The MBA programme, International Business Consulting, is taught entirely in English with the exception of the German language courses, which are taken as electives.
30 June for the following winter semester
Fees per semester:
MBA IBC - Prepared for leadership
Enhance your career with a 15-month, fast-track MBA. Our practically oriented and innovative teaching methods - applied through case studies and real-world scenarios - will prepare you for leading positions both in Germany and worldwide.
Our compact programme is tailored to young professionals who want to prepare for a career in external or in-house consulting, controlling, or project management in any industry. IBC is one of just a few programmes in Germany with a focus on consulting. Also, our international body of students and lecturers as well as our flexible curriculum will help you to acquire the expertise to boost your professional career and will enhance your job prospects around the globe.
Due to the development of our MBA in the field of international consulting and its reputation, our business programme has been ranked twice by QS TopMBA.com in its QS Global 200 Business School Reports in the field of Emerging Regional Business Schools. Furthermore, Offenburg University and its MBA-programme placed 56 among the "Top European Business Schools". This international business ranking conveys a solid reputation among employers in Germany.
The business areas and modules are carefully selected to ensure that each reflects the highly dynamic nature of each business discipline in the global industry. The programme is based on ten core modules in the fields of accounting, finance, marketing, logistics, IT, and leadership. A wide range of electives are available, including German language courses and courses in the fields of strategic and operational consulting.
Benefiting from our interactive and practical approaches, students obtain the best overview of the current global challenges. Case studies, company visits, and coursework are reviewed and presented to students in order to incorporate all of the current and relevant learning objectives.
Our teaching faculty are some of the best in the industry - with experience ranging from five years to a number of decades in their respective fields, gained in multinational organisations worldwide. They have international experience from which our students can draw a wealth of knowledge. We take pride in the fact that our faculty is composed of a mix of local and international professionals and academicians, some of whom are returning alumni contributing to their alma mater.
In optimally-sized classes and a diverse and challenging learning atmosphere, cultures from all over the world come together, and students are exposed to an international field that is no different from the real globalised world.
Additionally, while writing their Master's theses, students will have the opportunity to complete an internship, which will allow them to integrate into German working culture and gain a foothold in the job market.
In just three semesters, this MBA programme prepares you for a leading position in both in-house consulting and external consulting. The lectures in the first and second semesters are followed by the writing of the Master's thesis, ideally in connection with an internship. Our lecturers' expertise, individual supervision in small classes, and an international learning environment will support your personal growth.
Winter semester
The first semester of the academic year is called the winter semester in Germany and it begins in early October. The MBA programme kicks off with a two-day orientation that introduces students to life on campus and its surroundings and also includes gatherings with the university's academic and administrative staff members. In mid-October, IBC students attend an orientation week in Montafon, Austria, that includes team-building activities and a business simulation game. In the winter semester, students take a Christmas break for approx. two week and classes reconvene in the second week of January. In February, students have the first examination period of the year.
Summer semester
The summer semester begins around mid-March and continues until the beginning of July. There is a mid-semester break for one week, and the examination period takes place in July.
Winter semester (Master's thesis)
In the final semester, IBC students embark on their Master's thesis. The submission deadline for the thesis is the end of the winter semester.
The Master's thesis can be accomplished in three ways:
The evaluation of the thesis will be followed by a defence of the thesis. One of the two supervisors has to be an internal faculty member and another should be an external supervisor. Alternatively, both supervisors can be internal lecturers.
Our international student body creates a diverse and challenging learning atmosphere; cultures from all over the world collide and expose students to an international field that is no different from the real globalised world.
The Master's thesis can be completed as an in-company project. Your coordinator will provide you with a list of companies to which you can apply and will help you to fill out German applications. Furthermore, interview training is provided by one of our renowned lecturers.
Fees per semester:
303 EUR
Approximately 935 EUR per month to cover personal expenses. This includes accommodation at a cost of 400 EUR per month.
Offenburg University offers small scholarships to students enrolled in their second or third semester.
We encourage applications from those with a business or engineering background, although admittance is possible for students of all academic backgrounds.
You may be admitted to this programme if you fulfil the following requirements:
Please apply to the programme using our online application system HISinOne.
The selection committee will then screen your online application. Within a few days, you will be notified as to whether or not you have been selected to provide a complete application. The selection committee will then make a final decision based on the scanned documents, which you are asked to submit.
Please be aware that you will have to show your original documents at the registrar's office of Offenburg University after your arrival.
English language certificate:
TOEFL (550 paper-based, 213 computer-based, 87 Internet-based),
IELTS (minimum score of 6.5), MOI certification (stating that the mode of instruction for your Bachelor's degree was English)
30 June for the following winter semester
Offenburg University
Black Forest Business School
IBC Office
Klosterstraße 14
77723 Gengenbach
Germany
In the International Student Barometer, the largest survey of international students worldwide, Offenburg University was rated number one among German universities for its arrival assistance for international students.
