Why get a Nanyang-St. Gallen Double Master’s? This award-winning valedictorian shares his experience with us

Benedikt Bosch, an award-winning NTU graduate, did just that.

The German native has both a Master’s in Arts in Strategy and International Management from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland, his alma mater and the Nanyang MBA from Nanyang Business School (NBS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He is also NBS’s Valedictorian for AY2022.

For some people, getting a double Master’s degree might sound excessive—isn’t job experience just as good, if not better, at catapulting your career? While that may be true in some cases, there are certain professional advantages to pursuing two master’s degrees, more so if the programme provides intensive interdisciplinary exposure in two completely different settings.

Here’s why Benedikt decided to take the Nanyang-St Gallen Double Masters programme.

Choosing a Double Master’s programme

After university, Benedikt worked as a consultant at McKinsey, providing consulting services to big German companies. It was then that he hit a career crossroads.

“I was at the intersection where I had a full-time offer and was thinking about whether I should accept that offer or continue my education,” he said.

“At that point, I was thinking, I’m still very young, and there will be many more years to come. So let’s go back to university to have more flexibility and more opportunities to experience new things… That was the biggest motivation for me, but also to learn more again and to gain more knowledge in certain subjects.”

Benedikt opted to get a double Master’s degree, specialising in the field of strategy and management and finance so he could “gain deep insights into both of these areas.” He chose to take his second degree in Singapore since he had already lived there for half a year in 2018 and found it to be a deeply fascinating country that thought decades into the future. He was also engrossed by the local food, culture, and business style.

“Something that I find super interesting about Singapore is that you can see people from all kinds of cultures across the world just walking downtown,” Benedikt reflected. “I think that is the most special thing about the country—how Singapore manages different cultures to live peacefully next to each other; it’s quite astonishing for a country that’s under 60 years old.”

Besides that, Benedikt also considered the growing importance of Asia in international business.

Key takeaways from the programme

Benedikt, who wanted to continue his consulting career after his studies, found the classes relevant for his future job. “I think the MBA was more of a confirmation that this is the right choice or the right way to go,” he said. “I got to know a lot of people from different industries and companies.  That was most enriching to me because I got new insights into new industries.”

His classes on technology and e-business stood out: the content covered contemporary business trends but provided insights that could be applied to specific industries. It was also accessible to students like Benedikt, who lacked a tech background.

Benedikt was particularly impressed by the case studies that offered actionable business insights. “It wasn’t about what one company did right or wrong, but more about what we can learn from the failure of one company for others,” he said.

Taking these classes in an Asian context also broadened his horizons and gave him an understanding of how business is conducted in different parts of the world. Being a European with an intimate knowledge of doing business in Asia could give him a leg up career-wise. “What is unique is that I have one degree from Europe and one degree from Asia, and I think that is a combination that not a lot of people can offer,” Benedikt said.

The community and the network of people he met along the way were also key takeaways for Benedikt. As the valedictorian of his batch, he credits most of his achievements to his fellow MBA candidates.

“Looking back, I think my achievements are also the result of the vigorous and fruitful collaboration we had across the MBA programme.  Ultimately, I would say 80% of the MBA courses are based on teamwork. I think that’s what I’m super grateful for: I had a lot of good teams that were working well, where I could learn a lot,” Benedikt said.

He added that a big plus of NTU is that the average age of candidates is a little younger than that of other programmes, so he could bond with his classmates and grow together as a community.  “It’s more about all the learnings that you could take away from that… the memories and the learnings to take away, you profit every day from that.”

Are you interested in a double Master’s programme?

For anyone looking to take on the Nanyang Double Masters Programme, Benedikt offers a few words of advice.

“The most important thing is to be open to new experiences,” he explained. “There are some people who know what they want to do and where they want to go. And I think that’s good if you’re sure that that’s what makes you happy.

“But for me, the best choice is always to be open, curious, and see what opportunities emerge. And if they emerge, take them.”

Find out more about the Nanyang Double Masters Programme, and how it can potentially double your opportunities for advancement in the world of business.

The Nanyang MBA is a flexible 12-month or 18-month programme designed to fuel your growth into a future-ready leader equipped with the skills needed to excel in a global, digital environment. The programme aims to develop impactful, culturally adept leaders who embrace the connection between business, technology, and innovation to excel in global environments and adapt to each new wave of digital change.