Distance learning program Business Administration (B.A.) – IfV NRW

👉 The part-time Bachelor's degree programme in Business Administration (B.A.) at Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences is aimed at working professionals and trainees from industry, business, and administration who wish to deepen their business management knowledge and obtain a university degree. The course covers fundamental areas such as marketing, accounting, controlling, logistics, as well as legal and economic basics. You choose a specialisation in controlling/finance, marketing, or human resources and organisation. The on-site classes take place on Saturdays, combined with self-study. The standard period of study is eight semesters, and the degree awarded is the Bachelor of Arts with 180 ECTS credits. Admission generally requires the advanced technical college entrance qualification or equivalent qualifications.

Business Administration (B.A.) at a Glance

📜 Degree Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
⏳ Duration 8 Semesters
💶 Fees
from 412 € Semester fee
from 3297 € total
🏫 Provider Institute for Collaborative Studies, Academic institution based in Iserlohn (Germany)
The Institute for Collaborative Studies NRW is a joint academic institution and the central coordination point for collaborative study programmes in NRW. As a service provider and support facility for cooperating universities, the Institute takes on central tasks for subject-specific as well as technical support. The Institute provides support for the development and implementation of collaborative study programmes.
📋 Study Format Distance learning program
🎓 Field of Study Economy & MediaEconomics
🎯 ECTS 180 Credit Points
🌍 Language of Instruction German
📖 Course contents Here are the given data translated into English (en-GB): Fundamentals of Business Administration, Market and Competition, External Accounting, Internal Accounting, Business Private Law, Statistics for Economists, Mathematics for Economists, Perspectives and Sustainability, Fundamentals of Marketing, Investment and Financing, Business English, Production and Logistics, Human Resources Management, Taxation, Managerial Skills, Business Informatics, Strategic Management, Procurement, Fundamentals of Controlling, Digital Business Management, Specialisation Module - I, Specialisation Module - II, Business Administration Seminar, Business Simulation (Role Play), Specialisation Module - III, Financial Management, International Project, Bachelor Thesis, Colloquium
📚 Electives Controlling / Finance / Accounting, Marketing, Human Resources and Organization
📅 Enrollment Winter or summer semester
🔗 More Info View Vendor Profile

Is the part-time Business Administration degree right for you?

The Bachelor's degree programme in Business Administration as a combined study path is aimed at working professionals and trainees from industry, business or administration who wish to obtain a first academic degree alongside their employment. You will benefit especially if you want to specifically develop your business administration skills and, in the medium to long term, take on management or specialist roles in middle management, for example in project management, marketing or controlling.

What admission requirements must you meet?

  • The university of applied sciences entrance qualification is regularly required.
  • As a professionally qualified person, you can also be admitted under certain conditions:
    • Master craftsmen and master craftswomen as well as comparably qualified persons (e.g. technicians, graduates of two-year technical college courses, IHK specialists, IHK business specialists) do not require an entrance examination.
    • Applicants with relevant qualifications with at least two years of vocational training and three years of professional experience in their trained occupation are also admitted without an entrance examination.
    • Professionally qualified persons without a related subject background with two years of training and three years of professional experience (or childcare/nursing experience) can begin after passing an entrance examination or successfully completing a trial study period.
You can find the exact regulations in the respective examination regulations. If in doubt, it is recommended to consult the student services of the university.

In addition to the formal criteria, you should bring the following personal requirements:

  • Good self-organisation and self-motivation to combine your studies with work and/or training (recommended study effort: approx. 15 hours per week).
  • Basic mathematical and language skills as well as an interest in economic and legal contexts.
  • The willingness to regularly attend compulsory and face-to-face events (usually on Saturdays).
  • Analytical thinking, teamwork skills and willingness to communicate in order to develop practice-oriented solutions.
  • Flexibility to adapt to changing fields of tasks and new business administration topics.

How do you benefit from the Bachelor of Business Administration in the blended learning programme?

In the Bachelor’s degree programme in Business Administration, you acquire a broadly based and practice-oriented business qualification. The curriculum covers key topics such as accounting, controlling, marketing, human resource management, business informatics and strategic management. Legal, economic as well as mathematical and IT fundamentals complement the economic foundation. After the first semesters, you can choose and specialise in one of the focal areas of controlling/finance/accounting, marketing or human resources and organisation.

During the course of your studies, you develop skills for analysing and solving business problems. These include:

  • Networked and integrative thinking in the business context
  • Market-oriented action while maintaining cost awareness
  • Confident use of business management methods and their practical implementation
  • Communication and presentation of problem solutions, also taking interdisciplinary aspects into account
  • Recognising and evaluating external influences on companies
  • Familiarisation with new areas of responsibility and developing targeted solutions

Practice-oriented learning units, simulations and projects emphasise the application of theory in a real business environment. Key competences such as managerial skills, international project management and digital business management specifically prepare you for current and future challenges in the working world.

What does the course structure of the part-time study look like?

The course is designed for eight semesters (four years) and is divided across two study locations: you start in Bielefeld in the winter semester and in Gütersloh in the summer semester. The academic year is split into two semesters, with typically four modules completed per semester. From the sixth semester onwards, elective modules from the chosen specialisations are added.

The workload corresponds to approximately 4,500 hours or 15 hours per week. You learn the content through self-study based on materials provided: at the beginning of a semester, you receive all learning units for independent work. Additionally, compulsory or strongly recommended face-to-face events are held regularly – usually on Saturdays at the respective university locations. The face-to-face sessions each last about 8 hours.

The examination formats vary depending on the module and include written exams, oral exams, written assignments and project work. In the final semester, you write a bachelor’s thesis and present the results in a colloquium.

What career prospects does the degree open up for you?

With the Bachelor of Arts, you qualify for responsible positions in middle management within private companies and public administrations. Through the choice of specialisations, you focus on the following fields of activity, among others:

  • Project management and project leadership
  • Marketing management and market research
  • Accounting and controlling
  • Human resource management and organisational development

Typical areas of deployment include industry, service companies, authorities, start-ups or internationally operating firms. Leadership roles, specialist positions as well as cross-sectional tasks in digital business or strategic management are open to you. Graduates also use the degree as a basis for further master’s programmes or targeted specialisations.

What costs should you expect – and how do you finance the course?

The entire course currently costs 412 euros per semester; the total semester fees amount to around 3,297 euros for a study duration of eight semesters. In addition, there is a media and service fee of currently 108.47 euros per semester as well as the usual enrolment and re-registration fees of the university. Financing by instalments is possible due to semi-annual billing. The costs can be partially claimed for tax purposes. There is also the option to obtain financial support or educational leave from your employer.

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