The MBA in Germany

Explore MBA programs in Germany: full-time, part-time, Executive, or online. Learn about admission, duration, costs, and accreditation to find the best fit for your career.

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is still one of the most popular master's degrees. It is taught and recognized worldwide as a completely independent master's degree. Furthermore, this course of study is known for its intensive combination of practical experience and theoretical knowledge.

In Germany, there are many different ways to obtain an MBA degree. If you complete the course full-time, it takes between 12 and 24 months. The duration depends on the program, federal state, and the respective business school or university. Of course, you can also complete an MBA as a part-time study. Doing an MBA part-time allows you to continue working for your current employer and advance your studies in the evenings and on weekends. Since the study period is spread over a longer period, this type of study naturally takes a little longer.

For those who want to continue working and still further their education, there is another option for completing an MBA program, called the Executive MBA. In this model, prospective students reach an agreement with their employer, who largely finances the program. The Executive MBA program is specifically aimed at executive managers, and the program is characterized by a very tight curriculum.

A final alternative is distance learning or online study, where you primarily continue your education at home and participate in online seminars. The necessary documents and study materials are received online, and then it's up to your own discipline how quickly you progress with your studies. The advantage, in turn, is that you can organize your study time very flexibly.

The admission requirements for an MBA program are similar to those required for normal master's degrees. It is definitely necessary to have a bachelor's degree or another diploma. In some cases, it is possible to replace this requirement with (usually several years of) professional experience. A small difference to the normal master's is that the MBA is often offered at a business school rather than a university. However, there are now many universities that offer and teach an MBA program.

If one considers the motivation of those who wish to complete an MBA program, there is little difference here either to those who plan to study a normal master's program. All students have in common that they are concerned with individual further education in specialist areas important to them. In addition, they naturally want to do something for their personal career and deepen their professional know-how. Most MBA as well as master's studies are started when one has already gained professional experience. The MBA is recommended in many management networks, but – one has to be honest – it is already quite widespread, which is why a successful completion is not always associated with a timely career leap into a management position. Precisely for this reason, it is necessary to use the knowledge and skills acquired during the MBA or master's studies as positively and intensively as possible.