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    Entrepreneurship degree: All information at a Glance

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    Entrepreneurial studies degree: all the information you need at a glance.

    pillarpages_was ist entrepreneurship

    An Entrepreneurship degree from a top business school

    An entrepreneurial studies degree is an excellent choice that will prepare you to found your own start-up. Or you might take entrepreneurship jobs in dynamic companies that are constantly reinventing themselves. Starting a business and successfully turning your business ideas into reality requires a lot of skills, talent, and contacts. You can find all of this at CBS, combined with a lot of practical experience. This makes CBS a top business school for people with an entrepreneurial spirit. You also have the option of choosing between German-language and English-language Bachelor's and Master's entrepreneurial studies programmes. The content of the English-language programme has a stronger focus on international entrepreneurship. The German-language programme entitled "Entrepreneurship in Germany" considers the economic and legal situation in Germany in greater detail. Our study advisory team will be happy to help you with choosing the right course. 

    • Bachelor's degree entrepreneurial studies programmes: CBS offers Bachelor's programmes in business administration with entrepreneurship modules. Study entrepreneurial studies full-time in English or German, or start a dual study programme. Begin by learning the basics of business administration and then expand your entrepreneur skills during your studies. Or be bold and find real world applications for those skills. Some CBS alumni have even founded their own companies during their Bachelor's entrepreneurial studies. Anything is possible.

    • Master's degree programmes: The CBS offers specialist master's degree programmes for entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs, including part-time options. Further down on this page you will find more information on the entrepreneurial studies degree programmes

    • Support for entrepreneurs: professors with entrepreneurial spirit, the CBS Founders Factory, and a history of start-ups from CBS alumni show that it is a very good environment and a stepping stone for business careers.

    What is Entrepreneurship?

    Entrepreneurship in a broader sense means "entrepreneurship", i.e. the complete range of business management: How do I find worthwhile business ideas and opportunities? How do I set goals and achieve them? How do I shape and develop the business? How do I lead teams? How do I enable growth? While most of the points are normal management topics, the entrepreneurial spirit factor stands out: Entrepreneurship means believing in your own ideas, accepting uncertainty, taking risks, inspiring investors, teams and customers, and making bold decisions.

    What is an Entrepreneur?

    Entrepreneurs are simply businesswomen or businessmen - that is, courageous individuals who start their own company or join an existing one to develop it further. The main difference from employed managers or external consultants is the complete responsibility for their own company: entrepreneurs cannot simply quit and apply elsewhere, they must achieve success in their own business. To do so, it may be necessary to continually question the business model and the entire company, and possibly make radical changes.

    What is an Entrepreneurship degree?

    In an entrepreneurship degree programme, you will learn how to start, manage, and reform businesses. At the CBS, the entrepreneurship programme is based on business administration. The reason for this is that every company or startup functions in the same basic way: you need a business idea, you need funding, and you must succeed in the market by growing and putting together effective teams. You will learn these foundational skills in a business administration programme. In the entrepreneurship programme, we focus specifically on the topic of business management. Modules like marketing, supply chain management, or business psychology are also included in the entrepreneurship course but play a secondary role.

    What can you expect from an entrepreneurship career, and will it suit you?

    What do you learn in entrepreneurial studies? At the CBS, you will find a fully-fledged business administration degree programme. Our programme focuses on various entrepreneurship topics that depend on the course of study. Students may focus on careers in small startups, or challenges for growing or mature startups. They may study transformative tasks in established family businesses, in the medium-sized sector, or how to change international corporations. These points play a big role in entrepreneurial studies:


    The entrepreneurship course will prepare you for all aspects of starting and running your own business, including legal and regulatory issues:

    • Develop and evolve business strategies with the goal of growth

    • Find, recognize, evaluate, develop, and succeed with business ideas

    • Question traditional business models and structures

    • Recognize and take advantage of the opportunities of sustainable and social entrepreneurship

    • Build and maintain teams and networks

    • Make risky decisions with little or contradictory information

    • Manage scarce resources, such as capital and manpower

    • Realize success in disruptive competitive situations

    • Learn from successful founders' personalities

    • Do you have entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to start and develop your own business?

    • Are you unsatisfied with the first solution and constantly looking for new ideas and innovations? If so, entrepreneurial studies could be ideal for you. 

    • What is innovation in the context of the market environment?

    • Do you see yourself in a leadership role in the future?

    • Do you want to take responsibility, even if it sometimes means taking personal risks?

    • Do you want to develop and grow business ideas?

    If the answer is yes, the entrepreneurial studies degree program is a perfect choice. Since the CBS is a business school, we place a great emphasis on business administration and management learning content. We seek to integrate theory and practice in all of our programs. Since a high level of soft skills are also required, social modules are part of all entrepreneurship courses at the CBS. This is a big plus when building careers in entrepreneurship.


    Entrepreneurship study programmes at CBS

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    What are the contents of an entrepreneurship degree programme?

