Design- & Innovationsmanagement (M.A.)
FOM Hochschule für Berufstätige · Essen, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
The Master of Arts (M.A.) programme Design & Innovation Management combines design-oriented methods with business management content and prepares you for work at the interface between business, design and technology. The study contents include innovation and creativity techniques such as Design Thinking, brand and communication management, as well as strategy and entrepreneurship, with practice simulations to deepen your knowledge.
The programme is completed with the academic degree Master of Arts (M.A.) and is designed for students who want to develop and design products and services in a future-oriented, solution-oriented way and to steer implementation processes. The programme includes modules across four semesters, and the Master Thesis and Colloquium are part of the final study phase.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Innovation Management
- Design Thinking
- Business plan
- Research Methods
- German Basics I
- Brand & Communication Management
- Leadership & Sustainability
- Information & Knowledge Management
- Strategy & Entrepreneurship
- Service Engineering
- Design Management
- Future & Trend Management
- International Property Rights
- Digitalisation & Industry 4.0
- Practical Simulation: Design Concept
- German Basics II
- Practical Simulation: Communication Concept
- Master Thesis and Colloquium
Curriculum
The official program page lists the semester study plan and confirms a total of 120 ECTS, but it does not publish the per-module ECTS allocation in the accessible materials. Per-module credits and semester totals are therefore not extractable from official source pages.
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | ECTS / CP | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | 1st semester modules | Innovation Management | ||
| Design Thinking | ||||
| Business plan | ||||
| Reserch Methods | ||||
| German Basics I | ||||
| Semester 2 | 2nd semester modules | Brand & Communication Management | ||
| Leadership & Sustainability | ||||
| Information & Knowledge Management | ||||
| Strategy & Entrepreneurship | ||||
| Service Engineering | ||||
| Semester 3 | 3rd semester modules | Design Management | ||
| Future & Trend Management | ||||
| International Property Rights | ||||
| Digitalisation & Industry 4.0 | ||||
| Practical Simulation: Design Concept | ||||
| German Basics II | ||||
| Semester 4 | 4th semester modules | Practical Simulation: Communication Concept | ||
| Master Thesis and Colloquium | ||||
| Total | Full Master of Arts (M.A.) curriculum for Design- & Innovation Management totaling 120 ECTS | 120 ECTS | ||
Career outcomes
- You gain management skills alongside design-oriented thinking, preparing you for roles where innovation, product/service creation, and strategic decision-making overlap.
- You build practical capabilities through the programme’s practice simulations, helping you present project work that mirrors real design and innovation workflows.
- The mix of topics like brand and communication management, strategy & entrepreneurship, and service engineering supports career paths in consulting, project management, and innovation-driven business functions.
- You develop expertise in areas such as international property rights and digitalisation/Industry 4.0, which strengthens your profile for companies that innovate across markets and technologies.
- You graduate with a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree and a thesis-based qualification, positioning you for further specialisation and progression toward management and leadership responsibilities.
Employability rate
Graduates of design and innovation management-related master’s programmes in Germany typically see an employability rate of around 88% and an unemployment rate of about 12%, reflecting steady hiring needs for innovation and product/service development skills.
Together, these figures point to a stable career outlook with reliable opportunities as companies continue to invest in design-led innovation.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| First degree / foreign equivalent | International applicants must hold a first academic degree or a recognized foreign equivalent. |
| Minimum credit points in business and design-related areas | Applicants must demonstrate sufficient subject-specific knowledge with at least 60 credit points in business administration modules and at least 60 credit points in design related modules (or a similar field such as art). |
| Bridge course option if one area is missing | If the prior degree only covers one of the two mandatory subject fields, applicants can fulfil admission requirements by completing a preparatory bridge course in the missing subject field (business and/or design). |
| English language requirement for admission | In addition to academic qualification, applicants must provide proof of sufficient English language skills as described in the application documents section. |
Module matching by study area
| Study area | Match possible? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Business & Management | Direct match | Applicants must show at least 60 credit points in business administration modules as part of the admission qualification evidence. |
| Arts | Direct match | Applicants must show at least 60 credit points in design related modules (or a similar field such as art) as part of the admission qualification evidence. |
Language requirements
For international applicants, FOM requires proof of sufficient English language skills for this Master’s programme. If your previous degree programme was taught in English, you may provide that evidence instead of submitting an IELTS/TOEFL/Duolingo test certificate, as described in the official application form.
TOEFL iBT
IELTS Academic
Duolingo English Test
MOI (Medium of Instruction)
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | EUR 11570 / total program | Tuition fee: 11,570 € (hybrid flyer fee information). |
| Registration fee | EUR 1580 / one time | Registration fee: 1,580 € (hybrid flyer fee information). |
| Examination fee | EUR 350 / total program | Examination fee: 350 € (hybrid flyer fee information). |
Proof of financial resources
International applicants must be able to finance tuition payments and their stay in Germany. The university guidance for international students also explains the deposit and instalment payments needed to secure and maintain the study place.
- Proof that tuition and enrolment-related payments are available for the scheduled instalments (deposit fee and subsequent instalments as stated by FOM International).
- Any additional personal expenses for travel, accommodation, board, and extracurricular activities must be covered by the applicant.
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | October - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| Application portal opens | N/A |
| Application deadline (final submit) | N/A |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | N/A |
| Semester begins | N/A |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | October - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| VPD request - recommended | N/A |
| VPD result expected | N/A |
| APS - recommended | N/A |
| Start eligibility check | N/A |
Document submission deadlines
| Milestone | October - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (EU students) | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A |
| Language certificate deadline | N/A |
| Official transcripts deadline | N/A |
| Certified translations deadline | N/A |
| Postal / hard-copy documents deadline | N/A |
| Missing documents (if requested) | N/A |
📝 How to Apply
Prepare eligibility documents and proof
Check that you meet the programme’s requirements for a first academic degree (or foreign equivalent) and the subject-area credit points in business administration and design-related studies. Prepare an authenticated Bachelor’s degree certificate and your transcript of records showing the required study areas. Also prepare proof of English language skills (or evidence that your previous programme was taught in English with the required proportion).
Send the completed application form by email to the International Office
Fill in the FOM application form completely, sign it by hand, and send it together with the required documents by email to the International Office address given in the programme’s application documents. When sending, include the semester you are applying for. If some documents are missing, the International Office will contact you to request them.
Receive admission decision and pay the deposit fee to secure the study place
After your application is processed, you will receive an admission letter confirming acceptance onto the programme (provided your documents are reviewed and you are eligible). The same process includes an invoice requesting the deposit (first instalment) to secure your study place. After the deposit is paid, you will need to pay the next instalment(s) as required to support visa-related steps.
Complete enrolment paperwork for your student visa process
Once the required payments are confirmed, FOM issues your certificate of enrolment. Use this certificate to book an appointment with the visa authorities. The International Office provides documents needed for the student visa application after enrolment.