Double Degree Program at EDHEC Business School (France): Nae Fukuoka

Motivation
I decided to pursue a double degree at EDHEC Business School because I felt the need to strengthen my skills. While working full-time and attending a weekend MBA program, I participated in an exchange program at NUS using the short-term study abroad program. After exchanging views with globally active students there, I was motivated to take on further challenges.
The reason for my choice of elective courses was because I learned the importance of analytical skills through practical experience. At the time, when I was working in project management, I was always required to provide strategic insights and policy proposals based on data. I realized how important data analysis skills are in daily tasks and agreements with stakeholders. From this experience, I recognized the need for strong analytical skills in order to become a data-driven decision maker in the future, and decided to pursue an MSc (Data Analytics and AI) at EDHEC.

Timeline
- April-May Selection, including identification of potential double degree programs.
- June Started application process through NUCB and visa application.
- July-August - Completed basic online courses (Python and Statistics).
*Marketing and Finance courses are exempted since they have already been studied in the MBA program.
- Quit my job to move to France.
- September-December: Completed first semester courses and exams.
Winter break (1-2 weeks)
- January-February Complete 2nd semester courses and exams.
Spring Break (1-2 weeks)
- March - May Complete elective courses (Personalization Period) and exams.
- June Submit and present Master's thesis.
- July Internship (optional)
- October Graduation

Program Overview
I enrolled in the MSc (Data Analytics and AI) program at EDHEC Business School. All classes in this program are taught in English and my classmates are from Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America, giving me a very international perspective. The program consists of one semester, two semesters, and an elective period (personalized period).

Semester 1
The curriculum includes Python, statistics, data mining, Power BI, web analytics (SQL), research methodology, business ethics, and French. I had hoped to take Marketing but ended up taking VBA due to the first-come, first-served registration system. I encourage future students to prepare a list of the three courses they wish to take.

2 semesters
In the second semester, I will choose between the Data Science course and the Business Intelligence and Business Analysis. I chose the latter to learn how to effectively use data in business cases. The curriculum includes People and Operations Analysis, Data-Driven Insights, Natural Language Processing for Business, and Social Network Analysis. In this course, students will analyze data using Python for resource management, marketing, strategy, and people management. I found this semester particularly interesting and useful because it allowed me to practice and learn data-driven strategies. The basics covered in the first semester were essential for these analyses.

Electives and Personalization Period
During this period, called the Personalization Period, you can choose from a wide range of courses, including regular electives, online courses offered by Microsoft, short-term exchange programs, and certificate courses, regardless of your major. During this period, called the Personalization Period, you can choose from a wide range of courses, including regular electives, online courses offered by Microsoft, short-term exchange programs, and certificate courses. I chose the certificate course in project management to match my experience. Some of the courses you choose may include an exam, so it is also a good strategy to look at the syllabus to decide.

Master's Thesis
After deciding on a topic, you will need to choose a faculty advisor. I focused on text analysis and contacted a professor with expertise in this area. His guidance was invaluable and helped me develop a deep understanding and practical skills that will be useful in real business cases. I highly recommend that future students find a professor who is relevant to their field.

Life at EDHEC
EDHEC provides students with an Office 365 account, free access to the gym, pool, and printing facilities. Breakfast is provided Monday through Friday for all on-campus residents. Although there are other double degree students, due to the differences in courses, interactions are primarily with other classmates who enroll on a regular basis. This diversity extends beyond academics and forms a vibrant and rich educational environment. The average age of my cohort is approximately 25 years old.

Deepened Knowledge
With no prior experience in data analysis or coding, the online lectures and first semester were more dedicated to learning than ever before. The challenge was invaluable and provided me with a solid foundation in data processing, statistics, and data mining, laying an important foundation for the second semester. The second semester will focus on business cases. Using the skills gained in the first semester, we were able to code and analyze a variety of data sets and learn methods that can be applied to real business situations. We find this extremely useful and important. The master thesis allowed me to apply the knowledge I gained throughout the academic year, furthering my learning and experience at EDHEC.

Other Double Degree Programs at EDHEC
From time to time at EDHEC I have the opportunity to get to know other double degree students. I have become very good friends with students from Norway and Germany. One was studying law at EDHEC and the other sustainability. We discussed the differences in our subjects and how EDHEC compares to institutions in our respective home countries. While the timelines are similar, there are significant differences in the number of exams, the way classes are taught, and the number of subject options. We encourage prospective students to carefully review the curriculum before choosing a major.

Advice to prospective students
Here is a brief list of things that are not necessarily important, but that would have been useful for me to know before I came to study abroad.
- Choosing a school for a double degree program: Research is key. Visit the school's website, carefully read the syllabus of the courses you are interested in, and check the course content and graduation requirements to get an overview.
- Preparing for a double degree: EDHEC was very helpful in securing accommodations, obtaining necessary documents, and applying for visas.
- Study: Studying and exchanging ideas with coursemates may help to deepen your understanding, but is not required. There are also group projects where you will work with people from different backgrounds, although the syllabus may have more details on evaluation ratios, etc.