    Entrepreneurship and management are cross-disciplinary subjects. Running a business requires knowledge in all areas of company management: strategy, finance, personnel, marketing – all topics are ultimately decided by you.

    However, within entrepreneurship courses, you can focus on specific areas: with generalist bachelor's programmes, you can keep all doors open for the time being. Whether you want to run your own business later or head in the direction of consulting, you don't have to know that at the start of your entrepreneurial studies. Thanks to the wide range of specializations and elective entrepreneurship courses, you can always tailor your studies to your individual needs: are you specifically interested in the digital economy, or do you place more emphasis on leadership skills? You decide.

    Should you choose to continue, you can specialize with an entrepreneurial studies master's programme. We offer specific master's programmes to consolidate your entrepreneurship knowledge.

    The content of the entrepreneurial studies programme depends on whether you want to enroll in a bachelor's or a master's programme. For this reason, the requirements of Master’s and Bachelor’s entrepreneurial studies courses are presented separately.

    Bachelor

    At first, you will be taught general economic content surrounding business management and entrepreneurship. This consists of the following components.

    • Basic principles of business administration

    • Business simulation game

    • Business law

    • Human resource management and corporate leadership

    • Mathematics

    • Statistics

    • Financial Accounting

    • Microeconomics

    • Macroeconomics

    • Organizational and process management

    • Corporate control

     

    In addition, the following programme-specific teaching content is added to complete the bachelor of entrepreneurship:

    • Marketing & Market Research

    • Human Resource Management

    • Supply Management 

    • Strategic Management 

    • Procurement & Logistics

    • Conflict Management and business coaching


    The following interdisciplinary skills are also part of the course:

    • Business English

    • Self-management and learning

    • Communication and conversation 

    • Negotiation techniques

    • Leadership behavior and methods

    • Teamwork & team development

    • Decision-making procedures and risk management


    Master

    The Master's entrepreneurial studies programme will deepen your knowledge of business management and entrepreneurship. Initially, you will be taught general economic content in depth. This consists of the following components:

    • Business Economics

    • Strategic Analysis & Management 

    • Innovation Management & Digital Transformation

    • Corporate Social Responsibility and social entrepreneurship

    • Sustainable Supply Chain Management

    • International Marketing 

    • Corporate Accounting & Annual Financial Statement Planning 

    • Investment & Financial Accounting 


    In addition, the following programme-specific teaching content is added to complete the Master’s of entrepreneurship:

    • Customer Relationship Management

    • Strategic Human Resource Management & Leadership

    • Service & Brand Management

    • Strategic Digital & Social Media Marketing

    • Business Model Development & Start-Up Management

    • Entrepreneurial & Innovative Thinking 

    • Innovation Management

    • Growth & Financing of Start-Ups


    In addition, interdisciplinary competencies are taught:

    • International project management

    • Language and communication skills

    • Intercultural team leadership for advanced students

    • Business plan writing and pitching

    • Creative Thinking & Innovation

    • Leadership

    What are the requirements for the entrepreneurship studies programme?

    Bachelor

    For the Bachelor's programmes, you need a university entrance qualification, such as a high school diploma. You can apply even if you do not yet have the certificate. If English is the language of study, a good command of English is also necessary. To prove your English language skills, you need to present a certificate of English language proficiency, which must be older than two years. Alternatively, you have the possibility to take the CBS free online English test.

    Master

    To be admitted to a master's entrepreneurial studies programme at CBS, you must have a first academic degree (bachelor's, diploma, or master's) from a recognized German or international university, university of applied sciences, or professional academy with a minimum grade of "good". If this grade point average was not achieved in the first-degree programme, a separate admission process must be completed. The first-degree programme should be in an economic field and have a total of at least 180 ECTS credits

    NC

    All programmes at CBS are non-restricted enrollment (NC-free). This means that our team will review your application individually and conduct a job application interview with you. In addition to the formal requirements, we also consider whether the entrepreneurial studies programme is a good fit for you.


    You can find all information about the application process and requirements at CBS here

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    How does the entrepreneurship study programme work?

     

    The entrepreneurship bachelor's degree programmes normally have 180 ECTS and are full-time - in attendance or dual - and last six semesters. Depending on the programme, a semester abroad is integrated. In some programmes, you have the option of adding a seventh semester, bringing your total to 210 ECTS. This is an exciting opportunity to take a 90-ECTS master's degree later on.

    The Entrepreneurship Master's programmes last four semesters in dual and full-time mode. They have 120 ECTS. The part-time master's programmes last minimally longer, namely five semesters.

    Since we attach great importance to practical relevance, internships are integrated in all study programmes - except in dual or part-time programmes.

    In all degree programmes, the regular last semester is reserved for the bachelor's or master's thesis.

    How much does an entrepreneurship degree cost?

     

    Tuition fees are charged at a private top business school like CBS. Consider these costs as an investment in your professional future for decades: You will benefit from small seminars and intensive support from lecturers and professors, among other things.

    On our info page on financing your studies you will find many good ideas on how to pay for your studies.

    Dual studies: the tuition fees are often paid by the practical company.

