MBA with specialisation in Digital Transformation

"The world is rapidly moving to what is known as ‘Industry 4.0.’, which is exemplified by the reshaping of businesses through digital transformation. There is a rising need for professionals who can critically apply these new transformative technologies to provide business solutions. This MBA with a specialisation in Digital Transformation puts you at the forefront of this market by providing you with the skills and competencies needed to advance into rewarding managerial-level positions in this new economy."

The MBA in Digital Transformation is one of the specialisations in our Master of Business Administration programme offered at Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences to full-time and part time students, with a 'tech' background, from the Netherlands and around the world.

This specialisation in Digital Transformation is aimed at enabling students to understand and develop the capacity to become digital transformers, managing transformation and innovation in the current dynamic business environment. The objective is to provide students with a clear understanding of the new digital disruptive technologies that are rapidly transforming business processes, companies, and industrial value chains. The Internet of Things (IoT), hyper-connectivity and virtual reality are changing how businesses communicate and interact, disrupting some operations and industries and creating new ones. These transformations are being formulated purposely by business professionals who understand such technologies and how to harness them effectively.

We welcome students with an academic background in science and technology and a minimum of 3-years' professional work experience to apply for this programme. Having a background in business or management is not a prerequisite for admission. This programme is modular in nature, with the first semester designed to equip you with the foundations in management, providing the tools you require to specialise further in the MBA in Digital Transformation programme.

Course structure

The Wittenborg MBA is delivered in a block format, with 2 modules being covered every 6 weeks. The classes are inter-disciplinary - you study shared modules in semester 1 with MBA students from different business specialisations. Due to the rolling entry (6 times a year) groups are dynamic, extremely international and diverse.

The modules are delivered intensively over consecutive days in the so-called 'block format', which means that each module has 6 days of teaching split into two blocks of 3 days. Teaching methods include group work, case studies, presentations, and live projects. The course is delivered through a variety of approaches including lectures, presentations, tutorials and case studies, with an emphasis on interactive learning. Each module is taught by two lecturers, often a full time Wittenborg lecturer and a quest lecturer from a partner university. Modules include regular guest speakers from industry.

Areas of study

Management subjects address key issues of strategy, marketing, operations, human resources, accounting and financial planning, studied in parallel with deeper international corporate finance and investment modules. Options include consultancy and multi-unit management. Students acquire research skills, which they can apply to academic or industrial projects.

Syllabus

Semester 1

• Management Accounting & Finance
• Marketing Management
• Human Resource Management
• Operations Management
• International Management
• Information Management

Semester 2

• Digital Innovation & Business Transformation
• Business Statistics
• Data Analytics & Visualisation
• Strategic Management
• Digital Disruption & Strategy

Throughout the programme: Research Methods, 3 Project weeks, leading to the Final Project

Businesses in all sectors are moving away from the traditional business structures to new technology-based structures. The advent of cloud computing, artificial intelligence (A.I.), data analytics, hyper-connectivity, augmented reality, and advanced encryption has opened up new opportunities for businesses. Advanced manufacturing using real-time data, robotics, and A.I. has transformed production in terms of flexibility and quality of the product. This has enabled manufacturers to completely rethink their designs and re-evaluate how their value chain is configured, creating new growth and possibilities in these industries.

The adoption of A.I., real-time data processing, and personalisation is changing the way services are created and delivered, producing unprecedented levels of improvement to the customer experience and operational efficiency, leading to huge growth and expansion in the service sectors, such as Finance, Healthcare, Media, and Entertainment.

In the technology sector, these changes have been even more substantial, creating exponential growth, evident in the development of social media, virtual communities and the services and opportunities they have produced. These are the new growth areas driving the expansion of the new economy.

An MBA graduate specializing in Digital Transformation can access a wealth of career opportunities, as virtually every industry is affected by the shift towards more digital operations. This kind of specialization is particularly valuable in our increasingly digital world, where organizations seek to leverage technology to improve their processes, services, and customer interactions. Here are some potential career paths:

1. Digital Transformation Consultant: These professionals advise companies on how to integrate digital technologies into all areas of their business, fundamentally changing how they operate and deliver value to customers. They analyze the existing business processes and develop strategies for implementing digital solutions.

2. Chief Digital Officer (CDO): This is a leadership role that oversees the digital strategy of a company. A CDO's responsibilities often include driving growth strategies, overseeing digital marketing initiatives, and spearheading the use of technology across the organization.

3. Digital Project Manager: This role involves overseeing digital projects, which can include website overhauls, migrating to cloud-based systems, or implementing new digital tools or software. Digital Project Managers need to understand the technical aspects of these projects, manage budgets, timelines, and coordinate teams.

4. Digital Marketing Manager: Digital marketing is a key area where digital transformation plays a critical role. A Digital Marketing Manager with a background in digital transformation can leverage technology to target customers more effectively, analyze marketing data, and optimize campaigns.

5. E-commerce Manager: E-commerce is another area where digital transformation is critical. An E-commerce Manager oversees a company's online sales. They are responsible for the look of the site, the user experience, managing the product catalogue, ensuring the logistics and operations are effective, and planning online marketing to the e-commerce platform.

6. Business Intelligence Analyst: BI Analysts use data to make strategic decisions in a company. They collect, analyze, and interpret large volumes of data, presenting it in a way that can influence and guide the strategic decisions of a company. This can involve using AI and machine learning to automate processes and uncover insights.

7. IT Director/Manager: In this role, you'd oversee the IT needs of a company, which can include everything from network security to technology procurement to digital transformation initiatives.

8. Digital Strategist: Digital Strategists work to identify digital needs and opportunities within a business. They then develop and implement a strategy to meet these needs and leverage these opportunities. This can involve a wide range of tasks, from improving internal digital workflows to launching new digital products or services.

An MBA with a focus on Digital Transformation not only opens the door to these specific roles but also makes you a more attractive candidate for a variety of other positions. The understanding and perspective gained from studying digital transformation can be applied to virtually any role in a modern organization.

• a Bachelor degree or equivalent recognised qualification;

It is not necessary to have obtained a Bachelor degree from the domain of Business Administration.

• 3 years professional experience;

Applicants are requested to provide 2 reference letters from which at least one is a reference from a company or organization where they have worked before;

English Language Requirements

IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL Equivalent. Click here for an overview of the equivalent scores.
The TOEFL Code of Wittenborg is 4889.

With its work experience requirement, the admission requirements reflect the national requirements in the Netherlands for entry into a professional Master such as the Wittenborg MBA. The English language proficiency level requirement is ½ a point higher than the minimum national requirements in the Netherlands.

Selection procedure

There is no specific selection procedure for students wishing to enter the MBA, however non-EU (visa) students are “screened” according to their background, in order for the institute to be able to guarantee their immigration status.

The screening comprises of an interview, collection and correlation of all IND required documents, including proof of sufficient funds, taking into account any scholarships provided by Wittenborg (Orange Tulip Scholarship, for instance) or by third parties (NUFFIC, EU, etc).

Details on Scholarships at Wittenborg can be found at http://www.wittenborg.eu/wittenborg-financial-assistance.htm 

Applicants are required to provide a motivation letter in which they describe the reasons for choosing Wittenborg’s programme, as well as the reason for wanting to study in the Netherlands (international students). Student motivation is important as the programmes are demanding and especially for international students there is a criteria that they complete at least 50% of all their credits in a year.