Englisch 
Deutsch 
Contents
I studied economics part-time at a university while also enrolled in a distance learning business administration programme at a distance university. In this post, I'll show you all the options for studying business administration alongside your job.
I will present all programmes in Business Administration and Management, both Bachelor's and Master's degrees. Additionally, I will introduce all universities and state which one I believe is the best. Finally, I will show you how a business administration distance learning programme works and the costs associated with distance learning.
All Business Administration Distance Learning Courses in Overview
We have a total of 40 courses in the field of Business Administration. The first 30 top courses are displayed. Use the filter function or our search to discover more courses in the field.
Business Administration
- IST University of Management
- 6 Semester
- Düsseldorf
- German
This programme provides you with profound insights into business administration with a focus on service management. You will not only acquire fundamental management knowledge but also expertise in areas such …
Business administration
- IU International University
- 6 Semester
- German
The aim of the distance learning Bachelor of Business Administration is to provide you as a prospective specialist and manager with a broad basic education in the field of business …
Business Administration
- Fresenius University of Applied Sciences
- 6 Semester
- German
Quality since 1848, also in distance learning! This course at Fresenius University conveys basic business and economics knowledge as well as fundamental methodological expertise in the areas of mathematics and …
International Business Administration
- European Distance Learning University Hamburg
- 6 Semester
- German
The distance learning programme "International Business Administration" at the European Distance University Hamburg leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree in 36 months and comprises 180 ECTS credits. The course …
Business Administration
- AKAD University
- 6 Semester
- German
The Business Administration distance learning programme at AKAD University provides comprehensive knowledge in all areas of business management on a part-time basis. In 6 semesters of full-time study or 8-12 …
Business Administration (BWL)
- University of Wismar
- 8 Semester
- German
The Bachelor's degree program in Business Administration offers a comprehensive introduction to various areas of business administration, from marketing to financial mathematics and corporate law. This course is designed for …
Business Administration
- Private University Goettingen
- 6 Semester
- German
The program Business Administration with a Bachelor of Arts degree is the classic distance learning offering of PFH. It corresponds to the academic degree at a university and opens up …
Business management
- Centre for Distance Learning in the University Consortium
- 7 Semester
- German
- Business administration, economics, law, quantitative methods, methodological competence, specializations: energy and environmental management, bankin…
Business Administration for State-certified Business Economists
- Hamburg Distance University
- 3 Semester
- German
From Advanced Training to Bachelor's Degree The Bachelor's distance learning programme in Business Administration (BWL) at the Hamburg Distance University prepares you for specialist and managerial positions in companies and public …
Business Administration and Management
- Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University Kaiserslautern-Landau
- 4 Semester
- Kaiserslautern
- German
- Business administration and economics, individual labor and contract law, personnel management, change management, innovation management, strategic ma…
Business Administration and Digitalization
- SRH Distance Learning University - The Mobile University
- 6 Semester
- German or English
- Scientific work - self-management, general business administration, national accounting, general economics - operational value creation, personnel and…
Business administration
- Hamburg Distance University
- 7 Semester
- German
- Business administration, accounting, economics, business mathematics, business statistics, business informatics, tax law, business law, management of …
Business administration
- AKAD University
- 4 Semester
- German
The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree program in Business Administration at AKAD University provides comprehensive business knowledge and the latest insights in a 100% online distance learning format. The program …
Business administration and management
- Allensbach University
- 6 Semester
- German
The Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Management (B.A.) programme at Allensbach University offers a flexible, 100% online distance learning course, ideal for working professionals and high school graduates. …
Business administration
- University of Applied Sciences Schmalkalden
- 8 Semester
- Schmalkalden (Thüringen)
- German
With this part-time distance learning course at the state University of Applied Sciences Schmalkalden, you will prepare yourself specifically for taking on specialist and managerial tasks in companies. You will …
Business Administration
- IU International University
- 6 Semester
- English
English-speaking Bachelor in Business Administration in 6 semesters full-time study or in flexible part-time study without attendance requirements. In distance learning, you will acquire a broad basic knowledge in all …
Business Studies
- DIPLOMA University
- 7 Semester
- German
- Foundations of Economics, Academic Writing, Quantitative Methods, Financial Accounting, Marketing and Market Research, Business Law, Personnel and Org…
