Business Administration and Digital Enterprise Management

Study mode:On campus Study type:Full-time Languages: German English
Deadline: Apr 15, 2024
StudyQA ranking:5384 Duration:7 semestrs

Photos of university / #hspforzheim

Business Administration/Digital Enterprise Management (BSc)
Discover the groundbreaking impact of digital business! You can learn to shape business models, customer experience, and operational processes, preparing yourself for the most radical change in business since the invention of the steam engine! Examples like Amazon, Airbnb, and Uber demonstrate that managing digital transformation reveals a central strategic success factor. Digital transformation has become the ultimate challenge for future-oriented companies. This impacts industry structures and strategic positioning as well as all levels of an organisation (every process, activity, task) and its extended supply chain. Therefore, companies need professionals who are able to design efficient web-based business processes, networks, and cycles using information systems and a secure information flow between a company and its related partners (e.g., by smart data, the internet of things, cyber physical systems, mobile devices, and cloud computing).
The Business School at Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences offers you an international Business Administration/ Digital Enterprise Management (BSc) Bachelor's degree to master this challenge. The programme aims to qualify its graduates to design and implement optimised processes and IT solutions in an international digital business world.

The curriculum encompasses the achievement of 210 credits in seven semesters. Of these credits, 62 credits are allocated to the major field of study (indicated in green in the figure above), 103 credits to cross-disciplinary courses (specifically business administration, economics, quantitative methods, ethics & social responsibility, and language skills), 28 credits to the internship semester, and 17 credits to the concluding capstone assignments and thesis. Projects, internship semester, an elective module with 12 credits in sixth semester, and the thesis allow students to tailor the programme individually to their intended career paths. Within the elective module, students can choose from courses in the field of Digital Business Models (such as Internet of Everything, Organisational Networks, and Anything Relationship Management) and Digital Technology Solutions (such as Mobile Solutions, Smart Factory, and Big Data Management). These courses will be taken in addition to the compulsory course "e-Business and Supply Chains".

Your Profile
  • International students who want to prepare for a career entry in Germany, in their home countries, or all over the world.
  • German students who want to prepare for an international career in the context of digital enterprise management.

During the first three semesters, the courses are conducted entirely in English. At the same time, compulsory "German as a foreign language" modules will provide students with an intensive introduction to their German-speaking environment and courses in German. Furthermore, tandems consisting of German and English-speaking students will promote their language skills. In the fourth semester, a mixed-language course (German/English) as well as a course conducted entirely in German will prepare students for use of German in the internship semester (fifth semester). The global orientation of this programme is also reflected in the composition of students; more than fifty percent of the places are reserved for international applicants.

Educational organisation

Business Administration/DEM BSc semesters and courses (The acronym in brackets shows which language is used)
English (ENG), German (GER), German as a Foreign Language (GFL)

FIRST SEMESTER
General Skills and Competencies (ENG)
  • Social and Methodical Competencies (ENG)
German as a foreign language I (GFL)
General Business Administration (ENG):
Module: Foundations of General Management I (ENG)
  • Foundations of Accounting (ENG)
  • Managerial Processes, Functions and Decisions I (ENG)
Economics (ENG):
Module: Foundations of Economics I (ENG)
  • Introduction and Microeconomics (ENG)
Quantitative Methods
Module: Mathematical Foundations for Business (ENG)
  • Mathematics I (Analysis/Lin. Algebra) (ENG)
  • Mathematics II (Mathematics of Finance) (ENG)
Module: Computers in Business - Foundations (ENG)
  • Computers in Business - Foundations (ENG)
  • Computers in Business - Applications Hands-on-Training (ENG)
  • Computers in Business - Applications Hands-on-Training (ENG)
SECOND SEMESTER
German as a foreign language II (GFL)
General Business Administration (ENG)
  • Managerial Processes, Functions and Decisions II (ENG)
Economics
Module: Foundations of Economics II (ENG)
  • Macroeconomics (ENG)
Module: Quantitative Methods I (ENG)
  • Descriptive Statistics (ENG)
  • Operations Research I (ENG)
Digital Enterprise Management - Major (ENG)
  • Digital Business-Applications (ENG)
Web-Interface Design
  • Web-Interface Design (HCI, HTML5 + XML, PHP) (ENG)
THIRD SEMESTER
German as a foreign language III (GFL)
General Business Administration
Module: Foundations of Management Accounting
  • Management Accounting (ENG)
Module: Economics
  • International Economics (ENG)
Module: Advanced Studies and Applications in Economics
  • Scientific Writing; Media Competence and Information Research (ENG)
Module: Quantitative Methods II
  • Inferential Statistics (ENG)
Operations Research II (2)
Module: Business Process Management and Transactional Processing Systems
  • Business Process Management and Transactional Processing Systems (ENG)
Module; Electronic Markets, EDI & EAI
  • Electronic Markets, EDI & EAI (ENG)
FOURTH SEMESTER
Module: General Skills and Competencies
  • Communication Skills (GER)
  • Presentation Techniques (GER)
General Business Administration
Module: Financial Management
  • Financial Accounting, Investments and Finance I (ENG)
  • Financial Accounting, Investments and Finance II (ENG)
Economics
Module: Advanced Studies and Applications in Economics
  • Seminar in Economic Policy (ENG)
Module: Law
  • Business Law (GER)
Module: Business Process Management and Transactional Processing Systems
  • Programming (ENG)
  • Database Systems (ENG)
Module: Project Management:
  • Methods of Project Management (GER)
  • IS-Project (GER/ENG)
FIFTH SEMESTER
General Business Administration
Module: Business Management
  • Management Simulation (GER)
Internship Semester:
  • Internship Digital Enterprise Management (GER)
  • Accompanying course of the internship - Digital Enterprise Management (GER)
SIXTH SEMESTER
General Business Administration
Module: Business Management
  • Strategic Management (ENG)
Module: Management in Specific Industries
  • Industries - Electives (GER/ENG)
Module: Ethics and Social Responsibility
  • Ethics and Social Responsibility - Electives (GER/ENG)
Digital Enterprise Management - Elective Module
e-business and Supply Chains (3)
a) Digital Business Models
  • Internet of Everything (ENG)
  • Organisational Networks (ENG)
  • Anything Relationship Management (ENG)
b) Digital Technology Solutions
  • Mobile Solutions (ENG)
  • Smart Factory (ENG)
  • Big Data Management (ENG)
IT-Project
  • Project Work (GER)
SEVENTH SEMESTER
General Skills and Competencies
  • Labour Market Bridge (GER)
Seminar Business Information Systems
  • Seminar (GER)
Capstone Digital Enterprise Management
  • Current Topics in Digital Enterprise Management (GER)
Case Studies (GER)
Finals
  • Scholarly Colloquium (GER)
  • Oral Examination in the major Digital Enterprise Management (GER)
Thesis (GER/ENG)

