The Master’s in Business Management in Germany:

The Key to your International Management Career

YOU ARE INTERESTED IN STUDYING INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, BUT YOU HAVE A QUESTION?

The HdWM master’s in international management degree programme in brief:

DegreeMaster of Arts
Variants

M.A. Business Management 3 semesters
(An overview of the semester schedule can be found here.)

M.A. Business Management with Digital Leadership 4 semesters
(An overview of the semester schedule can be found here.)
This variant offers the option of a double degree

Duration3-4 semesters (depending on your previous studies and variant)
Start of programmeWinter and summer semester
AccreditationFIBAA accredited
Lecturing DaysThursdays and Fridays
SpecialisationsIT Management, People & Culture, International Sales Management (3 semesters)
IT Management  & People & Culture, IT Management & International Sales Management (4 semesters)
Languages of instructionStudy programme is offered in 100% English or German. HdWM offers German classes for international students.
Formal entrance requirementsBachelor’s degree with at least 180 ECTS, ideally 210 ECTS
German "Fachhochschulreife" or its equivalent
English skills on at least B2 level
Tuition fees

690 Euros per month

The Benefits of Studying International Management in the Master's in Business Management

  • Learn about management in an international context
  • Perfect preparation for an international career
  • Accredited study programme entirely in English
  • 3 specialisations to prepare you for your career aims
  • Only 2 days of lectures per week
  • Lecturers with extensive international business experience
  • Fellow students from all over the world
  • Options to study and do internships abroad
  • Extensive network of partner universities and institutes
  • Four-semester version: Business Management and Digital Leadership
  • Option to optain a double degree in cooperation with the Sapienza University, Rome
Studying Management at HdWM

Ryan Matthew Falls

Graduate Master's in Business Management (EN)

“The Master’s in Business Management at HdWM has given me the chance to make my career dreams, as well as personal endeavors, become a reality. The student-oriented professors, hands-on teaching methods, and the multicultural student atmosphere epitomize the vision of HdWM. All of these have helped me to develop myself into a more global and future-centered thinker. That is exactly why I traveled halfway across the globe from America to be a part of this vision.”

If you are heading for an international career, the Master's in Business Management in English is the ideal master's in international management. With the special focus on international management, it enables you to build on the knowledge gained during your undergraduate studies and complements it with management tools and theories for an international setting. Combined with a high practical orientation, you will be able to manage international businesses of all sizes and business areas.

To align your master’s in international management with your strengths and interests, you can choose between three different majors in your final semester:

  • IT Management
  • People & Culture
  • International Sales Management

In the four-semester version of the Master's program with a specialisation in Digital Leadership, you will further expand your career options. You will strengthen your analytical skills, combine practice and studies and focus on the topics of digitisation and transformation. You have two specialisations: 

  • IT Management & People & Culture
  • IT Management & International Sales Management 

This variant also offers the possibility to obtain a double degree in cooperation with the Sapienza University, Rome.

The Master’s in Business Management is also offered in German.

What are the admission requirements?

You should have successfully completed your Bachelor's degree by the start of your Master's degree in Business Management and have a business administration component of 30 ECTS. Regardless of whether you have completed your Bachelor's degree with 180 or 210 ECTS, at HdWM you have the opportunity to enter the Business Management Master's degree.  It is also possible to credit advance payments (work experience, etc.). The Student Advisory Service will be happy to advise you!

Prospective students with 180 ECTS choose the course of study with four semesters, with 210 ECTS you can successfully complete their studies within three semesters. Of course, you can voluntarily complete a semester abroad in any case.

For this English track master’s in international management programme, non-native speakers of English need to certify language skills on at least B2 level, according to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). This can be certified by a German Abitur or any common language test, such as e.g. TOEFL or IELTS. Additional German skills are highly recommended for international students.

What should I expect in the degree programme?

This degree course is held entirely in English to prepare you for an international work setting. By enrolling in this master's in international management programme, you will build your management skills. You learn to perceive a company systemically in interaction with its environment. Management is split-up into operative, strategic, and normative aspects. This concept will always be applied in an international context, teaching you how to tackle international teams, markets, or customers.

During an eight-week internship, you will apply the new approaches directly into practice. Depending on the professional aims that you have, you can participate in a research project on leadership-related topics instead of the internship.
The HdWM master’s in international management offer three specialisations in the third semester: IT Management, People & Culture and International Sales Management. They will give your studies a specific focus that will support you in pursuing your international career.

For more information, you find the handbook of modules of the degree programme here (3 semesters) and here (4 semesters), as well the general examination regulations here.

How can I gain practical experience during my studies?

All HdWM study programmes are designed to enable graduates settling smoothly in the working world. Therefore, there are fixed practical elements in the curriculum, such as the 8-week internship, to allow you gaining practical experience during your studies. A network of about 50 partner companies* and the support of the HdWM Career Network will get you ready for your dream career.
All lecturers have extensive business experience that they readily share with their students. Company visits, guest lectures by company representatives, and real-life business cases enrich the lectures and give valuable insight into business life.
Furthermore, you can top off your working experience during your studies. The lectures of the master’s in international business management only take place on 2 days per week, which gives you ample opportunities to work as a working student during the semester and in the semester breaks.

* Please note that companies in Germany expect high proficiency in German from their applicants (B2 level or higher).

How is the degree programme structured?

In 3-4 semesters, you learn about necessary management tools and theories that will enable you to manage every organisation in any field of business or country in the world. The specialisations set the course for reaching your professional goals.

In the 4 semester variant, you have the possibility to optain a double degree. With two semesters abroad at the Sapienza University, Rome, you receive a second master's degree in Business Management from one of the best universities in Italy and the oldest university in Rome.

