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The Central State Office for Distance Learning (ZFU) has approved the course Nursing Management under the number 126400c. Who is this programme for – and what do you need to get in?
This German-taught B.A. in Care Management suits you if you work in health or social care and want to step into leadership. Typical profiles include: a registered nurse in a hospital who seeks a management role without pausing full-time work; a senior care assistant or shift supervisor in long-term care aiming to formalise leadership skills; or a case manager in community/ambulatory services planning a move into healthcare management with an internationally recognised degree.
Admission requirements
To enrol, you need a higher education entrance qualification and relevant practical exposure to care. Key points at a glance:
- University entrance: general or subject-specific higher education entrance qualification (equivalent to German Abitur or Fachhochschulreife).
- Practical experience: a 13-week basic internship in a care-related setting, with at least seven weeks completed before starting; this can be waived if you hold a relevant vocational qualification, advanced training or suitable management experience.
- Admission with foreign qualifications: international school-leaving certificates are assessed for equivalence. Certified translations and official copies may be required. Recognition of prior vocational training/work experience is possible for the internship requirement.
- Admission without Abitur: possible via recognised advanced professional training and a counselling procedure, or through a completed vocational qualification plus at least two years’ work experience and success in two study-specific entrance modules (guest student route).
- Language of instruction: the programme is taught in German. If you did not complete your prior education in German, you must demonstrate sufficient German for academic study (typically upper-intermediate/advanced, e.g. C1). Commonly recognised proofs in Germany include TestDaF, DSH or Goethe-Zertifikat C1.
- On-site elements: optional 2-day seminars on up to seven weekends per semester; examinations may require fixed attendance periods or be held online with proctoring.
- Start dates: quarterly intakes (01 Jan, 01 Apr, 01 Jul, 01 Oct); rolling application possible.
- Accreditation: programme-accredited by ACQUIN; accreditation valid to 31 Aug 2030.
Personal requirements
Remote study in a management field demands solid self-organisation, reliable weekly routines and perseverance. Plan a realistic workload of about 12–15 hours per week over seven semesters, with peaks before exams and during the 10-week main internship (or recognition process). You should be comfortable reading and writing academically in German, collaborating online, and scheduling optional weekend seminars or exam days well in advance if you live abroad. A stable internet connection, disciplined time blocking across shifts and family duties, and the ability to map theory to your workplace will be decisive for success. If you are currently employed in care, aligning assignments with your job will reduce study load and strengthen your portfolio.
What will you study in the Care Management (B.A.) at Hamburg Distance University?
The programme is taught in German. You should have advanced German skills (typically C1) to follow lectures, seminars and exams; recognised proofs include TestDaF, DSH or Goethe-Zertifikat. As a Fernstudium (distance learning), it combines self-study with optional seminars at study centres. Hamburg Distance University is a Fachhochschule (a German university of applied sciences) and the course is approved by the ZFU, the German authority supervising distance-learning programmes.
You build a management profile for healthcare and nursing services across 180 ECTS. Early semesters cover core methods and health economics; later you tailor the degree with two specialisations and complete a 10-week main internship and a Bachelor’s thesis.
Management and leadership foundations: You start with scientific work and evidence use, then move into people and project management and managing your own performance. You learn organisational psychology and how to design work in healthcare teams.
Business and health systems: You gain the essentials of business administration, accounting and controlling, plus financing and steering of organisations. Modules on the German and international health systems help you read regulations, stakeholders and reimbursement logic.
Nursing science and process quality: You study nursing science fundamentals, care processes and transfer of evidence into practice. Quality management, process design and patient-/resident-centred outcomes prepare you to lead improvement projects.
Society, law and ethics: Health and society, legal frameworks in healthcare and risk perspectives give you the context to plan safe services, align teams and communicate with payers and regulators.
Electives (choose two specialisations): In semesters 5 and 6 you select two from Inpatient medical care (acute), Inpatient elderly care (long-term) and Outpatient services (ambulatory). Depending on the choice, you work on topics such as financing and reimbursement, internal accounting and controlling, quality requirements, care assessment, market positioning, cooperation and service development or entrepreneurship.
Practical phase and thesis: A supervised 10-week main internship after semester 3 anchors learning in real settings; prior qualified leadership or management experience may be recognised, but a reflective internship report remains mandatory. The degree concludes with the Bachelor’s thesis.
