Business Administration - Marketing and sales, Master of Arts

Who is the part-time Master’s degree in Business Management at FHDW suitable for?

The Master’s degree in Business Administration – Business Management at the Fachhochschule der Wirtschaft (FHDW) is aimed at working professionals with a first university degree who want to specifically expand their management and leadership skills. It is particularly intended for individuals from the fields of business and management who wish to further qualify academically alongside their professional activities. The flexible, part-time study model is especially suitable for specialists and managers, team leaders, as well as junior executives who take on strategic responsibilities or want to advance their careers in middle to senior management.

Admission requirements at a glance

• First professional university degree: Usually, a bachelor’s or diploma degree with a business administration focus is required.
• Subject-specific suitability: The degree must cover a suitably related subject, such as business administration, economics, international management, or similar courses of study.
• English language skills: English skills at least at level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Proof can be provided by relevant certificates, a language test, or a relevant stay abroad.
• Admission interview: Before starting the Master’s degree, you will have a personal admission interview with the university. This is where any open questions about the course of study, motivation, and suitability of your previous education are clarified.

Important: Coordination with your employer is recommended, especially to secure your participation in the on-site phases and to best integrate the study programme with operational requirements.

Personal requirements and expectations for students

• Employment: The part-time model requires ongoing professional employment. The organisation of studies is designed to ensure compatibility with full-time or part-time jobs.
• Self-motivation and self-organisation: Independent time management, high self-motivation, and resilience are key prerequisites to successfully manage the demanding dual workload of work and study.
• Interest in business administration topics: You should have a strong interest in corporate management, innovation management, and strategic management.
• Communication and teamwork skills: Methods of teamwork and communication are part of the programme – corresponding skills are advantageous for study success.
• Career orientation: The programme is designed for individuals who want to specifically qualify for leadership positions within a company.

What content can you expect in the Master’s in Business Management?

The part-time Master’s programme in Business Management at FHDW provides you with comprehensive management skills for a leadership position within a company. The course content is designed to be both strategic and operational, giving you a holistic view of businesses and markets. The focus is on current challenges such as digitalisation, sustainability, and international management.

• Innovation Management: Learn how companies successfully design innovative processes and explore new business areas.
• International Management: Engage with the specifics of international markets and intercultural corporate leadership.
• Team Management: Develop skills for leading teams in both agile and traditional structures.
• Buying Behaviour of Individuals & Organisations: Analyse how purchasing decisions are made and how organisations act as customers.
• Procurement Management & Strategic Purchasing: Learn how companies purchase sustainably and strategically to optimise value creation.
• Analysis of Financial Reports & Controlling Metrics: Understand how to read and evaluate business metrics and incorporate them into your management decisions.
• Value-Based Corporate Management: Focus on sustainable business success and the development of value-oriented control models.
• Complexity Management: Acquire tools to deal with uncertainties and multifaceted challenges in everyday management.

Additionally, various elective modules are available, allowing you to sharpen your profile:

• Automotive Management
• Business Management
• Controlling
• Procurement and Logistics Management
• Human Resource Management
• Management and Leadership in Financial Sales
• Marketing and Sales

Throughout the course, you will deepen skills that make you a versatile all-rounder in management.

How is the part-time Master’s programme structured?

The Master’s programme is optimally tailored to the needs of working professionals. The degree is awarded after five semesters (31 months) with the academic title Master of Arts (M.A.). The schedule is clearly structured and enables you to efficiently combine study and work:

• 24 months of lectures and examinations
• 7 months for the Master’s thesis
• Two on-site weekends per semester (Thursday to Saturday)
• Lectures on average twice a month on Saturdays
• Online lectures once or twice a week in the evenings

Thanks to its flexible design, you can largely decide how to balance your studies with your professional life. The on-site phases enable exchange and direct interaction with lecturers and fellow students. Digital teaching formats ensure maximum flexibility.

Career opportunities and professional prospects

With a Master’s degree in Business Management, you open up a wide range of career opportunities in companies of various industries and sizes. The course qualifies you for demanding specialist and leadership positions – especially in areas such as:

• Management and corporate leadership
• Strategy and innovation management
• Controlling and financial management
• Marketing, sales, key account management
• Procurement, logistics, and supply chain management
• Human resource management
• Project and process management

Graduates of the programme are sought-after experts in future-relevant topics such as digitalisation, value-based corporate management, and sustainable development.

At which locations can you study?

The part-time Master’s programme is offered at four campuses of the Fachhochschule der Wirtschaft:

• Bergisch Gladbach
• Bielefeld
• Mettmann
• Paderborn

Each campus offers a modern learning environment, small study groups, and intensive support. The regional connection to companies from various sectors enables valuable practical contacts already during your studies.

What does the programme cost and how can you finance it?

The monthly tuition fees amount to €595, plus a one-time examination fee of €2,400. This results in regular total costs of €20,845 for the entire programme. FHDW informs you that part of your tuition fees and expenses can be claimed back through your income tax declaration and thus refinanced.

Part-time students also have the possibility to cover parts of the costs through continuing education funding, scholarships, or support from their employer. Individual study counselling supports you in choosing suitable financing options.