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Countless opportunities with an MBA degree

Today, the variety of Master's programs is unlimited, but one academic degree in particular stands out: the MBA degree is the pinnacle of international business studies and offers excellent career opportunities for managers.

Is getting an MBA worth it?

The MBA degree is highly recognised and in demand, especially internationally. The career opportunities are not only diverse, they also take place in the areas of the best-paid jobs in the world. The main reason for this is the specific know-how that is imparted to students within a fairly short period of time. Practice-oriented modules abroad take students to the currently leading countries of the biggest global players: USA, China and India. If you are looking for one of the best MBA schools in Germany, then WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management is the right choice for you. With an MBA degree, you are clearly in the very best professional company. An appropriate network also guarantees this education. So you can say an MBA degree is worth the costs.

What is an MBA degree and is an MBA a Masters?

Yes, an MBA is a Masters. The MBA abbreviation stands for Master of Business Administration. This essentially means that it trains future decision-makers for middle and senior management. The MBA General Management already carries this mission in its name. As a rule, the Master builds on a Bachelor's degree or comparable other degree. According to the international MBA definition, the aim of this training is to provide graduates with the perfect tools for a career in a management position. The fields in which they strive for this are extremely diverse. They range from economics and natural sciences to technical disciplines and medicine. MBA graduates are still in particular demand in the fields of consulting and marketing as well as banking and financial management.

What content can I expect in the MBA program at WHU?

If you study for an MBA full-time, you can graduate after just one year. That is just over two semesters. The curriculum includes three compulsory core modules at the beginning:

  • Understanding Financial Performance
  • Exploiting Market Opportunities
  • Managing in the Organisation

The elective modules are designed to build on this acquired knowledge and can be devoted to these topics, depending on personal preference:

  • Strategy and Organisation
  • Marketing & Sales
  • Entrepreneurship and Innovation
  • Advanced Finance.

The international modules are designed to give students a first insight into the global business world. To this end, we organise one module each over the course of a week at one of our partner universities in the USA, China and India. Our management practice workshops ensure that, in addition to the intensive theoretical aspect, practical application examples are not neglected. For students whose native language is not German, WHU offers the option of an accompanying language immersion course. However, the lessons are held in English. Last but not least, leading and managing at a high level naturally requires a corresponding personality. The MBA program provides a separate continuing education unit for this purpose. The area of "Personality and Leadership Development" is intended to explore and strengthen personal leadership qualities.

The final project concludes this degree program and is intended to be a kind of comprehensive summary of what has been taught in the course of this high-quality and demanding education.

Which MBA program is the right one for me?

No one should be denied the diverse options that this internationally recognized degree brings with it. WHU therefore offers three different MBA programs that lead prospective students with the most diverse requirements to the same goal:

Full-Time MBA 

Our Full Time MBA program is a full-time study program, which leads to a degree after only 12 months. The comprehensive curriculum, including stays abroad, is designed to prepare students in the best possible way for their future role as decision-makers. The attendance parts are held at our campus in Düsseldorf.

Part-time MBA

For those who need to balance work and study, our Part Time MBA is the perfect choice. The program lasts 24 months. The attendance parts take place on an average of two weekends per month on Saturday and Sunday. The contents are the same as those of the full-time version. The classroom teaching also takes place on site in Düsseldorf. The stays abroad are similar to those of the Full Time MBA, with one week each in the USA, China and India.

Why study an MBA part-time? 

Competitive pressure is also increasing on the labour market. In addition, globalisation is forcing companies to cast their nets wider and wider in order to be able to assert themselves in the best possible way on the international stage. Unfortunately, performance, diligence and loyalty are no longer enough to advance professionally. A part-time MBA is not only a solid argument for salary negotiations. It also demonstrates stamina, resilience and above all: determination.

Is an Online MBA respected? 

The Online MBA is definitely the most flexible option of all. It can be combined very well with a professional career, but also takes into account the compatibility of career, further education and family, if applicable. The study period varies between 24 and 36 months. All teaching units are offered online and are therefore available anywhere in the world. One week can be spent on a module abroad. On-site attendance is only necessary for the intermediate exams.

Executive MBA – Who qualifies for an executive MBA? 

The Executive MBA (abbreviation EMBA), like the regular MBA, is aimed at experienced managers in executive positions who would like to further their career on a part-time basis. Prospective EMBA students should have at least 8 years of professional experience. The Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA program is offered at seven different locations and enables international networking with top executives.

What are the requirements for an MBA program?

The MBA requirements are individually regulated at each university or college.

MBA study requirements at WHU:

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

  • A minimum of 2 years of professional experience
  • fully completed application form
  • fully completed questionnaire
  • a meaningful letter of recommendation (supervisor or professor/lecturer)
  • a GMAT score of at least 600
  • a TOEFL score of at least 100 IBT.

After a thorough review of all documents, an interview will take place. Approximately two weeks later, applicants will find out whether they have been admitted to the Master's program.

What career opportunities do I have with an MBA degree?

The majority of MBA students aspire to a position with management responsibility after graduation. Whether the leap into a management position is successful depends to a large extent on which professional prerequisites graduates bring with them in addition to the MBA. Therefore, the range of careers after the MBA is correspondingly diverse and basically there is hardly an area that can do without MBA graduates today. A large number of MBA graduates pursue careers in traditional sectors such as consulting, banking and financial services, followed by the ever-growing technology and start-up sector as well as the consumer goods, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. A Master of Business Administration is generalist in nature and allows graduates to continue their careers in a wide variety of positions regardless of industry. WHU MBA graduates occupy positions as consultants, project managers in marketing & sales, finance, business development or operations. MBA Leadership Programs, which are specifically offered for MBA graduates, are also very popular. Click here for the current career data of MBA graduates.

How much does an MBA increase your salary?

An MBA salary depends on a variety of factors, such as professional experience, additional qualifications and management experience. On the company side, the industry, size of the company and also the location influence the salaries that graduates can achieve after the Master of Business Administration. The WHU MBA Career Center produces an annual Employment Report, which is available for download on the WHU homepage. In the extremely challenging year 2019, MBA graduates received an average salary of €77,897 and achieved a salary increase of 68%. The maximum salary was €123,500 and the median €76,250.

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