The University of Cologne's M.Sc. in International Management and the CEMS Master's are designed to provide you with excellent academic and practical training, together with an international focus for your future career in a global business environment.
In a nutshell
Standard period of study: 4 semesters, full-time
Start: Fall term
Degree title: Master of Science (M.Sc.)
Language: English
Fees: Only social contribution fee (more information here)
Application deadline: March 31st 2021
Key Issues
No. 1 international management education in Germany (Financial Time Masters in Management Ranking)
Broadest global network of top 33 business schools from 32 countries with a presence on every continent
Broadest global network of around 70 multinational companies and 7 NGOs
Wide and multidisciplinary offer of courses (e.g., digital analytics, including politics, sociology, geography, etc.)
Unique CEMS student community - at home and all around the world !
What is the CEMS network?
This network is a global alliance of 33 leading business schools across 5 continents, around 70 multinational corporations and seven social partners that together offer the CEMS Master’s in International Management (MIM). We are a founding member – and the only German member – of the CEMS alliance. From the first days of your studies the CEMS network offers you a strong and lifelong community that supports you personally and in your career. The CEMS MIM, top-ranked in the Financial Times Masters in Management Ranking, is a pre-experience postgraduate degree. It is open to top-class, internationally minded, multilingual students enrolled in the M.Sc. in International Management programme at the WiSo Faculty – one of the CEMS member schools.
CEMS Master in International Management
An opportunity not to be missed!
Learn to apply the latest research and appropriate solutions to questions with practical, real-world relevance on courses at your home and partner universities. Develop an understanding of the role of leadership in different intercultural environments and effective approaches to strengthening ethical behaviour in business. Reflect on your own conceptions of leadership and relate them to current positions and arguments discussed in academic literature and case studies. Discuss current topics of relevance to international companies (strategy, organisation, personnel, business ethics, etc.) with CEMS members from all over the world; learn econometric methods and analyse the economic situation of global companies. As the University of Cologne is state-funded, there are no tuition fees - just a biannual "semester contribution" of a little more than 280 euros - so you can invest in an excellent education - and your future - without paying a fortune.
Practical Experience
As a student of the WiSo Faculty, you benefit from an approach that is based on theory and methods, combining both research and teaching with practical elements. The teaching at our faculty has benefited from many years of experience in working with companies and visiting lecturers from different professional fields. Many of the visiting lecturers are professionals and managers who bring important industry experience to the programmes, resulting in sector-specific, up-to-date programme content for our students. This ensures that the programmes reflect the real world and that they thus combine the practical and the theoretical, whilst also promoting knowledge-sharing between companies and you, the student.
Some examples of the questions CEMS MIM students look at
How are multinational companies managed and organised and what types of strategy to they use?
How can I analyse the economic situation of multinational companies and other global institutions?
How can I assess future trends in how business is done in the face of ever-changing technology?
How do I conduct a case study?
How do I communicate in an intercultural team?
How can I present my findings in written form and in presentations?
What do I need to be aware of when practising intercultural management?
How can I become a responsible manager?
How can I apply research findings to real-life business issues?
How can I check and compare the effects of a company’s marketing activities?
How can I use mathematical methods to determine optimum stock levels for a company?
The University of Cologne – a founding member of the CEMS Alliance – is the only German university to deliver the prestigious CEMS Master’s in International Management degree. In Cologne, we cooperate closely with our corporate partners. If you are interested in international management and in a programme that prepares you for a position in a multinational enterprise, CEMS MIM is the perfect choice for you.
Information on the application
Admission Requirements and Selection Procedure
Admission Requirements
The admission requirements must be met by the application deadline and are as follows:
Bachelor or equivalent degree
in Business Administration or Economics with strong proficiency in Business Administration, Economics and quantitative methods
Applicants who have not yet completed their bachelor studies: Where a student has not yet fully completed their bachelor studies, they may apply if they have earned at least 70% of the required degree credits and will have accumulated the remaining credits by 30 September at the latest. The specific admission criteria governing the designated course of study (including the overall grade) must already have been fulfilled on the basis of the exam results available at the time of application.
Overall grade of at least 2.5 (German grade) in the bachelor's degree
Fulfilment of the following subject-related requirements:
Subject-related requirements
....at least 48 ECTS must be specific to the field of Business Administration/Management Studies
...at least 16 ECTS must be specific to the field of Economics
...at least 10 ECTS in Statistics/Mathematics (only methodological expertise, no user expertise)
GMAT or TM-WISO English version test score: not mandatory, however, highly recommended [24,5-0 score points]
Interview: includes education, motivation, analytical and communication skills, demeanour and integrity, international experience [24,5-0 score points]
Applicants who are shortlisted after the assessment of the written application will be invited to Cologne for a selection interview, which will take place between the end of April or May.
