CBS 3+1 Programmes for International Students

>1000

Corporate partners

>180

Partner universities

4000

Students

CBS 3+1 Programmes for International Students

3+1 Programmes at CBS

Make the most of your study abroad and gain a second international Bachelor´s Degree within only 2 semesters. Complete your final year of studies in Germany and get the chance to complete a BA in International Business in addition to the degree of your home institution.

This programme is exclusively offered to students from selected partner universities. Please contact your home institution in order to find out, whether you are eligible to apply to the 3+1 Programme.

At CBS, internationality and practical orientation are our top priority. Currently, students from more than sixty-nine different countries study and share housing on our campus. This diversity creates a great atmosphere, which is appreciated by our students, professors, and staff alike.

CBS is full of opportunities for you: Besides improving your English and German proficiency, and developing your personal skills, you will find that our program’s ideal mix of academic and practice-oriented teaching fully prepares you for a career in today’s international business world. What’s more, you can benefit from a wide range of extracurricular activities, ranging from student clubs and initiatives to sports programs and field trips!

Structure of the 3+1 Programme

During your final year of studies with CBS, you will be able to focus on one of the 3 specialisations of Financial Management, Marketing Management or International Trade.

The study language is English. German language training is part of your study plan during the first semester and is provided as an additional certificate-rewarding module during the final semester.

Successful completion of the 3+1 degree will open doors for you on the job market of your home country, but also on the German job market.

The CBS BA degree in International Business will allow you to remain in Germany for 18 months after graduation in order to do an internship or find a job – or to continue your studies with us by applying for an English-taught Master Programme.

Study Course Plan

Some information about the study plan for the study programme 3+1 for International Students:

Financial Management

Financial Analysis3 ECTS

Key components of a set of domestic and foreign financial statements
Techniques of financial analysis (Ratio Analysis, Accounting Analysis, Cash Flow
Analysis)
Estimating Weighted Average Cost of Capital
Computing Free Cash Flows and Interpreting Earnings
Valuation

Integrative Case Study3 ECTS

Guide and Strategic Plan to Case study analysis
Writing a proper case study analysis report
In-depth Case Study Analysis with focus on Financial Management
Solving of interdisciplinary case studies with a focus on digital management

New Age Financial Markets & Institutions3 ECTS

Role of Underwriters
Understanding Money Markets – local and foreign
Introduction to Foreign Exchange
Introduction to Bond Markets – local and foreign
Introduction to Equity Markets – local and foreign
Central Banks and Regulatory Authorities across developed markets
Outlook to the further development of International Financial Markets

Financial Instruments3 ECTS

Overview of various types of fixed income securities, valuation of fixedincome securities, understanding bond ratings, securitisation and asset backed securities, risks associated with investing in bonds, understanding yield spreads,interpreting the yield curve, Spot rates and Forward rates, measurement of interest rate risk, bond portfolio management strategies in the international context
Derivatives instruments; Futures and forwards, option payoffs and options strategies, option valuation techniques

Concepts of Value & Risk3 ECTS

Introduction: Financial decision making and law of one price
Interest rates and quotes
Investment decision rules
Fundamentals of capital budgeting
Capital (global) markets and the risk of pricing
Optimal portfolio choice and CAPM
Estimating the cost of capital locally and internationally
Capital structure in perfect capital markets
Financial Distress and restructuring

Applied Financial Management3 ECTS

Objectives of financial decision making, also in multinational context
Investment principle – risk and return
Estimation challenges
Capital structure trade-offs
Finding the right financing mix
Timing, location and financing choices
Sustainability and ethics in finance

Strategic Management3 ECTS

Introduction to Strategy and Strategic Management
External Analysis: understanding opportunities and threats the environment offers
Internal Analysis: uncovering strengths and weaknesses of the organization
Generic business-level strategies for competitive advantage
Basic Corporate-level strategic choices for long-term profitability
Diversification strategy
Internationalization
Mergers and acquisitions
Strategic entrepreneurship
Strategic leadership
Social Responsibility and Ethics of Strategic Management
Basics of Corporate Governance

