On-campus program Business Administration (M.Sc.) – Wedel University of Applied Sciences

Who is the Master’s in Business Administration at FH Wedel suitable for?

The Master’s degree programme in Business Administration at the University of Applied Sciences Wedel is aimed at graduates of an initial degree in economics who wish to deepen their knowledge purposefully and prepare themselves for demanding specialist or leadership roles. Typical target groups are individuals with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, Business Informatics or related fields, who are aiming for a career in management, consulting, marketing, finance or IT management. The programme specifically appeals to prospective students who appreciate a practice-oriented, internationally focused education in small learning groups and want to benefit from close networking with companies.

What formal requirements must you meet?

To be admitted to the Master’s programme in Business Administration, you need a first professional university degree (e.g. Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science) in Business Administration or a closely related economic field of study. The length of the course depends on how many ECTS you obtained in your first degree:

• With 210 ECTS from the Bachelor’s degree: three-semester Master’s programme
• With 180 ECTS from the Bachelor’s degree: fourth semester with integrated study abroad or practical semester required (four-semester Master’s programme)

The programme is admission-free; a selection procedure may be applied in individual cases if the formal suitability needs to be examined in detail. The language of instruction is German. The programme starts in the winter semester (1 October) and the summer semester (1 April).

For the programme, you should have pronounced analytical skills and a serious interest in business-related issues. Initiative, the ability to work in a team and willingness to work independently on academic tasks are central personal requirements. You should be interested in current economic developments, able to comprehend complex interrelations and open to interdisciplinary issues. Communication and presentation skills are just as important as the willingness to take responsibility for projects. For certain courses as well as the optional study abroad semester, solid English skills are an advantage.

Which content do you deepen in the Master’s in Business Administration at FH Wedel?

In the Master’s programme in Business Administration at the University of Applied Sciences Wedel, you scientifically expand your knowledge from the Bachelor's degree and sharpen your analytical and strategic thinking. The programme is strongly practice-oriented, linking fundamental business administration with current developments and emphasising leadership skills as well as independent academic work.

• Cross-cutting topics: Strategic management, corporate governance, business intelligence, modelling of decision situations, corporate management as a system.
• IT and digitisation: Advanced aspects of IT use in management, IT governance, big data, software infrastructure, IT security in the corporate context.
• Internationalisation and competition theory: Global corporate management, competition policy, international economic interrelations.
• Specialisations from the 1st semester:
  • Finance & Services: Functioning of financial markets, financial market regulation, digitisation and internationalisation of services, company valuation, mergers & acquisitions, practical cases and simulation games.
  • IT Management: IT systems in companies, change management, development and implementation of IT solutions, simulation of business processes, semantic web.
  • Marketing & Media: Digital communication forms, market research, changes in the media landscape, empirical research, academic papers on current marketing topics.
• Practical relevance: Seminars with partner companies, case studies, involvement of company representatives in teaching, dealing with current practical topics.
• Internationality: Optional semester abroad, double degree programmes with partner universities such as Edinburgh Napier University or Universitat Internacional de Catalunya.

With this structure, you specifically build methodological competencies as well as specialist knowledge for leadership tasks in an international context.

How is the course progression organised in the Master’s in Business Administration at FH Wedel?

The Master’s programme in Business Administration at FH Wedel is application-oriented and offers you the following organisational options:

• Choice between 3 and 4 semesters: If you have 210 ECTS from your Bachelor's degree, you can complete the programme within three semesters. With 180 ECTS, the fourth semester is compulsory. The 4-semester model includes a semester abroad or a practical semester.
• Start each semester: Course start each winter semester (1 October) and summer semester (1 April), application deadlines are 15 September and 31 March respectively.
• Practice-integrated modules: In the third semester of the four-semester model, you complete a practical semester or a semester abroad. During the practical semester, you create an empirical case study in cooperation with a company.
• Specialisations from the 1st semester: You choose your specialisation (Finance & Services, IT Management, Marketing & Media) at the beginning. This specialisation influences elective modules, seminars, and usually the topic of your Master’s thesis.
• Teaching formats and tools: The programme is delivered face-to-face but can also be accessed online in a hybrid model. Online participants are fully integrated into live sessions; the central learning platform is Moodle. Interactive formats such as group work, exercises, and seminars (possibly with company partners) are part of the didactics.
• Alternative models: Part-time study, or “Master+” alongside work in a company (dual programme with possible company funding).
• Degree: The programme concludes with the Master’s thesis and confers the academic degree Master of Science (M.Sc.). Participation in the double degree programme entitles you to an additional international degree.

What career prospects do you have after the Master’s in Business Administration at FH Wedel?

Graduates of the Master’s degree programme in Business Administration at FH Wedel are qualified for specialist and leadership roles in numerous industries. The degree is particularly a basis for positions of responsibility and opens up diverse development opportunities.

• Access to leadership positions: Management or team leadership roles in industry, SMEs, service sectors, banks and insurance companies.
• Specialist functions depending on specialisation:
  • Finance & Services: Activities in financial management, corporate finance, controlling, investment banking, services in international companies.
  • IT Management: Interface functions between management and IT, IT project management, digitisation initiatives, management consulting.
  • Marketing & Media: Junior management in media sectors, agencies as well as product manager, brand manager.
• Management consulting and auditing: Work in consulting firms or with auditors.
• Start-up and entrepreneurship: The university explicitly supports the founding of your own start-ups through offers and advice.
• Research and doctoral studies: A subsequent doctorate is possible in cooperation with partner universities.

Former graduates work, for example, at BDO, Fielmann, Hapag-Lloyd, tesa, Deutsche Bank, Otto, Signal Iduna or Jungheinrich. The Master’s degree is thus a key qualification for entry into middle management and demanding specialist functions.

What is the study location Wedel and the FH Wedel campus like?

The University of Applied Sciences Wedel is located in Wedel, Schleswig-Holstein – on the western outskirts of Hamburg. The modern campus covers approximately 20,000 square metres and offers:

• Bright, well-equipped lecture halls and seminar rooms
• Modern IT infrastructure and own data centres
• Laboratories for practice-oriented teaching
• Collaborative learning atmosphere through small working groups and close contact to professors
• Catering, lounge areas and extensive technical equipment
• Excellent networking with companies in the Hamburg metropolitan region
• Optional full participation in the programme in online mode: lectures are live streamed, interaction with students on site is ensured

The Wedel/Hamburg surroundings also offer numerous opportunities for practical semesters, networking and career entry in northern Germany’s economy.

What costs are incurred in the Master’s programme in Business Administration in Wedel and how can you finance it?

The studies at the University of Applied Sciences Wedel are fee-based. The following costs apply for the Master’s in Business Administration:

• Total costs for three-semester study: €6,750 (over the standard period of study)
• Monthly fee: €375
• Full-time semester fee: €2,730 per semester (as of 2024); from the second semester onwards, payment in instalments of €455/month is possible
• Additional costs: Semester ticket and personal living expenses

Several options are available for financing:

• Master+ model: Dual degree programme with employment in a company that covers the tuition fees and additionally pays a salary
• Part-time model: Reduced course load with the possibility to work in parallel
• Possible funding through scholarships, study loans or employers

Through the companies engaged in the Master+ model, financing via practice-integrated employment is especially attractive. Additionally, instalment payments offer flexible adjustment to your personal financial situation.