StudyQA — Master: International Business Administration

Description Contents Requirements Funding More

The Master's programme has a modular structure allowing for alternative ways of designing your individual study schedule. Depending on your personal academic interests, you can choose not only a field of specialisation ("track"), but also interdisciplinary support classes in Cultural Sciences and Law. The offered tracks are:

Finance, Accounting, Controlling & Taxation (FACT) (English, German)
Finance & International Economics (FINE) (English, German)
Information & Operations Management (IOM) (English)
Marketing & Management (M&M) (English, German)

Additionally, we offer a "General Management (GM)" track (English)

Because of the excellent language education, the global diversity of students and staff as well as the extensive international partner university network, IBA is one of the most international study programmes available. The study programme has been accredited by the FIBAA for its high standard of education and received the Seal of Excellence from the DAAD and the Erasmus Programme.
More information: http://study.europa-uni.de/en/wiwi/master/programme/iba/warum-iba/index.html

Educational organisation

The IBA Master's degree can be completed in four alternative tracks: FACT, FINE, IOM, and M&M. For those who do not want to specialise in any of these fields, the cross-sectional Master's degree studies offer an alternative.
Specialisation requires proficiency records composed of different modules. As a general rule, students have to choose 15 modules which must be completed in four semesters. The IBA Master's differentiates between T-Modules (Track Modules), E-Modules (Economics Modules), S-Modules (Support Modules) and G-Modules (General Management Modules).
The T-Modules primarily comprise subjects of the chosen specialisation. The E-Modules add the macroeconomic dimension to the subjects dealt with in the T-Modules. Lectures and courses offered by the Faculty of Business Administration as well as those by the Faculty of Law or the Faculty of Social and Cultural Studies form the S-Modules. G-Modules can be chosen, arbitrarily, out of the T-Modules not yet taken.
Each semester, the chairs of the faculty publish a catalogue with the courses for the various modules.
The IBA Master's alternatively offers a special foreign languages option. Students aiming for an education with a greater emphasis on language courses, namely, those who want to supplement the mandatory English and German, e.g. with a certificate in either French or Polish (Unicert III) or both (Unicert II in each) are allowed to substitute the four S- and G-Modules in this way.
Finally, students must take a Master's seminar and write a Master's thesis. The study period for the Master's programme can be extended up to seven semesters.
The multiple options allow for individual specialisations perfectly matching each student's needs.
According to the latest ranking by the German Centre for Higher Education (CHE), the European University Viadrina ranks among the top universities in the areas of study conditions, student support and support for international study units. See the full ranking at:
http://www.che-ranking.de/cms/?getObject=989&getLang=de

Study abroad unit(s)

The European University Viadrina emphasises its international character in its cooperation with approx. 240 universities worldwide.
The Faculty of Business Administration and Economics at the European University Viadrina maintains double degree programmes with both EU and non-EU universities: https://www.europa-uni.de/en/internationales/Students/Outgoings/mehrfach/index.html
As a result of these agreements, Viadrina students are able to obtain two or three final degrees. In order to support Viadrina students abroad, the Department of International Affairs at the European University Viadrina coordinates closely with the DAAD (The German Academic Exchange Service) and the Erasmus Programme in order to provide the best possible international experience for its students.
We currently maintain double degree programmes with:

Universidad Católica de Cordoba (ARG)
École Supérieure de Commerce de Reims
École Supérieure de Commerce de Montpellier
University of Vaasa

Internships

The Career Centre of the Viadrina assists students in finding an appropriate internship: http://www.europa-uni.de/en/struktur/zse/career_center/index.html
Once a year, the European University Viadrina organises the career fair "Viadukt", at which leading companies recruit our students and graduates for internships and jobs:
http://www.europa-uni.de/de/struktur/zse/career_center/viadukt/index.html

Forms of assessment

In total, students of the IBA Master's programme have to attain 120 ECTS credits. Depending on the teaching time and the workload, courses equal four to six ECTS credits.
Students' performance is assessed in different ways. Basically, written or oral examinations are held. Furthermore, depending on the courses and the lecturer, assessment might be carried out in the form of a written paper and a presentation of its results. Combinations of both are also possible.

