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Pre-Master: Master's Degree in Business Administration for Career Changers

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What is a pre-master's degree?

A pre-master’s is a transfer programme that prepares students with a bachelor’s degree from a university of applied sciences or research university for a master’s programme. It has been designed for students who are not qualified for direct entry to the postgraduate (Master’s) programmes at CBS, in terms of academic qualifications, English language proficiency, and/or work experience. The aim of the Pre-Master programme is to prepare students for entry onto the postgraduate degree that CBS offers.

Career changers moving ahead

Economic correlations and the knowledge of tasks and processes in companies are usually studied in an undergraduate economics degree. Apart from classically trained business professionals, graduates of the naturals sciences or humanities also need to deepen their business knowledge in order to advance in their respective fields.

The CBS International Business School Pre-Master programme gives prospective students, who have completed an unrelated undergraduate degree the possibility of entering a Master’s programme in economics.

One programme – many possibilities

Depending on the level of your previous professional skills, it will be assessed individually whether you need to acquire basic business administration knowledge for one or two semesters before starting a Master’s programme.

Depending on the language the Master's programme is taught in, the course contents can be completed either in German or English. You also have the option to catch up on your missing ECTS points by completing an intensive course during the summer months. After successfully completing your agreed-on courses, and taking your previous economics skills into consideration, we will be able to grant you admission to the CBS Master’s programme.

Pre-Master Programme at a glance

Semester 1-2
Type of Study Full-time
Campus Cologne | Mainz

Start of Studies Summer Cologne | Mainz
Start of Studies Winter Cologne | Mainz
Study Fee* 5.370 €

*The displayed prices are tuition fees. Depending on the duration and language of the pre-master, the prices may differ. For non-EU students' fees please check the tuition fees information page. Status: January 2023.

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."

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Individual check and support

After an individual assessment of your documents, we will determine how many ECTS you need to catch up on. We, therefore, ask you to submit your complete documents (transcript of records, module handbook – if available) as well as your CV through our application form. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our study advisory on the respective campus.

Your options as a career changer:

Option 1:

Entry into a Master’s programme without any prior economic knowledge: usually two semesters in the German- or English- taught Bachelor programme; start: winter semester (September)

Option 2:

Entry into a Master’s programme with existing basic economic knowledge: usually one semester in the German- or English- taught Bachelor programme; start: summer (February) or winter semester (September)

Option 3:

Entry in an English or German taught Master’s programme with existing basic economic knowledge or entry in the German taught General Management without any prior business knowledge: Pre-semester as a digital intensive summer course (Crash Courses@CBS). English programme: May – July; German: May – August.

If you already have work experience you can also apply to our MBA programme.

Build up your expertise with a graduate degree

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