International Business Administration (M.Sc.)

The study consists of modules. It can either be completed function oriented or inter-functional. The offered study options allow the students to specialize according to their functional preferences. There are four alternative tracks for the function oriented study options with the following titles:

• Finance, Accounting, Controlling & Taxation (FACT),
• Finance & International Economics (FINE),
• Data Science & Decision Support (DSDS) and
• Management & Marketing (M & M).

A function oriented subject specific education has its study emphasis in one of the four tracks. Alternatively, students may choose a broader inter-functional study program. This allows the students to reasonably select courses from the entire module catalog for all tracks. This universal education program may be completed in German and/or English in terms of general business administration.

Within their studies, the students attend track specific modules as well as modules from other tracks and non-business/economics modules.

For function oriented study options the students have to take the following modules:

• Track specific modules with a minimum of 60 credits (in the track DSDS with a minimum of 72 credits) and a maximum of 96 credits,
• Modules from other tracks and non-business/economics modules worth up to 36 credits (at the track DSDS up to 18 credits), of which no more than 18 credits must be from non-business/economics modules,
• Master thesis (21 credits) with concluding colloquium (3 credits).

The module catalog specifies whether the modules of the track must be chosen (compulsory modules) or can be chosen (elective modules).

For a inter-functional study option the students have to take the following modules:

• Modules from at least two of the four tracks offered for a minimum of 78 credits and a maximum of 96 credits.,
• Non-business/economics modules worth up to 18 credits,
• Master thesis (21 credits) with concluding colloquium (3 credits),

The module catalogue specifies whether the modules of the track must be chosen (compulsory modules) or can be chosen (elective modules).

The target group of the FACT track are students who want to work in leading positions in consulting companies (tax consulting, auditing and management consulting), financial and capital market-oriented companies (investment banks, research departments, risk management departments of banks and stock exchanges) or in corporate controlling. In particular, internationally oriented companies with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe [CEE] are the focus of the training.

In the context of European integration and in the process of globalization, interdependencies between national economies, especially between EU member states, have increased. These interdependencies and the related coordination problems are the focus of the FINE track. Overcoming them is a success factor for national economies as well as for multinational companies and organizations. In the FINE track, the aim is to generate a holistic understanding of the common market and international trade, international financial markets, and European and international economic policy, especially monetary policy. Special attention is given to issues of European integration, European and international environmental and energy policy, international tax competition, and competition between social systems and their coordination in the EU. The goal of the FINE track is to provide students with state-of-the-art training in the management of multinational companies and organizations in order to recognize, utilize and control both current and future opportunities and risks of globalization. Graduates of the FINE track are qualified to assume positions in multinational corporations, international institutions and organizations, and internationally active consulting firms. Furthermore, a degree in the FINE track may be followed by employment in research institutions or an academic career.

If you answer yes to the following questions, the DSDS track is probably the right choice for you:

• Do you believe that informed business decisions can only be made by understanding the underlying data?
• Would you like to learn how to analyze decision processes properly and how to apply appropriate decision models?
• Do you want to be the person who accurately understands and masters artificial intelligence algorithms, rather than just relying on decisions suggested by experts?
• Are you a numbers person interested in developing your own programming codes? Or do you want to become one?
• Did you enjoy applied mathematics and statistics in your previous education?

Our Vision: Learning from data and drawing the right conclusions

We live in a highly connected world, and data has become a key success factor in many businesses over the past decade. In addition, there are a growing number of companies pursuing a data-driven business model. Even the traditional manufacturing industry relies heavily on internal and external data to organize smooth processes and develop smart services and products. Data is important for managing businesses at all levels and creating value for customers. However, humans are unable to oversee the vast amounts of data available, and it is becoming increasingly impossible to draw conclusions without the help of powerful tools. "Learning from data" means applying or even developing methods of statistics, artificial intelligence and optimization. "Drawing the right conclusions" means finding the best decision model and eventually an optimal solution.

Your perspectives: Data Analyst, CIO, COO, or even CEO

Since data is used extensively in almost every industry these days, there are no limits to your career options. As a DSDS graduate, you can begin your career as a data analyst in fields such as consulting, retail, finance, pharmaceuticals, and automotive, or in public administrations and non-governmental organizations. You can start in a blue chip company just as well as in a start-up, maybe even your own, why not? After a few years of work experience, you may be qualified enough to become a CIO (Chief Information Officer) or COO (Chief Operations Officer) - and who knows, why not a CEO? Regardless of which career path you choose, your skills in data analytics and supporting data-driven decisions can help lead businesses and other institutions to succeed, both in terms of commercial and non-commercial goals.

