Change Management and Decision Making, Master of Arts

Detailed Course Content

In the Master's programme Change Management and Decision Making (M.A.) at Hochschule Fresenius, you will engage intensively with the design of change processes and the underlying reasons for decision-making behaviour. The curriculum combines interdisciplinary research approaches, practical applications, and current scientific findings from economic psychology, communication studies, and management. The central course contents include:

• Theory Development and Practical Projects: You will acquire solid methodological knowledge for analysing and shaping change processes, supplemented by a practice-oriented project.
• Economic Psychology: Focus areas such as intercultural psychology, leadership psychology, and social interaction deepen your understanding of individual and organisational change dynamics.
• Communication: From various modules, you select two specialisations, for example Crisis Communication, Social Media in Internal and External Communication, or Corporate Communication. You will develop skills for professional, context-appropriate communication strategies in the change context.
• Management Modules: Here you can specialise, for example, in Digital Transformation, International and Intercultural Management, or Virtual Leadership.
• Change Management: You will learn to plan and manage change processes holistically, identify success factors, apply storytelling methods, and analyse practical examples.
• Decision Management: Topics such as thinking and problem-solving strategies, decision theories, and decision-making behaviour in an economic context round off your profile.

Through module selection, you can tailor your studies specifically to your individual interests and professional goals. Upon completion, you will possess scientifically grounded competencies for supporting, communicating, and evaluating change projects, as well as for data-driven decision-making in organisations.

Course Structure: Flexible Master’s Degree alongside Your Job

The programme is designed as a part-time distance learning course leading to the Master of Arts degree. You will earn 120 ECTS and can arrange the course duration flexibly according to your available time – usually between 4 and 8 semesters. Entry is possible every month, allowing you to start without long waiting periods.

• Online Learning Platform: You will use digital study materials, videos, e-books, and interactive tasks. All organisation and communication are conducted via the Canvas platform.
• Individual Support: Study coaches and lecturers will support you throughout your studies. There are regular online consultation hours and opportunities for exchange in study groups.
• Examinations: Exams, term papers and presentations are flexibly integrated into the distance learning concept – most exams can be taken online or at individually agreed times.
• Practical Project: You will work on practical topics, ideally conducted within your own company or in cooperation with practice partners.
• Master’s Thesis: In the final module, you will write a scientific paper on a self-chosen, application-oriented topic.

The organisation of the distance learning programme allows optimal compatibility with work and family. You set your own study pace and are independent of time and location.

Career Prospects & Employment Opportunities: Your Future with Change Management

With a Master’s degree in Change Management and Decision Making, you open up a wide range of career opportunities in national and international companies, organisations, and consultancies. The skills gained during your studies are especially in demand in the following areas:

• Leadership and management of change projects (Change Management)
• Leadership positions in personnel and organisational development
• Project management and internal/external corporate consulting
• Communication management, especially crisis and change communication
• Coaching and training in leadership, agility, and transformation
• Strategic business development in innovative, transforming companies

Graduates often take on leadership responsibilities, for example as change managers, project managers, transformation consultants, or in communication departments of large companies. Self-employed consulting and the development of training programmes are also attractive career fields.

Study Location: Fully Digital and Flexible Worldwide

The distance learning programme is conducted entirely online via Hochschule Fresenius’s digital learning platform. There are no attendance phases or mandatory stays on campus. You can therefore complete the programme independently of location, either from Germany or abroad.

• Access to study materials and participation in seminars take place flexibly over the internet.
• Exams and presentations are mostly offered online.
• For advice, networking, and personal exchange, digital formats, study coaches, and online events are available to you.

Hochschule Fresenius operates physical locations in several large German cities (including Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne, Hamburg, Munich). In the distance learning programme, you use the infrastructure and services digitally – if needed, you can also make use of offers such as libraries, advice, or career events on site.

Costs and Financing: What You Should Budget for Your Studies

The tuition fees depend on the desired study duration and payment schedule. Usually, three payment models are available:

• 24 months study duration: 525 euros (with discount: 467.25 euros) per month
• 36 months study duration: 395 euros (with discount: 351.55 euros) per month
• 48 months study duration: 315 euros (with discount: 280.35 euros) per month

The total costs thus depend on your individual time model. The price includes all learning materials, examination fees, personal support, and access to digital specialised libraries.

Financing options:

• Discount campaigns (e.g. with code START11)
• Study loans, e.g. KfW study loan
• Scholarships, e.g. Deutschlandstipendium
• Support for working professionals (e.g. via the employer or continuing education funds)
• Tax deductibility of tuition fees possible

Hochschule Fresenius provides individual advice on funding possibilities and payment models to find a financing model tailored to your distance learning course. Additional costs usually only arise for optional specialised literature or travel to individual exams, if you do not take them online.