Englisch 
Deutsch Who is the Master’s in Business Informatics as a joint degree programme suitable for?
This part-time Master’s programme is aimed at professionals who aspire to leadership and management roles in the IT sector or in fields strongly influenced by IT. The course is particularly interesting for individuals with prior education in business informatics, computer science, or business studies who wish to prepare for higher positions in companies, administration, or research. You are in the right place if you want to design and take responsibility for complex information and communication systems and have an interest in the interface between IT and management.
Admission requirements: These formal criteria you must meet
To be admitted, you must provide proof of the following:
- A completed diploma or bachelor's degree in business informatics or a related subject from the fields of computer science or business at a university of applied sciences or university
- Alternatively: An accredited bachelor's degree from a vocational academy in a relevant field with an overall grade of at least “good” (2.5)
- Note: There is a local admission restriction (numerus clausus/NC)
- A commission decides on the academic relevance of your prior studies
Personally, you should bring the following prerequisites:
- Willingness and ability for self-directed learning alongside your job
- Interest in analytical-conceptual work as well as solving interdisciplinary tasks
- Communication skills, ability to work in a team, and motivation to actively participate in group work and on-site sessions
- Initiative, organisational skills, and a high level of resilience to reconcile studies, work, and, if applicable, personal life
- Professional experience in the IT or management environment as well as willingness for continuous further education (“life-long learning”) are advantageous
Which Professional Skills and Methods Do You Learn in the Master’s Programme in Business Informatics?
In the part-time Master's programme in Business Informatics, you deepen practical knowledge at the interface between IT and management. The focus is on qualification for leadership roles in the IT sector of companies or in public administration. You engage with key management topics such as IT controlling, IT management, and IT consulting. Other course contents include:
- Information and communication technology to optimise business processes
- IT security and risk management with a focus on current challenges in data protection
- Usability engineering for user-friendly IT solutions
- Requirements engineering for digital transformation processes
- Scientific methods for independent exploration of new specialist fields
Through elective modules such as e-business, internet databases, cooperative systems, or applications of artificial intelligence, you deepen individually relevant areas of focus. Case studies, simulation games, group work and projects specifically promote your self-, social- and methodological competencies as well as professional action skills in dynamic professional environments.
How Is the Degree Programme Structured and Organised?
The programme is designed for 5 semesters (2.5 years) and 120 ECTS credits. You study alongside your career in the so-called composite study format – a combination of independent self-study and face-to-face teaching. The curriculum is structured as follows:
- Annual start of studies in the winter semester
- Each semester you work on two to three modules, supported by written learning units for self-study
- Face-to-face sessions take place exclusively on Saturdays: on average eight Saturdays per semester (usually every two weeks, each from 9:00 to 16:30) alternating between FH Dortmund and TH Köln (Campus Gummersbach)
- School holidays in NRW as well as bridging days are free of face-to-face sessions
- The programme concludes with a master’s thesis followed by a colloquium
Group work, application-oriented projects as well as an advanced business simulation game are firmly integrated components of the study model. Examinations take place in the form of written exams, oral examinations, presentations, written papers and a compulsory project assignment.
What Career Prospects Does the Master’s Programme in Business Informatics Open Up for You?
As a graduate, you qualify for diverse leadership positions in IT management and for the upper civil service in administration. Typical fields of work and areas of employment include:
- IT management in industrial companies and organisations
- IT consulting and project management
- Information and communication technology in business
- Public sector – especially higher administrative levels
- Science and research in applied computer science
You are particularly qualified to analyse, design and take responsibility for complex business and administrative information and communication systems in a leadership role. Graduates often serve as a link between IT departments, management and specialist departments in companies as well as public institutions.
What Are the Costs and Which Financing Options Are Available?
The total costs for the programme consist of the regular semester contributions of the respective university (currently around 450 euros per semester) as well as a media and service fee of currently 109.20 euros per semester. Over five semesters, the total expenditure for the studies amounts to approximately 2,250 euros plus any applicable contributions and fees. There are no hidden additional costs for teaching materials. The costs can be claimed as work-related expenses for tax purposes. In many cases, employers contribute to the fees, especially when the studies have direct professional benefit. Scholarships, educational loans or support through funding programmes can be applied for individually.
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