International Management (M.Sc.)

Experience the fascination of our Master’s program in International Management

In our program, you will learn how to successfully manage and shape companies and projects on a global level. From divisional and leadership skills to intercultural challenges, you will be prepared for all aspects of international management.

Here you will find all the information about the International Management study program. First, two of our current students introduce themselves. This is followed by important facts about the program and then you can enjoy the video report of our enthusiastic students and graduates.

Target Group

Students with an accredited undergraduate degree (Bachelor or "Diplom") primarily in the field of business administration or economics

Goal

Students learn methods and instruments for managing globally active corporations and are prepared to assume corresponding management tasks, including those, that are innovative and unexpected, and to find solutions for practical problems at business enterprises.

Profile and Objectives

The successful commercialization of products and services in international markets and the globalization of value-added chains are just two examples of the challenges that companies are facing in heightened international competition. The Master's in International Management is ideal preparation for the management tasks required to successfully tackle these challenges. You will learn how to think in intercultural terms and to work using an interdisciplinary approach. Initial experience in a practical environment is the first step to taking on responsible international management roles in a wide range of different sectors and companies of all sizes.

To put it in a nutshell, if you enjoyed the business management topics in your previous undergraduate program, found the globalization of business events exciting, and would like to set your sights on a management position in an international corporation after a few years of professional experience, our program could be just what you have been looking for.

The academic environment at Fulda – small groups, a high proportion of international students, and extensive interaction with the teaching staff – is ideal for tomorrow’s global managers.

Accreditation

The study program has been successfully reaccredited and has been offered in its current form since the winter semester of 2020-21

Instruction and Instructors

Along with its basic organizational conditions, the quality of the study program crucially depends on the didactic skills of the lecturers and professors. Our team includes experienced professors, teachers for specific tasks, and guest lecturers. Our strength lies in our ability to teach you the skills you will need to work in the professional world. In addition, project work and the Master's thesis give you an opportunity to learn the technique of academic work and research; skills which are particularly useful if you want to tap into a new field of knowledge or if you are considering enrolling in a doctoral program at a later date.

We prefer the seminar style of instruction. This means that we seek an interactive exchange between teachers and students and resort to lectures only in exceptional cases. Instruction is given in both English and German. The complex subject matter is taught using small examples and case studies, and sometimes with e-learning tasks or the use of software (e.g. Excel, corporate strategic planning simulation).

Students access the instructional materials via the Department's "eFBW" electronic platform. This also serves as a communication platform between teachers and students.

Regular course evaluations are used for quality assurance and are an important feedback device for our instructors.

Why study in Fulda?

Many Possibilities

Fulda University of Applied Sciences with its eight departments offers around 60 Bachelor's and Master's programs. The selection is large and ranges from technology, computer science, business, and law to nutrition, health, society, and culture. In addition to traditional subjects such as business administration or electrical engineering, we also offer innovative degree programs such as Nutrition, Health Sciences, or Renewable Energies.

Applied Sciences - the Combination of Theory and Practice

Fulda University of Applied Sciences is a university of applied sciences. This means that studying with us is not just about theory, but also has a lot to do with practice. This is reflected, among other things, in the close relationship between the university and regional organizations and companies, for example, when it comes to internships or theses. The International Careers Service of the International Office also offers international students and graduates a comprehensive range of information and advice on the topics of internships and career entry - paving the way to your future career.

Dual Study Programs - a German Success Story

More practice is not possible. As a student in a dual study program, you attend courses at the university and work in a company. In this way, you gain specialized knowledge that you can apply directly, gain the necessary experience for the transition into work, and also earn money. Some degree programs even include complete vocational training. This means you study in a discipline and learn a profession at the same time.

State-of-the-Art Equipment and the Latest Technology

Where could technicians, scientists, or engineers apply their acquired knowledge better than at the workplaces typical for their work? Fortunately, Fulda University of Applied Sciences has a wide range of so-called "labs" for authentic experimentation, real research, and repeated application. This Audio/video, NetLab, Renewable Energies Lab, Raw Materials Science Lab, Microbiology Lab, and Skills Labs simulate real working conditions and thus help students acquire the skills for their future profession.

From Preparatory Program to Doctorate

At Fulda University of Applied Sciences, you can follow the complete path of higher education. If you still lack some knowledge, you can catch up on it in a preparatory program. If you want to complete a Master's degree or even a doctorate, all doors are open to you. Since 2016, Fulda University of Applied Sciences has been the first university in Germany to have the right to award doctorates independently.

Thriving Internationality

Of the approximately 9,000 students at Fulda University of Applied Sciences, about 1,500 are not from Germany, but from over 100 different countries. The mix of languages, cultures, and perspectives not only creates an international atmosphere on campus and in the refectory but also enriches the courses and (student) life in the city.

Short Distances and Personal Contact

A great advantage of small towns and small universities is the short distances and personal contact between students and their lecturers. Despite its now 9,000 students, Fulda University of Applied Sciences still has a familiar atmosphere. People know each other and meet regularly. If you need support, you don't have to look far and the contact persons are easy to reach.

