WHU

Master in International Business: Curriculum

Perfectly structured to help you go further. The Master in International Business equips you with comprehensive management knowledge and decisive leadership skills for success in a global and fluctuating business world.
a woman standing in front of a group sitting at a table with laptops

Our Master in International Business is your gateway to an international career. This program merges academic knowledge with real-world applications, letting you delve into practical cases. not just theory. Offering a diverse range of courses in general management, we equip you with the skills to succeed.

Beyond a robust curriculum, our program unveils the leader within you, providing ample opportunities to grow your network. Develop your personal leadership style and access the WHU network.

Eight core modules provide essential knowledge from the field of general management. Customize your Master in International Business journey with electives early on.

Curriculum

Year 1
Before September

Candidates who are missing some pre-requisites for courses in the following areas can take them online before the beginning of their studies:

  • Financial Accounting
  • Finance
  • Management Communication
  • Quantitative Methods
  • Spreadsheet Modelling

Upon acceptance to the Master in International Business Program, we will provide you with a link to take the online prep-courses.

In addition, you can prepare yourself for your master’s program with us by taking the following readings:

  • Strategy: Introduction to Strategy
  • Organizational Behavior: Decision Making
  • Operations Management: Designing, Managing, and Improving Operations
  • Marketing: Competitive Strategies
September - October

Core Modules

  • International Accounting
  • International Strategy
  • The Analytics' Edge
November - December

Core Modules

  • International Trade and Investment
  • Managerial Economics
  • Strategic Marketing

Electives (optional: pick 1-3)

  • Actionable Customer Analytics
  • Advanced Methods of Market and Management Research
  • Advanced Organizational Behavior
  • Decision Support Systems (Data Science)
  • Performance Management and Controlling
  • Venture Capital Finance
January - February

Core Modules

  • Designing Sustainable Global Supply Chains
  • Psychology of Leadership

Electives (pick 1-3)

  • E-commerce Operations Management
  • Economics of Financial Markets and its Institutions
  • International Business Negotiations
  • Leading the High-Performance Sales Force
  • Managing Data Science
  • Managing The Family Business
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Operations Research
  • Responsible Leadership
  • Strategic Technology and Innovation Management
March - April

Electives (pick three)

  • Building and Scaling Successful Companies
  • Data Driven Entrepreneurship
  • Financial Statement Analysis and Valuation
  • Health Economics, Policy and Management
  • Investment Banking
  • Luxury Brand Management
  • Strategy Execution
  • Text, Image, and Video Mining
  • Visual Prototyping
Year 2

May - July

You will gain valuable work experience and the opportunity to apply theory learned in class through an internship in Germany or abroad. The Career Center supports you in finding an internship position via a broad range of activities such as individual career counseling, workshops, and company presentations.

September - December

The Master in International Business Program also includes a semester abroad at one of WHU's 200 partner universities worldwide. During the semester abroad, you will gain a global perspective and immerse yourself in another culture.

January - May

The Master thesis concludes your studies, providing you the opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge you have gained throughout the course of the Master Program. While writing your thesis, you will be supervised by a WHU faculty member. You may also write your thesis in collaboration with a company.

A helpful guide to our courses

For more information about all of the courses included in our Master in International Business, please click below.

a group of students sitting in a room with computers

Our faculty

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Asst. Professor Pisitta Vongswasdi
Core Module ‘Psychology of Leadership'
"The Psychology of Leadership course explores theories, research, and practice of leadership effectiveness to build a deeper understanding of the key issues in the psychology of leadership and leadership processes. Taking a collaborative learning approach, our course takes students through an iterative cycle of knowledge sharing, reflection, and experimentation. Students will learn to translate leadership research insights into evidence-based management practice. This course empowers future leaders to navigate diverse challenges, shaping a new era of responsible and visionary leadership. The course builds a foundation that goes beyond textbooks, embracing the complexities of leadership in a globalized world."
Professor Stefan Spinler
Core Module 'Designing Sustainable Global Supply Chains'
"COVID-19 showed us that global supply chains can be disrupted easily leaving shelves empty. In the Master in International Business program, you will learn how to make such supply chains more robust, resilient, and greener."
Professor Michael Frenkel
Core Module 'International Trade & Investment'
Professor Martin Glaum
Core Module 'International Accounting'
Professor Arnd Huchzermeier
Core Module 'The Analytic’s Edge'
Professor Jane Lê
Core Module 'International Strategy'
apl. Professor Tim Oliver Brexendorf
Core Module 'International Marketing Management'
Asst. Professor Anna Ressi
Core Module 'Managerial Economics'
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Optional Double Degree

After two semesters at one of our partner universities, WHU students secure a second degree, MBA or Master of Science, on top of their WHU Master of Science. Elevate your qualifications in just two additional semesters! 

a smiling woman in a graduation gown