Englisch 
Deutsch Who this Master suits and what you need to get in
This Master is a fit if you work at the interface of technology and business and want to drive innovation from within a company or start your own venture. Typical profiles include: engineers in product development who want to add entrepreneurship skills without pausing their career; software or hardware specialists aiming for roles in innovation management or corporate venture building; business graduates in tech-driven industries seeking a stronger grounding in engineering contexts to lead intrapreneurial projects.
Admission requirements
For admission you generally need a prior university qualification and proof you can study in the programme’s teaching language. Expect the following to be required:
- A first university degree (e.g. Bachelor or equivalent) from a recognised institution. The degree should be relevant to business, engineering or a closely related field; your transcript must document the necessary fundamentals for a Master of Business and Engineering.
- Applicants with foreign qualifications: your degree must be recognised as equivalent to a German first degree. Submit certified copies plus official translations where documents are not in German or English. Equivalence is assessed during admission.
- Admission without Abitur: an Abitur (German school-leaving certificate) is not required for a Master’s. What counts is a completed, recognised first degree.
- Language of instruction: German. You must provide proof of German at an advanced level (CEFR C1). Evidence is typically a recent language certificate that meets university regulations. English reading comprehension is helpful for literature and research sources.
- Further documents often requested: CV, motivation statement, and proof of practical experience where relevant. Deadlines and any selection criteria (e.g. minimum grade) follow the university’s current regulations.
Personal requirements
Success in a graduate programme like this rests on strong self-organisation, consistent study habits and realistic time planning. If you study alongside a full-time job, plan around 15–20 hours per week for reading, assignments and exam prep; if you study full-time, expect a workload comparable to a full working week. You should be comfortable working with academic texts in German, writing structured reports, and collaborating online. Reliable internet access, basic data and project management skills, and the perseverance to work through quantitative topics (finance, analytics, engineering fundamentals) will help you keep momentum—especially when studying from abroad and balancing time zones, work and personal commitments.
What will you study in the Intra- and Entrepreneurship (tech) at the University of Stuttgart?
The programme is taught in German. You need advanced German skills to participate, typically C1 level with proof through recognised tests such as DSH, TestDaF or a Goethe-Zertifikat. The degree awarded is a Master of Business and Engineering (120 ECTS) with a standard duration of eight semesters (part-time).
This Master focuses on building and scaling innovation inside companies (intrapreneurship) and creating new ventures with a strong technology component (entrepreneurship). You combine management know-how with an engineering mindset to move products from concept to market, improve processes, and lead innovation projects in tech-driven environments.
Content typically spans three intertwined areas: strategy and business design for new ventures and internal start-ups, technology and innovation management in industrial contexts, and quantitative methods and tools used by business engineers to evaluate products, markets and processes. Leadership and change topics underpin the journey so you can drive innovation in established organisations as well as in start-ups.
Electives usually allow you to deepen a technical domain or an entrepreneurial field relevant to your job. The programme concludes with a Master’s thesis (part of the 120 ECTS) that applies what you have learned to a concrete innovation or venture context.
Key German terms: A Fernstudium means distance learning, i.e. studying alongside work with flexible materials and (where offered) online exams. A Fachhochschule is a university of applied sciences; the University of Stuttgart is a public research university. The ZFU is the German state authority that approves private-distance courses under consumer protection law; state university degree programmes are not subject to ZFU approval.
How does the Intra- and Entrepreneurship (tech) distance programme work?
This is a part-time Master with 120 ECTS over eight semesters. It is designed for working professionals and focuses on flexibility. Teaching and communications are in German; international applicants need advanced German proficiency to follow lectures, complete assignments and defend the thesis.
Teaching language and language certificates
The language of instruction is German. You should expect to provide proof of advanced German (commonly C1 level). Typical certificates accepted by German universities include DSH, TestDaF and Goethe-Zertifikat; exact score requirements are set during admission.
Learning format and study materials
The programme is structured for professionals and uses a blended, distance-learning style typical for German part-time Master’s studies: guided self-study with digital materials and structured teaching blocks. You study on your own schedule and apply concepts directly to your workplace projects. Details on specific platforms and media are provided after enrolment.
