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Deutsch Is the combined degree course in Business Administration with a focus on Business Law right for you?
The distance learning course "Business Administration, specialisation Business Law" at the Institute for Combined Studies NRW is aimed at working professionals and trainees from industry, business and administration who wish to acquire business and legal skills specifically for their career in middle management. The degree programme is particularly suitable for people who aspire to a liaison function between management and law and who are interested in both commercial matters and legal issues.
Formal admission requirements for the degree course
To be admitted to the bachelor's degree programme, you must have one of the following qualifications:
- Advanced technical college entrance qualification (general or subject-related specialised entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences)
- Professional qualification without a traditional school-leaving certificate (Abitur):
- Completed master craftsman examination or comparable qualification (e.g. state-certified technicians, IHK business administrators and specialists, IHK business economist, completion of a two-year technical school)
- Subject-specific applicants: at least two years of vocational training related to the field and at least three years of work experience in the trained profession enable application for a corresponding degree course (without entrance examination)
- Other professionally qualified applicants: at least two years of vocational training and at least three years of work experience (also outside the trained profession or through parenting or caregiving activities); admission in this case via an entrance examination or a trial study period
Possible personal requirements include strong self-motivation, discipline for self-study and the willingness to devote about 15 hours per week to study. It is advantageous to enjoy analytical work, to have an interest in economic and legal topics, as well as the ability to organise yourself. Some initial professional experience in the economic or administrative field will make it easier for you to apply the study content in your professional life.
What knowledge do you acquire in the combined degree in Business Administration with a focus on Business Law?
In the combined degree programme "Business Administration, specialising in Business Law" you develop extensive skills at the interface of business and law. The curriculum is designed so that business administration and legal content are taught with equal weighting – each approximately 40%. In the first semesters you deal with fundamental topics from business administration and business law, for example:
- Introduction to Economics and Business Private Law
- Business Mathematics and Business Statistics
- External and Internal Accounting
- Law of Obligations, Property Law, Commercial Law and Corporate Law
- Business Management, Controlling, Investment and Financing
- Labour Law and Public Economic Law
- Computer Science, Databases and Modern Information and Communication Systems
In the further course of your studies, you can set your own specialisations, e.g. in:
- Human Resource Management and Labour Law
- Marketing and Competition and Trademark Law
- Accounting/Taxation and Tax Law
- Project Management, Compliance or IT Law and Copyright Law
- International Business Law or Mediation
Through the combination of compulsory and compulsory elective modules, you acquire practice-relevant legal thinking and are able to assess economic decisions legally. Soft skills such as self-organisation, stress management as well as Business English and intercultural communication complete your profile. In higher semesters, interdisciplinary, case-oriented work and a business simulation are the main focus.
How is the process and organisation of the combined degree structured?
The degree programme is organised over nine semesters (4.5 years) as a part-time distance learning course and concludes with a Bachelor of Arts. You start each time in the winter semester. Each academic year is divided into two semesters; on average you work on four modules per semester. Knowledge transfer takes place mainly through self-study using learning units provided at the beginning of each semester. You should plan about 15 hours per week for this.
In addition to self-study, face-to-face sessions usually take place on Saturdays at the university. These serve to deepen the teaching content, include exercises, case studies and exchange of experiences and are partly compulsory, partly recommended. During the course of the studies you complete various examination formats such as written exams, oral exams and written papers. In the ninth semester you write a bachelor thesis, present the results in a colloquium and take part in a business simulation.
What career opportunities does the degree in Business Administration and Business Law open up for you?
With a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Business Law, a variety of career paths open up for you. You qualify as a generalist for demanding commercial activities, especially in middle management. Typical areas of deployment are:
- Management functions in industrial, commercial and service companies
- Positions in small and medium-sized enterprises as well as public enterprises
- Activities in business or tax consultancy firms
- Specialised tasks in marketing, human resources, controlling, accounting and labour law
- Fields of activity related to digitalisation and in IT law/E-business through corresponding specialisations
The knowledge you acquire in your studies makes you a link between commercial and legal departments and qualifies you to take on interface functions or leadership roles. A part-time master's degree is also possible afterwards.
What costs must you expect for the combined degree and what financing options are available?
The total costs for the combined degree "Business Administration, specialising in Business Law" amount to approx. €2,601 for 9 semesters (as of November 2024). The fees consist of:
- Semester fee: €289 per semester
- Plus a media and service fee of €113.19 per semester
Additional costs such as enrolment and re-registration fees of the University of Applied Sciences apply. Payment is made per semester. The degree programme can be claimed for tax purposes (e.g. as income-related expenses). Examination fees or material costs are included in the price.
Possible financing options include, among others, receiving BAföG or other funding programmes, as well as support from your employer. It is advisable to have individual funding options reviewed and to take advantage of counselling opportunities.
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