International Relations

Managers are well aware of the fact that in times of global networking and dynamically changing working environments, success increasingly depends on human factors. For global companies, efficient cooperation and multinational team leadership are key to achieving a competitive advantage. The development, production, and marketing of innovative products requires a corporate culture that is as highly attuned to a person's unique skills and need for creativity as it is to their professional growth and development. At the same time, strategic business decisions have to be brought in line with ever-changing preferences and buying motives of increasingly demanding customers. As a response to these new challenges, there is a high demand for interdisciplinarily trained specialists who are able to combine their management skills with expert knowledge in psychology to effectively motivate and lead in a business context.

Educational organisation

This course is a three-semester Master's degree programme. The first two semesters provide you with the theoretical and practical foundation vital to your professional career, while the third semester is devoted to your Master's thesis and colloquium.
All courses have been designed to offer you not just factual knowledge, but also various chances to apply and analyse what you have learned. Lectures will introduce you to essential theory and a range of interdisciplinary topics, which you will then explore in-depth and also learn to apply in practice over the course of accompanying seminars and exercises.
Practical training and critical reflection are integral parts of every module. You will develop substantial and refined skills in areas such as organisational, social and consumer psychology, behavioural economics, change management and organisational development as well as advanced research methods and intercultural management.
We produce graduates who are able to apply and establish their skills and knowledge in various kinds of operational structures. This is why we are especially committed to the development of additional competences in the fields of strategic management and organisational consulting as well as targeted leadership and communication. These and other important key skills will be your primary focus during the first two semesters.
In your third semester, you will develop your Master's thesis. A high academic standard as well as practical relevance are of major importance here as well.

Study abroad unit(s)

None

Internships

None

Forms of assessment

Written examinations, oral presentation, written reports, projects
Master's thesis

Course objectives

Our degree programme aims to equip you for a career that matches future labour market needs and trends by putting a special emphasis on innovative problem solving methods using primarily interdisciplinary and international approaches.
As recent developments have shown, there is a high demand for graduates with expertise in business psychology. Complementing the individual skills you have gained in your undergraduate degree, our Master's degree will strengthen your employability in all fields where human experience and behaviour impact economic processes and vice versa. The skills you have gained throughout your studies will enable you to notice and influence the development of our society in the face of demographic change and technological innovation on a global scale.
You can expect to work in the fields of organisational consulting, strategic and performance management, leadership training and team building processes, diversity and conflict management, change management and organisational development of international businesses, quality and knowledge management, international human resource management, and market and consumer research as well as in the development of advertising and marketing strategies.

Language requirements

Please note that for this degree programme English language skills at level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference are required. Please be aware that all applicants' test report form numbers will be checked. We will accept the following certificates (or equivalents):
IELTS: 6.0 - 6.5
TOEFL (Internet-based test): minimum 80
TOEFL (paper-based test): minimum 550
TOEFL (computer-based test): minimum 213
The TOEFL code of our university is: 6962

Academic requirements

Admission to our Master's degree programme is subject to an application process.
The formal entry requirements for the International Management and Psychology MSc programme include the following:

• Proof of a completed undergraduate degree (BSc, BA, German Diploma ("Diplom") or equivalent) closely related to psychology, business economics or economic sciences with a focus on social or behavioural science
• An overall mark of at least 2.0 in your undergraduate degree
• A minimum of 210 credit points or ideally seven semesters of full-time study. Applicants who have got less than 210 credit points when starting their Master's degree programme have to achieve the missing credit points by passing suitable examinations in modules of other degree programmes.
• 15 credit points gained in the field of empirical research methods and statistics
• A sufficient level of English language proficiency (CEFR level B2 or better)

Please find more information on our website.

Enrolment fees

Approx. 270 EUR per semester. This covers nominal administration fees and includes a semester ticket that allows free travel on most bus and train routes throughout the state of North Rhine-Westphalia as well as to and from Nijmegen in the Netherlands.

Costs of living

The "Deutsches Studentenwerk" puts the average cost of living for students in Germany at around 700 to 800 EUR per month. This includes rent, utilities, personal expenses, and other nominal costs. For a sample breakdown of living expenses and information about financing your studies in Germany, please see our website: http://www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/en/academics/students/costs-scholarships-and-grants.

Job opportunities

International students from non-EU countries are legally permitted to work 120 full days or 240 half days per year on a student visa. No additional authorisation from German authorities is required.
Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences often posts job advertisements for students both inside and outside the university on campus noticeboards. Some jobs at the university only require English, but most jobs in Kleve, Kamp-Lintfort, and surrounding areas will require at least conversational fluency in German. Fortunately, our Language Centre offers German courses that students can attend at no charge.
However, due to the intense workload at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, first-year students are strongly advised to dedicate their full attention to their studies. In later semesters, you will have a more open schedule and a better idea of how to balance work and studies. This is also a realistic time frame for acquiring speaking proficiency in German while studying full-time.

Funding opportunities within the university

A limited number of scholarships are available for currently enrolled students at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences. The most prominent scholarship is the Germany Scholarship ("Deutschlandstipendium"). German and international students are both eligible to apply. The Germany Scholarship is a stipend of 300 EUR per month awarded each year to a limited number of students who have demonstrated excellent academic performance or exemplary social commitment to the community. Other scholarships, grants, and fellowships are available through regional and national organisations in Germany. Please see our website for details.
Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences informs all students of important scholarship deadlines in advance so that they don't miss any potential application opportunities.
http://www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/en/academics/students/costs-scholarships-and-grants/scholarships-and-grants

Arrival support

Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences is accessible from the international airports Amsterdam (AMS), Düsseldorf (DUS), Cologne/Bonn (CGN), and Weeze (NRN). The university does not offer any pick-up services, but both Kleve and Kamp-Lintfort can be reached by public transportation from any of these airports.
If you anticipate any travel problems, delays, or unexpected changes to your plans, please contact our Welcome Centre so that we can support you with helpful advice.

Services and support for international students

Our Welcome Centre supports international students during their first few weeks in Germany. The Welcome Centre provides helpful advice and guidance on contracts, opening a bank account, registering your place of residence, applying for a student visa, setting up health insurance, and more.
The student mentors at the Welcome Centre know first-hand what it's like adjusting to life as a student in Germany. They are also an important first contact point for students with personal and social issues, as they can direct students to the right place for their specific needs. The Welcome Centre also promotes student culture at the university by organising trips and excursions to destinations all around the region as well as a range of social events for students such as the annual "Freshtival", the university's week-long orientation festival for new students in the winter semester.

Accommodation

Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences strongly urges you to make accommodation arrangements before your arrival. The university does not have its own residence halls, but the "Studierendenwerk Düsseldorf" runs dormitories near campus in Kleve and Kamp-Lintfort with options for single rooms or two- and three-room flats. Prices start at around 220 EUR per month. Room availability in these dormitories is limited and subject to a waiting list, so it's important to register online for a room as soon as possible. Please note that a security deposit of three months' rent is also required.
Most students choose to share a private flat off campus with fellow students. There are a number of popular online portals for finding a flat in Germany, for example: http://www.wg-gesucht.de. Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences also maintains its own list of available flats and rooms for students on its website. Thanks to the flexibility of the Semester Ticket, students can live in Kleve, Kamp-Lintfort, or one of the many cities and towns nearby and reach campus by public transport. For more information and helpful tips on finding a flat, please see our website: http://www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/en/academics/prospective-students/housing.