This master's is delivered across at least two countries and is organised into three study blocks: two blocks of taught coursework and one thesis block. The entire programme is taught in English. The first taught block takes place at one of ESB Business School’s partner institutions in France, Ireland, Italy or Canada, while the second taught block is completed in Reutlingen. For the third block, students can choose where to write their master’s thesis; many opt to combine the thesis with an internship at a company, which can be completed in Germany or abroad.
Teaching is done in small groups to foster close interaction with lecturers and intensive teamwork in intercultural, interdisciplinary settings. Faculty members bring many years of academic and professional experience, and senior representatives from industry also contribute to the curriculum. This mix of theory and current business practice helps students apply classroom learning to real-world challenges.
The programme emphasises the global aspects of business and management within the context of digital disruption, preparing graduates for leadership roles in international organisations. ESB Business School holds AACSB accreditation, a globally recognised quality seal awarded to only about six percent of business schools worldwide; the AACSB is the largest accreditation body for business education and signals high standards in teaching and research.
Key facts and requirements
This master’s curriculum is organised into three study blocks that blend international classroom experience with data-driven and digital management training, finishing with an independent research thesis. The first study block is delivered through partner campuses and exposes students to contemporary global-management topics such as strategy, disruption, international marketing, customer experience, and cross-cultural agility. The second block (hosted at ESB) concentrates on quantitative and digital skills—statistics, data analytics and visualisation, smart operations, digital-era leadership, consulting for digital transformation, and international finance and risk management. The final block is a thesis, which may be completed as a company-sponsored project (see requirements below).
Examples of core modules offered in study block one at partner institutions:
Learning outcomes — what you will be able to do by graduation:
Key requirements / notes
This master’s programme requires a completed undergraduate degree in business or a closely related subject and sets specific credit and grade thresholds. If your bachelor’s programme is shorter than the standard 3.5 years, there is an option to make up the difference through a supervised internship during the master’s, or by having relevant professional experience accredited before enrolment. Applicants whose bachelor’s is in a non-business discipline must show they have sufficient foundational business coursework, including quantitative classes.
If you studied outside Germany, be prepared to have your grades and ECTS credits translated into the German system for assessment; the programme applies a slightly higher grade threshold for the Canadian-track option.
Admission requirements (summary)
Winter Semester (International)
15 June 2026
Winter Semester (EU/EEA)
15 July 2026
Graduates are prepared for international and digitally-oriented management roles in multinational corporations, consulting firms, financial services, technology companies and fast-growing startups. The programme’s combination of global management content and digital competencies (data analytics, smart operations, digital transformation, consulting skills) equips alumni for positions such as international business manager, digital transformation consultant, product/marketing manager with a global remit, operations manager and roles in risk/finance that require cross-border understanding.
Practical elements — compulsory study blocks abroad, small intercultural cohorts, industry-taught modules and the option to write a company-linked thesis (usually preceded by an internship) — strengthen employability and provide direct pathways into companies. The AACSB accreditation and partner-university double-degree options further enhance international mobility and access to employer networks.
HWR Berlin (Berlin School of Economics and Law) — Berlin
Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts — Dortmund
Furtwangen University — Villingen-Schwenningen
Harz University of Applied Sciences — Wernigerode