraduate courses, new field training opportunities

Corvinus University offers more than 20 specialist postgraduate courses including Data-Driven Supply Chain Management, Energy Management, Executive and Business Coaching, Research and Innovation Management, the English language International Project Manager training course, and the English language Executive MBA course.

The Vice-Rector’s view is that the market will continuously register the current changes, and the University’s task is to make measurements and draw appropriate conclusions. Success in the short term will be measured and decided by the number of applications and student scores, in the medium term it will be based on the feedback received from the students, and in the long term the judgement of the labour market and the alumni community will help us decide whether the system needs any changes or fine-tuning.