Marketing Management

Consumer Behaviour3 ECTS

Integrative Case Study3 ECTS

Guide and Strategic Plan to Case study analysis
Writing a proper case study analysis report
In-depth Case Study Analysis with focus on Financial Management
Solving of interdisciplinary case studies with a focus on digital management

Customer Relationship Management3 ECTS

Introduction to CRM
Relationship Marketing vs. Transactional Marketing in front of increased complexity in the contemporary global landscapes
Concept of the Customer Lifetime Value
Market Segmentation and the Customer Lifetime Value
Marketing Strategies in the field of CRM
Efficiency and effectiveness of loyalty programs
Privacy concerns and CRM
Future Trends in CRM

Corporate Communication3 ECTS

Supply Management3 ECTS

Industrial Buying Behaviour
New perception of supply management
The procurement marketing process
Situation Analysis: Defining critical supply problems, potentials, targets and strategies
Need Analysis: Defining the demand
Evaluating and Selecting Supply Markets
Supplier Evaluation: Find the ‘right supplier’
Supplier Relationship Management: Importance of supplier collaborations
Supplier Negotiation Process: Strategies and tools
Green procurement: Describing a sustainable procurement model
Creating a basis for sustainable procurement and integrating sustainable measures into procurement processes
Sustainable supplier management: Key theories and practices

Cost Management along the Value Chain3 ECTS

Strategic Management3 ECTS

Introduction to Strategy and Strategic Management
External Analysis: understanding opportunities and threats the environment offers
Internal Analysis: uncovering strengths and weaknesses of the organization
Generic business-level strategies for competitive advantage
Basic Corporate-level strategic choices for long-term profitability
Diversification strategy
Internationalization
Mergers and acquisitions
Strategic entrepreneurship
Strategic leadership
Social Responsibility and Ethics of Strategic Management
Basics of Corporate Governance

International Trade

International Trade Theory & Policy3 ECTS

Comparative advantage
Resource-based Heckscher-Olin model
Modern trade theories
Mobility of the factors of production
Trade policy and protectionism
International monetary and financial systems
Multinational corporation and “product cycle”
Global and regional trade regimes and organizations
Economic integration and the European Union
WTO
National efforts to boost innovation and competitiveness
International trade and globalization

Integrative Case Study3 ECTS

Guide and Strategic Plan to Case study analysis
Writing a proper case study analysis report
In-depth Case Study Analysis with focus on Financial Management
Solving of interdisciplinary case studies with a focus on digital management

International Trade Law3 ECTS

Based on the rules and regulations under the WTO, UN, EU and certain national laws the following contents will be covered:

Restrictions on trade in goods
Restrictions on trade in services
Minimum quality requirements
Intellectual property rights

International Trade Management3 ECTS

The organisation of import and export operations
Planning and preparations for export marketing strategy
International logistics and channels of distribution
Payment terms and procedures
Export sales contracts
Documentation, risk and insurance
Countertrade
Trade finance (L/C)
Import / Export regulations
Product selection and suppliers
The entry modes in international trade

Global Supply Chain Management3 ECTS

Fundamentals of international logistics
Inventory management
Warehouse management
Packaging and transportation
Procurement logistics
Production logistics
Distribution logistics
Disposal logistics
Basics of Supply Chain Management
Supply Chain Strategy & Design
Supply Chain Planning & Synchronization
Trends in supply chain management

Strategies of Multinational Enterprises3 ECTS

The strategic imperatives
Expanding abroad: motivations, means, and mentalities
Understanding the international context: responding to conflicting environmental forces
Understanding the impact of globalization and technological change on company’s ability to achieve and sustain above-average returns
Developing transnational strategies: building layers of competitive advantage
The organizational challenge
Developing a transnational organization: managing integration, responsiveness, and flexibility
Creating worldwide innovation and learning: exploiting cross border knowledge management
Engaging in cross border collaboration: managing across corporate boundaries
The managerial implications, including assessment of corporate strategic options such as internationalization, domestic and international merges and acquisitions, as well as strategic alliances under various environmental conditions in diverse international markets
Implementing the strategy: building multidimensional capabilities
The future of the transnational management model and its evolving global role

