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The Master's Degree Reform at Aarhus BSS

The Master’s reform at a glance

Background  

In June 2023, the Danish government and the Socialist People’s Party, Liberal Alliance and the Conservative People’s Party concluded an agreement to reform university degree programmes in Denmark – an agreement called ‘the Master’s reform’ for short.  

What are the central aspects of the Master’s reform? 

  • Under the agreement, students will have a greater range of different types of Master’s degree to choose from in future, and universities will also be required to admit fewer students to the ‘classic’ 120-ECTS two-year Master’s degree programmes.
  • The new Master’s degree programmes must be ready to admit students in 2028; the reduction in Bachelor’s admissions must be implemented starting in 2025.
  • Another consequence of the reform is that the universities will be required to adjust admissions to Bachelor’s degree programmes. The total number of university Bachelor’s degree places will be reduced by eight per cent over to current levels. One of the motivations for putting these restrictions on admissions in place is to encourage more young people to apply to vocational education and training programmes instead.
  • Under the new system, 70% of the Master’s degrees offered by Danish universities will have a duration of two or more academic years (120-180 ECTS). Ten per cent of Master’s degree places will be on 15-month Master’s degree programmes, and 20% will be on new work-integrated Master’s programmes.
  • As a consequence of the reform, universities will start offering new 75-ECTS 15-month Master’s degrees, as well as flexible new work-integrated Master’s programmes that students can take on a half-time basis while working at least 25 hours per week.

How will this affect my studies?

What do I need to know about the different Master’s degree programme options that will be available to me if I start my Master’s degree in 2028 or later? 

As a consequence of the reform, some Master's degree programmes will be converted from two-year programmes to one-year programmes. As soon as we have more information about what Master’s degree programmes will be affected, we’ll post this information on kandidat.au.dk. 

How will this affect me?  

  • It’s important to keep in mind that if you hold a Bachelor's degree from Aarhus University, you will be guaranteed admission to a Master's degree programme at the university, because this is your legal right. 

  • Check kandidat.au.dk for the latest information about the reform.

  • The reform won’t affect students’ legal right of admission to most degree programmes. Read more about students’ legal right of admission.
  • You will also be able to apply to other Master’s degrees than the one to which you are guaranteed admission by law. 

The Master's Degree Reform at Aarhus BSS

At Aarhus BSS, the two largest Master's degree programmes will, from the Master’s degree enrollment in 2028, be offered in both a 1-year (75 ECTS) and a 2-year (120 ECTS) version. These programs are:

  • Business Administration
  • Law

The other Master's degree programmes will continue to be offered as 2-year programs.

It is currently expected that most business administration specializations will be offered as 1-year Master's degree programmes.

Law will prepare a 1-year Master's degree programme, which will be offered alongside the 2-year Master's degree programme.

Bachelor students admitted to Business Administration (BSc) or Law from the summer of 2025 and onward will, as a rule, have legal right of admission to enroll in the 1-year Master's degree programme.

When more information about the 1-year Master's degree programmes become available, the programmes' study portals will be updated.

Any questions?

  • If you have questions about how the Master's reform will affect your degree programme, please contact coordinator Marie Louise Bro Pold, email: mpold@au.dk
  • If you have input, you are welcome to contact your representatives on your Board of Studies.
Revised 23.04.2025
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Kathrine Raagaard Nielsen