Course objectives

The IBA Master's study programme at the European Viadrina University is intensive and stimulating. It gives you the opportunity to specialise in the subject of your choice and at the same time keeps the fundamentals of business in close focus. It provides you with the right set of academic and social skills required to succeed in today's dynamic business environment. Opportunities are supported by interdisciplinary education. The combination of economics, law as well as social and cultural studies enables students to broaden their knowledge and gain a variety of valuable experience.
Throughout your studies you will be choosing your elective modules which will determine your field of specialisation within the programme. In the specialisation of your choice, you will be able to expand the general knowledge gained in your previous studies.
This Master's programme will prepare you to enter professional life with the highest level of capability.

Language requirements

English
A certificate of sufficient knowledge of the English language on the C1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) is needed as an admission prerequisite, which can be done by providing proof of having successfully passed one of the following equivalent exams:

Cambridge English Advanced: Grade B at minimum
Cambridge English Proficiency: Grade A-C
IELTS (academic): 7.0 points at minimum in all areas
TOEFL (iBT): 100 points at minimum (TOEFL ID Code: 4782)
TOEIC: 490-495 points (listening), 455-495 points (reading)
Certificate UNIcert III

German
Foreign students who have gained permission to enter a university in a language other than German need to prove their knowledge of the German language by taking the DSH (Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang ausländischer Studienbewerber) or an equivalent test (e.g. TestDaf with level 4 in all components). Students who already took the DSH but did not obtain the necessary level are allowed to improve their skills and re-take the DSH exam by the end of their first semester at the European University Viadrina. The Language Centre of the European University Viadrina offers adequate German courses and provides further concrete information: http://www.sz.euv-frankfurt-o.de/de/lektorate/deutsch/
Alternatively, students can be exempted from proof of German proficiency if they decide on the functionally oriented study programme "Information and Operations Management (IOM)" or the "General Management" study option.

Academic requirements

Application for admission to the Master of International Business Administration requires a successfully completed Bachelor's degree in the fields of business administration and/or economics. Admission into the Master's programme generally requires a minimum of 30 ECTS credits in mathematics, statistics, business informatics, microeconomics or macroeconomics.
Forms to be submitted:

online application form, completely filled in and signed
photocopy of the graduation certificate
translation of the graduation certificate
a functioning e-mail address (important!)
proof of language skills (see Language Requirements)
a (non-certified) copy of your passport, which clearly shows your name, date of birth and place of birth

Enrolment fees

An administrative fee of about 230 EUR per semester has to be paid (incl. contribution to the student union and a ticket for free public transport within the federal states of Brandenburg and Berlin for the whole semester).

Costs of living

Student life in Frankfurt (Oder) is less expensive than in most other German university towns. In order to be able to live here with all the expenditures you can expect (health insurance, rent, etc.), you will need about 500-600 EUR per month. A dorm room here 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

At present, it is quite possible to find an acceptable and well-paid job in Berlin, which can be reached within one hour. Thanks to the semester ticket, the trip to Berlin and public transport within Berlin is free of charge for students at the European University Viadrina. Most of the big players in the consulting and assurance business such as KPMG, PwC, Ernst & Young, BCG and McKinsey as well as DAX companies such as Daimler, BMW and Siemens are represented in Berlin. Recently, the German capital was also recognised as one of the world's most important cities for start-up and internet businesses such as Ebay, Groupon, PayPal, and Zalando.

Funding opportunities within the university

The European University Viadrina has developed special financial support programmes for international students. Recipients receive approx. 150 EUR and do not need to pay part of the administration fees.
http://www.europa-uni.de/en/studium/finanzierung/

Arrival support

Frankfurt (Oder) is situated 90 km west of Berlin, right on the Polish border. Access to international destinations is secured via Berlin-Brandenburg (Schönefeld) airport. From Berlin central station there is a regular train connection to Frankfurt (Oder). Two trains arrive in Frankfurt (Oder) from Berlin every hour.
http://www.vbb.de/en/index.html
Frankfurt has a good public transport system. The European University Viadrina is a 10-minute walk from the station.
The International Business Administration team will support newly arrived students in every way possible with any difficulties they may encounter. To secure a safe arrival and prevent any inconvenience, we recommend that you arrive on weekdays before 5pm.