WHU

Dual Studies in Business Administration: Combining Theory and Practice –
What you can expect from a dual studies Master’s degree.

In addition to dual studies Bachelor degrees, a growing number of companies are now offering a Master in business administration as a dual studies course. This gives you an opportunity to immediately embark on a career and acquire a second academic degree at the same time.

A dual Master in business administration is a good way of gaining professional experience early on without forgoing further academic training. The dual Master also offers numerous advantages for companies, not least the opportunity to attract new recruits. However, students may also want to consider Master’s programs with a practical orientation as an alternative to a dual Master in business administration.

The dual studies Master in business administration – first steps.

If you have decided to complete a dual Master in business administration, you are really spoilt for choice. Business administration dual studies is one of the subjects most commonly offered by companies. You should therefore do plenty of research about your options in advance and consider which companies and which aspects of business administration you are most interested in. For example, you can choose from specializations such as information systems, accounting, controlling, or international business management.

You will usually apply directly to the company stating your specialist field such as marketing. However, there are also dual business administration Master’s degrees in which you are free to choose the specialist focus yourself later. In any case, you should have an interest in business processes and contexts and be able to demonstrate preliminary knowledge from your first degree.

There are often variations in the way dual Master’s degrees are structured. With some Master’s programs you switch between full-time periods at the company and at the university; with others, you study in the evenings alongside your employment. You should be clear in your own mind which approach is better for you before you apply.

The advantages of dual study.

Surely the biggest advantage offered by a dual Master in business administration is the professional experience you gain. You get the chance to experience the everyday routine and duties of a fully fledged employee, and can establish a place for yourself in the company. At the same time, you are upgrading your education and are ensuring that you are qualified and proficient in your field. After completing the Master's degree, you will also have a job waiting for you – after all, it is also in the company’s interest to train you and take you on. That saves you from having to go job hunting and provides a level of security for the future.

You also have the opportunity to get to know fellow students from a wide range of companies and specialist fields. That is not always the case on a regular course. You can discuss challenges and best practices at your companies, and start building a good network of contacts.

A dual Master in business administration can also represent a financially sound choice. Although the monthly salary is sometimes lower, the company usually pays the tuition fees. And if your university is located in a different city, you will also often be given a grant for travel costs and accommodation.

Business administration Master’s degrees with practical orientation as an alternative to dual study.

When you choose a dual studies Master in business administration, you have to commit to a specific company and field of work at an early stage. In many cases you also commit to staying with your employer after you graduate. You will also often have to do without semester breaks on dual study courses. Master’s programs with a strong practical orientation can represent a good alternative to dual study for students who want to keep their options open for now.

These include the Master’s programs offered by WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management. WHU offers five Master of Science programs, all of which include an internship after the first two semesters. That allows you to gain valuable practical experience without having to commit to a company or specialist field when you begin the course. Over the course of the program you have time to discover your interests and career objectives, and you will then be better placed to complete an internship to help you achieve your goals.

Whether you are doing the Master in Management (MiM), Master in Finance (MiF), Master in International Business (MIB) Master in Entrepreneurship (MiE), or Master in Business Analytics (MiBA), you can choose to do the internship in Germany or abroad. A semester abroad is also a stipulated part of the course. You have the chance to experience life at one of our 200 partner universities around the world. With this wealth of opportunities, you are free to determine the practical orientation of your studies.

The curriculum at WHU is supplemented with presentations and workshops by guest speakers as well as executives from well-known companies. You thereby gain unique insights into the processes and challenges of successful businesses. Despite lectures and seminars on important theories and methods, you never lose the practical orientation. WHU prepares you thoroughly for professional life so that you can do what 78 percent of our students do: go straight into a job after completing your Master’s degree.

If you are still unsure whether it would be best for you to study for a dual Master in business administration or a full-time Master’s program with strong practical orientation, the WHU Master Program Team will be happy to answer any questions you have. The study advisers at the WHU Career Center are also there for you and will be happy to help you find the ideal internship position when the time comes. As a result, you can easily combine theory and practice in your studies.