Applied Business Administration
- University of Neubrandenburg
- 8 Semester
- Neubrandenburg, Deutschland
- German
- Foundations of Business Administration, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Business Law I, Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Investment and Fi…
Business Administration
- IU International University
- 4 Semester
- German
With this Master's programme in Business Administration, you will deepen your knowledge from your Business Administration or Economics studies in the field of business management methods and decision-making. The Master's …
Business Administration
- Hamburg Distance University
- 5 Semester
- German
- Compulsory modules: Strategic Management, Corporate Governance, Growth and Business Cycle, Research Methods, Commercial and Company Law, Electronic Bu…
Business Administration
- University of Applied Sciences for SMEs
- 6 Semester
- Bamberg, Berlin, Bielefeld, Düren, Hannover, Cologne, Munich, Frechen (bei Cologne), Rostock, Schwerin
- German
- Business Management, SME Management, Marketing & Sales II, Introduction to SAP, Innovation and Change Management, Digital Value Creation Processes, Ta…
Business Administration
- University of Applied Sciences for Management
- 3 Semester
- German
- Global Economics, Current Research Issues in Economics, Corporate Development Management, Leadership, Applied Module, Focus Module I, Focus Module II,…
Business Administration
- University of Applied Sciences for Management
- 7 Semester
- German
- Introduction to Business Administration and Academic Work, Personnel, Economics, Internal Accounting, External Accounting, Civil and Company Law; Labo…
Digital Business Administration
- IU International University
- 6 Semester
- German
The distance learning programme "Digital Business Administration" at IU International University is an innovative study offering that stands out for its comprehensive integration of digital topics and methods. Over 6 …
Business Administration and Customer Experience Management
- IU International University
- 6 Semester
- German
Deepen your understanding of business administration and customer experience management with a flexible bachelor's programme designed specifically to prepare you for a successful career in this dynamic field. The course …
Business Administration
- European School of Innovation and Perspective
- 6 Semester
- German
- Business Administration, Technical Management, Corporate Management & Controlling, Sales Management & Control, Production Economics
Business Administration
- Fresenius University of Applied Sciences
- 4 Semester
- German
The Master's programme in Business Administration via distance learning at Fresenius University offers a comprehensive academic education in the field of Business Administration. This flexible programme enables students to enhance …
Business Administration Industrial Management
- IU International University
- 3 Semester
- German
Discover the distance learning Bachelor of Business Administration - Industrial Management at IU and take the opportunity to deepen your practical professional knowledge with a study programme that builds on …
Business Administration
- European School of Innovation and Perspective
- 6 Semester
- German
- European Management, Business Management & Control, Change Management
All Universities for Business Administration Distance Learning at a Glance
A large portion of business administration distance learning programmes are offered by private universities. However, an increasing number of state universities offer Bachelor's programmes in Business Administration and corresponding Master's programmes. Here, I will introduce the most important universities.
State Universities
FernUniversität Hagen: FernUni Hagen is the only state distance university and one of the largest universities in Germany with over 70,000 students. In its Faculty of Economics, the university offers 2 Bachelor's programmes in Economics and Business Informatics, as well as Master's programmes in Economics, Economics, and Business Informatics. There is no pure business administration distance learning programme at FernUni Hagen, but students in Economics have the opportunity to specialize in Business Administration during their Bachelor's studies. In the winter semester 2019/2020, just over 23,000 students were enrolled in one of the distance education programmes in economics.
Centre for Distance Studies in University Cooperation: The ZFH is a scientific institution of the states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, and Saarland, supporting a total of 21 universities in these federal states to conduct and organize distance learning programmes. Students starting a distance learning programme through ZFH are enrolled in a state university in Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, or Saarland. In the field of Economics, the Bachelor's programme in Business Administration and various MBA programmes in Management are currently offered, such as the MBA International Business Management.
Verbundstudium: The Institute for Inter-Institutional Studies NRW is a joint institution of universities of applied sciences in North Rhine-Westphalia, coordinating the distance learning programmes of these universities. Students starting a distance learning programme through the Institute for Inter-Institutional Studies are enrolled in one of the universities of applied sciences in the NRW network. In the field of Economics, especially Bachelor's programmes in Business Administration and Business Law are offered, as well as Master's programmes in Business Administration and MBA programmes.