Before your arrival, the Graduate School team can arrange accommodation (student residence hall or private accommodation) for you. The rent is approximately 400 EUR per month.
Offenburg University's Career Center offers you a personal advisory service, directing you through your contemplated or chosen career path.
Seminars on "Applying in Germany" will get you ready for successfully writing applications and presenting yourself to companies.
The Career Center will also help to correct and translate CVs and letters of motivation.
In addition, Offenburg University hosts a career day at the university and participates regularly in recruitment fairs in Cologne, Hannover, or other bigger cities. At these fairs, students can directly contact companies, make enquiries about available positions, and discuss any concerns that they may have.
Field trips to companies such as Daimler, SMART, etc., provide an excellent window of opportunity for students to gain insight into organisations' work environments and structures as well as get a first-hand overview of career opportunities.
Support programmes include extensive assistance programmes ("tandems" and "Sprachencafé"), cultural and social programme (excursions, get-togethers, company visits, etc.), sports (sailing, mountain biking, dancing, etc.), "Senior Service" (an initiative to bring local senior citizens and international students of Offenburg University together), assistance in finding accommodation, senior buddy system (personal mentor for the first few weeks), information package and introduction events in English, assistance with immigration services and authorities, guided city tours in English, individual support and advice from the coordinator of the study programme, German summer language course, ongoing language courses during the lecture period, and a language exchange programme.
Offenburg University is a research-rich, business-focused, high-performance institution in the Black Forest, a German economic powerhouse. We are among the top five in applied research in the south-west and an active member of the European University Association. Offenburg is a highly-ranked university according to the CHE ranking, forming a thriving community with 4,000 students on two campuses.
The university is widely recognised for its international reach, and it was one of the first German universities with international Master's programmes.
International students account for 12% of the student body. They benefit from the advantages of a smaller institution with an excellent student-teacher ratio and personal attention from instructors. State-of-the-art media, electronic, and mechanical laboratories and facilities help students put their ideas into practice. WiFi access is provided throughout the campus.
The university is known for its emphasis on practical skills and applied research. Its close ties to the regional business community include many world-renowned companies. It is also strongly committed to providing an internationally oriented education. In particular, the English-taught Master's programmes of the Graduate School have won a number of awards, including the DAAD's quality label "TOP 10 International Master's Degree Courses Made in Germany".
The Graduate School's staff offers ongoing support throughout the programme:
International students from all five continents choose to study at Offenburg knowing that their cultures will be respected and appreciated.
Offenburg University has campuses in Offenburg and the nearby town of Gengenbach, which hosts the department of Business and Industrial Engineering with the MBA programme International Business Consulting.
Both cities are situated in the pretty Ortenau region, which is considered to be the "gateway to the Black Forest". Nonetheless, the cities are only short distances away from major cities, including Karlsruhe, Freiburg, Baden-Baden, Strasbourg/France, and Basel/Switzerland. Additionally, this south-western part of Germany offers a comfortable climate with warm and pleasant summers and winter temperatures rarely dropping below zero.
Offenburg's city centre offers a variety of department stores and speciality shops as well as a farmers' market on Tuesday and Saturday mornings. Inexpensive groceries can be found at the major supermarket chains around town.
Located about 10 kilometres east of Offenburg, Gengenbach is easily accessible by way of local trains. It is a picturesque town with approximately 12,000 inhabitants, charming half-timbered houses, quaint shops, typical Baden gastronomy, and markets and festivals which attract tourists from all over the world. The university campus is located in a well-preserved Benedictine monastery in the middle of town, and it boasts a captivating Baroque interior.
Although Offenburg and Gengenbach are relatively small, they each offer great cultural and recreational possibilities. There are various festivals and festivities throughout the year, including the famous German carnival season, wine festivals in the autumn, and one of Germany's most popular Christmas markets, where Gengenbach City Hall represents a huge Advent calendar.
This is a very peaceful and family-friendly area with an almost non-existent crime rate. While it is always wise to be alert and to use the 'buddy system' when going home after dark, the region generally offers a safe environment, even if you are alone.
Nearby cities include Strasbourg (France), 25 km, capital of the European Union and seat of the European Parliament; Freiburg, 65 km; Karlsruhe, 75 km; Heidelberg, 110 km; Basel (Switzerland), 120 km; Stuttgart, 140 km; and Frankfurt, 200 km.
Offenburg is close (35/50/130 km) to the international airports of Strasbourg, Karlsruhe, and Basel-Mulhouse, which are mainly served by low-cost carriers (easyJet, Ryanair, among others). The main German airport hub in Frankfurt can be reached by high-speed train in around 90 minutes.
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