Master's Program International Management

Study Program

This program provides students with the necessary qualifications to become international managers. The courses include lectures, seminars, and case studies as well as various trainings, simulations and role plays. In addition to acquiring knowledge, students participate in group and project work that trains their problem solving ability and helps them to further develop their soft skills (teamwork, presentations techniques, etc.).

Foundational semester (1st Semester)

Building on their existing business knowledge, students become familiar with the specific facets of International Management. By participating in an International Business Game, students can experience first-hand the complexity of making international business decisions. In the course Project Management, students learn how to manage international projects in a structured way. Furthermore, students learn about the important political, legal, social, and technological key issues of international business. In the module Managing the International Enterprise, students deal with international strategies and processes, organizational structure, and international accounting. Students do not just spend time gaining professional expertise, but also work on improving their soft skills by taking courses such as Executive Presentations, Leadership & Change Management, and Intercultural Communication. A foreign language course rounds off the curriculum in the first semester. The majority of the classes are taught in English. Students whose English skills do not meet the minimum standards will be required to take a language course in the summer before starting their studies.

Specialization Semester (2nd Semester)

In the second semester, students deepen the knowledge they acquired in the first semester. The module Soft & Communication Skills is required. Students continue to improve their foreign language skills and deal with the challenges of leading international teams. Students pick two of the following four modules: International Strategy & Business Development, International Marketing, International Controlling, and International Human Resource Management & Organization. In the module International Strategy & Business Development, they learn how to develop and implement corporate strategies. In the module International Controlling, students become familiar with the operational and strategic leadership of the corporation. Marketing strategies, market research, and customer relationship marketing are discussed in the module International Marketing in an intercultural context. Students learn how to recruit, train, and motivate personnel in a foreign country by taking the module International Human Resource Management and Organization. In addition, they learn how the organizational structures in the company are affected by the specific conditions of international business

International Semester (3rd Semester)

During their international semester, students further develop and strengthen their intercultural competence and improve their language skills in the region where they would like to work in the future. With this in mind, students choose one of the ISM’s partner universities in Europe or overseas to study at. Students can take courses in topics such as Supply Chain Management, Investor Relations, Human Resource Management, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Research Methods. They will have the opportunity to further examine the impact of the economic, political, and cultural conditions in their chosen geographic area.

Master's Thesis

The Master’s Thesis is the last stage of the program. Students are responsible for undertaking a research project with a concrete, applied basis. They should apply the knowledge gained in the first three semesters in the thesis. In the process, students transfer general knowledge to specific problems, in order to solve concrete problems for companies or answer research questions.

Languages of Instruction

German and English. In addition, students take language courses in French or Spanish.