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Master International Business (M.A.)
The world is your home and you want to pursue an international career? Then your Master International Business degree will provide you with an ideal foundation. You have acquired the most important basic economic knowledge in your Bachelor business studies. With the Master International Business, you will deepen your previous knowledge of business administration. The international orientation of the program allows you to sharpen your profile through the diverse concentrations and practice-related content, thus preparing you optimally for specialist and management tasks in international business.Your Master International Business at MBS
Concentrations: With specific concentrations, we guarantee sufficient practical relevance during your studies; choose 2 out of 7 and sharpen your personal profile!
Semester abroad and Dual Degree: You spend the 3rd semester abroad at one of our numerous partner universities. Alternatively, with the Dual Degree option, you will spend two semesters abroad and earn two specialized master's degrees within two years.
Business Project: Together with your fellow students, you will carry out a project on behalf of a real company and apply your acquired knowledge in practice.
International Focus: You choose one international focus per semester, exploring different markets and methodologies as well as specific economic areas whose development influences the global economy.
Key Facts
Master International Business
Programstart
September
Language
English
Duration Single Degree
18 months
Duration Dual Degree
24 months
Format
Full-time
Tuition Fee
24,000 Euro
Scholarships
20% to 40% reduction on semester 1 and 2
Final Degree
Master of Arts (M.A.)
'In the Master International Business, we train students to become responsible specialists with outstanding personal, professional and international skills. Lecturers from academia and practice support students in discovering and broadening their interests and strengths in courses such as Innovation Management, Digital Business, Service Marketing, Entrepreneurship, International Finance, Conscious Business and many more forward-looking fields. We look forward to shaping the future of international business together.'
Prof. Dr. Christian Schmidkonz, Academic Director Master International Business
Our
Master Study Program in Numbers
7
Business Concentrations
15-30
Students per group
60
International Partner Universities
4:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
100%
Business Hotspot Munich
21-32
Age range
57 %
International Students
What our students and alumni say about us
Contents
Program-specific Modules
The program specific modules of the Masters in International Business prepare you optimally for your career in international business. In order to ensure sufficient practical relevance during your studies, the Master's program offers specific focal points in addition to general business administration and courses in international marketing and international finance. In the first and second semesters, you will choose two of five or seven Business Concentrations, respectively, and in this way give your studies an individual aspect. Here you can choose from topics such as Digital Business Management, International Marketing or Corporate Strategy & Innovation. The core courses enable you to deepen your skills and prepare yourself specifically for your professional career.
Business Project
An integral part of the Master's program in International Business is the Business Project. On behalf of a real company, you will work together with your fellow students on a concrete, practice-relevant issue and will be able to apply and prove your skills in practice. The various projects are as diverse as the companies themselves.
Core Modules
In the Core Modules of the Master Programs you will acquire general business management knowledge. In courses on international management, business communication, responsible leadership and your freely chosen international focus, you will gain an understanding of economic interrelationships in a multicultural and globalized world and learn to consider and correctly interpret social and cultural aspects in your future business decisions. The promotion of a critical approach to various topics is just as important as learning practical methods and models.
In order to be able to act entrepreneurially with foresight, the Core Modules have an interdisciplinary structure. You will work on joint projects with students from the other Master's programs and exchange ideas and experiences, thereby broadening your range of experience and your toolbox with approaches and perspectives in the fields of Sports Business, International Business or Innovation and Entrepreneurship, for example.
Electives
By completing the Electives, your personal elective courses, you round off your profile and set further individual accents. You can choose from a varied pool of events and, for example, take courses on International Business Law, Communication Management or "Success Factor Happiness" or work on an individual research project.
Course of Studies Master International Business
Semester 1
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MODULES
The concentration modules allow students to dive deep into specific fields of international business. In the first semester, students enroll in 2 out of 5 additional courses.
International Entrepreneurship: Identifying and Generating a Business Idea
- Develop a business idea using different decision-making approaches and begin to prototype the idea.
- Study different types of entrepreneurship, creativity techniques, and entrepreneurial decision-making approaches.
Corporate Strategy & Innovation: Corporate Strategy, Innovation and Change
- Learn how build smart solutions at the interface of management and technology
- Recognize the potential of innovations and technological trends within organizations and implement them in new business processes.
International Family Firms: Understanding and Managing Family Businesses
- Develop an understanding of key concepts and key tools for balancing family and business aspects over time.
- Work on a case study analyzing a real-life family to apply the concepts studied and design an approach for implementation.
