Englisch 
Deutsch Who this MBA suits and what you need to get in
This part-time MBA in Marketing Management is geared to working professionals who want a recognised management degree without pausing their career. Typical candidates include: experienced marketing or brand specialists aiming for leadership roles; sales or business development professionals moving into strategy; founders or product managers who need structured marketing management skills. If you live outside Germany, you can study largely online—but you must be able to attend on-site weekends in Zweibrücken or Nürburgring during the semester.
Admission requirements
To qualify, you need a suitable academic background and professional experience. Key points at a glance:
- First university degree (at least six theory semesters) with a German grade of 2.5 or better; lower grades are assessed individually.
- Total of 300 ECTS required for the Master’s level. The MBA awards 90 ECTS; your first degree should have 210 ECTS. If you have fewer, options exist to acquire missing ECTS during the MBA.
- At least one year of relevant full-time work experience completed after the first degree.
- Admission without a first degree is possible via an aptitude test. Prerequisites include a higher education entrance qualification under German state law (e.g. general or subject-specific university entrance, university of applied sciences entrance, or a qualified vocational qualification with overall grade ≤ 2.5) plus:
- at least three years of relevant professional practice, or
- Bachelor Professional (e.g. Meister, Fachwirt, Fachkaufmann) plus one year of relevant work, or
- Master Professional (third level of advanced vocational training); no additional work period required.
- Teaching is primarily in German with some English-taught components. If German is not your native language, you must provide recognised proof of German proficiency sufficient to study and sit exams.
- International degrees and diplomas are accepted if they are equivalent to a German first degree of the required scope; documentation and grading will be reviewed in the admissions process.
- Programme accreditation: AQAS; valid 01/10/2020–30/09/2028.
Personal requirements
Distance learning rewards consistency. You should be comfortable with independent study, structuring your week around reading, case work and exam prep, and maintaining momentum over four semesters. Expect regular peaks before assessments and plan buffer time around the three on-site weekends per semester in Germany. Reliable self-organisation, perseverance and clear communication with your employer help you balance work, study and travel. Strong academic reading and writing in German (and basic English for selected materials) are essential to follow lectures, contribute in seminars and complete the Master’s thesis. If you thrive with clear milestones and can keep a steady study rhythm alongside your job, this MBA is a realistic next step.
What will you study in the Marketing Management MBA at the Centre for Distance Learning in the University Consortium?
This MBA is taught in German. You will need very good academic German to follow classes and pass exams (typically C1 level). Universities in Germany often accept recognised proofs such as DSH, TestDaF or Goethe-Zertifikat C1; the exact evidence is specified during admission.
The programme is a German Fernstudium – distance learning that combines self-study with on-site weekends. It is offered by Hochschule Kaiserslautern (a public Fachhochschule, i.e. University of Applied Sciences) in cooperation with the Centre for Distance Learning in the University Consortium (zfh). Across 4 semesters and 90 ECTS you build advanced management and marketing capability and finish with a Master’s thesis and colloquium.
You will cover the core building blocks of modern marketing management across these thematic clusters:
- Management foundations and leadership: Management-Framework; Communication and Soft Skills for Leaders. You work on decision-making tools, leadership communication and negotiation techniques relevant for cross-functional teams.
- Strategic and operational marketing: Marketing Policy & Strategies; Marketing Instruments (Strategy, Operations, Policy). This block connects positioning and brand strategy with the executional marketing mix.
- Finance, performance and analytics: Profit- and finance-oriented corporate management; Economics & Quantitative Analyses. You learn how to link marketing decisions to P&L impact and to apply quantitative methods in market evaluation.
- Customer and market insight: Market Research & Customer Management. Methods for insight generation, segmentation and customer-value management feed into CRM and retention strategies.
- International management: Management techniques in the international business environment; International Marketing Management. Topics include market entry, global branding and intercultural management.
There are no free electives; the curriculum is a coherent, fixed sequence that builds toward the International Master’s Thesis Seminar and your final Master’s thesis with colloquium. Parts of the teaching materials may be in English, but the programme language and examinations are German.
Note on terminology: The ZFU is Germany’s state authority that approves distance-learning courses; approval is commonly referenced for private or non-degree courses. Academic degree programmes at public universities additionally undergo accreditation (see recognition below).
How does the Marketing Management MBA distance programme work?
You study part-time in a blended format: self-study with printed and digital materials, online learning activities and mandatory on-site weekends in Germany. Teaching and assessment are conducted in German; some readings may be in English. The standard duration is 4 semesters (2 years) for 90 ECTS.