Exams and taking them from outside Germany
Assessment in German Master’s programmes often combines written assignments, project work, presentations and exams. Whether exams can be taken online or require attendance is defined for each module. If you live outside Germany, clarify exam formats early to plan travel where necessary.
On-site sessions in Germany
Part-time Master’s in innovation and entrepreneurship frequently include compact on-site teaching blocks or workshops to work with teams and coaches. If on-site days are scheduled, they will take place in Stuttgart. You will need to factor in travel time and costs for any mandatory presence phases.
Workload, time model and live sessions
The standard duration is eight semesters (part-time), aligning with a professional workload. Live elements, when scheduled, follow Central European Time (CET/CEST). Most learning time is self-paced, with periodic deadlines for submissions and projects.
Note on ZFU: The ZFU (German state approval for distance learning) applies to private-distance courses under the Fernunterrichtsschutzgesetz. Public university degree programmes like this Master are not ZFU-listed; state recognition and the university’s quality processes apply instead.
Visa: If your studies can be completed fully online from abroad, no visa is required. For any mandatory on-site sessions, you will need the appropriate entry permissions for short stays in Germany.
What does the Intra- and Entrepreneurship (tech) cost?
The total programme fee is €22,710 over the standard duration of eight semesters (120 ECTS). This positions the degree far below typical tuition at many North American universities while offering a full-length European Master.
Fees at German public universities are commonly billed per semester or in defined instalments for continuing-education Master’s programmes. If you plan to pay from outside the EU, international bank transfer is standard; check transfer fees and exchange rates with your bank. Travel and accommodation for any on-site sessions in Stuttgart are additional to the tuition fee.
If you extend beyond the standard duration, universities may charge continued-enrolment or extension fees; plan time and budget conservatively when you work full-time alongside your studies.
What careers and recognition does the Intra- and Entrepreneurship (tech) offer?
You graduate with a Master of Business and Engineering carrying 120 ECTS under the Bologna framework. ECTS credits make the workload and level transparent across Europe and internationally. The University of Stuttgart is a state-recognised public university; its degrees are internationally understood and valued for academic progression (e.g. doctoral options where relevant) and for professional roles. External accreditation of German programmes is performed by EQAR-listed agencies; recognition abroad rests on the Bologna system, ECTS, and the university’s public status.
Career paths typically include:
- Innovation manager or intrapreneur driving new products and services inside established companies
- Venture builder or business development lead in corporate venture units and incubators
- Founder or co-founder of technology start-ups, especially in engineering-intensive fields
- Product or programme manager at tech and industrial firms, linking engineering with business
- Process and operations improvement roles applying business engineering methods
If you work internationally, emphasise the 120 ECTS, the public-university status and the engineering-management profile (MBE) on your CV. Salaries vary widely by country, sector and seniority; in innovation roles, impact on new revenue streams and product launches often drives compensation growth over time.
Who is the Intra- and Entrepreneurship (tech) right for - and who not?
This Master suits professionals who want to lead innovation in tech-driven contexts while continuing their careers. You benefit most if you can apply coursework directly to projects in your company or venture.
- You are working in engineering, tech, product or business roles and want to accelerate innovation impact
- You prefer a structured, part-time Master (120 ECTS) that you can complete alongside a job
- You value a German public-university degree with Bologna-aligned credits for international portability
- You want a programme that blends entrepreneurship with intrapreneurship for careers in both start-ups and established firms
Equally important: there are clear cases where this programme is not the right fit. Read the points below carefully before you apply from abroad.
- You need an English-taught programme; teaching and assessments here are in German and require advanced proficiency
- You require a fully online Master with guaranteed remote exams and no travel; part-time tech-innovation programmes often include on-site workshops in Stuttgart
- You are looking for a short 60–90 ECTS top-up Master; this is a comprehensive 120 ECTS degree over eight semesters
- You aim for a licence in a regulated profession (e.g. law, medicine, teacher training); entrepreneurship and innovation management are non-regulated fields
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