Strategic Management3 ECTS

Introduction to Strategy and Strategic Management
External Analysis: understanding opportunities and threats the environment offers
Internal Analysis: uncovering strengths and weaknesses of the organization
Generic business-level strategies for competitive advantage
Basic Corporate-level strategic choices for long-term profitability
Diversification strategy
Internationalization
Mergers and acquisitions
Strategic entrepreneurship
Strategic leadership
Social Responsibility and Ethics of Strategic Management
Basics of Corporate Governance

Interdisciplinary competencies - All programmes

German as a Foreign Language*6 ECTS

Understanding European Culture2 ECTS

Scientific Working I2 ECTS

Financial Management

Ethical Aspects of Finance3 ECTS

This course focuses on basic ethical concepts and how they might be applied in the world of Financial Management. The course starts with four basic questions:

What is ethical behaviour?” – “Why is Business Ethics important for Financial Management?
What has been done so far to integrate Business Ethics into Financial Management? and –
What can be done to integrate Business Ethics into Financial Management more effectively in the future?

On the basis of these questions several instruments and projects in Financial Management will be studied, discussed and analysed.

Strategic Management in Banking & Finance3 ECTS

The lecture is divided into three course sections:

Introduction and review of concepts
Banks as Financial Intermediaries
General Principles of Bank Management

Marketing Management

Social Media Marketing3 ECTS

Every year, state-of-the-art topics in Social Media Marketing will be presented, analyzed, and developed. The topics will be changed in the respective semester, responding to current trends. Examples for the contents of Social Media Marketing are:

Crowdsourcing
Personality Branding
Social Media Customer Service Center
Social Media for B2B communication.

Optimizing the Sales Process3 ECTS

International Trade

E-Commerce3 ECTS

International Trade & Finance3 ECTS

Principles of financial transactions
Risk identification
Structure of clean payments and documentary credits
Cross border leasing
International factoring
Project finance

Programme specific teaching units - All programmes

Business Simulation Game4 ECTS

In a business simulation game participants have to manage their own virtual company which operates in the same market as other participant-operated competitors. This involves making typical management decisions in realistic environments. Beside the deepening and active examination of subject-specific knowledge the simulation games also include the team environment, where interaction, communication and prioritization are of paramount importance. Participants learn how to manage risk and uncertainty while time is limited and information constrained. Group-reflections help to take over different perspectives and to discuss pros and cons of content- as well as behaviour-related actions.

Bachelor Thesis + Tutorial13 ECTS

During the Bachelor Thesis Tutorial you will learn the fundamentals for your Bachelor thesis: Defining the topic as well as structuring the thesis and you will learn the theoretical knowledge for scientific working.

During your 2nd semester you are working on your Bachelor thesis. You have 12 weeks to complete your thesis and the subject is freely selectible. A supervisor from CBS will support you and you can write the thesis in collaboration with a company as well.

Interdisciplinary competencies - All programmes

English for Academic Purposes4 ECTS

Scientific Working II2 ECTS

drei-plus-eins-ulrich-anders-gruppenfoto

Cologne – Living and learning in the Rhine Metropolis

Cologne – Student city and multicultural metropolis in the Heart of Europe

A pro CBS International Business School decision is always a decision for the city of Cologne. As one of Germany’s largest and best-loved university cities, Cologne has plenty to offer and attracts students from Germany and all over the world. The city, the people, the culture and the economy – Cologne is a pure experience. Cologne boasts more than 1 million inhabitants, of which 95,000 alone are students. The pub and party scene in Cologne is as colourful and diverse as the city itself.

Study in the heart of Europe and take weekend trips to Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels or Berlin – all of which are only a stone´s throw away!

Art, culture and carnival

Cologne is a tolerant and liberal city where you feel at home very quickly. The inhabitants of Cologne are open, direct, talkative, cheerful and always in a celebratory mood – the embodiment of the cheerful Rhenish nature.

