Are you the right person for the Master's distance learning programme in Human Resources and Organisation?
The Master's distance learning programme in Human Resources and Organisation at the University of Koblenz is aimed at individuals who already undertake or aspire to take on practical tasks in personnel or organisational development. You are addressed if, after your first academic degree or through relevant professional experience, you work in companies, administrations, educational institutions, or non-profit organisations. Employees without a university degree can also be admitted via an aptitude test. The course is particularly suitable for you if you want to systematically and scientifically deepen your skills in dealing with change processes, personnel management, or change management.
Formal admission requirements at a glance
You will be admitted to the programme if you meet one of the following requirements:
- A first professional university degree (at least 6 semesters, 180 ECTS credits, e.g. Bachelor's, Diploma, Magister, state examination) and subsequently at least one year of relevant professional experience.
- Alternatively: a recognised vocational qualification without a university degree and successful participation in the aptitude test of the Centre for Distance Learning and University Continuing Education (ZFUW) at the University of Koblenz.
Your professional experience must have been acquired after the first degree and be professionally relevant to personnel or organisational tasks. Applicants from different disciplines are admitted, for example from social sciences, economics, humanities or natural sciences. If you lack professional experience, you can take modules in advance; these credits can possibly be recognised later.
For the distance learning programme you should bring the following personal requirements:
- Independent and structured working, as the programme is part-time and mostly asynchronous.
- Willingness to work on complex issues in personnel and organisational matters analytically and solution-oriented.
- Interest in topics such as personnel management, change management and organisational development.
- Communication skills and openness for interdisciplinary exchange in virtual learning groups.
- Motivation to engage with theoretical models and scientific methodology.
What content does the Master’s in Personnel and Organisation convey?
In the Master’s programme in Personnel and Organisation at the University of Koblenz, you acquire an integrated understanding of the tasks involved in personnel and organisational development. The focus is on an interdisciplinary and practice-oriented examination of organisation, personnel management and change processes. The curriculum covers topics such as organisational design, control and theories of organisations, personnel management, organisational learning, personnel marketing as well as project management. You learn to design and support change processes in companies and administrations, apply modern leadership concepts and carry out targeted personnel development. Elective modules enable individual specialisation, e.g. in communication, non-profit organisations, digital competence development, empirical social research, sustainability or system thinking. The aim is to develop interdisciplinary competences for building and managing flexible, future-proof organisations.
- Fundamentals of organisation and personnel: organisational concepts, organisational society, human resource concepts
- Controlling organisations and theories: control tasks, application of organisational theories
- Personnel management: personnel planning, selection, workplace design, personnel controlling
- Organisational learning and development: learning organisation, management and organisational development
- Personnel marketing and personnel selection: instruments of personnel selection, employer branding
- Project management: classical and agile PM, project practice
- Change management and organisational development: designing change processes, consulting, resistance
- Personnel leadership: leadership theories, methods, intercultural leadership
- Personnel development: strategy-oriented development, competence management
- Organisational culture: models, diagnostics, factors influencing goal achievement
- Basic labour law: employment relationships, collective labour law
- Elective module (e.g. communication, non-profit, empirical social research, sustainability, system thinking)
How is the structure and organisation of the distance learning programme designed?
The programme is designed as a part-time distance learning course over five semesters. During the first four semesters, you take three modules per semester, which you complete flexibly in terms of time. In the fifth semester, you write the Master’s thesis, supported by individual supervision. The distance learning follows a blended learning concept and combines written learning materials, digital platforms and virtual exchange formats. On-site phases or online seminars complement the self-study and offer opportunities for interaction with lecturers and fellow students. Elective modules from the fourth semester onwards allow individual specialisation. Exams are taken alongside your studies. The organisation of the programme is designed to be compatible with work and family. The study programme starts each winter semester.
What career prospects does this Master’s degree open up?
With the Master of Arts in Personnel and Organisation degree, you qualify for demanding roles in private, public and non-profit organisations. Typical fields of activity include:
- Personnel management in companies, administrations and non-profit organisations
- Change management and accompanying transformation processes
- Personnel and organisational development
- Project management in the human resource sector
- Consulting firms for organisational development
- Leadership or collaboration in training and continuing education departments
You take on leadership or design roles in multiprofessional teams and are in demand for conceptualising, implementing and supporting change processes. A transition into personnel consulting, coaching or freelance work in the field of organisation and personnel is also possible after graduation.
What costs and financing options should you expect?
The tuition fees amount to 1,090 euros per semester. Additionally, a social contribution of 104 euros and a student body fee of 19.50 euros per semester are payable. A one-off fee of 800 euros is charged for supervision of the Master’s thesis. Further moderate administration fees may be incurred if the duration of study is extended. The programme can usually be financed by instalment payment. Funding by the employer, tax deductibility as income-related expenses, as well as the use of scholarship programmes (e.g. advancement scholarship) are common financing options.
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