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The Central State Office for Distance Learning (ZFU) has approved the course Economy under the number 174518. Who this German-taught B.A. in Economy suits – and what you need to get in
This programme fits if you want a flexible, low-cost route to a German Bachelor of Arts (210 ECTS) while living abroad. Typical profiles include: working professionals in administration, marketing or sales who need a broad business degree next to a job; career changers from design or IT aiming to formalise their business skills for management roles; and international school leavers with a university entrance qualification who seek a remote, public-university degree awarded by FH Südwestfalen.
Admission requirements
Key facts first: at present, no new enrolments are possible; only students already registered can finish under the phase-out regulation. When open, admission typically involves enrolment at FH Südwestfalen alongside the study support by EHV. You should expect the following formal requirements:
- University entrance qualification for German universities (e.g. German Abitur) or an equivalent secondary school certificate that allows access to higher education.
- Admission with foreign qualifications: international diplomas are accepted if deemed equivalent; certified translations and formal recognition may be required. Equivalence is assessed under German higher-education regulations.
- Teaching language: German. You need proven, advanced German for lectures, exams and the bachelor thesis; study materials and live sessions are in German.
- German proficiency certificates: proof at around C1 level is standard in Germany for German-taught degrees. Commonly used certificates include TestDaF (e.g. 4x4), DSH-2, or Goethe-Zertifikat C1.
- Duration and workload model: 7 semesters full-time; plan for continuous participation in online live seminars and assessments.
Degree award: after successful completion, the academic title “Bachelor of Arts” is conferred by FH Südwestfalen (public university of applied sciences).
Personal requirements
Remote study from abroad rewards structure and staying power. You will need solid self-organisation for weekly planning, reliable tech and a quiet study space. With an indicative workload of about 30 hours per week, realistic scheduling is key: most students split study time across evenings plus a longer session at weekends. Strong reading and writing skills in German are essential to follow live seminars, pass written exams and complete the bachelor thesis. Persistence, time-boxed learning, and early exam preparation will help you keep pace over 7 semesters. If you work alongside, align peak work periods with lighter study phases and use recordings to catch up.
- Comfort with Excel and basic statistics supports modules like Controlling and Management Accounting.
- Proactive communication in forums and with the learning coach helps you stay on track when studying remotely.
What will you study in the Economy (B.A.) at European Higher Education Network?
The programme is taught in German. You need advanced German to follow lectures, complete assignments and sit exams; universities typically accept certificates such as TestDaF, DSH or Goethe-Zertifikat C1. The study track leads to 210 ECTS over 7 semesters and concludes with a Bachelor’s thesis. This is a Fernstudium (distance learning). Teaching is provided by the European Higher Education Network (EHV) with enrolment and the final degree at the public Fachhochschule (university of applied sciences) Südwestfalen.
You build a broad business foundation across management, law and data. Typical early modules include General Business Administration, Business Law and Statistics/Wirtschaftsmathematik to ground your decision-making in legal and quantitative thinking. Microeconomics and Macroeconomics explain how markets function at firm and country level.
Accounting and finance skills are developed step by step: Management Accounting, Financial Accounting and Controlling show you how to read financial statements, plan budgets and steer performance. In parallel, Investment and Finance introduces capital budgeting and funding options.
Operations and digital business round out the generalist profile: Unternehmensorganisation (organisational design), Produktionswirtschaft (operations/production), IT-supported Business Processes and Wirtschaftsinformatik link process thinking with information systems and data.
Markets and people management sit at the core of applied business: Strategic and Operational Marketing, Project Management, Personalführung (leadership) and Grundlagen des Personalmanagement (HR fundamentals) prepare you to lead teams and deliver products to market.
Electives: Across six Wahlpflichtmodule (electives), you specialise in areas such as marketing, finance, logistics and supply chain management, or IT/process management. This allows you to tailor the final semesters to your career interests before completing the Bachelor’s thesis.
