International Business Administration
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
At a Glance
We are pleased to note your interest in our Bachelor's programme in International Business Administration.
| Programme name and degree | International Business Administration Bachelor of Arts (BA) |
|---|---|
| Target group | Students with a general higher education entrance qualification, a technical college leaving certificate or an equivalently accredited qualification, who
|
| Goal | To qualify for a position in a business enterprise as
in a multinational company or in a small or medium-sized enterprise with international connections, located in Germany or abroad. |
| Start | Summer and winter semester, each calendar year |
| Standard duration | 7 semesters |
| Teaching methods | Seminars (combination of lectures and practical sessions), case studies, presentations, discussions, role plays, simulations, e-learning and video conferences - consistently with a practical and international focus |
| Language of instruction | German and English |
| Lecturers | Professors, external lecturers and (international) guest speakers |
| Accreditation | The study programme has been successfully reaccredited and has been offered in the current form since the winter semester 2014/15. |
We would like to make sure that you get off to a good start in our programme in International Business Administration, having established the connections that you need. We also want you to enjoy your studies and to have plenty of opportunity to think outside the box. That is why we encourage you to take full advantage of the following:
- Freshers' induction week - including a team-building workshop - to help you to adjust to university life
- Mentoring programme for students in their first semester
- Preparatory courses in mathematics for students in their first semester
- Tutorials (practical tuition sessions conducted by more advanced students to provide back-up support for selected courses)
- Visits to business enterprises
- Projects with partner universities abroad
- Complementary seminars on a range of different topics (e.g. style and etiquette, how to write a job application, how to deal with assessment centres, tax advice for students and much more besides)
The pages in this section of our website will give you a wealth of information on the structure, profile, content, procedures and goals of the programme. Detailed information is also provided about the integrated semester abroad, admission requirements and putting what you learn into practice.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
With kind regards
Profile and objectives
The Bachelor's programme in International Business Administration has a long tradition at Fulda University of Applied Sciences. It has been offered in its current, optimised form since the winter semester 2014/15. Our programme has a strong focus on international and practical experience and lasts 7 semesters. It comprises 35 modules and includes one semester abroad, which is completed as a study semester or as an internship in a country where a foreign language is spoken.
Our goal is to provide students with comprehensive knowledge of the content, concepts, methodology and instruments of general business administration, corporate operations and related disciplines. We ensure that students are equipped to apply this knowledge, in theory as well as in actual practice, to both familiar and new challenges that arise in international environments. Our students enjoy the significant benefits of small class sizes and gain direct experience of international life in our multicultural student groups.
Contents and structure
The standard duration of studies is 7 semesters.
| 1st Semester | 2nd Semester | 3rd Semester | 4th Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics I | Mathematics II | Investments and Finance | 1st elective course |
| Statistics | General Business Administration II | Taxation | 2nd elective course |
| General Business Administration I | Academic Skills and Applications | Controllership | Professional and Academic English (B2) |
| Accounting and the Preparation of Commercial Balance Sheets | Cost Accounting | Marketing | Enterprise Resource Planning Systems |
| Business English (B1/B2) | Annual Financial Report (HGB) | Human Resources | Microeconomics and International Trade |
| Business Information Systems | Business Law | Logistics | Labour and Employment Law |
In the first two semesters, you will learn the basics of mathematics, statistics and business information systems alongside business administration, including book-keeping and financial accounting. You will also attend courses on business law, business English and academic writing. In the third semester, you will study the following subjects: Marketing, Human Resources, Controllership, Taxation, Logistics and Investments and Finance. This lays the foundation that will help you to choose the area on which you would like to concentrate in the fourth semester.
You will structure the fourth semester in accordance with your own interests and capabilities by choosing a specialisation area from the table below. You will take two related modules so that you can deepen your knowledge in this chosen area. In the sixth semester you will then select the corresponding third module in your field of specialisation.
What is more, you will improve your English language skills at an academic level, apply yourself to Microeconomics and Labour Law, learn about how to use application software to support a company’s resource planning.
| Area of specialisation | The two modules included |
|---|---|
| Accounting, Taxation and Auditing | International Accounting Taxation |
| Internal Accounting | Cost Accounting Systems Project Management and Controllership |
| Human Resources | The Core Functions of HR Management Leadership and Staff Development |
| Marketing | Market Research and Strategies for Markets Abroad Marketing Mix and Implementation |
| Logistics | Corporate Logistics Introduction to Supply Chain Management |
| 5th semester | 6th semester | 7th semester |
|---|---|---|
(A period of study abroad or an internship in a country where a foreign language is spoken) | Business Management | Case Studies in International Business Management |
| 1st elective course | Simulation exercise | |
| Macroeconomics and International Monetary Economics | Entrepreneurship | |
| 3rd elective course | 2nd elective course | |
| Leadership, Motivation and Communication | Bachelor's thesis | |
| Commercial and Company Law |
Period abroad (fifth semester):
You will spent your fifth semester studying at a foreign university abroad or as an intern at a business company or organisation in a country where a foreign language is spoken.
To qualify for this stage in your studies, you need to have earned at least 90 credit points in the preceding semesters, 60 of which must have been acquired in the first and second semesters.
Profile studies (sixth and seventh semesters):
In addition to Business Management, Macroeconomics and Commercial and Corporate Law, in the sixth semester you will work further on the area of specialisation that you choose in the fourth semester by taking the corresponding module. You will also complete a compulsory elective module in a specialisation area that you have not studied as a compulsory subject.