Internships

In the fifth semester, students must complete an internship in Germany. We will assist students with finding an appropriate internship.

Forms of assessment

Written exams, seminar papers, student research projects, oral exams, Bachelor's thesis

Course objectives

The Digital Enterprise Management degree programme prepares students for an exciting and highly communicative profession, during which they will be involved in intensive dialogues with people from specialised departments in order to provide them optimally with IT solutions in an innovative environment. Graduates can expect outstanding career prospects on the labour market with high, non-cyclical growth levels as well as an above-average income. Excellent graduates have as well the option to continue their academic career in our Master Information System (MSc) programme. Our German-language degree programme "Business Information Systems", which is managed by the same team as the new Digital Enterprise Management programme, ranks year after year among the top five programmes nationwide. Our Master's programme, Master Information Systems (MSc), ranks second in Germany in the Eduniversal Best Masters ranking system.

Language requirements

English language level of B2/C1 (B2 with at least one aspect C1) based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (= min. TOEFL iBT score 95 (or equivalent)). There are no access requirements for the German language level.

Academic requirements

The requirements for admission include a general / specialised higher education entrance qualification (Allgemeine Hochschulreife, Abitur / Fachgebundene Hochschulreife), cf. Sec 8.7, or foreign equivalent.

Enrolment fees

An administrative fee of about 148 EUR per semester has to be paid (incl. contribution to the student union and a ticket for free public transport within the City of Pforzheim for the whole semester).

Costs of living

Pforzheim is less expensive than more prominent German university towns (e.g., Munich or Frankfurt). You will need approx. 500-700 EUR per month including health insurance, rent, food, etc. A dorm room costs about 180 EUR per month, a meal in the students' cafeteria about 3 EUR, and a large beer in a pub 3 EUR.

Job opportunities

Many renowned companies are linked to Pforzheim Business School. Due to the location in between Stuttgart, Karlsruhem and Mannheim, Pforzheim Business School is located in a very powerful economic region. Well-known companies like Siemens, Bosch, Sap, HP, and IBM offer internships and jobs for highly qualified students.

Arrival support

We are happy to assist our new students. Before arrival, a welcome package with relevant information will be sent to admitted students. Through a buddy system, our students are supported from the beginning of the programme. We provide hands-on information prior to arrival: Pforzheim Survival guide, housing list, steps to enrolment, and orientation sessions at the beginning of every semester.

Services and support for international students

Individual mentoring and coaching of students is offered by DEM faculty members. Continuous support is guaranteed throughout the year by the academic DEM office team members.
Through our buddy system, senior students support new students from the beginning of the programme.
The Institute of Foreign Languages of Pforzheim University cooperates intensively with the DEM and guarantees suitable classes in German as a foreign language at all levels, based on an entrance level test. Counselling services for job applications in Germany and support for students with applications and CVs from senior lecturers of the Institute of Foreign Languages are also offered. The International Programmes Office of Pforzheim University supports students with accommodation and visa issues. Pforzheim University student initiatives GEMINI (exclusive support for international students) and CAMPUS X (on-campus company fairs) also traditionally give support for international students.

Accommodation

The student union offers accommodation in student dorms around the campus (via Studentenwerk Karlsruhe). Many private rooms are also available in the city of Pforzheim and the surrounding area. The university provides lists of private rooms and apartments via the International Programmes Office.
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