The social conditions to which companies and their internal and external cooperation partners are subject are changing rapidly and fundamentally in the process of globalization. Management in an international context requires knowledge that transcends current structures and processes in the long term. It must provide orientation for those involved and create competence for action. The M & M track conveys the current state of the theoretical discussion in the fields of management and marketing and provides the participants of the program with the necessary orientation to actively shape the changes that accompany the globalization of markets. The target group of the track M & M are students who want to work in leading positions of international companies and organizations especially also in Central and Eastern European markets.

Non-business/economics modules can be included in the degree programme to the extent of a maximum of 18 credits.

In principle, all courses of the Faculty of Social and Cultural Studies, the Faculty of Law, the European New School of Digital Studies (ENS) and courses of non-business/economics faculties of other universities are recognised as non-business/economics modules that are successfully completed with a graded and credited certificate of achievement, provided that they are not creditable in the Bachelor's degree programmes of the aforementioned faculties or are introductory courses within the framework of the study of German law. Certificates of achievement, language courses or soft skills such as internships acquired in the module "Practice-relevant skills" of the Faculty of Social and Cultural Studies cannot be credited.

The master thesis is worth 21 credits. The associated concluding colloquium is worth 3 credits.

In the master's thesis, students demonstrate that they are able of independently applying scientific methods and writing texts that meet scientific requirements in their field of study. Once the thesis has been passed, students must present the results of their work in a concluding colloquium, place them in a larger context, and defend them against critical objections.

The prerequisite for admission to the master thesis is that students have successfully completed creditable coursework and examinations amounting to at least 75 percent of the total credits required for the successful completion of the degree programme minus the credits for the master thesis and the associated concluding colloquium. This corresponds to 72 credits.

Please note that the individual professors may have additional requirements for a confirmation of supervision. You can only be supervised by these professors if you fulfil these requirements. Therefore, please check the websites of the individual professors in good time.

If you would like to write a final thesis at the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, you must apply for supervision centrally and by the deadline.

• Application for supervision of the final thesis

Further information:

• Guideline on how to deal with cheating (including plagiarism) at the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics of the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder)

In keeping with the international orientation of the degree programme, students must complete a semester of at least three months at a foreign university in the the second of third semester of their studies (study abroad).

With a network of over 200 partner universities worldwide, the University actively supports you in planning and organising a study visit to a foreign university. The high level of international student mobility at Viadrina confirms the success of the university's international orientation.

With selected partner universities, there is also the opportunity to acquire one of the coveted double degrees. In general, applying for and planning a double degree requires significantly more effort than a simple semester abroad. In particular, the study planning before and after the stay abroad should be well thought out so as not to lose time unnecessarily on your studies. It is also important to bear in mind that academic calendars may differ (e.g. in the case of Argentina). It is currently possible to obtain a double degree with the following partner universities:

• Universidad Católica de Cordoba (Argentina)
• Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá or Manizales (Colombia)
• University of Vaasa (Finland)
• NEOMA Business School, Reims (France)
• Montpellier Business School (France)
• University of Macerata (Italy)
• SGH Warsaw School of Economics (Poland)

Prospective students who want to apply for the summer semester should note that the application deadlines for semesters abroad and double degree programmes are often set before the announcement of admission to the Master programme. If you are seeking to spend a semester at a foreign university, you should have to apply before you are admitted to study the Master at the Viadrina. Information about the application procedure for study semesters abroad can be found under the websites of the Department of International Affairs.

At the beginning of each winter semester, exchange students present themselves and their home university as part of the International Day at the Viadrina. Students at the Viadrina who are interested in a semester abroad can get first-hand information about their university of choice here.

Studies abroad will only be recognised if at least 12 credits are earned and documented during this study visit. A period of study abroad within the meaning of the study-specific regulations is a stay at a recognised foreign university with the right to award doctorates. The credits to be recognised are generally not to be completed in the student's native language.

The recognition of coursework and examinations completed at a foreign university is governed by Section 12 of the General Study and Examination Regulations (ASPO). The Viadrina International Affairs department is your central point of contact for the recognition of foreign study and examination achievements at the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics. It is not possible to have coursework and examinations recognised directly by the relevant professor without exception! In this context, please note the admission requirements defined by the professors for registering for the final thesis.