Luxury Management: Luxury Markets and Strategies
- Develop an understanding of luxury codes, key players, markets and consumers, plus the most relevant strategic decisions in the luxury industry.
- Learn how to address challenges as well as manage and market luxury brands.
Digital Business Management: Digital Business Models
- Analyze digital business models and ecosystems and develop a digital business model, smart product or smart service innovation.
- Develop competence in core areas like digital strategy, digital technology application and digital business model definition.
- Learn the basics of financial derivatives on interest rates and how to assess their effectiveness and values.
- Gain insights to core issues of international financial business management with a focus on hedging interest rate risks.
- Learn how to design, implement and monitor the relevant marketing and management strategies in a service context.
- Participate in a digitalization workshop and apply the concepts learned in class to program a website for a service marketing concept.
- Learn how to apply project management tools and methods on a real-life business problem.
- Plan, organize, conduct and control a project for a business partner and gain insights into the company.
- Assess the quality and reliability of existing data / research findings based on their source, data collection method and analysis / interpretation of the findings.
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT MODULES
Sub-Modules:
International Strategic Management
Organizational Behavior
Conscious Business
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- Learn about the drivers of globalization, related strategic models, and how to apply them in business operations.
- Study the relationships between individual, organization, and society and reasons for behaviors in organizations.
- Develop an understanding for alternative business practices compared to traditional profit orientation as the core goal of a business based on the four tenets of Conscious Capitalism as well as best practices in the field of Conscious Business.
Choose 1 out of 3
- Business in Germany
- Business in Latin America
- Business in China
Gain insights into business practices and current business topics in the chosen region based on an understanding of the social background as well as the economic and political system in the respective region.
Choose 1 out of 3:
- Spanish
- Chinese
- German
Depending on the level, learn the appropriate grammar and vocabulary skills to advance to the next level of language proficiency.
EXECUTIVE SKILLS
Sub-Modules:
Business Communication
Business Ethics
Negotiation Skills
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- Identify and master the challenges of business communication particularly in an international and intercultural context.
- Study and discuss topical and controversial business ethics issues as well as the philosophical origins of ethics.
- Learn how to use effective communication skills as well as manage the human behavior dynamics in the negotiation process.
Feel a stronger sense of belonging to the MBS community by actively engaging in a variety of extracurricular offerings.
Semester 2
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MODULES
The concentrations allow students to dive deep into specific areas of international business. In the second semester, students choose 2 out of 7 courses:
International Finance: Corporate Finance and Portfolio Management
- Distinguish between different valuation concepts and learn to apply specific valuation approaches.
- Learn how to create a portfolio that meets the given investment goals as well as how to perform a “risk and return” analysis.
International Marketing: Integrated Corporate Communication and Relationship Marketing
- Evaluate and design all elements of integrated corporate communication campaigns and adapt them according to different communication settings.
- Develop an understanding of relationship marketing concepts and frameworks as well as how to apply them to real-life examples.
International Entrepreneurship: Establishing a Startup and Testing the Business Idea
- Learn how to evaluate, write and pitch a business plan for creating a new venture.
- Develop skills to set up a new venture, assess growth determinants, detect and solve managerial challenges, and evaluate and prepare exit strategies and steps for dealing with failure.
Corporate Strategy & Innovation: Corporate Entrepreneurship, Global Alliances and Investments in Growth
- Develop an understanding of corporate entrepreneurship and the implications on innovation management in big companies.
- Learn the foundation on how to build global alliances in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation.
International Family Firms: Building, Protecting and Investing Family Wealth
- Develop an understanding of the dynamics between ownership-family-firm and the importance of balancing the system.
- Apply the key concepts for the execution of ownership, investment and core activities in the heart of the system to a case study.
Luxury Management: Luxury Marketing and Luxury Brand Management
- Study the communication, distribution and innovation within the luxury industry and how to apply the learnings.
- Recognize the trends shaping the future of luxury and their implication for the industry.
Digital Business Management: Digital Business Transformation
- Develop competence in core areas like digital transformation for startups and incumbents, digital technology application and digital business model definition.
- Study digital business management tools and key management skills for the success of a digital transformation.
- Learn how to apply project management tools and methods on a real-life business problem.
- Plan, organize, conduct and control a project for a business partner and gain insights into the company.
- Assess the quality and reliability of existing data / research findings based on their source, data collection method and analysis / interpretation of the findings.
