Business Information Systems: All degree programmes at private universities

In an increasingly digitalised world, business informatics is becoming more and more important as a subject. Companies are increasingly relying on innovative technologies to optimise their business processes and achieve competitive advantages.

The increasing demand for professionals with sound knowledge in both fields - business and computer science - has led to a wide range of degree programmes.

Bachelor's and Master's degrees in business informatics are also among the most popular courses at German private universities. Corresponding degree programmes are offered at numerous universities from Hamburg to Munich, both as classic face-to-face degree programmes, as dual degree programmes and distance learning programmes, and as part-time degree programmes.

Here I present all the degree programmes in business informatics as well as all the universities with business informatics degree programmes and give an outlook on the career opportunities with this degree programme and how they differ from pure computer science.

These private unis & FHs offer degree programmes in business informatics

In Germany, there are quite a number of private universities that offer business informatics degree programmes leading to Bachelor's and Master's degrees

Here is a brief portrait of the most important private universities with business informatics degree programmes:

IU International University of Applied Sciences: With over 100,000 enrolled students, IU is the largest university in Germany. The university is based in Erfurt, but IU also offers its campus study programmes at a number of other locations in Germany as well as via virtual campus. In addition to the campus programmes in business informatics, among others, the university offers more than 100 distance learning programmes as well as a large number of part-time and dual study programmes.

Wilhelm Büchner University of Applied Sciences: WBH is a private, state-recognised university of applied sciences based in Darmstadt/Hesse. The university was founded as a distance learning university in 1997. In autumn 2022, a total of around 7,000 students were enrolled at WBH. The university focuses on distance learning courses in the fields of technology, industrial engineering and computer science.

AKAD University of Applied Sciences: AKAD University is a private, state-recognised university of applied sciences based in Stuttgart. The university was founded in 1959 and focuses on distance learning and certificate courses in the fields of technology, computer science and business administration. As of 2023, a total of 6,380 students were enrolled at the university. In the Department of Computer Science, the university offers a number of other distance learning courses in addition to Business Information Systems, such as a B.Sc. in Computer Science and a B.Sc. in Data Science.

European Distance Learning University Hamburg: The Euro-FH is a private, state-recognised university based in Hamburg. The university was founded in 2003. In the winter semester 2020/2021, a total of 8,136 students were enrolled at the Euro-FH. As a distance learning university, the focus of the Euro-FH is on distance learning courses, especially in the field of economics.

PFH Private University of Applied Sciences: The PFH Private University of Applied Sciences Göttingen was founded in 1995 and is a private, state-recognised university of applied sciences that has established itself as an "entrepreneurial and start-up university". In the winter semester of 2022/2023, around 4,500 students were enrolled at the university and the PFH has two further locations at this time, Stade and Berlin. The university offers degree programmes in the subject areas of Business Studies, Engineering, Healthcare Technology and (Business) Psychology. Many of the PFH's degree programmes can also be completed as distance learning courses.

FOM University of Applied Sciences: Alongside the Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, FOM is one of the largest private universities of applied sciences and is based in Essen/North Rhine-Westphalia. Founded in 1993, FOM had a total of around 57,000 students enrolled in the winter semester 2020/2021. The study programmes at FOM are aimed at working professionals. Through various flexible time models, the classroom lectures take place parallel to a company job or training. In the same subject area, FOM also offers a Bachelor in Computer Science in addition to a Bachelor in Business Information Systems.

SRH University Heidelberg: The SRH University Heidelberg is a private, state-recognised university of applied sciences located in Heidelberg, Baden-Wuerttemberg. The university was founded in 1969 and a total of 3,403 students were enrolled at SRH University Heidelberg in the winter semester 2020/2021. The university offers over 40 degree programmes, many of them in the field of engineering. It is part of the SRH University Group, which also includes the SRH Fernhochschule - The Mobile University, which offers the degree programme Business Information Systems by distance learning.

Wedel University of Applied Sciences: FH Wedel is a private, state-recognised university of applied sciences located in Wedel, Schleswig-Holstein. The university was founded in 1948, and in the winter semester 2020/2021 a total of 1,339 students were enrolled at the university. The university mainly offers Bachelor's and Master's degrees in the field of information sciences. In addition to a bachelor's degree in business informatics, one can also study data science and AI at the university of applied sciences.

FHDW University of Applied Sciences: The FHDW is a state-recognised, private university of applied sciences located in Paderborn, North Rhine-Westphalia. The university was founded in 1993 as one of the first private universities in NRW and, in addition to Paderborn, operates further campuses in Bielefeld, Bergisch Gladbach, Mettmann and Marburg. In the winter semester 2019/2020, a total of 2,209 students were enrolled at the university. The FHDW's range of courses focuses on business administration and business informatics.

