Business Academy Copenhagen (EK) Summary
Business Academy Copenhagen is Denmark’s largest business academy and one of the country’s most practice-oriented higher education institutions for students who want to study business, digital development, design, finance, technology, construction, hospitality, logistics, entrepreneurship, data, marketing and applied professional careers. The institution was formed by merging Copenhagen Business Academy and KEA – Copenhagen School of Design and Technology. The merger combines two strong professional higher education profiles based in Copenhagen: Cphbusiness, which is known for business, finance, service, sales and entrepreneurship, and KEA, which is known for design, technology, digital media, construction, product development and applied innovation.
EK is different than Denmark’s traditional research universities. It is not primarily about long academic theory, doctoral research or classical university disciplines. Instead, it provides practice-oriented higher education at academy profession degree level and professional bachelor top-up level. The teaching model is closely associated with companies, real cases, business problems, internships, projects and applied learning. This makes EK especially relevant for students seeking career-oriented education that is directly linked with the labor market.
The academic areas of the institution are build, digital, design, finance and technology. Students can study programs related to automation engineering, laboratory technology, commerce management, computer science, multimedia design, digital concept development, data analysis, web development, product development, innovation, financial advice, business economics, marketing management, service, hospitality, logistics, construction technology, architectural technology and management, jewelry and technology-related design fields. As a business academy, many of the programs at EK are shorter and more applied than typical university bachelor’s degrees.
At undergraduate level, EK’s main routes into higher education are academy profession degrees and professional bachelor top-up degrees. An academy profession degree usually lasts two years and consists of 120 ECTS, but some courses such as computer science may be two and a half years long and consist of 150 ECTS. Typically, a professional bachelor top-up lasts one and a half years and awards 90 ECTS credits. Students often combine an AP degree with a top-up degree to complete a professional bachelor level pathway.
International applicants should be very careful when applying as EK states that its current full-degree programs are only offered in Danish. KEA and Cphbusiness used to offer international programs taught in English, but after Denmark reduced the number of international study places in business academies and university colleges, most of the English-taught full-degree programs were closed. While EK continues to welcome exchange students from partner institutions, full-degree applicants should check Danish language requirements, current program availability and admission rules before applying.
EK is not a research university at postgraduate level and does not offer traditional master’s degrees like Aarhus University, DTU or the University of Copenhagen. Students who complete a professional bachelor-level route will be eligible to transfer into relevant master’s programs at Danish or international universities, provided they meet the admissions criteria of the receiving university. EK does not offer traditional doctoral programs at the PhD level. Its strength is professional applied education, business cooperation and practice-oriented research and development.
EK has a big advantage in Copenhagen in terms of employment. Students are close to companies, start-ups, agencies, design studios, construction firms, banks, consultancies, public organizations, logistics companies, hospitality employers and technology companies. Business Academy Copenhagen is generally the best choice for students who are looking for a Danish higher education that is practical, with a strong focus on the industry, applied projects and direct career relevance, rather than a traditional research university experience.
EK is different than Denmark’s traditional research universities. It is not primarily about long academic theory, doctoral research or classical university disciplines. Instead, it provides practice-oriented higher education at academy profession degree level and professional bachelor top-up level. The teaching model is closely associated with companies, real cases, business problems, internships, projects and applied learning. This makes EK especially relevant for students seeking career-oriented education that is directly linked with the labor market.
The academic areas of the institution are build, digital, design, finance and technology. Students can study programs related to automation engineering, laboratory technology, commerce management, computer science, multimedia design, digital concept development, data analysis, web development, product development, innovation, financial advice, business economics, marketing management, service, hospitality, logistics, construction technology, architectural technology and management, jewelry and technology-related design fields. As a business academy, many of the programs at EK are shorter and more applied than typical university bachelor’s degrees.
At undergraduate level, EK’s main routes into higher education are academy profession degrees and professional bachelor top-up degrees. An academy profession degree usually lasts two years and consists of 120 ECTS, but some courses such as computer science may be two and a half years long and consist of 150 ECTS. Typically, a professional bachelor top-up lasts one and a half years and awards 90 ECTS credits. Students often combine an AP degree with a top-up degree to complete a professional bachelor level pathway.
International applicants should be very careful when applying as EK states that its current full-degree programs are only offered in Danish. KEA and Cphbusiness used to offer international programs taught in English, but after Denmark reduced the number of international study places in business academies and university colleges, most of the English-taught full-degree programs were closed. While EK continues to welcome exchange students from partner institutions, full-degree applicants should check Danish language requirements, current program availability and admission rules before applying.
EK is not a research university at postgraduate level and does not offer traditional master’s degrees like Aarhus University, DTU or the University of Copenhagen. Students who complete a professional bachelor-level route will be eligible to transfer into relevant master’s programs at Danish or international universities, provided they meet the admissions criteria of the receiving university. EK does not offer traditional doctoral programs at the PhD level. Its strength is professional applied education, business cooperation and practice-oriented research and development.
EK has a big advantage in Copenhagen in terms of employment. Students are close to companies, start-ups, agencies, design studios, construction firms, banks, consultancies, public organizations, logistics companies, hospitality employers and technology companies. Business Academy Copenhagen is generally the best choice for students who are looking for a Danish higher education that is practical, with a strong focus on the industry, applied projects and direct career relevance, rather than a traditional research university experience.