In justified exceptional cases, the responsible examination board may exempt students from completing the study abroad programme upon request. Students who do not complete studies abroad, must successfully take generally at least 42 credits in the course of their studies, whose language of instruction must not be German. In addition to courses whose language of instruction is not German, credits for the Master's thesis with concluding colloquium, if it has been successfully completed and defended in an other language than German, will also be taken into account for the 42 credits required according to Art 6 of the subject-specific regulations.

The European University Viadrina maintains cooperation programmes with numerous universities abroad. You are welcome to apply for one of these study places as part of our exchange programmes.

• Essential requirement for the admission into a Master program is your successful acquirement of a first academic degree in Business Administration and/or Economics, such as a Bachelor, that implies a professional qualification with a total of 30 ECTS-Credits in the courses mathematics, statistics, business informatics, microeconomics or macroeconomics.
• Language of instruction is English. Language knowledge in English will be required. For being admitted into the program prospective students have to prove sufficient knowledge of the languages through an adequate certificate.
• In addition to English, German is also the language of instruction and examination in the course of study. Foreign students who did not acquire their university entrance certificate (high school diploma/Abitur) in Germany must, as an admission prerequisite, provide proof of German language proficiency either through successfully passing the German Language Exam for University Admission of foreign student Applicants (DSH) or an equivalent test, if they decide at the beginning of their studies for the functional oriented study options "Finance, Accounting, Controlling & Taxation (FACT)", "Finance & International Economics (FINE)" or "Management & Marketing (M & M)" according to Art. 6 of the subject-specific regulation (Studiengangsspezifische Ordnung).

Verification form

• Essential requirement for the admission into a Master program is your successful acquirement of a university degree, such as a Bachelor, that implies a professional qualification. This degree has to be earned from a German University and or an international university being recognized in Germany.
• To apply for the admission into the Master of International Business Administration it requires successfully completed Bachelor studies in the field of Business Administration and/or Economics and a total of 30 ECTS-Credits in the courses mathematics, statistics, business informatics, microeconomics or macroeconomics. You do not necessarily need to have had all of these courses as long as this total number of credits is achieved. A notarized copy of your first degree or your performance overview of the university, thus it states a tentative average grade has to be attached to the application.
• Admission for this program can also be requested, if the first academic degree, due to outstanding exam results, is not yet accredited, but the current performance level suggests that this degree will be reached until the beginning of the Master studies. The applicant has to proof such by turning in a respective performance overview of the university (notarized copy), thus it states a tentative average grade.
• Prospective students who have another first professional qualification that is not listed here cannot be admitted.
• Please note: A preliminary check of your documents, i.e. "Does my degree entitle me to take up this course of study?" cannot be carried out. The requirements for admission to the program are explained in detail above. The examination of your submitted application documents will take place after the end of the corresponding application period.

Applicants must, therefore, before the start of the program, provide proof that they have sufficient knowledge in English on the C1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) as an admission prerequisite and to demonstrate it by means of a corresponding certificate.

A certificate of sufficient knowledge of the English language on the C1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) is needed as an admission prerequisite, which can be done by providing proof of having successfully passed one of the following equivalent exams:

• Cambridge English Advanced: at least Grade B,
• Cambridge English Proficiency: Grade A-C,
• IELTS (academic): at least 7.0 points,
• TOEFL: (iBT, not MyBestTM Score): at least 95 points (TOEFL ID Code: 4782),
• Certificate UNIcert III.

Please note:

1. A certificate of the required language knowledge must at the latest be presented at the time of enrollment (for the winter semester mid/end of August; for the summer semester mid/end of February) in the original. If you cannot submit the certificate with the specified passing grade at the deadline, you cannot be enrolled in the program.

2. Except for the mentioned tests and certificates, we do not accept any other language certificate.

3. Please arrange for the language certificate to be sent directly from the test institute to the admissions office. Copies – notarized or not – will not be accepted.

4. The language certificate may not be older than three years.

5. In order to meet the deadline, we urgently recommend that you pursue the appropriate language certificate in a timely fashion.

6. Only prospective students whose bachelor degree was completed in one of the following countries do not need to provide proof of English language knowledge: Australia, Ireland, Canada, Malta, New Zeeland, South Africa, UK, USA. Prospective students from other countries need a accepted certificate.

Foreign students who did not acquire their university entrance certificate (high school diploma/Abitur) in Germany must, as an admission prerequisite, provide proof of German language proficiency either through successfully passing the German Language Exam for University Admission of foreign student Applicants (DSH) or an equivalent test.

