Masters in Business Psychology & Management

REQUEST A BROCHURE

>800

Corporate Partners

>160

Partner Universities

3000

Students

Master of Science in Business Psychology and Management (M.Sc.) in Germany

master-business-psychology-and-management-studentin

Three disciplines in a course of study in business psychology

It is not possible to predict or calculate how consumers will react in the economic cycle or how employees will react in change processes. Business psychologists play an important role in these questions due to their sound academic, interdisciplinary training: First, they possess the psychological expertise to positively influence and steer employees or customers. Second, they have a deep understanding of business administration, which helps them to shape change processes in the organisational structure in a sustainable way. Third, their management know-how enables them to manage internal restructuring particularly efficiently. Business psychology and management are essential for a sustainably growing company.

A Master’s degree in Business Psychology and Management qualifies you for high-level management positions in marketing, advertising and strategy as well as in leadership and human resources.

Start an international career with a Master’s degree in Business Psychology

Our Master of Science programme “Business Psychology and Management” is one of the few programmes in Germany that offers the professional orientation of business psychology in English. It has been specially tailored to the requirements of executives in international companies: Students not only receive excellent professional training, but also qualify in the areas of self-, project and team management, international project management and reflected leadership behaviour.

Masters in Business Psychology - What will you learn?

In the first semesters you will focus mainly on topics from strategic management and international business, which will be conveyed in a practice-oriented manner using various case studies. These include seminars and lectures such as:

Innovation Management and Digital Transformation
Strategic Analysis and Management
International Economics
Applied Management Accounting

Learn more about business psychology, and why it is important!

Business Psychology Master's at a glance

ECTS 120
Semester 4
Language English
Type of Study Full-time
Degree Master of Science
Campus Cologne | Mainz
Internship Integrated
Semester Abroad Optional

Start of Studies Winter Cologne | Mainz
Study Fee* 5.490€

*The displayed prices are semester fees. For non-EU students' fees please check the tuition fees information page. Status: March 2021.

Study Course Plan

Some information about the study plan for the study programme Masters in Business Psychology:

General business teaching units

Business Economics3 ECTS

Demand analysis & estimating demand
Supply and market equilibrium
Production economics
Cost analysis
Estimating cost functions and production functions
Economies of scale
Prices, output and strategy in different markets
Game theory models of oligopoly
Pricing techniques and analysis
Government regulation

Empirical Research Methods3 ECTS

Quantitative and qualitative methods
Development of a research question
Steps of research process
Methods of data collection
Sampling
Data analysis using statistical software programs (SPSS or R)
Writing a research report

Strategic Analysis & Management3 ECTS

Strategy making process and strategic reasoning
Cultural and institutional context of strategic management
Network-level strategies
Corporate development and configuration
Strategic change and corporate restructuring
Strategy evaluation and strategic controls

Innovation Management & Digital Transformation3 ECTS

Dynamics of innovation & their implications for change management
Individual creativity and invention
Corporate creativity & intrapreneuring
Technology management
Innovation and technology strategies
Managing innovations
Diffusion of innovations
Cultural differences in innovation capability
Contemporary trends in innovation management

Corporate Social Responsibility3 ECTS

Cornerstones of sustainable management
CSR as management approach
Practical approaches of organizational effectiveness
Tools for CSR implementation
CSR and financial performance
Life cycle assessment

Corporate Governance3 ECTS

Historical developments around the world
Directors and board structures in different parts of the world
Family business governance
Role of institutional investors
Corporate governance in mergers and acquisitions
Socially responsible investments
Corporate governance in different regions

Programme specific teaching units

General Psychology3 ECTS

Foundations of Psychology
Perception, Attention, Cognitions, Thinking, Awareness, Ideas, Emotions, Motivation, Memory, Intelligence, Self-concept
Memory structures and memory processes
Heuristics as a special form of social information processing
Overview of business psychology topics
Overview of research methods

Psychological Decision Making & Responsibility3 ECTS

Conducting psychological interviews
Psychological negotiation techniques
Crisis and conflict counselling
Phases of escalation
Phase-specific intervention
Decision-based management: managerial decisions from a psychological point of view

Interdisciplinary competencies

Advanced Intercultural Team Leadership2 ECTS

Cultural theories and models
The influence of culture on behaviour
Team typologies
Phases of team development
Trust and control
Emergence and avoidance of conflicts
Leadership verses management
Leadership styles

Applied Qualitative Research2 ECTS

Differentiation between qualitative and quantitative research
Designs of qualitative research
Data collection methods
Processes of data preparation
Data evaluation criteria

Language & Communication Skills2 ECTS

The “Scholarly Writing and Analysis” course is offered for German native speakers. German as a foreign language is offered as an obligatory course for Non-native German speakers.

