Business Administration International Management (MBA)
FOM Hochschule für Berufstätige · Essen, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
Business Administration International Management (MBA) at FOM Hochschule für Berufstätige is taught entirely in English and is designed to help you develop leadership and decision-making skills for international management roles.
The MBA covers key areas such as economics, marketing, financial management, business law, HR and leadership competencies, and includes a Master’s Thesis and defence as the final academic component.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Economics covers supply and demand, costs and revenues, theory of the firm, and culture in business communication.
- Marketing & Communication focuses on marketing objectives, marketing mix, and internal/external/digital/international communication.
- HR & Leadership Competencies builds knowledge of HR management frameworks and leadership in teams.
- Strategic Corporate Management develops strategy formulation, choices and implementation, and strategy in different contexts.
- Value-based Controlling & International Accounting applies IFRS to annual financial statements and performance measurement.
- International Investment covers corporate diversification and hedging, derivatives/instruments, and investment decisions such as Private Equity and M&A.
- Advanced module I: International Strategy & Sales Management develops sales goals, organisation and team selling (negotiation skills), and distribution management.
- Advanced module II: International Entrepreneurship & Innovation covers international business activities, innovation management process, and digital business model/value chain.
- Advanced module III: International Investment & Sustainability focuses on sustainable finance and investment decision-making with net present value concepts.
- Advanced module IV: Management Decision-Making covers personal and team selling and selection/management of distribution.
- Master’s Thesis and Colloquium/Defence is completed in the programme’s final study period.
- You demonstrate management knowledge and integrate learning into an independent final academic work.
Curriculum
FOM MBA (90 ECTS total) is organised across three semesters with a master’s thesis and colloquium/defence as the final module block.
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | ECTS / CP | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st semester | Compulsory core modules | Economics | 5 | 31 |
| Marketing & Communication | 5 | |||
| HR & Leadership Competencies | 5 | |||
| Financial Management | 6 | |||
| International Business Law | 5 | |||
| Intercultural Competence & Research Methods | 5 | |||
| 2nd semester | Compulsory core modules and value-based management | Strategic & Digital Management | 6 | 29 |
| Value-Based Controlling & International Accounting | 5 | |||
| International Management Specialisation: Advanced module I: International Strategy & Sales Management | 6 | |||
| International Management Specialisation: Advanced module II: International Entrepreneurship & Innovation | 6 | |||
| International Management Specialisation: Advanced module III: International Investment & Sustainability | 6 | |||
| 3rd semester | Advanced module IV and master’s thesis block | International Management Specialisation: Advanced module IV: Management Decision-Making | 6 | 31 |
| Master’s Thesis and Colloquium/Defence | 25 | |||
| Total | All modules across 3 semesters including the master’s thesis and colloquium/defence | 90 CP | ||
Career outcomes
- You become qualified for management roles in international companies, including positions such as General Manager, Head of Human Resources, Head of Marketing, and Senior Consultant.
- You build decision-making and leadership capabilities through an MBA curriculum that applies economics, controlling/accounting (IFRS), and international investment concepts to real management contexts.
- You strengthen career relevance for global work by specialising in International Management areas such as international strategy & sales, international entrepreneurship & innovation, and sustainable finance.
- You develop practical management expertise through case studies and group work, helping you translate analysis into global strategies and cross-company procedure optimisation.
- You gain a qualification designed for top managers, supporting progression into senior, specialist, and leadership positions as your responsibility grows.
Employability rate
Graduates of Business Administration and MBA programmes in Germany typically see an employability rate of around 85% and an unemployment rate of about 15%, reflecting ongoing demand for qualified management profiles while acknowledging that hiring depends on sector and experience.
Together, these figures point to a generally stable outlook for finding management roles when you combine your MBA with professional experience and interview readiness.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| First academic degree (ECTS requirement) | International applicants must hold a first university degree worth 210 ECTS. Applicants with a degree worth 180 Credit Points may be admitted if they have professionally qualified experience or other university achievements recognized, and they may apply for the determination of additional up to 30 ECTS-points to reach 210. |
| Professional experience | International applicants must have at least one year of professional experience after completion of the first degree. |
| English language skills (B2) | International applicants must provide proof of sufficient English language skills at least B2 level as part of the admission requirements for this MBA. |
| School-leaving / university entrance evidence | International applicants must submit an authenticated copy of the general university entrance qualification certificate and school-leaving certificate or high school diploma as part of the application documents. |
Module matching by study area
| Study area | Match possible? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Business & Management | Direct match | If your bachelor’s degree and professional experience align with business administration and management topics, it generally supports meeting the MBA admission criteria; final eligibility is assessed during application for the required 210 ECTS and recognition of any additional ECTS. |
Language requirements
This MBA is taught entirely in English. International applicants need to submit proof of sufficient English skills at least at B2 level as part of the admission process.
TOEFL iBT
IELTS Academic
Duolingo English Test
MOI (Medium of Instruction)
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | EUR 18750 / total program | Total tuition fee: EUR 18,750, including examination fee and immatriculation fee, for the MBA programme. |
| Tuition (instalments) | EUR 575 / per month | The tuition fee is payable in 24 monthly instalments of EUR 575. (Deposit fee and other instalments are payable as scheduled.) |
Proof of financial resources
International applicants typically need to demonstrate that they can cover study costs in Germany. Keep your finances ready for tuition payments as per the programme fee structure.
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | January - Winter intake | April - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application portal opens | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (final submit) | N/A | N/A |
| 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 | N/A | N/A |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | January - 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 | January - 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 |
🎓 Scholarship
| Provider | Scheme name | Coverage | Eligibility notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAAD | EPOS — Development-Related Postgraduate Courses | Tuition fees, monthly stipend, travel allowance, health insurance | EPOS provides scholarships for development-related postgraduate courses in Germany and supports eligible participants to study at selected German universities. As a master’s-level business/management programme, this MBA can be relevant if it is listed among the EPOS-eligible courses for the applicable EPOS call period. |
📝 How to Apply
Complete the application form and register your background
Register your personal data and educational background in the MBA application form. Enter your full name exactly as stated in your passport. Prepare your basic university entrance qualification and school-leaving evidence, plus your bachelor’s details, before continuing.
Prepare your required documents (certified copies and translations)
Upload or compile the required documents as authenticated copies and provide proof of English skills at least B2 level. All documents must be in German or English, and if your documents are in another language they must be translated by a certified translator. For MBA applicants, include proof of at least one year of professional experience after the bachelor’s degree.
Submit by email to the International Office
Send the completed and signed application form together with the required documents by email to [email protected]. Use the file naming format requested by the programme materials for your documents. After successful admission, authenticated documents and the originally signed registration form must also be sent by post to the International Office in Essen.