You will also become familiar with communication and presentation techniques. In the seventh semester you will investigate case studies of relevance to International Business Management and Entrepreneurship, take another compulsory elective subject and apply the knowledge gained from the previous semesters in a business simulation game.
| Area of specialisation | Modules |
|---|---|
| Financial Accounting Report, Taxation and Auditing | Tax Accounting Law, Corporate Reorganization and Auditing |
| Internal Accounting | Investment and Financial Management |
| Human Resources | Current Challenges in Human Resource Management |
| Marketing | Applied Marketing and Current International Marketing Issues |
| Logistics | Transportation Logistics |
You will complete your study programme by writing a Bachelor’s thesis on a practical business administration topic.
Details of the courses are provided in the module handbook. This and the legal framework for our study programme are included in the Examination Regulations.
Admission requirements
You will be admitted to the study programme in International Business Administration if you have a university entrance qualification. These qualifications include the general univerity entrance qualification awarded to secondary school graduates, a subject-related qualification granting admission to a university or a university of applied sciences, a master craftsman certificate or an equivalent professional qualification.
You also need to have sufficient knowledge of German and English to enable you to understand lectures and subject material in both languages. Applicants must have English skills equivalent to at least level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Students whose mother tongue is English or who have graduated from a university or college programme conducted predominately in English are exempted from meeting this requirement.
Applicants from a higher education establishment abroad must provide evidence of having German skills that meet the requirements of or are equivalent to the German language test for admission to university (DSH II).
You can start the programme in International Business Administration in the winter or summer semester. There are 110 places available each semester.
The Examination Regulations provide detailed information about admission requirements. Just click here.
Click here for an unofficial English translation of the Examination Regulations
and the module handbook/descriptions.
Internships abroad/Studies abroad/Erasmus
Internships abroad
All students are required to complete an internship in the practical phase of the programme or to spend a period of study abroad. The internationally oriented internship lasts six months and is arranged at a company or organisation in a country where a foreign language is spoken.Students are expected to work the standad hours of a full-time employee. If you need help to find an internship abroad, please contact Ms Martina Langsch (Internships).
The internship abroad is complemented by two seminars, in which you will be supervised by a professor. You will have fulfilled the internship requirements if the company or organisation issues a certificate of completion, if you have submitted the required internship report on time and if you have successfully completed the two seminars. Details are provided in Annex 3 (Internship Regulations) of the Examination Regulations.
Please contact Ms Martina Langsch (Internships) if you have any questions.
Studies abroad
The semester abroad is an integral part of the study programme in International Business Administration.
You can study at a partner university or look for a university yourself. Alternatively, you can do an internship abroad (see above).
At the beginning of the second semester, you will be given basic information about the options for studying abroad, e.g. where you can go, what support is available and the meaning of "Erasmus".
The Department of Business has partnerships with universities in Europe, the USA and Australia. There are also well-established partnerships with Fulda University of Applied Sciences and the German federal State of Hesse.
While studying abroad, you will earn at least 20 credit points by completing at least four modules in Business Administration.
Your studies abroad will offer you many opportunities to deepen your theoretical knowledge and to strengthen your intercultural competence.
Our study programme International Business Administration will also allow you to earn a double Bachelor's degree (i.e. a second degree besides the one you will receive from Fulda University of Applied Sciences) at some of our partner universities, including the Dublin Business School (Ireland) and the University of the Sunshine Coast (Australia).
Please direct questions about your studies abroad to our International Coordinator, Ms Adrienne Stickel.
Financially supported studies abroad/Erasmus exchange
The Department of Business maintains partnerships with several European universities that offer tuition-free places as well as monthly support from EU Erasmus funds – referred to as Erasmus exchange.
Click here for a list of partner universities that have concluded an Erasmus Agreement with the Department of Business.
Please find more information here.
Instruction and instructors
The high quality of this study programme stems from the organisational framework and appropriate study conditions combined with didactic skills of our experienced educators. Our team consists of professors as well as highly qualified staff and external lecturers. We communicate pertinent knowledge and expertise derived from actual practice - and we do so with enthusiasm. We are application-oriented and have a global focus. You will benefit from our years of practical experience. We also introduce you to the techniques of academic writing, thereby enabling you to complete your semester/project papers and the Bachelor’s thesis in accordance with academic standards.
Tuition sessions at the Fulda University of Applied Sciences are usually seminar-style, a combination of lectures and practical exercises. We favour an active exchange between teachers and students and encourage you to be actively involved in the learning process. Under the supervision of the lecturer, you analyse examples and case studies, work with professional and academic articles, perform role plays and solve e-learning problems.
You will attend German and English language modules and absorb expert knowledge through German and English. We want to provide you with the tools that you will need to find your way through the international business world and that is why many classes are held in English. You will thus have a valuable opportunity to become familiar with subject-specific terminology in English and to engage in sufficient practice so that you are able express yourself accurately. There are also frequent opportunities to participate in lectures given in English by renowned guest speakers.
Teaching material is placed on the Department’s electronic platform “eFBW“, which is also a platform for communication between students and their professors and instructors.
To ensure that our classes and teaching are evaluated on a regular basis and to enable us to further enhance the quality of our study programme, a standardised questionnaire is handed out toward the end of each semester. All data is treated anonymously.
Excellent career opportunities for graduates
Your studies and your Bachelor's degree in International Business Administration will equip you to obtain a position as a general manager, in management support, or in another function that requires international business expertise.
Potential employers include multinational companies as well as medium-sized firms with an international orientation in Germany and abroad. Our programme will boost your chances of quickly obtaining gainful employment in manufacturing, trade or the service sector.
Globalisation means that qualified graduates with a globally orientated Bachelor's degree in Business Administration are in great demand. Your prospects in the future job market are therefore excellent.
Alternatively, you may wish to study for a Master's degree. The Department of Business offers the following MA programmes:
