FAQ on the professional Masters programmes and MBA studies

How much time do I have to spend on the CPD Master’s programme? Which examinations will I have to sit during the studies and what does ECTS actually mean? This page provides answers to some of the most frequent questions concerning the CPD Master’s and MBA programmes at the Professional School of Leuphana University of Lüneburg.

Organisation of the studies

  • What does it mean to study on a Master’s or MBA programme in CPD mode at Leuphana?
  • What are Credit Points and the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)?
  • Is the degree recognized at international level?
  • Where are attendance phases held?
  • Can I interrupt my Master’s Studies?

Entry requirements

  • What are the entry requirements for the CPD Master’s and MBA Studies?
  • Do the Credit Points from my first degree sufficient for a CPD Master or MBA?

Time spent on the studies

  • How much time do I have to spend on a Master’s or MBA degree course?
  • Which examinations will I have to take during the studies?

Tuition fees and funding

  • Why are Tuition Fees charged for the CPD Masters Studies?
  • Must the tuition fees be paid in full at the beginning of the course?
  • How can I fund the CPD Studies?

Further questions

  • To whom can I turn if I have queries regarding the Masters or MBA Studies?

Organisation of the studies

What does it mean to study on a Master’s or MBA programme in CPD mode at Leuphana?

The courses at the Professional School are closely oriented on the needs of students in active employment. The contents of the MBA and Master’s programmes are aligned with the requirements of practice and the organization of studies is adapted to your individual work and life rhythms.
To study on a Master’s or MBA in CPD mode means that the Professional School organizes all attendance phases and classes at weekends (usually Friday to Sunday) and prepare and follow up the content of taught material between the attendance phases through preparation and follow-up work of learning materials and e-learning means. Some attendance phases are organized in the form of educational leave. So you can perfectly combine work and study.

What are Credit Points and the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)?

Credit Points are a unit linked to the workload; the unit requires preparation and follow-up study work. One credit point corresponds to 25 to 30 hours of study.

Through a unified point system, the European Credit Transfer System aims to make the benefits of Students at European universities comparable, as well as simplify the recognition of credit points across borders. The European Credit Transfer System has been used in Europe since the Bologna reform of higher education with the transition to the Bachelor and Master system.

Is the degree recognized at international level?

All courses of study at the Professional School are accredited or are in the process of becoming accredited. Accreditation ensures that international quality standards are kept to, and that the provisions of the Bologna Accords on the creation of comparable university degrees within Europe are respected.

Where are attendance phases held?

As a rule, attendance phases for the MBA Master’s Studies are held at Leuphana’s premises in Lüneburg. Lüneburg is situated in Northern Germany, around 50 kilometers south-east of Hamburg in the Eastern part of Lower Saxony. The town can easily be accessed by train as well as by car, using the nearby motorways A1, A7 and A39. From Lüneburg, there’s only a short distance to the holiday regions of the Lüneburg Heath, as well as to the North and Baltic seas. Some courses of study and some classes are held at external venues in enterprises.

Can I interrupt my Master’s Studies?

As a rule, you can interrupt your studies for up to four semesters without formalities by taking semesters off. You may only take two semesters off in a row. In cases of hardship, exceptions to this rule can be made.

Entry requirements

What are the entry requirements for the CPD Master’s and MBA Studies?

A CPD Master's degree programme is referred to as a non-consecutive Master. This means that, in this case, the content of the Master is not based on the previous first degree. The entry requirements for the Master can therefore be fulfilled by degrees from different fields of study. A CPD degree is not a consecutive Master and is aimed at professionals and additionally requires evidence of relevant professional experience for admission. Depending on the course, you will also need to fulfill further admission requirements. All information can be found on the pages of the relevant course of study.

Do the Credit Points from my first degree sufficient for a CPD Master or MBA?

For admission to the part-time Master’s studies at the Professional School, proof of a first university degree is sufficient. However, due to the legal requirements, in order to attain the intended Master's degree, you have to achieve a total of 300 credit points with your first degree included. From your first degree, as a rule, you bring in 180 or 210 credit points, in a CPD Master's programme; you acquire 60 or 90 credit points from the core curriculum. In some cases, therefore, there may be a gap, so you need to obtain the supplementary 30 or more credit points until you hand in your Master’s thesis.

It makes sense to enquire about this before embarking on the course and develop strategies to close the gap. At the Professional School, we offer to study different ways in parallel, for example in the form of an extended Master’s thesis, project work or case studies and additional seminars or Certificate. Another possibility is to obtain credits by knowledge and skills acquired outside of the university and have them credited for the study.

Time spent on the studies

How much time do I have to spend on a Master’s or MBA degree course?

At accreditation, the time load and therefore the compatibility of studies and professional practice for the CPD MBA and Master’s degrees are checked. Between 25 and 30 hours are planned to be spend on one credit point. For 90 credit points, each needing 30 hours, a work load of 2,700 hours per course of studies must be provided. This means, for example, that for five semesters of study, an average of 20 hours a week must be spent studying.

The real time spent is highly dependent on the individual learning circumstances and your learning speed. Experience shows that you should never invest all of your free time in a CPD course.

Which examinations will I have to take during the studies?

For every module of your studies, which you complete, you must take an examination. Depending on the content of the module it can be an essay, written examination, portfolio, presentation or seminar paper. Exams usually take place in conjunction with attendance phases, so you do not have to travel separately. The other graded work considered as examination can be worked on within a defined period to be agreed upon with the respective member of the teaching staff.

At the end of the studies, you compose your Master’s thesis, in which you present an academic and well-founded solution to a relevant issue. The final grade is the result from the weighted average of the single grades of the modules and of your Master’s thesis.

Tuition fees and funding

Why are Tuition Fees charged for the CPD Masters Studies?

All CPD Masters degree programmes at the Professional School are offers, which must fully self-support following a start-up funding by the major EU project Innovation Incubator. Unlike undergraduate offers, all services, such as the production of study materials, the management as well as students’ support must be financed from tuition fees. Therefore, tuition and semester fees must be paid for on our MBA and Masters courses.

The tuition fees include all taught components attended in person, including meals on those days, all teaching materials, the use of the e-learning platform, the support provided by the study programme coordinator and the team of the Professional School, as well as and the use of a coaching offer while studying. All Students also receive a student card, which entitles them, for example to various discounts and special conditions in cultural institutions or the conclusion of contracts.

Must the tuition fees be paid in full at the beginning of the course?

No, tuition fees do not have to be paid in full at the beginning of the course, but can be paid in installments. Semester fees are due for every enrolment in every semester. The tuition fees are usually invoiced proportionately every semester.

How can I fund the CPD Studies?

The expenses incurred through studying can deducted for tax purposes in accordance with the current legal provisions. This also applies to other costs associated with the study (travel and accommodation expenses, study material etc.). In addition, various other sources of funding, such as loans or scholarships are available. All relevant information can be found here.

Further questions

To whom can I turn if I have queries regarding the Masters or MBA Studies?

At the Professional School, there are several contact persons at your disposal, especially for questions about the CPD master and MBA programmes. All contacts can be found here.