Choose 2 out of 8:
- Independent Research Project:
Learn how to and develop a scientific paper, publication, working paper (or similar) on a self-chosen research topic in consultation with a faculty mentor. - Success Factor Happiness:
Personally experience the concepts of happiness, mindfulness, higher purpose, compassion, and gratitude through specific exercises and learn from best practices how to apply them in a work environment to increase (among others) subjective well-being, health, productivity, and satisfaction and decrease stress. - Management Consulting:
Analyze the characteristics of the consulting market, evaluate the critical success factors in consulting and develop the ability to structure and analyze business problems in a highly professional way. - Consolidated Financial Statements:
Develop an understanding of consolidated financial statements, how to prepare them and what challenges may arise in their preparation. - Communication Management:
Learn how organizations can communicate with consumers and acquire tools to facilitate communication within a company. - Applied Game Theory:
Learn how to translate economic problems into game theory and evaluate important solution concepts of game theory. - Process and Logistics Management:
Understand and recognize the importance of strategic operations and logistics managements as well as learn how to use relevant practical tools. - International Economic Relations:
Develop an understanding of why countries trade with each other and an ability to reflect on both advantages and problematic developments of international trade.
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT MODULES
Choose 1 out of 5:
- Business in Europe
- Business in Latin America
- Business in China
- Business in USA and Canada
- Business in Emerging Economies (India, Africa)
Use case studies, business simulations, in-depth reports as well as expert knowledge to understand the complexities of the business environment in the chosen region from a cultural, economic, social, political, and legal perspective.
Choose 1 out of 3:
- Spanish
- Chinese
- German
Depending on the level, learn the appropriate grammar and vocabulary skills to advance to the next level of language proficiency.
EXECUTIVE SKILLS MODULES
Sub-Modules:
Responsible Leadership
Business & Society
Master Thesis Preparation
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- Learn how to lead and manage people in business in a responsible way, including how to motivate and support people depending on the given circumstances, personality, and culture.
- Get familiar with the origin and development of different cultural core beliefs, value systems and how they define business practices from a top management perspective.
- Learn how to collect, evaluate, assess and present the state of the art in the academic discipline regarding a specific research question.
Feel a stronger sense of belonging to the MBS community by actively engaging in a variety of extracurricular offerings.
Semester 3
Students in the Master International Business gain comprehensive international experience by studying one semester at one of the numerous international partner universities of MBS. Alternatively, students can spend two semesters at selected universities and complete their studies with a dual degree.
Last but not least: writing you Master Thesis
Concentrations
Besides the imparting of general business knowledge, MBS also offers specific concentrations in order to guarantee sufficient practical relevance of your studies. In each of the first two semesters, you will choose two of five or seven different concentrations. In this way, you get the opportunity to improve your individual competencies and prepare your future career.
Content
As one of the classic business areas of activity, marketing deals with a company's distributive trade. With the business concentration International Marketing, in addition to the necessary methods and tools, the overall and internationally based approaches in the sense of market oriented business management are communicated using hands-on problems from the industry.
Teaching and Learning Methods
- Interactive lectures, goup works, and case studies
- Topics are intensively discussed and reflected in international context
Potential Future Business Area
- Product manager, marketing or sales manager, associate in the marketing and sales of the business, associate at a management consulting firm or the activity of an independent marketing consultant
Content
In an ever more globalized financial world, international companies and financial institutions are increasingly searching for qualified employees who can contribute their knowledge in the fields of controlling, corporate finance, and asset management. The goal of this business concentration is therefore to familiarize you with the methods, tools, and instruments of the financial world of the 21st century und and to optimally prepare you for tasks and managerial functions in the financial field.
Teaching and Learning Methods
- Interactive lectures focusing on discussion and exercises
- Practice in small groups, group workshops, and case studies
- Guest lectures from the industry
Potential Future Business Areas
Specialist and management in controlling, financial management, internal audit with companies in all fields; occupations as auditor and audit manager with accounting firms, consultant and project lead with management consulting firms or as a specialist with tax counsellors; after a few years of work experience, you may take the exam as tax adviser and/or chartered accountant.
Content
Successful managing and marketing of products and services in the luxury segment requires a proper understanding of the corresponding markets in general, the customers, and the challenges that the luxury industry is facing. Historical and sociological issues provide access to the topic of luxury just as well as observations from the fields of philosophy, economy, ecology, and psychology.
Having completed the courses in the concentration Luxury Management, you will have a thorough understanding of the most relevant strategic (marketing) challenges in the luxury industry. Furthermore, you will have generated experiences how to address the challenges and how to manage and market luxury brands as well as to build a network to companies/managers within the industry.