Teaching language and certificates
The programme’s teaching and examinations are in German. For applicants from outside German-speaking countries, universities typically require proof of high-level proficiency (around C1). Commonly accepted certificates in Germany include DSH, TestDaF or Goethe-Zertifikat C1; the exact list and minimum scores are set during the admission process.
Learning format and study materials
This is a classic Fernstudium (distance learning) with a blended-learning design: structured self-study using written course books and e-learning units, plus interactive elements during on-site seminar weekends. You are enrolled at Hochschule Kaiserslautern (campus Zweibrücken) with organisational support via the zfh network.
Exams and whether they can be taken outside Germany
Assessments typically include written exams, presentations and coursework linked to the taught modules. Exams are ordinarily scheduled in connection with the on-site seminar weekends. There is no general online-proctoring pathway published for this MBA, so you should plan to sit exams in Germany during the scheduled weekends.
Mandatory on-site sessions in Germany
There are compulsory attendance days on three weekends per semester (Friday and Saturday). Usual locations are Zweibrücken (Hochschule Kaiserslautern) or Augsburg (Haus St. Ulrich). In the first two semesters, Nürburgring can be an alternative location. Because on-site weekends are mandatory, this is not a fully remote programme.
Weekly workload, time models and time zones
The provider does not publish a fixed weekly workload. As a guide, part-time MBAs of 90 ECTS over two years often require 10–20 hours per week alongside your job. Any live online elements and all on-site sessions follow German time (CET/CEST). Start is possible each summer and winter semester.
Visa note: If you do not relocate to Germany, a student visa is usually not required for a part-time distance programme. However, you must be able to enter the EU/Schengen area for the mandatory weekend sessions and exams.
What does the Marketing Management MBA cost?
Tuition is €2,100 per semester over 4 semesters, i.e. €8,400 in total for the standard duration. In addition, you pay the university’s social contribution of about €149 per semester and a one-time €8 for the student ID card.
If you need longer than the standard duration, an extension fee of €800 per semester applies from the 6th semester onward. There are defined charges for exceptional cases: approximately €50 for an exam resit, separate costs for the Master’s Thesis Seminar, and €550 if the Master’s thesis must be repeated.
Fees are charged per semester. If you pay from outside the eurozone, factor in potential bank transfer costs and exchange-rate fees in addition to the amounts above.
What careers and recognition does the Marketing Management MBA offer?
This is a 90 ECTS MBA under the Bologna framework. ECTS credits make workload and level transparent across Europe and beyond. The programme is AQAS-accredited (programme accreditation) and listed by the German Accreditation Council through to 30 September 2028. AQAS is an agency on the European register EQAR, a signal of quality assurance recognised internationally.
You graduate from Hochschule Kaiserslautern, a public University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule). A public German master’s degree is widely accepted for professional progression and further study; in Germany it grants access to doctoral studies subject to each university’s doctoral regulations.
Typical roles after graduation include:
- Marketing Manager or Head of Marketing, responsible for strategy, budget and team leadership
- Brand or Product Manager, steering portfolio strategy and go-to-market execution
- Customer Insights/CRM Lead, focusing on market research, segmentation and loyalty
- International Marketing or Business Development Manager, shaping market entry and localisation
- Consultant in marketing, sales or growth for agencies and consultancies
Salaries vary strongly by country, sector and prior experience. The MBA adds management capability and an internationally understood credential; the biggest uplifts are seen when you combine the degree with relevant leadership achievements in your current role.
Who is the Marketing Management MBA right for - and who not?
This MBA is designed for working professionals who want to progress into leadership roles in marketing, brand or commercial management while studying part-time in German. It suits those who can travel to Germany for short, fixed on-site periods each semester.
- You want an accredited German MBA (90 ECTS) from a public university with a marketing focus.
- You are employed and prefer a blended learning format with clear structure and on-site seminar weekends.
- You have strong German skills and are comfortable completing exams and discussions in German.
- You are aiming for managerial roles in marketing, product, brand, CRM or international business development.
- You value the European Bologna framework and recognition via an EQAR-listed accreditation (AQAS).
There are also clear reasons why this programme may not fit your situation. Read these carefully before you apply from abroad.
- You need a fully online, visa-free programme with no mandatory travel to Germany. This MBA requires on-site weekends each semester.
- You do not speak academic German at a high level. Teaching and exams are in German, even if some materials are in English.
- You are looking for flexible start dates or rolling admission. Intakes are tied to the German academic calendar (summer and winter semesters).
- You require a pathway into a regulated profession (e.g. medicine, law). This MBA leads to management roles but not to regulated licences.
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