What is Strategic Management and is it the Right Degree for You?

There is only so much you can learn from a textbook, which is why the MSc in Strategic Management at HEC Paris is geared towards solving real-life problems. Instead of learning generic solutions, students are taught the art of critical thinking, so that they can approach any problem with a fresh and curious mind.

The MSc in Strategic Management which has been ranked the best in the world in the QS Business Masters Rankings: Management Rankings 2020, giving students regular opportunities to apply their classroom knowledge to real-life situations through a myriad of thought-provoking projects (organized in collaboration with HEC Paris’ endless list of market-leading corporate partners) and insightful internships.

With thousands of business graduates working hard to get their foot in the door, it’s a good idea to consider what you can do to make yourself stand out.

Being able to customize your degree to suit your interests and career aspirations is one way to do this. For example, if you want to work in environmental policy, choosing to study a course that reflects that – such as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – is going to be a big help. This demonstrates your commitment to the sector long before you’ve even applied for a role in the area.

“What I like the most about the program is how we can really make it fit to our own interests and career plans,” says Patricia.

“It’s the perfect way to start gaining skills in one or many topics of interest that will help us achieve our professional goals, and get a better idea of what a career in a specific area would look like.”

The large number of industry experts taking center stage in lecture halls and seminar rooms is also a big plus, with around half of teaching staff on the MSc in Strategic Management having many years of experience under their belt.

Being taught by those who are able to bring real-life application to your degree is instrumental in gaining a genuine understanding of the industry as it helps bridge the gap between learning theory and how it is practically applied.  

Looking beyond your textbooks, internships and professors, you’ll study alongside a cohort that comes from all areas of life – something which Patricia considers paramount in having a real appreciation of business across borders and cultures.

“It still impresses me to see how diverse we are as a group, in terms of nationality and previous studies” says Patricia.

“In almost every course we have group assignments and discussions, so we get to learn from people with very different perspectives from our own.

“I think this is very important for a future career in business, because if we’re going to be the leaders of the future, we need to know how to work and learn from people that will not necessarily think the same way as us,” she adds.