NORDAKADEMIE University of Applied Sciences: The NORDAKADEMIE is a private university for business in Elmshorn near Hamburg. It was founded in 1992 and has about 2,500 students. The range of courses includes various dual and part-time Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes in the fields of business and technology.

Hochschule der Bayerischen Wirtschaft: The FHDW University of Applied Sciences is a private, state-recognised university of applied sciences based in Munich with a study centre in Bamberg. The HDBW was founded in 2012 and has since offered Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes in business administration, industrial engineering, business informatics, mechanical engineering and digitalisation. In the winter semester 2020/2021, a total of 535 students were enrolled at the university. The HDBW offers Business Informatics with the specialisation Business Intelligence both full-time and dual.

Private University of Applied Sciences: The PHWT is a private, state-recognised university of applied sciences located in Vechta/Diepholz, Lower Saxony. The university was founded in 1998, and in the winter semester 2020/2021 a total of 583 students were enrolled at the PHWT. The PHWT sees itself as a pioneer for dual study programmes in Lower Saxony. Accordingly, the university also offers a dual study programme in business informatics.

Hochschule Weserbergland: The Weserbergland University of Applied Sciences is a private, state-recognised university of applied sciences located in Hameln/Lower Saxony. The HSW was founded in 2010. In the winter semester 2020/2021, a total of 482 students were enrolled at the university. The HSW offers, among other things, dual Bachelor's degree programmes in business administration, business informatics and industrial engineering.

DIPLOMA University of Applied Sciences: DIPLOMA University of Applied Sciences Nordhessen is a private, state-recognised university of applied sciences based in Bad Sooden-Allendorf near Göttingen and with several study centres throughout Germany. The university was founded in 1997, and in the winter semester 2020/2021 a total of 8,925 students were enrolled at the university. The university focuses on part-time distance learning courses, but DIPLOMA also offers a campus course in business informatics.

Dual University of Applied Sciences Schleswig-Holstein: The Duale Hochschule Schleswig-Holstein (DHSH) is a private, state-recognised university of applied sciences with campuses in Kiel, Lübeck and Flensburg. It emerged from the Berufsakademie Schleswig-Holstein in 2018 and is sponsored by the non-profit Wirtschaftsakademie Schleswig-Holstein. The DHSH offers dual Bachelor's degree programmes in business administration and business informatics, in which about 450 students were enrolled in 2022.

CBS International Business School: CBS International Business School is a private, state-recognised university of applied sciences based in Cologne with additional campuses in Aachen, Dusseldorf and Solingen. The university was founded in 1993, and in the winter semester 2019/2020, a total of 1,771 students from 75 nations were enrolled at the university. As a business school, the CBS offers a range of business degree programmes according to international standards.

University of Applied Management: The University of Applied Management is a private, state-approved university of applied sciences located in Ismaning, Bavaria. The university was founded in 2004 and a total of 3,287 students were enrolled at the university in the winter semester 2019/2020. A special feature of the university is its semi-virtual, hybrid study concept, which combines online study or distance learning with face-to-face seminars. In addition to the Ismaning campus, the university operates other study centres, for example in Frankfurt.

RFH – University of Applied Science: The Rheinische Fachhochschule is a private, state-approved university of applied sciences located in Cologne. Founded in 1985, the university had a total of 6,203 students enrolled in the winter semester 2019/2020. In addition to full-time studies in business informatics, the university also offers dual studies.

Hamburger Fern-Hochschule: The Hamburger Fern-Hochschule (HFH) was founded in 1997 and is a state-recognised university with over 13,000 students. The university is headquartered in Hamburg, but there are also 50 other study centres in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The HFH offers Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes in its three departments of Health and Nursing, Technology, and Business and Law as part-time distance learning or dual study programmes.

Steinbeis University: Steinbeis University is a private, state-recognised university of applied sciences with its head office in Magdeburg (before 2022 Berlin) and other locations, e. g. Stuttgart. e.g. Stuttgart. It was founded in 1998 and currently has about 9,000 students. Its faculties are structured into the departments of Business and Economics, Technology and Engineering and Leadership and Management. Steinbeis University offers a wide range of Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes, which can be completed on a dual or part-time basis.

University of Europe for Applied Sciences (UE): The University of Europe (UE) is a private university with about 3,000 students, founded in 2000 in Potsdam and with additional campuses in Berlin, Hamburg and Iserlohn. UE is a member of the international education group "Global University Systems" and offers degree programmes in the fields of art & design, business & management, sports management and psychology. The degree programme in Business Information Systems is offered here as a dual degree programme with a specialisation in Data Science.

Leibniz University Hannover: Leibniz University of Applied Sciences (Leibniz-FH) was founded in 2011 and is a private, state-recognised university based in Hanover. It currently has around 600 students and offers dual, part-time and full-time degree programmes in the fields of business and technology. Leibniz-FH places a special focus on practice-integrating Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes.