On the Pre-Master’s course, we prepare students without a business-related undergraduate degree for master’s-level study at Munich Business School. We also refer to this as non-consecutive study. It makes no difference whether your bachelor’s degree is in psychology, IT, law or engineering – this course is suitable for everyone. It is a highly intensive preparatory course, covering the fundamentals of business and economics in a very short period. This includes content relating to management, finance, accounting, marketing and communications. Our Pre-Master’s program runs from May to August each year. After passing the final exam, you can move straight onto your master’s studies at MBS as part of the September intake.
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You can download our information brochure free of charge and with no obligation to proceed. It includes complete information about:
This program gives you the opportunity to earn admission to a master’s program in business despite holding an unrelated undergraduate degree.
The Pre-Master’s program is ideally tailored to the master’s programs at MBS. You will finish your Pre-Master’s program in August, so you can start your master’s studies straight after in September.
The Pre-Master’s program will help you meet the entry requirements for the master’s programs in International Business, International Marketing and Brand Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Sports Business and Communication.
Content
This course serves as an introduction to management, covers basic elements of a manager’s job and introduces the various functions of management: planning, organizing, leading and controlling. The scope is broad and includes key concepts of organizational and management theory as well as strategic management.
In-class exercises and case studies will demonstrate real-world applications of management concepts.
Teaching and Learning Methods
Content
The course introduces students to modern financial management. It covers core subjects in finance such as investment decision-making, valuation of assets, financing an organization, and financial risk management. By the end of this course, students should have gained a thorough understanding of fundamental financial concepts and be well equipped for their further studies.
Teaching and Learning Methods
Content
This course is designed to introduce students to the role of marketing in the organization. Major emphasis is placed on the concept of marketing strategy as a comprehensive, integrated plan designed to meet the needs of the consumer and thus facilitate exchange. Furthermore, students will be introduced to market research, management concepts, branding, market segmentation, positioning, and digital and social media marketing.
Teaching and Learning Methods
Content
The course provides students with an understanding of its objectives, principles, and the system of double-entry bookkeeping. They learn to create balance sheets, profit and loss accounts, and cash flow statements while utilizing key criteria. The role of accounting information in managerial decision-making is explained, including the computation and interpretation of financial ratios.
Managerial Accounting focuses on the cost aspects of running a business, equipping students with tools for cost analysis and decision-making. They also learn about the budgeting process and variance analysis for implementing management control.
Teaching and Learning Methods
Content
This course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of key economic concepts and terminology. They learn to critically analyze and apply microeconomic theories and models to make informed business decisions, gaining insights into consumer behavior and company decision-making processes. Furthermore, students will be equipped to utilize game theory in economic decision-making, and they will develop a broad understanding of macroeconomic topics, theories, and models as they relate to countries and global trade.
Teaching and Learning Methods
Content
In this course, students will engage in a variety of activities to develop their business communication skills. Using interview and role-play formats, students will learn how to build business relationships and how to introduce themselves properly. They will be taught how to structure effective business messages for different contexts. The course also emphasizes the art of persuasion in challenging situations and the importance of nonverbal communication in a business setting. In addition, students receive an introduction to academic writing and sharpen their oral expression skills for presentations, discussions, and meeting participation.
Teaching and Learning Methods
Content
The goal of this course is to reach the German language level A1.1 (CEFR). Students learn to write very short texts with simple sentences about everyday situations. They also practice asking and answering questions about daily life and familiar topics. In addition, the course focuses on improving reading and listening comprehension of short and simple texts and conversations.
Teaching and Learning Methods
“The Pre-Master’s gave me the necessary tools and contacts to feel confident and shine during my master’s program. It was a demanding program with high expectations, especially for those of us from other disciplines. With genuine commitment, stamina and the right attitude, I successfully switched from classical music to the field of business and finance.”
Angela Ruiz, graduate of the Pre-Master’s program and alumna of the International Business master’s program
“Studying a master’s in business despite not having a bachelor’s in business was the right decision for me. Before my master’s program, I had studied teaching in Bamberg. After a few months of intensive learning, I got to grips with the fundamentals of business. It was a very challenging period, but it was definitely worthwhile. I would recommend it to anyone. Trust yourself: you can do it, too!”
