Management & Business Development

Businesses in a globalized world need to constantly adapt to changing business environments in order to keep their position on the market. The major in Management & Business Development aims at providing students with a solid understanding of change and, based on economic theory and empirical research, at familiarizing students with appropriate approaches to strategic and operative management.

Content and Idea

 Course offerings are targeted at students who want to shape the strategic development of organizations. Our program is centered on the challenges posed by change—ranging from establishing and developing a company to controlling its entire value chain and designing public relations. Students will develop a fundamental understanding of change within organizations and their environments. They will also acquire theoretical and methodological knowledge in analyzing and designing the development of different areas and life cycles of a company. Finally, they will engage in practical projects and case studies to identify and solve problems of implementation.

Structure

In the first semester, key aspects of change, business start-up, and business genesis are dealt with in four compulsory modules. The modules offered in the second semester focus on economic research methods and strategic management aspects. Students have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge in the field of Management of Change by choosing one of the following elective modules: Organizational Development or Start-up Consulting. The master’s program is complemented by a challenging research project. Students work in a team to address questions of relevance to practice that can be looked at from an either disciplinary or interdisciplinary perspective.

In the third semester students have the opportunity to further deepen or extend their specialized knowledge by choosing elective modules in their major subject or by choosing modules that reach beyond the scope of their major. Within the field of Business Development, the following topics are offered: Alliances and Mergers & Acquisitions, Supply Chain Management, International Technology Management, and Business Development Research. Students are recommended to plan their study abroad in the third semester.

From the first to the third semester, students attend, apart from the modules in their major, two general areas of modules. Within the field of Management Studies, students further deepen their specialist skills in the field of management by completing a total of three modules. The cross-disciplinary Complementary Studies program, also comprising three modules, provides students with the general academic foundations reflecting on science. The special focus of this program allows students to familiarize themselves with modes of thinking and working methods beyond disciplinary boundaries and, as a result, to develop different strategies for solving problems arising in science and practice.

In the final semester students write their master’s thesis and attend the accompanying Master’s Forum.

Prospects

The content of the Management & Business Development major is guided by recent developments in business economics and management. Undertaking advanced studies, students expand their understanding of corporate governance and of how to deal with the challenges of economic dynamics. The skills and expertise acquired in the program can be applied within organizations, for example in the field of business start-up and development, in strategic planning, in corporate communications, and in technology management. Typical career fields include consulting, communication, process and project management, and strategic corporate planning.

Upon completion of the graduate program of studies, students are awarded the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree.

Aspirants

The major is targeted at students with a bachelor’s degree, or equivalent, in economics, social sciences, business psychology, or business law. Admission requirements include, among other aspects, an above average transcript from the previous degree as well as adequate knowledge of the English language.

For further information about admission requirements, please click on the “Application” button.