Sozial- und Gesundheitsmanagement
HAW Hamburg · Hamburg, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
The berufsbegleitend MBA programme Sozial- und Gesundheitsmanagement at HAW Hamburg develops your leadership and management practice for the social and health sector on a scientific basis.
The programme runs over five semesters and combines management knowledge building with reflective discussion of practical experience, designed for professionals working in social and health services.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- If your first degree provides only 180 credit points, you must acquire an additional 30 credit points within the first two semesters.
- The program uses a conditional admission approach if credit points are missing, so you can complete them early in the study period.
- You begin the MBA learning path while preparing required admission documentation such as VPD for international applicants.
- The MBA is built around 11 modules aligned with the core tasks of leaders in the social and health sector.
- You develop competences for strategic direction of facilities and organizations, including human resource management.
- You learn about organization development and change management, supported by research methods and a research workshop.
- The program is designed for completion in the standard period of study (regelstudienzeit) of five semesters.
- You consolidate your leadership and management skills for the social and health sector through the program’s interlinked modules.
- You finish the MBA within the final study semester, building on earlier work-based learning and reflection.
Curriculum
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | ECTS | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Compulsory modules | Wissenschaft und Innovation | 5 | 28 |
| Finanz- und Rechnungswesen | 8 | |||
| Gesundheits-/Sozialökonomie und -politik | 5 | |||
| Organisation | 4 | |||
| Human Resource Management | 6 | |||
| Semester 2 | Compulsory modules | Wissenschaft und Innovation | 3 | 16 |
| Organisation | 1 | |||
| Qualitätsmanagement | 5 | |||
| Human Resource Management | 0 | |||
| Change Management | 5 | |||
| Wissenschaft und Innovation | 0 | |||
| Semester 3 | Compulsory modules | Qualitätsmanagement | 0 | 29 |
| Change Management | 0 | |||
| Gesundheits-/Sozialökonomie und -politik | 0 | |||
| Strategische Ausrichtung | 8 | |||
| Forschungswerkstatt | 5 | |||
| Marketing | 5 | |||
| Advanced Management Studies (Schwerpunktwahl from modules 4, 6, 7, 8) | 6 | |||
| Semester 4 | Compulsory modules | Change Management | 5 | 8.6 |
| Strategische Ausrichtung | 0 | |||
| Forschungswerkstatt | 0 | |||
| Marketing | 0 | |||
| Advanced Management Studies (Schwerpunktwahl from modules 4, 6, 7, 8) | 0 | |||
| Master-Werkstatt | 3.6 | |||
| Semester 5 | Master thesis and oral examination | Masterthesis und mündliche Prüfung | 22 | 22 |
Career outcomes
- You build leadership and management competences specifically for the social and health sector, so you can move into management, staff, and advisory roles in healthcare and welfare organizations.
- You learn strategy, human resource management, organization development, and change management, helping you handle real responsibilities that employers in hospitals, care facilities, and related organizations need.
- You develop methodical and systematic ways of working that support decision-making in complex organizational settings in social and health services.
- The MBA is designed as a berufsbegleitend program, so you can apply learning directly while continuing professional experience and strengthening your practical credibility.
- The program combines academic qualification with strong practical relevance and an interdisciplinary perspective, which helps you position yourself for leadership tasks in organizations and service providers across the sector.
- You gain leadership-focused study content that supports progression toward higher responsibility levels in leadership and staff functions.
Employability rate
Graduates of social and health-related management and leadership study paths in Germany typically see an employability rate of around 85% and an unemployment rate of about 15%, reflecting steady demand in healthcare, welfare, and care-provider organizations.
Together, these figures suggest a comparatively stable outlook as organizations continue to require qualified leaders and management professionals in the social and health sector.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Relevant Bachelor or Master degree (minimum 210 credits) | International applicants need a relevant Bachelor’s or Master’s qualification with at least 210 credits (LPs/CPs), or a relevant Magister or Diplom degree. The degree must be in a field relevant to social and health services as defined by the programme’s admission regulations. |
| Two years of relevant full-time work experience and current employment | At the application deadline, international applicants must have at least two years of full-time professional experience in the relevant field of social and health services. Applicants also need an existing employment relationship with the goal of taking on (or already holding) a management, staff or advisory role. |
| Pre-check documentation (VPD) | International applicants must submit a Vorprüfungsdokumentation (VPD) through uni-assist. The programme page lists the VPD as required for international applicants as part of the admission process. |
| If your first degree has 180 credits, you must add 30 credits | If an applicant has only 180 credits from their first degree programme, they can still visit the programme but must additionally acquire 30 credits. The programme explains that this is done after admission under conditions, and missing credits must be completed before the Master’s thesis registration. |
Module matching by study area
| Study area | Match possible? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Health Sciences and Social Services | ||
| Business and Management for Health/Social Organisations |
Language requirements
This MBA is taught in German. For international applicants who do not have a German language qualification from within Germany, you must provide proof of German language skills as stated in the HAW Hamburg entry requirements for this degree course.
MOI (Medium of Instruction)
MOI waiver details are not published for this programme. See the English test requirements above.
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Semester fee | EUR 397 / per semester | Semesterbeitrag 397 € including semester ticket and Germany-wide rail pass. |
| Tuition | EUR 9950 / total program | Studiengebühr 9.950 € insgesamt for the Regelstudienzeit (total program tuition fee). |
Proof of financial resources
International applicants need to show they can cover their study and living costs for Germany. Use the official blocked account and/or funding guidance from the German authorities as your reference amount and documentation approach.
- Blocked account requirements (amount and documentation) based on German immigration guidance for student visas
- Evidence of available funds for study and living costs as required for your residence permit application
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | May - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| Application portal opens | April 01, 2026 |
| Application deadline (final submit) | May 15, 2026 |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | May 01, 2026 |
| Semester begins | October 01, 2026 |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | May - 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 | May - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | May 15, 2026 |
| 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 your eligibility package (international applicants)
Check that your foreign degree meets the credit requirement (at least 210 credits, or the 180-plus-30-credit rule explained by the programme). Confirm that you also meet the work experience and employment requirement for a leadership, staff or advisory role in the social and health sector. If you will apply from abroad, prepare your VPD documentation through uni-assist before submitting the HAW Hamburg application. Start early so you can gather official documents and credit conversions in time for the deadline.
Submit the application for the Winter intake
Submit your application within the published application period for the winter semester. Provide the required application documents listed by the programme, including your motivation letter, CV, degree records with credit conversion, and proof of relevant professional experience. International applicants must include the VPD documentation (as stated for international applicants on the programme page). Follow the programme instructions on submitting your documents in the required official form.
Complete the conditional enrolment pathway if credits are missing
If your first degree has only 180 credits, the programme explains that you may be admitted conditionally to complete an additional 30 credits. The programme also explains that you will be informed which examinations and course units are still required. You will be enrolled for a semester to complete the missing credits, and final admission is decided at the end of that semester. Missing credits must be completed before registering for the Master’s thesis.
Submit final documents and follow enrolment instructions
After admission, follow the university’s instructions for enrolment and any further document submission steps included in your admission letter. Keep your German language proof and all supporting documents ready for verification. If any documents are requested later by admissions, submit them by the requested timing to avoid delays. Contact the programme adviser if you have questions about your specific entry case.