Here, you can find an overview of the study programme with 3 semesters and 4 semesters.

What prospects do I have after graduation?

The master’s in international business management opens broad management career options all over the world. Classically, you can start a career in managing a business. This can be an internationally operating company in your home country, but thanks to the focus on international management, you can also start a successful career in other countries. In addition to the solid knowledge in business management, you will have acquired knowledge in one of the three specialisations. This gives graduates in this master’s in international management exceptionally good job prospects.

People & Culture – A way with people

Due to demographic change and the ever-increasing demands on those recruiting and retaining staff, the position of the Human Resources Manager is becoming more and more important. Diverse career prospects are emerging, ranging from the classical personnel manager to the knowledge expert or HR consultant.

IT Management – Creating structures, thinking in solutions

IT Management is taking on an important role in organisations. The modern IT Manager structures processes in organisations, or develops IT solutions for customers and thinks laterally, beyond mere programming. Due to the ever-increasing digitalisation, the specialisation in IT Management offers extremely promising career prospects.

International Sales Management – A career as sales professional

In the international sales area, the career options are extremely good – from Key Account Manager to Sales Executive. Well-qualified sales personnel are always in great demand. Economic growth creates new positions, and managerial responsibility can emerge very suddenly.

How can you find your Dream Job? Additional value through the Career Network @ HdWM

What is the Career Network @ HdWM and how does it support you?

Business Contacts @ HdWM

The close cooperation with businesses is a cornerstone of our study model and offers advantages for companies, the university, you as a student and alumni alike: You can already gain valuable practical experience during your studies, HdWM thereby optimises the quality of its studies and companies can attract young talents through HdWM. The HdWM network partners are comprised of multinational corporations and associations as well as start-ups and small or medium-sized enterprises. All of them offer excellent career, networking and advancement opportunities. That's why we at Business Contacts @ HdWM are constantly expanding our network of partner companies to offer a broad range of businesses and enterprises.

With three central services, the Career Network is at the heart of the HdWM study model and builds bridges between students and their career goals, business contacts and alumni:

1. Matching @ HdWM

Matching @ HdWM is the link between business contacts and students. In this function, the requirements of the partner companies are aligned with your wishes, which ideally leads to a "match" or placement. The Career Center @ HdWM offers internships, working student jobs and opportunities for permanent employment after graduation on the one hand, and organises networking events on the other hand, through which HdWM students can find the right business area and the right company for themselves.

2. Coaching @ HdWM

With Coaching @ HdWM we offer you students the possibility for an individual career coaching. If you want to prepare yourself ideally for your career entry alongside your studies, you have the opportunity of support by the coaching team regarding professional orientation, internships, application and career entry.

3. Alumni @ HdWM

Even after your studies, you remain a formative part of HdWM and its culture! Therefore, our concern is not only intensive networking, but we would also like to support all former students beyond their studies in their professional career through specific offers.

Do you have questions? Please feel free to contact your Career Network via the following email address: career-network@hdwm.org!

What are the costs of the Master’s in Business Management?

Tuition fees

As a private university, HdWM is funded mainly by tuition fees and the contributions of the partner companies. HdWM is a non-profit organisation, therefore all revenues are used for the development of our university and the constant enhancement of the teaching quality as well as the student services.
The tuition fees for the master’s in Business Management are 690 Euros per month. Non-EU students will be required to set up a German bank account and hand in a signed SEPA direct debit mandate for the monthly payment of the tuition fees. You will receive all necessary documents with your study contract.

Other fees

There is a one-time enrolment fee of 690 Euros that you pay if you are accepted and choose to join the programme. You also have to pay a so-called Solidarity Contribution of 22.80 Euros per semester.

For further information about our fees, please read our scale of fees.

Living expenses

Living expenses vary from person to person, according to your lifestyle and whether you wish to rent your own flat or share a flat with other students. Health Insurance is compulsory and for students is available from between 30 to 75 Euros per month.

Most students buy a semester ticket from the local public transport company. This costs about 170 Euros per semester, but you then have free travel on all buses, trams and local trains in the region. For books you should reckon with 300 to 400 Euros per semester.

Financing

There are several ways how to fund your studies at HdWM. Germans can apply for BAföG and the KfW student loan. Under certain circumstances, these options are also available to non-Germans (please check their websites for further details). HdWM also offers several merit-based scholarship programmes, for which all nationalities can apply.

We’ve summarised the most important financing options for you.

How can I apply?

The HdWM Application Process – We Want to Get to Know You

Studying Master's in Business Management requires more from an applicant than just the necessary school leaving certificates or university diplomas. It takes special characteristics, such as motivation and personality, to be successful in the field. These and other qualifications are assessed in our application process. Rather than just checking your grades, we want to assess your motivation for choosing the respective degree course. We want to find out how it can support you on your path to your career. The central element is a personal application interview with a professor of the respective degree course. The interview gives us insight, whether the selected study programme matches your personal skills and interests.

Find out more about our Application Process or apply directly via our Online Application Form.

To apply for your studies at HdWM, you can apply up to a year before your start of studies and until shortly before the respective semester starts. We recommend an early application that you can secure a study place in good time.

Julia Brasch

Graduate MA Business Management (EN)

„The small class sizes and the individual advisory at HdWM gave me the opportunity to not only gain further academic knowledge, but also to benefit from hands-on business insights. My internship and the student job at the HdWM Career Service helped me to build up a professional network.“

Prof. Dr. Hans Rüdiger Kaufmann

Chair of the Master’s in Business Management (EN)

“Students enjoy a multi-cultural study experience enriched by international extra-curricular study travels. A succinctly planned and highly practice relevant curriculum enables the students to systematically prepare for their future career by focusing on their preferred concentration.”