University of Wismar: The University of Wismar is a state university of applied sciences located in Wismar. Through its subsidiary, WINGS - Wismar International Graduation Services GmbH, the university offers a wide range of distance learning and online courses, especially in the field of economics. Of particular interest: the Diploma course in Business Administration, the last and only opportunity to obtain the degree Dipl.-Kfm. (FH) or Dipl.-Kffr. (FH) through distance learning.
Private Universities
European Distance University Hamburg: Euro-FH is a private, state-recognized university of applied sciences based in Hamburg. In the winter semester 2019/2020, a total of 7,523 students were enrolled at the university. The university is a kind of business school and primarily offers courses in the field of economics. For example, the Bachelor's distance learning programme in Business Administration, the Bachelor's programme in International Business Administration, and the MBA programme in General Management are offered.
Private University of Göttingen: PFH Göttingen is a private and state-recognized university of applied sciences located in Göttingen (Lower Saxony). In the winter semester 2019/2020, a total of 3,817 students were enrolled at the university. The university offers both on-campus studies in Göttingen and part-time distance learning programmes. Distance learning programmes are offered in particular in Commercial Law, Business Administration, Management, and Business Psychology. For example, the MBA Business Administration programme, which is intended to lead to a degree in 3 semesters.
IU International University: IU International University is a state-recognized private university of applied sciences based in Erfurt, Thuringia. IU is the largest German university, with over 130,000 enrolled students in the winter semester 2024/25. The programme, especially in the field of economics, is very extensive and constitutes a large part of the nearly 100 distance learning programmes offered. For example, the university offers the Bachelor's programme in Business Administration and a 2-semester MBA programme. The university advertises a particularly flexible study programme without presence phases, optionally with online exams.
Fresenius University: Fresenius University, located in Idstein (Hesse), is one of the larger private universities of applied sciences in Germany with 14,910 students in the winter semester 2020/2021. For several years, the university has been launching distance learning programmes through its onlineplus department. The university offers programmes such as a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, a Bachelor's degree in Personnel Management, and a Master's degree in Online Marketing.
AKAD University: AKAD University or AKAD Hochschule Stuttgart is one of the older private distance learning universities in Germany. The university is located in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. In the WS 2019/2020, a total of 5241 students were enrolled at the university. In the field of business and management, the university offers several MBA programs in addition to the business administration courses, such as the MBA General Management.
IST University for Management: IST University is a private university of applied sciences based in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia. The university focuses on areas such as sports management, communication, and economics. In the WS 2019/2020, a total of 3035 students were enrolled in one of the distance learning courses at the university. In addition to a Bachelor's in Business Administration, the university offers, for example, a Master's program in Business Transformation Management. A special feature of IST University is that many of the distance learning courses are also offered in a dual study variant.
Study Contents: Everything you learn in a Business Administration Programme
BWL is about numbers, developments, organization, management. Especially in the first semesters, you have to struggle through a lot of theory.
Generally, I must say that the study contents can vary from programme to programme. However, there are a few subject areas that are common to almost all Bachelor's programmes, especially Business Mathematics, Statistics, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and Accounting.
How difficult is mathematics in a business administration programme? I would say that Business Mathematics is quite different in difficulty. A distance learning programme in Economics, like the one at FernUni Hagen, demands a bit more mathematics from its students than a Business Administration programme like the one at IU. Math in a business administration programme is usually manageable, even for those who weren't good at math in school. This is because math in a business administration programme is usually very visual. For example, it's about comparing costs for investments and making economic decisions based on the solutions. So, math shouldn't deter anyone from a business administration programme.
As an example of the curriculum in the Bachelor's programme, here is the curriculum for the distance learning programme in Business Administration at PFH Göttingen:
- 1. Semester: Introduction to Business Administration Studies, Microeconomics/Mathematics, Business Management
- 2. Semester: Procurement/Production/Sales, Scientific Work, Macroeconomics, Statistics, Basic Business Informatics, Accounting
- 3. Semester: Self-Management/Time Management, Social Law, Economic Policy, Marketing, Financing, Investment, Business Law
- 4. Semester: Industry-Specific Business Administration, Management Theory, Balance Sheets
- 5. Semester: Thesis, Moderation and Presentation, Companies as Social Systems, Management Instruments
- 6. Semester: Project/Process Management, Elective Modules I (Industry-Specific Focus or Functional Focus - Logistics I)
- 7. Semester: Management Techniques, Creativity Techniques, Conversation and Negotiation Skills, Elective Modules II (Industry-Specific Focus or Functional Focus)
- 8. Semester: Quality Management, Personality Management, Labor Law
Tip: Depending on your interests, a distance learning programme in Economics, Management, or another field may be more suitable than a Business Administration distance learning programme. An overview of distance learning programmes in the Management field can be found here: Management through Distance Learning: 20 Bachelor's and Master's programmes compared
Costs and Study Fees in Business Administration Distance Learning
The costs for a distance learning programme can vary enormously depending on the university, ranging from a few euros per semester to over €2,000 per semester.
