Controlling and Business Management, MA (part-time)
Charakter Fresenius Hochschule · Wiesbaden, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
The part-time master Controlling & Unternehmensführung (M.A.) helps you learn how to steer companies financially and strategically, combining controlling tools with responsible and sustainable business leadership. The programme is designed for working professionals and emphasizes practical learning through case studies and a strong theory-to-practice connection.
You study with structured modules on a virtual live format (where applicable) and can benefit from options such as crediting relevant prior experience via the programme’s practice transfer components. The programme provides a range of management and controlling topics, including applied economics, accounting and organization management themes.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Build your fundamentals in controlling and business management through applied topics such as applied economics (Angewandte Volkswirtschaftslehre) and external reporting/accounting (Externe Rechnungsbelegung).
- Strengthen management and organisational capabilities with topics including Organisationsmanagement and principles of strategic management and economics (Prinzipien des strategischen Managements und der Ökonomie).
- Start connecting finance and leadership themes, including Steuerung and data-informed decision-making (datenorientierte und fundierte Entscheidungsfindung).
- Use case studies to develop practical skills in areas like organisation, leadership, and management culture.
- Focus on practice-transfer elements (Praxistransfermodule) so you can apply your work experience to your studies.
- Develop an advanced understanding of business performance improvement and decision-making using controlling instruments.
- Work with management and leadership themes such as Führung und Management and Unternehmensbesteuerung.
- Prepare for stronger linking of theory and practice before the thesis phase.
- Complete your Master thesis (Thesis) as the final academic work of the program.
- Synthesize controlling tools, management and governance topics from the course content into your thesis topic and analysis.
Curriculum
120 CP master’s programme with semester-by-semester module plan and an included final thesis. The plan shown reflects the programme’s Study plan (Studienverlaufsplan).
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | ECTS / CP | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Compulsory modules (Semester 1) | Operative Controllinginstrumente | 5 | 25 |
| Unternehmensführung | 5 | |||
| Forschungs- und Wissenschaftsmethodik | 5 | |||
| Digitalisierung der Arbeitswelt | 5 | |||
| Selbstreflexion und Profilbildung | 5 | |||
| Semester 2 | Compulsory modules (Semester 2) plus elective modules depending on admission path | Techn. Applikationen und Datenmanagement (nur bei Bachelorzugang) | 5 | 25 |
| Externe Rechnungslegung I – Einzelabschluss nach nationalen und internationalen Regelungen | 5 | |||
| Prinzipien des strategischen Managements und der Ökonomie | 5 | |||
| Organisationsmanagement | 5 | |||
| Digital Entrepreneurship (Wahlpflichtmodul bei Bachelorzugang) | 5 | |||
| Semester 3 | Compulsory modules (Semester 3) | Externe Rechnungslegung II – Konzernabschluss | 5 | 25 |
| Strategische Controllinginstrumente | 5 | |||
| Unternehmensbesteuerung | 5 | |||
| Angewandte Volkswirtschaftslehre | 5 | |||
| Entscheidungstheorien und Entscheidungsverhalten | 5 | |||
| Semester 4 | Compulsory modules (Semester 4) | Klassisches und Agiles Projektmanagement | 5 | 25 |
| Führung und Management | 5 | |||
| Motivierung und Steuerung | 5 | |||
| Case Studies zu Organisation, Führung und Unternehmenskultur | 5 | |||
| Gesellschaften im Wandel | 5 | |||
| Semester 5 | Final thesis | Abschlussarbeit | 20 | 20 |
| Total | All compulsory modules plus the final thesis (Abschlussarbeit) | 120 CP | ||
Career outcomes
- If you want to move into roles like Controller or similar controlling/business-management positions, this master helps you develop job-ready skills in financial steering, reporting, and budgeting.
- You gain applied controlling instruments and decision-making capabilities that support real management tasks, so you graduate prepared for responsibilities in business planning and performance improvement.
- The program’s strong focus on leadership, organisation, and corporate governance supports career growth toward supervisory and management roles.
- Because the studies are designed for working professionals and include practice-transfer elements, you can apply learning directly to your current workplace and build a stronger professional profile while studying.