Teaching and Learning Methods
- Seminar-type lectures, case studies and presentations
- Guest lecturers from the industry
- On-site company visits
Potential Future Business Areas
All divisions in a company dealing with the development and marketing of luxury goods and premium products.
Content
International Family Firms is training the next generation of entrepreneurs for national and international multi-generational family businesses. Through this concentration, MBS wants to support all those who want to assume responsibility in corporate succession now. Family businesses often face complex challenges between the conflicting priorities of family and business, technological progress, and international competition. The International Family Firms concentration provides soon-to-be entrepreneurs with the necessary tools in order to lead their family business into a successful future.
Teaching and Learning Methods
- Interactive lectures and group discussions
- Case studies and workshops
- Guest lecturers from the industry
Potential Future Business Areas
Management positions in family firms, company succession, development of family wealth.
Content
In interactive lectures, you will gain insights into the key concepts of innovation and change management within companies. You will build methodical knowledge and soft skills and acquire the tools and instruments for planning and influencing innovation processes.
Teaching and Learning Methods
- Interactive lectures and group discussions
- Case studies and workshops
- Guest lecturers from the industry
Potential Future Business Areas
- Strategic planner in research & development; interface/project manager at marketing and R&D departments; product manager; innovation and/or change manager.
Content
The business concentration International Entrepreneurship prepares you for the complete array of topics regarding the formation of a new company and bringing an innovation to market. The scope extends from finding an initial idea and the development of the business model through looking for investors and pitching the concept to founding and building a new company.
Teaching and Learning Methods
- Seminar-type lectures and group work
- Hands-on prototyping workshops and case study workshops for testing market work
- Supervisory coaching of the founding teams
- Presentations
Potential Future Business Areas
Management positions in a start-up company; company owner; self-employment.
Content
Over the last years, digital business models have affected the economy and competition in a major way. Companies that yesterday did not even exist are dominating the international markets today already. Meanwhile, established companies that have been relying on traditional economical activities will have to keep up with this trend and digitize their processes.
The business concentration Digital Business Management perfectly prepares you to the requirements of the digital business economy. During the course, experienced experts from science as well as from corporate practice impart fundamental knowledge on digital business models and the backgrounds of highly topical key technologies. In addition, you learn how to actively organize digital change management processes in companies. In doing so, you acquire suitable strategies, tools and soft skills to succeed in the international digital economy – as executive or business founder.
Teaching and Learning Methods
- Interactive lectures
- Case studies
- Guest lectures by experts from corporate practice
- MBS Connected Vehicle Lab workshops
Potential Future Business Areas
Management positions in the digital economy; change management for digital transformation; business foundation in the digital economy; consultancy for digital business/digital business transformation; process management in IT projects.
Business
Projects
Business Projects
In the Business Project, which lasts two semesters, you work with other students on specific projects on behalf of a company. These live cases are as varied as the companies that provide them: A start-up needs a market entry strategy for a new target country, the hidden champion from the Bavarian region needs ideas for a brand awareness campaign. Within the framework of this project, you will apply and deepen your acquired business knowledge in a small group. All groups receive coaching from an MBS professor throughout the entire project duration. It is not uncommon for business projects to result in concrete and directly on-site, first job opportunities for the respective student groups, because the region around Munich is one of the strongest economic regions in Germany – just one of the many advantages of studying business administration in Munich.
Internationality
Studying at Munich Business School is an international experience, because internationality is not only taught but also lived. This is why studying abroad is an integral part of our programs. MBS maintains partnerships with over 60 universities worldwide and is continuously expanding its international network. The cooperations range from classic programs such as ERASMUS+ and exchange programs to over 20 dual-degree agreements with partners in Europe, Asia, Australia, and the USA.
Dual Degree
With the dual degree option, you acquire an additional, specialized Master's degree from one of our partner universities.Munich Business School's cooperation with renowned international universities gives you the opportunity to acquire two different master's degrees within two years. For a dual degree, you will normally spend two semesters at MBS and then two semesters at the partner university, followed by the Master's thesis.
Mentoring Program
You have the opportunity to apply for our exclusive mentoring program. Within the framework of this program, a professionally experienced person from the circle of MBS alumni will support you with words and deeds during the hot phase of your studies, help you to achieve your career goals and provide you with valuable contacts through their network.