General business teaching units

International Economics3 ECTS

Globalization and income
Globalization and international trade
Trade and comparative advantage
Trade barriers and trade policy
Firm location, distance and transport costs
Currency crises and exchange rate policy
Financial crises, firms and the open economy

Applied Management Accounting3 ECTS

Managerial accounting and global business environment
Cost term, terms and classifications
Systems design: Job-order costing
Systems design: Process costing
Cost-volume-profit relationships
Sustainability and ethics in accounting decision making

Programme specific teaching units

Psychology In Digital Leadership & Agile Management3 ECTS

Leadership Theories
Theoretical concepts for communication with employees
Methods of agile management
Technological development effecting leadership
Instruments and methods of digital leadership

Advertising Psychology & Sales Management3 ECTS

advertising and advertising impact
Targets of advertising
Information processing of advertising
Emotional effects
Applying psychology to advertising and marketing
Implicit associations and attitudes as well as their measurement
Subliminal influencing
Intra- and interpersonal influences on attitudes, preferences and behaviour
Psychological principles of conscious and unconscious decisions

Market Research & Marketing Psychology3 ECTS

Introduction to market research in the consumer goods sector
Phases and methods of market research and buyer behaviour
Selected methods of data acquisition, data preparation and data analysis various types of market research studies
Special benefit potential of data scanning for market research and buyer behaviour research
Different methods of data scanning acquisition
Market research activities

Business Project6 ECTS

The overall objective of this course is to provide students with possibility of applying their business knowledge on concrete business situation, related to the field of their specialization.

By the end of the module students should be able to:

Define project goals for the “client”.
Work under the set timeframe and agreed project scope.
Cooperate in the international project teams.
Evaluate markets/ industries/ competitive landscapes.
Develop possible strategic directions for the “client” business.
Formulate recommendations.

Elective area

Business Elective3 ECTS

By choosing Business Electives in the second and third semester you can personalize your degree course and extend your management knowledge. The following are examples of the types of courses on offer. Typically you have the choice between two or three different electives:

Corporate Strategy and Renewal
Digital Network Economy
Digital Leadership
Portfolio Theory
Power Pricing
Finance & Growth
Advanced Portfolio Management
Branding
International HRM
Start-up Management & Business Modeling
Trader in Capital Markets

Interdisciplinary competencies

Project & Change Management2 ECTS

Basic competence (Project specifications, project goals and evaluation, project phases and cycles, project norms and rules)
Social competence (Communication, motivation, groups and team structures, leadership, conflict management)
Methodological competence (Structural aspects, time management, cost management, human resource management, creativity and problem solving)
Organisational competence (Quality management, documentation, risk management, project start and closure)

Applied Quantitative Research2 ECTS

Strengths and weaknesses of quantitative research
Criteria of Measurement Quality (Reliability, Validity, Objectivity)
Levels of Measurement (nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio)
Scales of Measurement (e.g. Likert, Guttman, semantic differential…)
The logic of sampling (populations and sampling frames)
Obtaining quantitative data (observation studies and survey research)
Questionnaire construction and interview techniques

Language & Communication Skills2 ECTS

The “Scholarly Writing and Analysis” course is offered for German native speakers. German as a foreign language is offered as an obligatory course for Non-native German speakers.

Programme specific teaching units

Work & Organisational Psychology3 ECTS

Models of labour practices
Work analysis and evaluation
Job design
Work motivation, satisfaction and performance
Complaints management
Self-management: definition and techniques
Selected examples of work and organisational psychology in professional practice

Human Resource Development & Coaching3 ECTS

Performance appraisal
Human resources development
Needs analysis and various forms of training and personnel development
Transfer and evaluation of personnel development measures
International posting
Employee appraisals and target agreement
Customer orientation
Social skills
Development of coaching

Modern Trends of Applied Business Psychology3 ECTS

Aptitude diagnostics and personnel selection
Recruiting / recruitainment
Shared economy
SMART working
Talent management
Performance management
Diversity management
Leadership in virtual teams

Psychological Testing, Assessment & Statistics3 ECTS

Methods of data collection
Descriptive data analysis: proportions, frequency distributions
Correlation tin order to calculate relationships
Inferential statistical statements on context and difference hypotheses
Differences between groups: t-test and analysis of variance
Test procedures for nominal or ordinal scaled data
Effect sizes
The concept of test strength

Business Simulation Game3 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 behavior-related actions.

Master Thesis Tutorial2 ECTS

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

Elective area

Business Elective3 ECTS

Corporate Strategy and Renewal
Digital Network Economy
Digital Leadership
Portfolio Theory
Power Pricing
Finance & Growth
Advanced Portfolio Management
Branding
International HRM
Start-up Management & Business Modeling
Trader in Capital Markets

Interdisciplinary competencies

Skills Elective2 ECTS

In the Soft Skills Courses you will improve your social, leadership and project management skills. Additionally to the courses in the first and second semester you can choose another one in the third semester. Decide for yourself which of your personal competences you want to push forward.

