Knowledge, Theories and Methods in Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Ethics, Organisation and Human Resources
International:
1 Semester Abroad
This programme provides you with:
in-depth knowledge of corporate development, strategic management, entrepreneurship and strategic human resource management.
methods, instruments and tools used how to make responsible business decisions based on both ethical and economic criteria.
skills for understanding state-of-the-art management practices and how to discuss case studies and interact with practitioners.
The master‘s programme in corporate development is the ideal choice for me as it allows me to gain a deep understanding for the concepts of strategic business development which will serve me across a wide range of jobs and industries globally. I particularly enjoy the deep insights into ethical leadership and governance practices which are gaining enormous relevance nowadays.
The programme is characterized by a combination of practical relevance and academic rigor. Thus, you will also learn about new academic research insights in corporate development and acquire skills to understand and generate contemporary research output, relevant for future development of the business world.
have successfully completed a bachelor’s or equivalent degree in management, business administration, economics or related disciplines — preferably with a corporate development or human resources focus.
are internationally focused as well as open-minded, have a wide range of interests, and are eager to learn new things; are interested in obtaining a general understanding of management activities, developing analytical and critical thinking skills, problem-solving and wish to hone your writing and language skills.
work as a team player, because working in groups is often practiced in seminars and an important key factor for later work in companies.
are ready to take the next step in your future career in a leading manegement-related position in the corporate world.
We highly welcome a diverse set of students with different cultural and educational backgrounds that are curious to learn, acquire practical and academic experiences, and to present and debate their ideas.
Still undecided?
Then get to know our offers for prospective students, which are coordinated by the WiSo Student Service Point and will provide you with individual advice tailored precisely to your needs.
This programme is characterised by its strong balance of theoretical rigor and practical relevance. Both aspects are critical. We build on a strong research reputation which consistently excels in various competitive research ratings. We regularly publish in the leading academic journals globally and present our work at leading conferences.
Thus, by being close to businesses, a clear focus lies on the investigation of current business challenges. In addition to translating our research knowledge into the current course offerings, we cover a set of very contemporaneous subjects. Of course, the impact of digitisation and business ethics is felt throughout all areas of instruction.
Faculty members are, for instance, members of the newly founded cluster of excellence ECONtribute financed by the German Federal Government, which is currently the only excellence cluster in economics and management in the German Excellence Strategy. Since most of the research is empirical in nature, collaboration with organisations and corporations is natural for the department’s members.
I very much enjoy teaching in our Master‘s in Corporate Development, because it attracts a highly engaged group of open-minded students curious to learn and to apply their knowledge. We do our best to equip you with the knowledge and skills to succeed in your later career in management.
Business Project
One highlight of the curriculum is a business project during which you work on current managerial topics in close cooperation with a company representative. You will have the opportunity to apply your acquired knowledge and skills in groups of about four students to perform for a company. Moreover, students have the option to be trained in in modern methods of “People Analytics” to analyse organisational data and can apply these methods in research projects when working on their own data driven independent research.
Link to the practical world
One strong feature of the programme is the practical contact you, as a student, will receive. Guest lectures and practice seminars establish and promote direct exchange between companies and students. The courses are provided by faculty members that are both, strong academic researchers and continuously interacting with practitioners in joint research projects in firms.
Do you want first-hand insights and experiences about the Master Business Administration - Corporate Development and the Student life at the University of Cologne from WiSo students? Then don't hesitate and Chat with a student!
International
English taught programme
The majority of this master programme is internationally oriented. Many courses deal with topics from the field of international management, and a lot of the case studies focus on globalised companies. Students come from different countries and cultural backgrounds, further fostering internationalisation. Hence, studies occur in an environment that is international and intercultural.
Semester abroad
We strongly encourage you to take advantage of all available opportunities to gain your own international experience. Our cooperation agreements with an extensive number of excellent partner universities worldwide, including Erasmus agreements with a broad range of European universities, provide you with attractive options for spending your semester abroad. We are happy to advise you on your options. Students wishing to organise their semester abroad themselves can do so as a freemover. In addition to a semester abroad, you can enrich your studies by taking part in one of our short programmes such as WiSo@NYC or a summer school abroad, or complete an internship abroad with financial support offered by Erasmus.
Broad international network
With its balanced theoretical and practical approach, the internationally focused master’s programme prepares you for a career in international work environments and enables you to work for internationalised companies.
In addition to this, the WiSo Faculty has a strong alumni network of former students working in all business segments across the globe.
An international Faculty
The international focus and outstanding reputation of the WiSo Faculty at the University of Cologne make it a premier destination for your studies in Germany – at the heart of Europe.
This programme will prepare you for a career in a variety of roles in different industries. After graduation, our students enter general management trainee programmes, staff roles in strategy, corporate development, compliance management units or human resource management departments. Many also start their careers in consulting firms. Potential employers range from start-ups and small/medium sized companies to large and global corporations.
Equally, our alumni are employed across all sectors and across all value chain stages — ranging from manufacturing and distribution to retailing and services.
Corporate Social Responsibility means eliminating negative effects of entrepreneurial action as best as possible. It also means that companies develop solutions in their field of business that ad- dress acute challenges facing humanity. In this way, you can create positive added value for your company - for yourself and for society.
Example job opportunities include
Trainee Programmes
Management Consultancy
Strategy/Business Analyst
Management and Advisory Board
Mergers and Acquisitions
HR Controlling
Corporate Ethics Officer
Start-ups/Entrepreneur
Academic Research
For all those who are interested in academic corporate development research after finishing their master studies, the corporate development area provides students who have competitive master scores with the possibility for admittance into a postgraduate programme (Ph.D.).
At the same time, the MSc. degree is of course an excellent base for applying for graduate degree programmes at other national and international universities.
If you are interested in or have questions about our WiSo degree programmes, the student advisors at the WiSo Student Service Point will be happy to help:
WiSo Student Service Point hotline: +49 (0) 221/470-8818