As a German distance programme, the course is approved by the ZFU – the German state authority for distance learning (ZFU admission no. 174518). Note: the cooperation with FH Südwestfalen is being phased out; no new enrolments are currently accepted. Students already enrolled continue to graduation under a phase-out rule.
How does the Economy distance programme work?
The Economy (B.A.) is delivered fully online via EHV’s live campus with live seminars and recordings. You study from anywhere; a visa is not required for a purely remote programme. The ZFU approval number is 174518.
Teaching language and language certificates
Teaching, exams and all academic work are in German. You should be comfortable with academic German. Providers in Germany typically ask for proof such as TestDaF, DSH or Goethe-Zertifikat C1; check that your certificate matches an advanced level before applying.
Learning format and study materials
Seminars are held live online with interactive Q&A and chat; recordings are available on the EHV live campus for flexible review. Materials include slide decks, readings, self-tests and forum discussions. A dedicated learning coach supports you with study planning and 1:1 coaching.
Exams and taking them from outside Germany
Assessments are organised for remote study. Written work and online tests are submitted through the campus platform, and live components run digitally. You can complete the programme from abroad without travelling to Germany.
On-site sessions in Germany
There are no mandatory on-site days. All teaching and learning take place online.
Weekly workload, time model and time zones
The standard track is 7 semesters (210 ECTS). Expect roughly about 30 hours per week during active study periods. Live sessions follow German time (CET/CEST). Recordings and asynchronous tasks let you balance time zones and work commitments.
What does the Economy (B.A.) cost?
Tuition is structured as monthly instalments of €99 per month. Over the standard duration of 7 semesters, this adds up to €5,148 in total. This low, transparent monthly fee is designed for working students who plan their budget month by month.
Payments are set up through the online campus with SEPA IBAN capture, which suits bank accounts in Germany and Austria. If you pay from outside the SEPA area, check in advance whether your bank applies transfer fees or exchange charges.
Budget additionally for study materials you may wish to purchase and for standard graduation formalities. If you intend to study part-time for longer than 7 semesters, clarify in advance whether extended access incurs any extra cost.
What careers and recognition does the Economy (B.A.) offer?
The award comprises 210 ECTS credits under the Bologna system. The teaching partnership leads to a degree from FH Südwestfalen, a public Fachhochschule (university of applied sciences) under German state law. Such degrees are internationally recognisable through ECTS and the Diploma Supplement and are widely accepted for Master’s admission in Europe and beyond. ZFU approval confirms the distance-learning set-up for Germany.
With a generalist business profile you can enter roles across functions and sectors. Typical first destinations include:
- Business analyst or junior controller in SMEs and larger corporates
- Marketing or brand assistant, digital marketing coordinator
- Supply chain or logistics coordinator, operations planner
- HR generalist or talent acquisition coordinator
- Account management or customer success in B2B services
The 210-ECTS load exceeds the 180-ECTS minimum in many countries, which can be advantageous for Master’s admission or shortening later professional certifications. For doctoral study, a Master’s is usually required in most systems.
Who is the Economy (B.A.) right for – and who not?
This programme suits working professionals who want a recognised German business degree while studying fully online and at predictable monthly cost. The broad curriculum serves as a platform for careers in management, operations, marketing, finance or HR.
- You need a fully online format with live sessions plus recordings.
- You seek a public-university degree (FH Südwestfalen) with 210 ECTS.
- You prefer transparent monthly payments of €99 and a 7-semester plan.
- You want the flexibility to specialise via multiple electives.
- You plan to continue to a Master’s in Europe and value ECTS comparability.
There are also clear reasons why this programme may not be a match. Read these carefully before you invest time in an application.
- You do not speak German at an advanced academic level; the programme is not taught in English.
- You require new enrolment now; the cooperation is being phased out and no new intakes are accepted.
- You need a campus-based student experience in Germany or a study visa; this is a remote-only course.
- You are targeting a regulated profession with specific licensing (e.g. certified public accountant in the US) that needs country-specific degrees or exams; this general B.A. does not in itself grant such licences.
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