Englisch 
Deutsch Who this Business Engineering B.Sc. is for – and what you need to get in
This part-time, blended programme suits people working in or training for technical or commercial roles who can attend regular Saturday classes in Germany (Hagen/Bochum). Typical profiles include: (1) technicians, industrial mechanics, mechatronics engineers or office/industrial clerks who want a first degree alongside work; (2) apprentices in Germany on a technical or commercial training contract seeking an academic track in parallel; (3) professionally qualified candidates (e.g. master craftsperson, IHK Fachwirt) aiming to combine engineering basics with business and IT. The teaching language is German and on-campus sessions are held in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Admission requirements
You need a recognised higher education entrance qualification and relevant professional background. Key routes:
- With school-leaving certificate: Fachhochschulreife (or equivalent) plus either a completed apprenticeship or three years of relevant professional experience in a technical or commercial field.
- Apprenticeship-parallel route: Fachhochschulreife and a current training contract in a technical or commercial occupation.
- Admission without “Abitur”/Fachhochschulreife:
- Master craftsperson and comparable qualifications (e.g. state-certified technician, IHK Fachwirt/Fachkaufmann) – admission without entrance test.
- Field-related applicants with at least a two-year apprenticeship plus three years of work in the trained field – admission to a related programme without entrance test.
- Other professionally qualified candidates (two-year apprenticeship + three years’ practice outside the trained field, or equivalent caregiving/parenting periods) – possible admission via entrance exam or trial study.
- Foreign qualifications: international school-leaving certificates and vocational credentials can be accepted if they are formally equivalent to the German Fachhochschulreife and the outlined professional criteria. Official recognition/equivalence documentation is required.
- Language requirement: the programme is taught in German. If you did not complete your prior education in German, you must provide proof of adequate German proficiency. The university specifies which certificates and levels are accepted.
Personal requirements
Expect around 15 hours per week of self-study plus Saturday on-campus sessions (about 8 hours per event) during the lecture periods. You should be able to travel regularly to Hagen or Bochum; some sessions are compulsory. Success in this format requires solid self-organisation, steady pacing over nine semesters, and realistic time planning around work shifts or apprenticeship schedules. You need the language skills to work through German study materials, write exams and present in class; if you are an international applicant, plan extra time early on for terminology in maths, physics, accounting and engineering basics. Persistence, reliable attendance and proactive communication with lecturers and your employer are crucial to keep momentum over 4.5 years.
What will you study in the Business Engineering (B.Sc.) at the Institute for Collaborative Studies?
The programme is taught in German. To enrol, you will need advanced German skills, typically at C1 level; universities commonly accept certificates such as TestDaF, DSH or Goethe-Zertifikat C1. Over 9 semesters you earn 180 ECTS and combine engineering, business and applied IT, finishing with a bachelor’s thesis and colloquium.
You build a solid engineering toolkit: mathematics and statistics, physics, technical mechanics, materials science and testing, manufacturing processes (two modules), basics of design, and fundamentals of electrical engineering and electronics. Automation topics extend this into modern production environments.
Business and management form the second pillar: general management (BWL), accounting and controlling, international economics, operations management, marketing, international management and business law. You also train core competencies for industry, including project management and management skills.
Applied informatics rounds out the profile: foundations of computer science and programming I–II, databases and web applications. These modules help you translate business-engineering problems into data-driven solutions and support process digitisation on the shop floor and across the value chain.
Key skills run throughout the curriculum. You sharpen business communication, presentation and moderation, and practise interdisciplinary collaboration in seminars and on-site sessions. The final semester focuses on your bachelor’s thesis and its defence (Kolloquium) with a practical, industry-oriented brief.
Electives and tracks: from the sixth semester you choose Schwerpunktwahlmodule (electives) from Marketing, Operations Management, Technology, Informatics and General Management to tailor your profile. This flexibility lets you align the degree with roles from production to product management.
Format note: this is not a pure Fernstudium (distance learning). It is a blended “Verbundstudium” delivered by two public universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschule): FH Südwestfalen (Hagen) and Hochschule Bochum, with self-study plus regular on-site Saturdays. The ZFU (the German state authority approving distance-learning courses) number is not applicable to this public-university blended model.
How does the Business Engineering distance programme work?
This is a blended, part-time degree designed for working professionals and trainees. You study largely via printed/digital materials in self-study and attend compulsory or strongly recommended Saturday on-site sessions in Hagen or Bochum throughout each semester.