Support Where It is Needed

We want to help international students with their transition to life in Germany and Fulda. To this end, we have developed various measures for the time before and during your studies. Special preparatory programs such as Pre-College and Pre-Study help you to improve your German language skills, acquire specialist knowledge, or get to know the German academic system. The Buddy program, the orientation week as well as field trips provide opportunities for encounters and exchange.

Historic City With a Central Location

With a population of around 70,000, Fulda is one of the smallest cities in Germany. However, it offers a high quality of life, short distances, public safety, and nature on your doorstep. Its central location and direct connections to trains, long-distance buses, and highways make Fulda an ideal starting point for getting to know the whole of Germany.

Free Time Activities

A historic city center, museums and theatres, restaurants, and bars, concerts, clubs and parties, hiking and cycling trails, and the mountains of the Rhön. The list of leisure activities in and around Fulda is very long. On campus, there are university sports, and events as well as student projects, film evenings, the University Days, and the International Evening. And if you want even more, the train to Frankfurt/Main only takes about 80 minutes...

In terms of content, the Master’s in International Management has two core areas: the business core competencies (Divisional Skills) and what are referred to as "Leadership Skills” which include methodological, social, intercultural, and communicative competencies. The second core area also emphasizes the relationship between management, entrepreneurship, and innovation, and change processes within companies.

An additional field of study (International Business Environment) addresses the essential basic legal and economic conditions for management tasks in a globally operating company. Two elective courses offer you the opportunity to design your course of studies to match your own interests. The generic term "integration" ultimately involves the linking and practical application of the previously acquired contents and skills.

1st Semester

• Quantitative Empirical Methods for Management
• Marketing Management in a Global Market
• European & International Business Law
• Global Human Resource Management
• Corporate Governance & Corporate Social Responsibility
• International Economics & European Integration

2nd Semester

• Leadership & Communication
• International Financial Markets & Risk Management
• Strategic Management & Globalisation
• Controllership in International Companies
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation Management
• Elective course

3rd Semester

• Elective course
• Practical Management of a Global Firm (Business Simulation)
• Master's Thesis

The recommended time frame for your course of studies means that the first semester is taken up allowing you to deepen your business knowledge in the areas of human resources, marketing, and responsible company management with an international focus. In addition, you will be introduced to relevant quantitative methods, international commercial law, and international economic relations.

The second semester builds controllership, risk management, innovation management, and strategic management skills and teaches social competencies in leadership and communication.

Integrating modules form the basis of the third semester: an extensive business game in which you head a globally active high-tech company and the Master’s thesis on an international management topic of your choice.

Two elective modules in the second and third semesters allow you to set your priorities.

Internships/Studies Abroad/Erasmus

The Department of Business has numerous lively ERASMUS partnerships with universities throughout Europe and additional collaborations with other universities in Europe as well as in such countries as the USA, China, South Korea, Argentina, Jordan, and Australia.

You will be able to take advantage of this excellent departmental network to enroll in a supplementary course of studies abroad. In selected cases, there is also an opportunity to earn a second qualification/double degree during your period of study abroad.

The Department's internship coordinator will be pleased to help you in your search for an internship in Germany or abroad. The internship semester – just like the semester abroad – is a special opportunity to acquire additional ECTS points if necessary, e.g. if your Bachelor’s degree is "only" worth 180 credit points.

Successful completion of the Master's program will equip you with extensive professional, social, and communication skills for challenging tasks in the field of international management. In the first stage of your professional career, you will be able to be flexibly employed in diverse company functions, depending on your Bachelor's degree and your chosen electives and independent of industry or company size. On completion of the program, you will have acquired the theoretical and practical tools necessary for responsible management tasks at the corporate or divisional management level. Highly specialized knowledge is often less important in these high-level positions than holistic decision-making skills and the ability to take action, making the generalist focus of your Master's degree particularly worthwhile.

Apart from methodological preparation in terms of content, our aim is to introduce you to the practical world at an early stage. Corporate professionals are therefore routinely contracted as guest instructors or recruited among departmental sponsors to hold guest lectures. Many students additionally write their Master's thesis in close cooperation with an international company and thus establish valuable personal contacts in the professional world before completing their studies. The voluntary internship program, with support being provided by the Department's internship coordinator, offers a further good opportunity to gain practical experience.

The successful commercialisation of products and services in international markets and the globalisation of value-added chains are just two examples of the challenges that companies are facing in heightened international competition. The Master’s in International Management is ideal preparation for the management tasks required to successfully tackle these challenges. You will learn how to think in intercultural terms and to work using an interdisciplinary approach. Initial experience in a practical environment is the first step to taking on responsible international management roles in a wide range of different sectors and companies of all sizes.

This course is taught through seminar-style instruction, case study work, and the use of an e-learning platform.

The languages of instruction for this course is English.