At the beginning of your studies, you will receive more information about our mentoring program and can apply for one of the limited places until the end of September. In October, the mentoring committee makes its decision and in November, the selected mentees meet their mentors. The mentoring meetings will take place between November 2021 and August 2022.
Application
In order to qualify for the Master International Business study program, you must fulfill academic, linguistic, and to some extent professional requirements.
You may submit your application documents at any time. Since the places are limited, we advise you to apply for your desired study start as early as possible.
Admission Requirements
The main requirement for admission to the Master International Business study program is a successful Bachelor's degree (180 ECTS or more). Applicants with a degree in Business Studies/Management/Economics are entitled to apply for the program directly, applicants without a degree in economics can qualify for the program by completing the Pre Master Program. Upon request, we will gladly verify your documents in advance. Please contact your Program Advisor.
English Proficiency
Applicants must proof their English language skills by passing one of the following language tests:
- TOEFL ibt: minimum 85 (min. 22 in writing and min. 20 in all other bands; MBS TOEFL Institution Code: 5772)
- IELTS: minimum level of 6.5 – Academic Module
- ELS English for Academic Purposes: Advanced Level 112
Test results can only be accepted if achieved within the last two years. If you are unable to obtain your test results before handing in your MBS application, please inform us about your planned test date.
The English proficiency test can be waived by the following candidates:
- Applicants having completed their schooling in English (i.e., High School Diploma, IB)
- Applicants having completed their first academic degree in English
Application Process
When submitting your online application, please provide the following mandatory documents:
- Answering questions of motivation (various questions are available for selection during the online application process)
- Résumé/CV
- Copies of your graduation certificates* and/or current university transcripts*
You may also upload the following additional documents:
- recent photo of yourself (professional, in color with bright background)
- Copy of the school leaving certificate (e.g., Highschool Diploma, IB, Abitur)*
- Proof of English language proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS or ELS)
- Reference letters (if available)
- Scholarship application (statement of 1-2 pages)
*Please provide the original documents or certified copies when you gain admission and matriculate to the program.
Online Application Master International Business
Alternatively, you can also submit your written application.
Qualified applicants will be invited for a personal interview on site in Munich or online via Microsoft Teams (approx. 30 - 45 minutes). The interview may include the processing of a case study.
As soon as you are an admitted student, you have the opportunity to get to know MBS even better – before making your final decision whether to join Munich Business School.
Our study advisors will of course be available for all kinds of potential questions and personal consultations.
Once you have successfully completed the application process, Munich Business School will provide you with an acceptance letter as well as two copies of your study contract. Please sign one copy and return it within two weeks to secure your spot in the program. The other copy needs to be kept for your own records.
The acceptance to the study program requires an enrollment fee of 690 Euro (EU/EFTA) respectively 1,490 Euro (non-EU) and a deposit of 1,000 Euro due upon signing the study contract. The deposit will be deducted from your first tuition fee installment.
If you are a non-EU national, you are required to apply for a student visa in order start your studies in Germany. To obtain a visa invitation letter from Munich Business School, which is necessary to apply for the visa, please add a copy of your passport details page when handing in your signed study contract.
Munich Business School offers attractive scholarships. These are 20 - 40% for the 1st and 2nd Master semester. Students who show particular commitment can continue to receive support after the second semester.
The application for one of the scholarships is made together with the application for a study place. Further information can be found under "Scholarships and financing".
Tuition
Fees
The tuition fee is payable in three semester installments à 8,000 Euro or 18 monthly installments. The first rate is due upon the beginning of your studies and can be paid via bank transfer or PayPal.
Books, travel costs and accommodation are not included in the overall tuition fee.
The non-refundable processing fee is due upon application, the one-time enrollment fee is due upon signing of the study contract. Both is be paid via bank transfer or PayPal.
Additional costs can incur for the semester abroad, depending on the partner university of your choice and depending on your choice to complete a dual degree.
Munich Business School offers attractive scholarships. Detailed information can be found here.
Tuition Fees Master Programs
Fee per Month
1,333 Euro
Fee per Term
8,000 Euro
Overall Tuition Fee
24,000 Euro
Other Fees
Application Processing Fee
60 Euro
One-time Enrollment Fee (EU/EFTA)
690 Euro
One-time Enrollment Fee for international students
1,490 Euro
Master International Business Alumni
What do our Master International Business Alumni actually do after their studies at MBS? To answer this question, MBS regularly conducts the MBS Alumni Survey. Our graduates:
have found a job within 3 months after graduation
69%
started a career abroad
35%
started a career in Germany
65%
Events