Whether the Lanxess Arena, the Cologne Opera or Philharmonic – international stars perform on several stages in Cologne. Not only the home football club, 1. FC Köln, plays in the RheinEnergieStadion, but also renowned world stars repeatedly perform there.

The Cologne Cathedral, Cologne’s showpiece and landmark, alone draws in excess of 6 million visitors from all over the world to the cathedral city each year.

Experience carnival in Cologne like nowhere else in the world. The city is in an exceptional state during the wild days. The fifth season, the carnival session, starts on November 11 at 11.11 am for the inhabitants of Cologne and runs through February.

Vibrant economy

In professional life later, the proximity of the CBS to the economy pays off. Cologne is a location with a long-standing commercial and trade fair tradition. Numerous commercial enterprises and industrial firms, for example from the metal, automobile, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, printing or textiles industries just as the music and media sector are searching for enthusiastic and highly motivated junior employees who wish to shape their future successfully. Well-known TV programmes such as WDR, RTL and VOX are located in Cologne. However, a large number of computer, Internet and telecommunications companies also make Cologne a dynamic IT location.

Semester Dates

Start of Program in the Fall Semester

Application deadline: 1 May

Semester 1

Introduction Week: End of August	Start of lectures: End of August	End of lectures: End of November
Exam period: Beg. of December - Mid December

Semester 2

Start of lectures: End of January	End of lectures: End of March	Exam Period: End of March - mid April
Bachelor Thesis: Mid April - June	Graduation Ceremony: End of August

Start of Program in the Spring Semester

Application deadline: 1 November

Semester 1

Introduction Week: End of January	Start of lectures: End ofJanuary	End of lectures: End of May
Exam period: Mid May - Beginning of June

Semester 2

Start of lectures: End of August	End of lectures: Mid October	Exam Period: Mid October - End of October
Bachelor Thesis: End of October - End of December	Graduation Ceremony: End of January

This is What Our Students Say

Philip Kollmann

Project Manager
Wayne´s Coffee

"Especially the soft skill courses have been of great help for my performance in job interviews. Through my work in the Finance and Business Club I have built up a broad network and acquired project management skills that have enabled me to score points with companies."

Oliver Kiderle

EMEA Regional Product Expert
Google Inc.

"The focus on internationality and practical skills have had a very positive influence on my development at Google. Especially the structured and very versatile project work, which is often found at a private school, was extremely helpful."

Katrin Rieger

Bereichsdirektorin Reisevertrieb Deutschland / Vice President Sales
HanseMerkur Krankenversicherung

"The practical learning in small groups prepared me optimally for today's project and team work. The CBS provided me with the decisive soft skills and current knowledge from the world of business."

Kalle Kenkel

Commercial Excellence Manager
GE Healthcare

"My studies at CBS prepared me for a career in today's dynamic, global work environment. As one's origin and physical location become less and less decisive, it has become increasingly important to have a multinational network and adapt quickly to various cultures and environments."

Neil Jordaan

Global Digital Content Manager
Elanco

"Many professors shared their professional business experience with us in class and were able to illustrate dry theory with practical examples. I also enjoyed the international atmosphere on campus."

Christopher Rosenbaum

Manager
Ernst & Young GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft

"The Management Studies programme prepares you thoroughly for the tasks of a consultant. In particular, the development of presentation techniques as well as analytical thinking is of enormous importance in the everyday life of a consultant."

Britta Jansen

HR Business Partner
HRS Group

"The CBS is an internationally oriented and very practically orientated university which prepared me very well for the professional world through the compulsory internship, the courses offered and the required project/group work."

Patrick Stein

Head of Human Resources
Boston Consulting Group

"The strongly practice-oriented studies and the international orientation of the CBS, as well as the lectures held in English, were an absolutely necessary basis for starting a career with a renowned, international company."

Application

Applicants must have successfully completed 3 years of studies in a Business related study programme which has been approved by your home institution for the 3+1 Programme. As the courses at CBS are fully taught in English a high English language proficiency is essential.

Students from international partner universities must be nominated by their home institution before starting the CBS application process.

If you want to apply as a 3+1 Student, please contact the International Office by email for your weblink to the online application form.