- You develop an applied, sustainable understanding of responsible corporate leadership in both national and international contexts, which helps you in modern business environments.
Employability rate
Controlling and business management graduates in Germany typically see an employability rate of around 90% and an unemployment rate of about 10%, reflecting steady hiring needs for finance and controlling specialists.
Together, these figures point to a comparatively stable career outlook with reliable opportunities in controlling, finance-adjacent management, and business decision support roles.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s admission (entry route for a Master) / Higher education entrance via first degree | For Master’s study programs at Fresenius, in general you can start if you have attained a first professional degree such as a bachelor’s degree. For this specific Master (Controlling & Unternehmensführung, M.A.), the program page states admission with a completed bachelor’s degree with at least 180 credit points, including at least 40 credit points in business/economics and at least 5 credit points in quantitative methods. |
| First professional degree for international applicants | If you do not have a bachelor’s degree, the program states that an aptitude assessment can be possible; the page also explains that the aptitude assessment can be waived in a specific case linked to an IHK-certified qualification and a cooperation certificate course. For international applicants with foreign qualifications, the university’s admission eligibility is assessed based on the published Master admission requirements on the program page and international admissions guidance. |
Module matching by study area
| Study area | Match possible? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Business & Management | Conditional match | The program requires specific credit points in the area of economics/business and in quantitative methods as stated on the program admission requirements page. |
Language requirements
For this part-time Master’s program at Hochschule Fresenius, the program language is German. If you apply for an English-language study path at Fresenius, the university generally requires proof of English skills equivalent to Level B2; for English-language programs, this is commonly accepted as IELTS with minimum overall 6.0 or TOEFL iBT with minimum 70 points.
MOI (Medium of Instruction)
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | EUR 0 / per year | The program lists monthly study fees of EUR 395.00. |
| Semester fee | EUR 0 / per semester | A mandatory semester contribution is additionally payable; the exact amount for this master is not specified on the program page. |
| Application fee | EUR 250 / one time | An Anmeldung fee (anmeldegebühr) of EUR 250.00 is listed on the program page. |
Proof of financial resources
International applicants must be able to cover study-related living costs in Germany in addition to tuition and semester contributions. Prepare documents for your residence permit application (e.g., proof of sufficient funds) based on the requirements published by German authorities and the admissions/immigration guidance provided to students.
- Proof of sufficient financial resources for your residence permit application for studying in Germany (amount depends on the official guidance for the permit).
- Evidence you can pay the program tuition and the mandatory semester contribution during the study period.
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | October - Winter intake | April - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application portal opens | August 31, 2026 | January 01, 2026 |
| Application deadline (final submit) | August 31, 2026 | January 01, 2026 |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | N/A | N/A |
| Semester begins | October 01, 2026 | April 01, 2026 |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | October - Winter intake | April - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| VPD request - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| VPD result expected | N/A | N/A |
| APS - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| Start eligibility check | N/A | N/A |
Document submission deadlines
| Milestone | October - Winter intake | April - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Language certificate deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Official transcripts deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Certified translations deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Postal / hard-copy documents deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Missing documents (if requested) | N/A | N/A |
📝 How to Apply
Confirm eligibility for international applicants
Review the program’s published admission requirements for Master’s studies and ensure your completed first degree (or alternative route stated by the program) meets the credit-point requirements. If your bachelor degree was completed abroad, check whether your credits align with the program’s stated business/economics and quantitative methods credit thresholds. If you are unsure about eligibility from foreign qualifications, request an individual admission eligibility check from the university admissions team.
Prepare your application documents
Gather your passport, academic transcripts, and degree documents that show your credit points and the relevant study areas for the program’s requirements. If your documents are not originally in the required language, prepare the necessary certified copies and translations according to the university instructions for international applicants. Make sure your language proof (as required by the study language path) is ready before submission.
Submit the online application before the intake deadline
Apply through the university’s official application process during the published intake period. Upload all required documents in the requested format and pay any application-related fee if required by the application portal. After submission, monitor your inbox for any requests for additional documents or clarifications from the admissions team.