How does the Care Management distance programme work?
This is a flexible Fernstudium designed for working professionals. Learning is largely asynchronous with study materials and a virtual campus, complemented by optional seminars. Exams run online or at study centres. The ZFU admission number is 126400c. A purely remote study path does not require a visa; short on-site elements may require occasional travel to Germany or Austria.
Teaching language and proof of language
The teaching language is German. You need strong academic German to participate in seminars and pass assessments. If you are applying from abroad, plan to document advanced proficiency (usually C1) with widely recognised certificates such as TestDaF, DSH or Goethe-Zertifikat.
Learning format and study materials
You study via digital study letters and the online campus. These are supplemented by live online seminars and optional on-site seminars at regional study centres. As a Fachhochschule (university of applied sciences), the programme emphasises application: case studies, project work and a supervised practical phase are built in.
Exams from outside Germany
Exams are offered either on Saturdays at study centres (e.g. Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Kassel, Würzburg, Essen; plus Linz and Vienna) or online via proctored assessments. This means you can generally complete exams from abroad if you choose the online format. Note: individual modules and “complex exercises” may require attendance.
On-site sessions in Germany
Seminars are in principle optional, but the programme schedules 2-day seminars on up to 7 weekends per semester across centres; these support exam preparation and networking. Some exam phases and selected compulsory exercises can be face-to-face. Plan for occasional short trips if you wish to use on-site options or if a module requires attendance.
Workload, duration and live-session timing
The standard duration is 7 semesters plus a 10-week internship. Expect about 15 hours per week of study alongside your job. Live online sessions and exam times follow German time zones (CET/CEST). Cohorts start four times a year (1 January, 1 April, 1 July, 1 October); registration is possible year-round.
What does the Care Management (B.A.) cost?
Tuition is €360 per month. Over the standard duration of seven semesters this totals €15,120. In addition, the university charges €620 per attempt for the final thesis examination. Fees are billed in euros in monthly instalments, which is practical if you study while working; paying from outside Germany is generally possible. If you extend your studies beyond the standard duration, the university applies its continuation terms for extended enrolment; budget for additional months if needed. Optional printed materials or travel to seminars/exams add personal costs.
What careers and recognition does the Care Management course offer?
You earn a Bachelor of Arts with 180 ECTS under the Bologna system. The programme is accredited by ACQUIN through the German Accreditation Council (valid until 31 August 2030), and the university is state-recognised. ACQUIN is listed in EQAR, which signals quality assurance aligned with European Standards and Guidelines—helpful for international portability and admission to master’s degrees in Europe.
The degree leads to leadership roles across inpatient and outpatient care. Typical paths include:
- Nurse manager or unit/ward leader in acute hospitals or long-term care
- Head of nursing services or residential facility manager (meets the content requirements for these roles in Bavaria)
- Quality and process manager in hospitals, rehabilitation and ambulatory services
- Case management, care coordination, or roles with insurers and public health bodies
- Project or operations manager in healthcare providers, associations or consulting
Internationally, salaries vary by country, employer type and responsibility. The degree equips you with management, finance and quality skills sought in systems facing demographic change and workforce shortages. It also provides academic eligibility for relevant master’s programmes (e.g. health management, nursing science, health economics) in the European Higher Education Area.
Who is the Care Management (B.A.) right for - and who not?
This distance degree suits working professionals in healthcare who want to step into leadership with a recognised academic qualification. It is structured to fit around shifts and family life while still offering practice links and networking through study centres.
- You work in nursing or healthcare and aim for team, unit or service leadership
- You want a state-recognised, ACQUIN-accredited bachelor’s degree with 180 ECTS
- You prefer flexible learning with the option to take exams online from abroad
- You value specialisation choices (acute, long-term, outpatient) to match your setting
- You are ready to document and reflect practice through a 10-week internship or recognition of prior management experience
Some situations make this programme a poor fit. The points below help you avoid a mismatch before applying from abroad.
- You do not speak German at an advanced level; all teaching, materials and exams are in German
- You need a programme with no on-site presence at all; selected modules or exercises can require attendance in Germany or Austria
- You are seeking initial clinical licensing as a nurse in your country; this is a management degree and does not grant a professional nursing licence
- You cannot complete or have recognised a supervised practice phase (10 weeks) or produce the required internship report
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