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The program structure of the degree program Business Administration M.Sc.

In the Introduction to and Methods of Business Administration, you will get an overview of business management issues and important and generally accepted concepts of business administration, as well as new approaches and instruments of management theory. These basic methods also include bookkeeping with the introduction of the instrumental basics of operational accounting.

Legal Conditions of Managerial Decisions module provides fundamental legal principles for action between individuals and/or companies. Every society codifies its ethical principles by means of laws; economic activity takes place within this framework, and the state has special influence which companies must observe, for example in environmental or tax law.

The module Economic Framework for Entrepreneurial Decisions, taught in English, will familiarize you with the key macroeconomic coordination mechanisms of a market economy. Case studies show how entrepreneurial activity is integrated into the economic policy framework. You will get to know national, international and supranational actors in economic policy.

In the module Managerial Accounting you will get to know the tasks, sub-areas and systems of corporate cost and service accounting. You will learn how to use relevant cost information for planning, controlling and decision-making, including process cost accounting, calculation of operational services, short-term income statement and analysis of relevant costs for short- and long-term decisions.

Human Resources Management and Organization focuses on the essential functions, areas of responsibility and structural factors of Human Resource Management. Along the "Employee Life Cycle", HR topics are taught and discussed from the first day of employment until leaving a company. In doing so, both theoretical aspects and practical implementation are at the center of the considerations.

The M.Sc. BA curriculum includes three company projects (Human Resources Management & Organization, Marketing, Controlling). In one of these three projects you must complete a full-time internship lasting at least three months and describe a corresponding company project in addition to an activity report. The aim is to expand your theoretical knowledge in one of the three core areas of business management, combine this with practical experience and provide insights into relevant business processes. In the remaining business management areas in which no internship is completed, you will create practical homework as projects for applied research in close coordination with the respective lecturers. Students who complete their studies in addition to their profession and therefore do not have the opportunity to do an internship in another company must work on a practical topic from the corresponding area of their company in consultation with the lecturer responsible for them.

 

In the module Financial Accounting, questions such as the procurement of financial capital, the entrepreneurial dependency on money and capital markets, the assessment of investments within the overall entrepreneurial context and the distribution of funds among different projects are discussed. Using the opportunities and risks of traditional and innovative financial instruments, you will learn how to optimally structure your assets and capital, taking into account the return expected by investors.

Supply Chain Management defines itself as the organization and control of goods and information flows. In a globalized world with a division of labor, these lead to growing networking of companies. In this context, this module also deals explicitly with the topic of sustainability.

The Managerial Finance module deals with the documentation of financial transactions resulting from business activities. On the basis of an introduction to financial terms and contexts, you will learn how to prepare, read and analyze annual financial statements consisting of balance sheet, income statement and appendix.

In the Marketing module you will learn how to develop and implement strategic decisions in marketing. The marketing instruments are considered comprehensively within the framework of an integrated concept, and current developments and approaches are presented and discussed.

In Project Management you will learn how to initiate, organize and coordinate corporate projects so that they can be successfully implemented as well as how to use planning programs such as MS Project to solve planning problems.

The Research Methods of Business Administration, previously Economic Research Methodology, impart an understanding of scientific procedure, knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods for solving practical management problems and dealing with the formal apparatus of science. This also includes quantitative methods from statistics and economics.

 

A week before the start of the semester, during a block week you will be introduced to a complex Strategic Planning Simulation that is of great importance for conveying an integrative mindset. As part of the business simulation, you will work intensively in teams, lead an international company and compete against each other in a competitive market. For the block week, those who complete their studies on a part-time basis can use the educational leave of absence.

Strategic Management integrates the previous teaching content of the master's program. You will get to know the instruments of strategic corporate management. On the basis of case studies, you evaluate the strategic starting position, formulate alternative decisions and recommendations. In doing so, you will improve your analytical skills and sharpen your judgement.

The Leadership Competencies module enables you to recognize leadership situations and to gain impulses for dealing with them. In addition, the module should prepare you for the tightrope walk between too much and too little influence. In this context, you also reflect on your own attitude to control the needs of others.

The Controllership module shows how goals can be achieved in a controlling manner. In addition to methods for the realization of strategic goals, procedures for achieving operational goals are taught. In addition, you will learn that controlling should not be limited to the control of set goals, but should already be involved in the formulation and planning of goals in order to improve rationality in management decisions.

After completing the Digital Economy module, you will be familiar with the basic concepts of IT use in companies and will be able to apply them effectively to concepts of new IT-based business models

 

One week before the beginning of the semester, the one-week international management seminar with a field trip to a different cultural and economic region is held as part of a block week. You visit companies and public institutions to develop an understanding of the problems and solutions of cross-cultural management. For the block week, students attending part-time studies can use the educational leave of absence.

Within the framework of the module Working Scientifically in the Practice you will prepare a detailed project proposal for your master's thesis. In doing so, above all you must also describe the methodological research procedure for dealing with the problem. The project plan usually consists of the following elements: Topic, company background, problem definition and research questions, first literature review and analysis, methodological approach and time and resource planning. The project proposal is discussed with the instructor of the module.

This is followed by the actual production of the master's thesis, for which you have five months' time. The basis for this is the described project proposal. The aim is to independently deal with a complex management problem. On the basis of a problem analysis, you develop suitable approaches to the solution or implementation. The master's thesis gives you the opportunity to integrate, critically reflect on and apply the knowledge acquired during your studies.

 

SEMESTER 1
30ECTS/19HRS/WK
SEMESTER 2
30ECTS/20HRS/WK
SEMESTER 3
30ECTS/19HRS/WK
SEMESTER 4
30ECTS/6HRS/WK          
Business Simulation Game
6ECTS/3HRS/WK
Master's Thesis
24ECTS/2HRS/WK




Human Resource Management & Organisation**
6ECTS/4HRS/WK
Research Methods in Business Administration
6ECTS/4HRS/WK
Strategic Management
6ECTS/4HRS/WK
Economic Framework for Entrepreneurial Decisions
6ECTS/4HRS/WK
Managerial Accounting
6ECTS/4HRS/WK
Leadership Competencies
6ECTS/4HRS/WK
Introduction to & Methods of Business Administration*
6ECTS/3HRS/WK

Marketing**
6ECTS/4HRS/WK

Financial Accounting
6ECTS/4HRS/WK
Supply Chain Management
6ECTS/4HRS/WK

Controlling**
6ECTS/4HRS/WK
Legal Conditions of Managerial Decisions
6ECTS/4HRS/WK
Accounting & Annual Financial Statement
3ECTS/2HRS/WK
Digital Economy
6ECTS/4HRS/WK
Project Management
3ECTS/2HRS/WK
Scientific Work
3ECTS/2HRS/WK

Applied Project: Human Resource Management & Organisation

Applied Project Marketing
Applied Project ControllingInternational Field Trip
3ECTS/2HRS/WK
*comprised of the Basics of Business Administration & Simulation Game (2 HRS/WK) and Accounting (1 HR/WK)
** Lecture 3 HRS/WK + 1 HR/WK for the company project