The Admissions Board will communicate its decision no later than mid-June. Enrolment is generally conducted in July.
All documents must be provided in either German or English and submitted via our campus management system KLIPSby 31 March. An authorised translation into either German or English must be attached to any documents in other languages. We may need to ask for further documents at a later stage of the application.
Applicants with a bachelor's degree acquired abroad must additionally apply online via uni-assist by 31 March. Uni-assist recommends sending in the application at least eight weeks before the deadline expires. This ensures that uni-assist can inform applicants in time if they need to submit further documents.
Detailed information about the admission procedure and admission deadlines are provided on the application website. It is not possible to apply for an advanced semester since the programme can only be successfully finished when started in the first semester.
1) All applicants apply via KLIPS until 31 March. Students of the University of Cologne use their KLIPS account. External applicants please create a new account. Please read through our application notes.
The following documents must be uploaded to KLIPS - certified documents are recommended but not obligatory. For enrolment, all documents must be presented in original or authenticated form.
Bachelor's degree certificate | If you have not yet finished your bachelor's studies but have passed at least 70% of the examinations (at least 126 credits in a 180-credits bachelor), you can apply by submitting a confirmation of all credits earned so far, along with a provisional average grade calculated and certified by your examination office. Please note that the remaining credits must be earned by 30 September.
Transcript of records | list of all taken modules and courses including grades and credits
Transcript of semester abroad | only if examinations passed abroad should be considered for the admission criteria as well | The courses have to be recognised by the home university as part of the bachelor programme and recorded in the transcript of records.
University entrance qualification | A-level/ Abitur/ high school diploma
Official description of the content of all taken bachelor courses/lectures | e.g. course catalogue/ module catalogue or PDF-file with link to online course description (see FAQ 1.12)
Certificates of all internships, education and employment listed in the CV | For all volunteer and extracurricular activities listed in the application, please provide a contact person (with email address and phone number) and a website address
2) Applicants, who did not obtain their bachelor's degree in Germany must additionally apply online via uni-assist until 31 March.For your online application, please select "Winter Semester" and search for "Universität zu Köln".
Please note, you have to document your education in detail. You start with the certificate from the last school you graduated from (which entitles you to begin university studies in your home country) and continue up to the current state of progress in your university studies. Furthermore, you have to hand in all documents in original language and additionally in translation either in German or in English language.
Uni-assist recommends sending in the application at least eight weeks before the deadline expires. This ensures that uni-assist can inform applicants in time if they need to submit further documents. Only after the handling fee has been paid, the application will be evaluated.
The following documents are required by uni-assist - certified documents are recommended but not obligatory.
(translated) bachelor's degree certificate or attestation of 70% studies (and transcript of records) | Please submit all certificates in their entirety: include the diploma certificate as well as the overview of subjects and grades. You must not omit any parts of the certificate or single pages. In order to convert your grade, uni-assist needs the grading system used by your university for your degree. More information can be read here.
(translated) university entrance qualification | A-level/ Abitur/ high school diploma
proof of English language proficiency
all documents listed above in the original language | Only if the original document is not available in English or German language. Information about translation of documents can be read here.
only for applicants with Chinese (except Hongkong) or Vietnamese bachelor’s certificates | original APS certificate | certified copies cannot be accepted!
please check whether you need to hand in further additional depending on the country of origin: country-specific documents
not mandatory, however, useful for the uni-assist evaluation:(translated) diploma supplement
Standard period of study: 4 semesters, full-time | Start: fall term | Degree title: Master of Science The master's programme carries 120 ECTS credits and compromises a Core and Advanced Section, a Specialisation Section, a Supplementary Section and a Master Thesis.
The core and advanced category (54 CPs) comprises the compulsory CEMS Cores and elective modules.
In the supplementary category (24 CPs), you are free to choose one of five subjects: Accounting, Taxations and Finance, Corporate Development, Marketing, Supply Chain Management or Economics.
Modules in the specialisation category (27 CPs) feature the CEMS Business Project and Case Studies Course.
The Master’s thesis (15 CPs) analyses a specific topic or problem and is normally completed during the fourth term.
For more information about the several sections and the courses please have a look at the following webpage.
CEMS Master in International Management
If you want to experience international atmosphere in a city which has a lot to offer and provides you with everything you need – you should definitely apply for the CEMS MIM at the University of Cologne!
From the first day of your studies the CEMS network offers you a strong and lifelong community that supports you personally and in your career. Become part of it and apply now!