Most state universities are almost free of study fees. For example, there are no tuition fees at FernUni Hagen - only so-called material fees are paid. On the other hand, distance learning at a private university is usually more varied and flexible. More varied because learning materials such as video lessons are commonly used in addition to scripts. Flexible because private universities often do not have rigid lecture times and sometimes even offer online exams.
Here are the study fees for a range of Bachelor's programmes in Business Administration compared:
Master's and MBA in Business Administration: Programmes and Requirements
For those who already have a Bachelor's in Business Administration or a diploma, and are now looking for a suitable Master's programme, the question arises as to which Master's degree to choose: An MBA? Or perhaps a Master of Arts? Or even an M.Sc.?
A Master of Arts is the most common degree in the humanities and social sciences. Master's programmes in the field of Business Administration are usually consecutive, meaning that a Bachelor's degree in an economics-related discipline is required. For example, the Master's distance learning programme Advanced Management (M.A.) at PFH Göttingen, which only lasts 3 semesters but requires a degree in economics studies totaling 240 ECTS.
MBA programmes focus on management and aim to provide as broad a knowledge of management as possible. Furthermore, MBA programmes are often continuing education programmes also offered to graduates of non-business subjects. Work experience may also be required. For example, the MBA distance learning programme Master of Business Administration at IU International University, lasting only 2 semesters and requiring a completed undergraduate degree with at least 210 ECTS (diploma, master's, magister) and 2 years of qualified work experience at the end of the study programme.
So: MBA for all graduates who want to work in management. M.A. for all business economists and economists who want to continue working as business administrators or pursue a doctorate.
We list the MBA distance learning programmes separately, which can be found here: MBA Distance Learning: Part-time Master of Business Administration.
Here's an overview of some MBA programmes:
| Course | University | Duration | Course contents | Fees | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Management, Master of Business Administration Distance learning program | Fresenius University of Applied Sciences | 3 Semester | Principles of Strategic Management and Economics, Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics, Digitalisation and Digital Management, Organisational Management and Behaviour in Organisations, … | from 11610 € total from 385 € monthly | |
| General Management, Master of Business Administration Distance learning program | AKAD University | 4 Semester | Foundations: including Marketing Management, Business Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Personnel Management, Accounting, Taxation Core areas: including Investment and Financing, Strategic Manage… | from 11496 € total from 279 € monthly | |
| General Management, Master of Business Administration Distance learning program | European Distance Learning University Hamburg | 4 Semester | Introduction to management, economics, commercial law, marketing, accounting and finance, specialization abroad I & II, leadership, specialization I & II, business management | from 14656 € total from 458 € monthly | |
| Master of Business Administration, Master of Business Administration Distance learning program | IU International University | 2 Semester | Leadership, Performance Measurement, Corporate Finance, International Marketing, Managerial Economics, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Strategic Management, Business Ethics and Corporate Governance, … | from 10099 € total from 475 € monthly | |
| MBA distance learning programme, Master of Business Administration Distance learning program | Centre for Distance Learning in the University Consortium | 5 Semester | ECONOMICS and Empirical Methods, Innovation Management, External Accounting and Taxation, Human Resource Management and Organization, Commercial and Labour Law, Strategy and Controlling, Information a… | from 10400 € total | |
| MBA General Management, Master of Business Administration Distance learning program | Hamburg Distance University | 5 Semester | Management Fundamentals, Strategic Management, Corporate Finance and Controlling, Innovation Management, Change Management, Business Planning, Business Simulation, Network Management, Relationship Mar… | from 11220 € total from 374 € monthly |
About the Author Christian Wolf
Study Advice
Questions on the topic? Use our study advice, we are happy to help.
or post as a guest