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Deutsch Who is the dual distance learning program Advanced Management (M.A.) suitable for?
The dual distance learning program Advanced Management (M.A.) is aimed at graduates of business-related bachelor's programs or related fields who want to specifically expand their management skills. The program is particularly attractive to individuals who are aiming for a higher qualified management or leadership role in a company and want to study in a practical manner alongside their professional activities. The program is especially suitable for professionals who are already working in areas of companies that are linked to controlling, personnel, accounting, sales, logistics, or related management tasks. Companies also benefit from a targeted development of their future leaders through accredited practical periods and individually selectable study focuses.
Admission requirements: What formalities do you need to bring?
To be admitted to the dual distance learning program Advanced Management, you must meet the following formal requirements:
- Completed bachelor's degree with at least 210 ECTS credits in a business-related or comparable field.
- Alternatively: Bachelor's degree with 180 ECTS credits if you also complete bridging courses or can demonstrate relevant work experience.
- Diploma degrees are also recognized if they are relevant.
- You must be employed during the program and provide evidence of a company as a practical partner. The activity must be linked to the study content (e.g. controlling, personnel, accounting, sales, logistics, business informatics).
Personal requirements for success in the program are:
- Willingness to independently and structuredly organize work and study in parallel.
- Interest in practical further education and in the direct application of theoretical content in the everyday business.
- Self-management skills, resilience, and openness to digital learning formats and media.
- Ability to cooperate, team skills, as well as the motivation to take responsibility in projects and in the business context.
- Prior experience in business functions or already assumed leadership roles are advantageous.
What content does the dual distance learning programme Advanced Management (M.A.) convey?
In the dual distance learning programme Advanced Management (M.A.), you combine economic expertise with practical skills. The curriculum includes the following thematic focuses:
- Business Management and Knowledge Management: Conveyance of concepts related to organizational development, innovation management, network management, and practice-oriented employee leadership.
- International Economics: Analysis of monetary foreign trade, emerging markets, and international trade.
- Elective Modules: Selection from areas such as International Management, Controlling, or Business Informatics. Topics include International Human Resource Management, strategic Controlling, Business Intelligence, and IT applications in industry.
- Specializations (Elective Module II): You choose one of twelve possible emphases, including Accounting, Corporate Finance, E-Business, Health Management, Logistics Management, Tourism and Sports Management, Applied Business Psychology, or Entrepreneurship.
- Soft Skills: Developing skills in teamwork, conflict management, and business mediation.
- Practice Reflections: Each semester, you work on industry-specific projects in partner companies, evaluate them with instructors, and document the professional implementation of theoretical knowledge.
- Master's Thesis: Independent scientific thesis with accompanying colloquium, often application-oriented within your own company.
The programme places great emphasis on linking management theory, current economic megatrends (digitalisation, decarbonisation, demography), and their immediate application in corporate practice. You learn how to analyse, control, and optimise complex management tasks. The selection of your emphases allows for individual specialisation according to your career goals.
How is the structure and procedure of the dual distance learning programme organised?
The dual distance learning programme Advanced Management (M.A.) extends over either three semesters (18 months) or four semesters (24 months). The programme starts on 1st January, 1st April, 1st July, and 1st October each year. The procedure is as follows:
- Digital Dual Distance Learning: The teaching contents are primarily conveyed through digital media (E-Campus, study guides, videos). Supplementary practical seminars and projects take place on site at the partner company.
- Practical Phases in the Company: Concurrently with academic education, you work in the company without time restrictions and implement targeted work assignments from the programme. The practical phases are closely integrated with the learning contents and are documented through regular reflections.
- Choice of Specialisation: During the course, you decide on individual emphases, which can also be chosen in consultation with your company.
- Examinations: Exams are taken either online or at one of PFH's nationwide study centres. For each practice reflection, you create a chartbook and present your results in an online conference before a PFH professor.
- Support: Throughout the programme, you have a personal Study Coach who assists you with planning, learning success, and individual concerns. There are introductory events, individual semester plans, and personal counselling sessions.
- Digital Study Materials: Study guides are available in digital as well as print versions. Microsoft Office 365 is provided free of charge.
- Flexibility: You can flexibly change the time model and complete the distance learning programme independently of the location.
