Program Outline

Students on the MIBAS program pursue the following knowledge- and skill-related goals:

• Develop expertise in the fields of international management and sustainability.
• Acquire knowledge of relevant institutional frameworks and develop the ability to grasp the complex interactions that occur in an increasingly global economy.
• Develop skills required to create sustainable value for both companies and society.
• Develop skills necessary to handle ethical dilemmas and acquisition of knowledge about instruments for sustainable management.
• Learn about methods and instruments in modern management.
• Acquire knowledge of basic concepts in economic analyses.
• Acquire knowledge of fundamental methodological skills for empirical social research.

Furthermore, the program encourages students to:

• develop a consciousness concerning the moral responsibility of future executives,
• establish intercultural openness via a multicultural learning environment and focus on problems in international businesses, and
• further develop leadership skills through practically oriented classes.

Please find an overview of courses offered in the MIBAS program in the program's course overview (PDF). For further information, please refer to the subject-specific regulations.

The degree program is worth 120 ECTS and the regular period of study totals four semesters.
The program incorporates six modules from which students may select courses and the master’s thesis.
Structure of MIBAS (PDF)

In the first, second, and third semesters students have many options when structuring their master's degree. Students are required to accrue a maximum of 30 credit points per semester.

The Master of Arts in International Business and Sustainability is structured as follows:

First semester

Module I: Fundamentals of Management

The master’s program starts in the first semester with the Fundamentals of Management, which includes the basic classes in international management and sustainability. Thus the focal point of this program is clear from the outset.
Four required elective modules, each worth 6 ECTS, must be selected from this area.

Module II: Research Methods

In addition to imparting management skills and corporate social responsibility (CSR), the first semester includes courses designed to equip students with basic methodological skills. Students must also take one required module from this area focusing on the fundamentals of empirical social research. This module aims to impart key methods used in the critical analysis of data from the very outset of the program. The required module on the fundamentals of empirical social research is worth 6 ECTS.

A total of 30 ECTS should be accrued in the first semester.

Second and third semesters

Semesters two and three cover three thematic areas, each integrated into a discrete subject area. Within the individual subject areas students have a certain degree of freedom to customize the degree program according to their individual needs.

Module III: Sustainability Management and Socioeconomics

Courses in Sustainability Management and Socioeconomic aim to make students aware of the main problems associated with ethically responsible management of international companies. This area also focuses on raising awareness of the complex way in which business is embedded in society and rendering  transparent the environmental consequences of corporate actions. Courses enable students to develop the skills required to generate sustainable value for business and society. One particular focus in this area is enabling students to recognize and manage ethical dilemmas in the context of sustainable corporate management.

Students must select three required elective modules, worth 6 ECTS each, from this area (a total of 18 ECTS).

Module IV: International Management and Economics

The courses in International Management and Economics are intended to help students develop specific skills in the fields of international management and economics. As well as equipping students with specific methods and instruments for managing international organizations, this area seeks to both impart knowledge about significant institutional frameworks and enable students to comprehend the complex interactions that take place in an increasingly global world economy.

Students must select three required elective modules, worth 6 ECTS each, from this area (a total of 18 ECTS).

Module V: Advanced Research Methods

In order to provide students with sufficient knowledge of methods in accordance with the objectives of the program, additional courses in Advanced Research Methods are offered in the second and third semesters. These courses are developed and offered in collaboration with other master’s degree programs. This module in particular prepares students for researching and writing up the master's thesis in their fourth semester.

Students must select one required elective module, worth 6 ECTS, from this area (a total of 6 ECTS).

Module VI: Electives

In addition to the five modules of the core curriculum, students can also select elective courses that correspond to their personal and professional inclinations. This might include, for example, pursuing a particular area of interest or learning a foreign language. These courses may be chosen from either the MIBAS program or other master’s degree programs (for example, programs offered by the KlimaCampus).

Students must select three required elective modules, worth 6 ECTS each, from this area (a total of 18 ECTS).

Fourth semester       

The fourth semester is devoted to the master's thesis. The thesis is worth 30 ECTS, which reflects the level of time and intensity of supervision required.

Students have six months in which to complete the thesis.

In order to successfully complete the program, students must pass the module examinations in the relevant areas and the master's thesis.