Experimental Research2 ECTS

Psychological experimentation as an application of the scientific method
Identifying the problem and defining the research question
Formulating a testable hypothesis
Operationalisation of the dependent and independent variable
Planning and conducting an experiment
Choosing the right experimental plan (experimental and quasi-experimental)
Different experimental designs (e.g. randomized or matched groups; factorial designs; within or between subject designs, …)

Language & Communication Skills2 ECTS

The “Scholarly Writing and Analysis” course is offered for German native speakers. German as a foreign language is offered as an obligatory course for Non-native German speakers.

Programme specific teaching units

Master Thesis18 ECTS

During your 4th semester you are working on your Master thesis. You have 19 weeks to complete your thesis and the subject is freely selectable. A supervisor from CBS will support you and you can write the thesis in collaboration with a company as well. Or you can write your thesis in connection with a stay abroad.

Internship or Study Abroad10 ECTS

You can choose between an internship (lasting at least eight weeks) or a semester abroad at one of our partner universities.

master-business-psychology-and-management

Expertise in business management & psychology

Starting in the second semester, the focus will change to business psychology research on customers and digital business: In courses such as “Advertising Psychology & Sales Management” or “Market Research & Marketing Psychology”, you will learn how you can better understand and positively influence the purchasing decision processes of customers using psychological analysis methods. Further courses with an emphasis on business psychology await you:

Psychology in Digital Leadership & Agile Management
Work and Organisational Psychology
Human Resource Development and Coaching
Modern Trends of Applied Business Psychology

Business Management & Psychology career path - What can I do with a master's in business psychology?

A Master of Science degree in Business Psychology and Management in Germany offers you numerous career opportunities in international companies – whether as a freelance consultant or as an employee in middle and upper management. Alumni of a Master of Business Psychology with a focus on management will find employment:

in recruiting, personnel selection and aptitude diagnostics
in people team management
in personnel and organisational development
in coaching
in strategy consulting
in marketing management
in communication and advertising management
in agile or change management
in market and opinion research

As a further option, a doctoral programme in this subject area at our university is open to you following your master’s degree in business psychology.

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."

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."

Christopher Rosenbaum

Manager
Ernst & Young GmbH
Wirschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft

"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."

Brita 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."

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."

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."

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."

Build up your expertise with a graduate degree

Discover the CBS by joining our Online Information Sessions or Trial Lectures

Online Information Session Master's

Online Information Session MBA

Teaser_Infoveranstaltungen_Schnupperstudium_MA

#Tryourstudies - Trial Lectures

Practical and diverse: Masters in Business Psychology and Management

During your business psychology master’s degree, you will gain important practical experience within the context of our business projects, where you will work together with business partners on real or realistic business cases, aswell as during an eight-week internship at home and abroad. If you wish, you can write your Master Thesis in the fourth semester as a project in a company of your choice.

Take your next step

NEED MORE REASONS? FIND OUT WHY CBS IS THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR YOU

INTERNATIONAL
PRACTICE ORIENTED
ACCREDITED
PERSONAL

Learn more about us and our graduate programmes

You would like to inform yourself about our Bachelor and Master programs at home in peace? Request your information material now without obligation and free of charge, and we will be happy to send you our study information material by e-mail.

Follow us on Instagram & Facebook, get to know us at one of our Information Events, or Contact our student advisors to learn more about us.

Anika Zaeske

Study advisory: Campus Cologne
Got any questions? We are happy to help!

Phone:	+49 (0) 221 93 18 09-31
WhatsApp:	Reach us on WhatsApp
E-Mail:	study@cbs.de

Leah Krug

Study advisory: Campus Mainz
Got any questions? We are happy to help!

Phone:	+49 (0) 6131 88055 31
WhatsApp:	Reach us on WhatsApp
E-Mail:	study@cbs.de

Ida Möhrke

Study advisory: Campus Berlin/Potsdam
Got any questions? We are happy to help!

Phone:	+49 (0) 178 57 61 749
WhatsApp:	Reach us on WhatsApp
E-Mail:	study@cbs.de

This is What Our Students Say

Philip Kollmann

Project Manager
Wayne´s Coffee

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."

Christopher Rosenbaum

Manager
Ernst & Young GmbH
Wirschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft

Brita Jansen

HR Business Partner
HRS Group

Oliver Kiderle

EMEA Regional Product Expert
Google Inc.

Kalle Kenkel

Commercial Excellence Manager
GE Healthcare

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."

Patrick Stein

Head of Human Resources
Boston Consulting Group