Through the close integration with corporate practice, you ensure an optimal theory-practice transfer. A "Board of Practice" additionally promotes cooperation between PFH and the participating companies. The practice partners include numerous well-known companies from various industries.
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- Involvement in Strategic Tasks: such as personnel development, organisational design, process optimisation.
Many graduates hold senior management positions in renowned companies after completing their studies. The programme is designed to solve practice-relevant problems immediately and thus accelerate career advancement within one's own company.
How are the costs composed and what financing options are available?
The tuition fees depend on the chosen time model:
- 3 Semesters (18 Months): Tuition fee per month (exact amount available upon request from the provider)
- 4 Semesters (24 Months): Tuition fee per month (exact amount available upon request from the provider)
- Examination fee: One-time €650 when registering for the Master's Thesis
Further financial aspects and options:
- Coverage by the Employer: In the dual model, there is the option for the partner company to (partially) cover the costs.
- BAföG: BAföG can be applied for the 3-semester model.
- KfW Student Loan: Financing through the student loan offered by the KfW Banking Group is possible.
- Scholarships and Benefits: PFH offers its own support initiatives, for example, for parents on parental leave, couples (married), PFH alumni, and for various life stages.
- Tax Deductibility: Tuition and exam fees, learning materials, travel and accommodation costs can be claimed for tax purposes.
- Instalment Payment: The tuition fees can be paid in monthly instalments.
The university offers individual consultations on financing options. Flexible arrangements (contract suspension, re-entry) are also available in special life situations such as parental leave, illness, or unemployment.
Advisory Service
Have questions about Academic Programs Advanced Management? Ask your question here, even anonymously. An employee of the institution PFH Private University of Applied Sciences or the editorial team will answer you.
Hi Vend409,
the Advanced Management master is not one of PFH’s English-taught international campus master’s programmes. It is a German-language dual distance-learning programme, and the company is part of the study model as the second learning location.
So yes: you should expect to need German for the lectures/study materials and, possibly, the company-based part.
Your project coordination background fits the programme direction. The decisive point is the language and the company setup.
PFH does not publicly state a fixed B2 or C1 requirement for this exact programme. In practice, solid B2 may be enough to apply if PFH confirms it. For day-to-day work, meetings and written project reflection with a potential German employer, upper B2 to C1 would be the safer level.
Things you might need to clarify before applying:
Is B2 German accepted for enrolment in this dual master?
Can the company part be completed at a present workplace?
If you need help contacting PFH, you can ask our virtual study advisor, Sophie, 24/7: https://www.privathochschulen.net/en/questions/chat
Hi Owen,
Just to clarify first: we’re the editorial/advisory team behind privathochschulen.net, not PFH’s admissions office, so we can’t confirm contractual details on behalf of PFH.
Based on the information currently available, PFH’s dual Advanced Management programme is designed as a “digitual” model: you study online/distance-learning while working in a company that acts as the second learning location. PFH lists several existing partner companies for this model, and the practical parts of the programme are coordinated between the student, the university and the company.
What I could not verify from PFH’s public information is a guaranteed placement service for international applicants or a guarantee that PFH will secure a partner-company contract for you. PFH generally states for its international programmes that it does not offer job placements, but that its Career Service supports students with the German job market, applications, CVs, interviews and networking. So I would treat the company-search part as something where you may receive support, but where you should not assume a guaranteed match unless PFH confirms this directly in writing.
The language point is important: the dual Advanced Management programme is listed with German as the language of instruction. Since the partner company would also usually be in Germany, German skills are likely to matter not only for studying, but also for interviews, onboarding and day-to-day work. PFH does offer support services for international students and career preparation. For international exchange students, PFH mentions either German at B1-level or English at B2-level as a requirement, as well as offers for language courses. But for this specific dual distance-learning programme, you should ask directly what German level they expect before enrolment and whether they offer language support alongside this programme.
My practical recommendation would be:
contact PFH’s study advisory team before applying and ask specifically whether international applicants can receive help approaching partner companies;
ask whether an existing employer from abroad could act as the partner company if the practical tasks fit the curriculum;
ask what German level they require or strongly recommend for this particular dual programme;
request written confirmation of what support is available before relying on it for your study plans or visa/job planning.
If needed, our virtual study advisor Sophie will be of great help in reaching out to PFH for more information. For broader alternatives, it may also help in exploring and comparing other management master’s programmes, including English-taught options.