Teaching language and certificates
The teaching language is German. Expect readings, lectures and exams in German. Advanced proficiency (typically C1) is necessary; universities commonly accept TestDaF, DSH or Goethe-Zertifikat C1. If you do not already work and live in Germany, plan time to reach academic German before applying.
Learning format and study materials
Each semester you receive the complete set of “Lerneinheiten” (study units) for self-study. Average workload is about 15 hours per week across 9 semesters (4.5 years). On-site sessions deliver exercises, lab-related content, case discussions and peer exchange; they are central to the didactics.
Exams and where you take them
Assessment formats include written exams, oral exams and written assignments. The programme concludes with a bachelor’s thesis and a defence (Kolloquium). Exams are organised by the partner universities; there is no stated option for remote online proctoring or international exam centres.
On-site sessions in Germany
On-site classes typically take place on Saturdays from late September to early February and from early March to mid-July, either at FH Südwestfalen (Hagen) or Hochschule Bochum. Participation is partly mandatory or at least strongly recommended. This is not a fully remote programme; regular travel to Hagen/Bochum is required.
Schedules, time models and time zones
Standard duration is 9 semesters with studies alongside work. Live sessions follow the German academic calendar and run in CET/CEST time. Start is in the winter semester. Because attendance is required in Germany, a study visa or other right to enter may be necessary for non-EU applicants; a purely remote option that requires no visa is not offered.
ZFU note: The ZFU (state approval for distance courses) applies mainly to private distance providers under the German Distance Learning Act. As a public-university blended degree, this programme does not list a ZFU admission number.
What does the Business Engineering (B.Sc.) cost?
You do not pay tuition fees. As this is a public-university programme, you pay the regular semester contribution charged by the administering university plus a dedicated media and service fee of €107.31 per semester (status: May 2026). Over 9 semesters, the additional media/service component sums to roughly €965; the base semester contribution varies by year.
Budget for study materials, commuting to Hagen/Bochum on Saturdays, and any repeat-exam fees where applicable. Payments are handled per semester; international students usually pay by bank transfer. There are no extra tuition instalments beyond the semester contribution and the stated media/service fee.
Because there are no tuition fees, the total outlay is significantly below typical US costs. However, you must factor in travel and potential accommodation for on-site days if you do not live in North Rhine-Westphalia.
What careers and recognition does the Business Engineering (B.Sc.) offer?
You graduate with a Bachelor of Science, 180 ECTS, awarded within the Bologna system. The awarding universities are public, state-recognised German universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen). The ECTS framework supports international comparability for master’s admissions and employer recognition outside Germany; your Diploma Supplement documents content and workload.
Typical roles sit at the interface of technology and business. Entry positions range across industrial and service sectors, especially in manufacturing, energy, mobility and tech-driven SMEs. Common paths include:
- Operations and supply chain: production planning, logistics coordination, process optimisation
- Technical marketing and product management: requirements analysis, go-to-market, lifecycle steering
- Quality and industrial engineering: quality systems, lean/TPM initiatives, continuous improvement
- Procurement and vendor management: sourcing strategies, cost engineering, supplier development
- Business analytics in manufacturing: data modelling, KPI dashboards, MES/ERP integration
Many graduates continue into master’s degrees in industrial engineering, operations, supply chain or technology management in Germany or abroad. Salary levels depend on sector and location; in Germany, engineering-oriented business roles in industry typically start above general business averages, with growth as you take process or team responsibility.
Who is the Business Engineering (B.Sc.) right for – and who not?
This blended degree suits people who want an engineering–business profile while continuing to work or train, and who can commit to regular Saturdays on campus in North Rhine-Westphalia. The curriculum is broad, with room to specialise via electives from semester six.
- You want a public German bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS) that bridges engineering, management and IT.
- You can study independently ~15 hours/week and value structured on-site sessions for practice and feedback.
- You live in or can regularly travel to Hagen/Bochum for Saturday classes and exams.
- You aim for roles in operations, technical marketing, quality or supply chain in technology-driven companies.
- You prefer low costs at a state university over private tuition fees.
There are also clear exclusion points. If any of the following apply, consider a fully online programme taught in English instead.
- You need a fully remote degree with online exams and no travel; this programme requires regular on-site Saturdays and in-person exams in Germany.
- You do not have the required German language proficiency (typically C1) for lectures, materials and assessments.
- You cannot obtain the right to enter Germany for recurring on-site sessions (visa or residence), if you are based outside the EU/EEA.
- You seek access to a regulated engineering licence in your country that mandates a specific local accreditation beyond a German B.Sc.; always check local licensure rules.
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