They should therefore, acquire a good command of German within their home countries and, if possible, take the TestDaF (German as a Foreign Language) exam.

Applicants who are exempt from taking the DSH exam include those who

• Are holders of a German language Abitur,
• Have successfully graduated from a German-language university,
• Possess the German language certificate of the culture minister conference (KMK), level 2, and whose grades were at least at the level C1 in all four parts,
• Have the Goethe Certificate C2 certificate from the Goethe institute,
• Have acquired a TestDaF certificate and whose grades were at least at the TDN 4 level in all four parts,
• Have a "telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule" certificate,
• Have already taken the DSH exam.

The European University Viadrina offers a German preparatory course.

Please note:

1. The proof of your current German knowledge has to be submitted already with all other application documents to determine
   
   • if this knowledge is sufficient already for studying or
   • if you need to take the DSH or an equivalent German language examination before start of studies or
   • if the enrollment will not be possible because of lacking language knoweldge.
2. A certificate of the required language knowledge must at the latest be presented at the time of enrollment (for the winter semester mid/end of August; for the winter semester mid/end of February) in the original.
3. Please arrange for the language certificate to be sent directly from the test institute to the admissions office. Copies – notarized or not – will not be accepted.
4. The language certificate may not be older than three years.
5. In order to meet the deadline, we urgently recommend that you pursue the appropriate language certificate in a timely fashion.

The program is admission-restricted.

Germans and applicants with a German university degree initially enroll online at viaCampus between May 1 to 31 (for the winter semester) and between November 1 to 30 (for the summer semester).

Then send the following documents to the admission office of the European University Viadrina:

• the fully completed and signed application (available on viaCampus after completing your online application),
• the completed form for the proof of the required academic achievements, which you can download here. Note: This certificate is not required for students of the European University Viadrina!
• Language skills: English at level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference must be proven at the latest at the time of enrolment. Only the certificates indicated on this page under "Requirements/ Language requirements in English" will be accepted.
• a transcript of records to assess the relevance of the (upcoming) university degree,
• an officially certified copy of the university degree or a certificate from your previous examination office stating that all academic achievements have been submitted (An evaluation of all achievements is not necessary for enrolment. In this case, please submit the following form: Confirmation of bachelor’s Achievements for Enrollment. The bachelor’s certificate must be submitted to the Enrolment Office by the end of the first semester).
• a health insurance certificate*,
• a self-addressed and sufficiently stamped return envelope, size DIN A4, for sending the student ID card (chip card) and your submitted documents,
• if applicable, certificates of study from German universities showing the semesters of study you have completed up to now,
• if applicable, a certificate of exmatriculation from your last German university,
• a proof of payment of the semester contribution (e.g. printout of the online transaction),
• a copy of an identification document showing the full surname, first name, date of birth, address, and validity date. You have the option to black out all other information. This copy of ID will be used for identification purposes only and will also protect against identity theft.
  
  

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* Notes on student health insurance

Proof of insurance status - either legally insured or exempt from compulsory insurance - is required for enrollment. To do this, contact a statutory health insurance company and have them either insure you (e.g. student) or exempt you so that your insurance status can be reported electronically to the European University. The chip card or a paper certificate will not suffice.

To report your insurance status, health insurance companies may require the Europa University Viadrina sender number: H0001747.

Students,

• 30 years and older,
• in continuing education programs,
• who are enrolling for a doctoral degree,
• are enrolled in college

do not receive a student rate. They may voluntarily purchase insurance at the regular rate. The electronic health insurance certificate is not required for these students.

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All documents to be submitted that are not issued in German or English must also be submitted as a sworn translation in German or English.

Information for international applicants with a foreign university degree

Please apply online: May 1 to 31 (for the winter semester) or November 1 to 30 (for the summer semester) via uni-assist e.V. Berlin. 

You can enroll after you received your letter of acceptance. The letter will be available online in viaCampus.

Admission requirements include English language skills at level C1 of the European Reference Framework or a UniCert III. Only the certificates indicated on this page under "Requirements/ Language requirements in English" will be accepted..

Please do not submit originals. Copies must be officially certified by an authority. If you come from one of the EU countries, it is sufficient to have the documents certified by notaries, schools or universities. Outside the European Union, copies must be certified by a German consular representation or a authorized public notary.

For more information, please see:

https://www.europa-uni.de/en/internationales/Students/Incomings/Applying/Master/index.html