    Student loans and educational credits

    BAföG

    Scholarships

    Student jobs

    Our team at the Student Advisory Service will be happy to help you. We have always found a solution.

    Entrepreneurship: Scholarships available

    You want to start a business and wonder where the money will come from? The state EXIST start-up grant is one option. There, a team of a maximum of 3 graduates receives 2,500 euros per person per month for a maximum of one year, plus money for material expenses. That's not lavish, but it's a jump-start. We support our students in the application process.

    Study models: Alternatives to on-campus studies

    At CBS, you can complete the entrepreneurship studies full-time in presence. Many business ideas have already been created on the campuses by fellow students. But if full-time presence studies do not fit into your life planning, we have very good alternatives for you: You can also complete the studies dual or part-time

    With part-time studies, you are even more flexible, as you can completely determine yourself what and where you work. Combining part-time studies and a part-time job is no problem, since campus hours are also limited to weekends. For example, every other Friday there are digital lectures in the evening, and on Saturday there are full-day face-to-face lectures on campus. Then there are block weekends on top of that. What's exciting is that the part-time master's programme lasts five semesters, which is only one semester longer than the full-time master's programme. However, this also means that you should not underestimate the learning load.

    A dual study program at the CBS is very popular and is becoming more and more important. This is because at the CBS you acquire the knowledge of a renowned business school and at the same time gain professional experience with employers. Companies support the form of a dual study program. This is because they are interested in specialists and managers who can start their job directly after the studies without a training period. For you, the dual study program has the advantage that you are prepared for your first job right after graduation and are also optimally financially secured during your studies.

    Studying full-time at the CBS has a time commitment that is similar to a full-time job. During your semester hours you attend lectures, courses or seminars. You also have to prepare and follow up on the learning material. Lectures are usually held from Monday to Friday. In addition, block courses are also held, which then take place on weekends. You will also have to study at home. Because papers, homework or preparing for exams will be part of your everyday life.

    Entrepreneurship professions: careers after graduation

    What can you do after graduation? With your degree, you can either start a business in any industry, earn your first merits in consulting, or work directly for a company. Here is a small selection of job ideas:

    • Founding your own start-up, alone or - even better - in a team with fellow students

    • Entry into up-and-coming start-ups

    • Entrepreneur in Residence

    • Consultant

    • Intrapreneur

    • Financial Intrapreneur

    • Product Owner

    • Project Manager

    • Innovation Manager

    • Business Development Manager

    We have more inspiration for you in the blog article about entrepreneurship professions.

    Entrepreneurship salary: how much do you earn?

    As an entrepreneur, you can earn from 30,000 euros gross per year - if you receive a start-up grant. If you have financially strong investors, a managing director's salary of 60-70,000 euros is also possible for the founding team of a young start-up, but this is highly dependent on negotiations and success.

    Salaried positions in start-ups are paid very differently, from minimum wage to 40-50,000 euros per year. Bonuses and company shares may be added on top, but sometimes the bonus and shareholding models reduce the basic salary considerably. A career start at top corporations or top consultancies is better remunerated.

    We have compiled more information for you in our blog post on entrepreneurship salaries.

    Where can I study entrepreneurship?

    You can complete your Bachelor's degree with the goal of Entrepreneurship at CBS at the locations Cologne, Mainz, Berlin/Potsdam, Düsseldorf/Neuss, Brühl (Cologne), Solingen and Aachen.

    We offer the special Master Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management (M.A.) in Cologne and in Berlin/Potsdam, the other Entrepreneurship-related Master's in Mainz, Brühl (Cologne), Düsseldorf/Neuss and Aachen.

    unsere-standorte-karte-von-europa

    The 8 CBS campuses

    Studying in Cologne, the colourful metropolis with around 100,000 students? Studying in the economically strong city of Mainz, where students make up a fifth of the population? Or studying in Potsdam, the film and science stronghold on the outskirts of Berlin? For dual studies in Aachen, Neuss, Solingen, Hamburg or Hannover? Take a look at the possibilities offered by the seven CBS campuses.

    Icon_Aachen
    Campus
     Aachen
    Icon_Potsdam
    Campus
     Berlin/Potsdam
    Icon_Neuss
    Campus
     Düsseldorf/Neuss
    Icon_Cologne
    Campus
     Cologne
    Icon_Mainz
    Campus
     Mainz
    Icon_Solingen
    Campus
     Solingen

    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."

    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."

    Download a brochure & learn more about us

    Would you like to learn more about our Bachelor's and Master's programmes at home in peace? Download the CBS brochure for an in-depth look at our business study programmes.  

    We hope that you enjoy getting to know more about our school, study programmes and what we stand for. Follow us on Instagram & Facebook, get to know us at one of our Information Events, or Contact our student advisors to get more info.
    Mirjam Zimmermann

    Mirjam Zimmermann

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

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

    Giulia Balzan

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

    Phone: +49 (0) 221 931809 31
    WhatsApp: Reach us on WhatsApp
    E-Mail: study@cbs.de
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