Felix Ewald, Head of Marketing and Sales
In a non-consecutive master’s program, you study a different subject than your bachelor’s degree. The subject you studied for your bachelor’s does not matter when it comes to choosing a non-consecutive master’s program. A non-consecutive master’s in business could be particularly attractive for graduates looking to expand the range of fields they could work in and who would like to supplement their undergraduate degree with business-related skills and knowledge. Interdisciplinary expertise is increasingly highly prized, so combining skills and knowledge in different fields will give you a significant advantage on national and international jobs markets.
If you are ready to spend three months of full-time study concentrating on the fundamentals of business studies, then our Pre-Master’s program is right for you. This is a non-consecutive course and follows an intensive schedule. Despite its compact structure, the Pre-Master’s program will enable you to keep pace with other students who studied business at undergraduate level.
You should be interested in:
Your strengths are:
A consecutive master’s program is a course of study that follows on from a related bachelor’s degree, exploring the subject in more detail. It builds on the content of the bachelor’s degree. A bachelor’s degree in the same subject, or a closely related subject, is therefore an admission requirement for a consecutive master’s.
Example: You studied business at undergraduate level, earned your bachelor’s degree, and would now like to enroll on the master’s program in International Marketing and Brand Management at MBS.
A non-consecutive master’s program is a course of study that does not directly follow on from a related bachelor’s degree and instead covers other, unrelated topics. It does not build on the content of the bachelor’s degree. Admission to a non-consecutive master’s therefore only requires a bachelor’s degree; the subject does not matter.
Example: You studied IT at undergraduate level, earned your bachelor’s degree, and would now like to enroll on the master’s program in International Business at MBS.
A Pre-Master’s is a preparatory course that enables students with a bachelor’s degree to meet the requirements for a master’s in a different subject. It covers the fundamentals, providing the skills and knowledge students need to keep pace with classmates who already have existing knowledge of business studies.
Example: You studied IT at undergraduate level, earned your bachelor’s degree, and would now like to enroll on the master’s program in International Business at MBS. The Pre-Master’s program helps you to meet the admission requirements for master’s-level study.
Applicants to the Pre-Master’s program must have an above-average university degree in any subject area, awarded by a state-recognized university. In addition, applicants must have excellent English skills (TOEFL iBT min. 85/IELTS 6.5/ELS 112) as the program is taught entirely in English.
The two-stage application process for the Pre-Master’s program at Munich Business School comprises a written application and a face-to-face interview. Applications for the Pre-Master’s program are only accepted in conjunction with an application for a master’s program at MBS.
Master’s in International Business
Master’s in Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Master's in International Marketing and Brand Management
Master’s in Sports Business and Communication
Pre-Master’s
The program takes three months of full-time study (May–August)
Live online sessions (Pre-Master’s program)
Munich (Master’s programs)
EUR 6,500 for the Pre-Master’s
plus EUR 8,300 per semester for the master’s program
MBS master’s programs are state-recognized and certified.
After your master’s degree, you will be able to work in many different areas. We recommend giving thought to your preferred career before starting the Pre-Master’s program, so that you can choose suitable concentrations during your master’s program.
If you aspire to a career in marketing, we recommend you choose our International Business master’s program with the International Marketing concentration or our International Marketing and Brand Management master’s program. Studying one of these courses will teach you how to engage and excite customers with the right marketing messages – and persuade them to purchase a product or service.
If you would like to work in controlling in the future, we recommend our International Business master’s program with the International Finance concentration. Studying this course will teach how to use data and figures to plan, manage and evaluate corporate divisions.
If you would like to work in project management and digitalization in the future, we recommend our International Business master’s program with the Digital Business Management concentration. Studying this course will teach you how to drive forward digitalization projects and achieve lasting results.
The application process for our study programs consists of two consecutive steps: a written application and a personal interview.
To apply for the Pre-Master program, submit your documents at the same time as the application for your future Master at MBS. First select your Master in the application process and then add the Pre-Master option in the further process.
