International Business Administration, BA

With your degree, you can take on a wide range of roles in local and international companies or non-profit organisations – from purchasing and sales to controlling and marketing. You’ll also have the skills you need to start your own business.

Many of our graduates choose to continue with a Master’s degree, often abroad. With your strong English language skills and business expertise, you’ll be well prepared to take this next step.

The first semesters: You’ll start with Freshers’ Week, where you’ll get to know your international fellow students – around 50% of our students come from all over the world – and find out everything you need to know about studying with us.

In your first semester, the Fundamentals of Business Administration module gives you an introduction to the world of business. You’ll then explore the different areas in greater depth over the following semesters. Alongside core business subjects such as marketing, strategic management, human resources and accounting, you’ll learn the fundamentals of economics and international business law. Modules such as business mathematics and statistics will give you important skills for working with numbers and analysing quantitative data. There’s always a strong focus on practical application: maths isn’t taught for its own sake, but through real-world examples from business. 

Electives: In the fourth and fifth semesters, you can explore your individual interests in greater depth. You’ll currently have 15 electives to choose from and select the six that suit you best. Alongside more traditional subjects in marketing, finance and economics, options include:

• Trend Research
• Business Ethics
• Digital Technology and Data Analytics
• Consumer Psychology
• SAP – Enterprise Resource Systems
• Design Thinking
• Political Economy

You can also choose a language course as one of your electives. 

Business and much more: Studying with us is about more than subject knowledge. Modules such as Communication and Cooperation, Project Management and Corporate Social Responsibility help you develop key skills for your future career. We also use modern teaching methods – for example, you might explore a company’s supply chain by recreating it with LEGO.

Practical experience: In many modules, you’ll work on real-world projects. In Entrepreneurship and Business Planning, you’ll develop a business idea with your team and pitch it to a panel of external experts before creating a detailed business plan.

Things become even more interdisciplinary in the fifth semester, when students from across the faculty work together on Interdisciplinary Projects. Many of these projects are initiated by companies, associations or civil society organisations from the region. As a business student, for example, you might work with psychology and design students to develop a new marketing concept and promotional materials for a partner company. Or you could assess the economic viability of a new recycling concept while IT students develop the accompanying app.

Broaden your horizons: In the sixth semester, you’ll either spend a semester abroad or complete an internship with a company in Germany or abroad.

In the seventh semester, you’ll complete your degree with your Bachelor’s thesis and a final colloquium.

Yes. In the sixth semester, you’ll broaden your horizons by either spending a semester abroad or completing an internship in Germany or abroad. This gives you the opportunity to develop your intercultural skills and put what you’ve learnt into practice.

Wondering if your English is good enough? In our experience, students quickly get used to studying in English and soon feel confident using the language. By the time you graduate, you’ll be able to communicate confidently in professional settings – a major advantage in the job market.

In accordance with Section 62a of the Higher Education Act of North Rhine-Westphalia (HG NRW), this degree programme is suitable for part-time study.

Why not take our online self-assessment and find out what topics you can expect?

Broad knowledge: Learn much more than traditional business administration. Understand global economic connections, prepare for starting your own business, learn to work effectively in teams and present your ideas with confidence.

Hands-on learning: Putting what you learn into practice is at the heart of the programme. Projects, presentations and a strong practical focus prepare you for the world of work.

Methodological skills: Develop the tools and techniques you’ll need to explore new topics independently throughout your career.

Digital skills: Get ready for the digital world of tomorrow by working with modern technologies and tools, including learning how to use AI-powered tools effectively.

International perspective: Explore the dynamics of international companies and organisations and prepare for global challenges by looking at how changing markets, politics and other factors shape the business world.

Then take the opportunity to earn two degrees: alongside your Bachelor of Arts with us, you can also earn a Bachelor of Science from our partner university, Fitchburg State University near Boston. Spend your fifth and sixth semesters in the US and, after successfully completing your studies, graduate with degrees from both universities.

Company visit to duisport logistics: LinkedIn 

Company visit to port services: Instagram

Idea scouting at startport: LinkedIn

Airflow and fire safety at Trox: LinkedIn

Innovation Sprint with Ixon: LinkedIn

We’re looking for motivated, internationally minded people who enjoy using a structured approach to solve real-world problems.

We welcome applications from nationals of all countries. Please check here for general admission requirements.

For the International Business Administration degree programme, the following additional requirements apply:

• Proof of an eight-week pre-study internship by the time of Re-registration for a new semester. Internships completed before the start of your studies may be credited by arrangement.
• An interest in business management
• English language skills (certificate at level B2 according to the Common European Framework (CEF))