Master in Business Administration

Master in Business Administration is one of 32 English-taught Business Administration programmes at master’s level in the register, offered by 19 institutions. 29 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, from EUR 727 to EUR 1,453; this programme lists EUR 1,453 a year. 18 are at a public university, where EU, EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition within the standard duration plus two semesters. The same programme title is offered at 3 institutions, so compare the content, campus and requirements before you choose.

The Master's in Business Administration at the University of Klagenfurt is a four-semester, 120 ECTS programme taught in German and English. It mixes theory with practice: around 40 percent of lecturers also work in business, and you can do a two-month internship for credit.

What you study

The programme starts with compulsory subjects in methods and expanding your competences (12 ECTS each). You then choose three specialisation subjects from a list that includes accounting, business taxation, controlling and strategic corporate management, energy and sustainability management, finance, innovation management, marketing and international management, human resources, leadership and organisation, production management and logistics, and public, nonprofit and healthcare management. Each is worth 12 ECTS, so the specialisation totals 36 ECTS. You also pick one subject from entrepreneurship, legal aspects of establishing and running a business, sociology, or selected topics in economics (12 ECTS). An in-depth seminar on your specialisation adds 4 ECTS. The internship (11 ECTS) and a seminar reflecting on it (1 ECTS) are part of the structure, as is the master's thesis (19 ECTS) with accompanying seminars (4 ECTS). You round it off with 8 ECTS of open electives and a final overall exam (1 ECTS).

How the programme is organised

You study at your own pace, with a recommended course of study to guide you through the semesters. The programme is partly taught in English, so check which parts. Seminars are used to build skills in group work, moderation and project management. The internship lasts two months with at least 30 hours per week, and you can do it in a company in Austria or abroad, in public administration or in a non-profit organisation. You write a report and reflect on the experience in a seminar. The university also offers extension programmes such as Digital Competences and Social Competence and Organizational Learning (SCOL), plus language courses like Russian, Spanish or Chinese. A semester abroad is easy to fit in, with around 250 partner universities.

Who it suits

This programme suits you if you want a broad business education with a specialisation and you are ready to study in German and English. It fits people who plan to work in management, project leadership, finance, marketing, human resources or public and non-profit management. The mix of theory and practice, with many lecturers from business, is useful if you want to apply what you learn. The programme also prepares you for an international career, and the faculty is AACSB accredited.

Admission, language and next steps

You need a relevant bachelor's degree or an equivalent qualification. If your degree is in another subject, you may need up to 30 ECTS of additional courses in management and economics, to be completed by the end of your second semester. There is no special admission procedure. Proof of German at level B2 is required; at application you need at least A2, and German courses are available. Non-EU and non-EEA citizens must apply by 30 June for winter semester or 30 November for summer semester. EU and EEA applicants apply within the general admission period. Applications go directly to the University of Klagenfurt, not through a central portal. The teaching language is German and English, so check which parts are in English. As a public university, EU/EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition within the standard duration plus two semesters; other students pay a fee per semester.

Sich ständig verändernde Bedingungen, technologischer, ökologischer und gesellschaftlicher Wandel, neue Geschäftsmodelle sowie abnehmende Planungssicherheit und Stabilität stellen für Unternehmen im globalen Wettbewerb eine besondere Herausforderung dar. Diesen Umständen wird im Masterstudium Betriebswirtschaft einerseits mit der theoretisch fundierten Vermittlung von Methoden- und Fachkompetenz begegnet. Absolventinnen und Absolventen sind in der Lage, diese Fähigkeiten zur Bewältigung gegenwärtiger Herausforderungen einzusetzen und laufend entsprechend des Fortschritts der wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Forschung weiterzuentwickeln, auch im Sinne des
“life-long learning”. Andererseits liegt ein Schwerpunkt des Masterstudiums Betriebswirtschaft auf der Praxisrelevanz (z.B. durch das Absolvieren einer facheinschlägigen Praxis, anwendungsorientierte(r) Lehrveranstaltungsarten, Einbeziehung von Lektorinnen und Lektoren aus der Praxis sowie Anwendung von neuen, innovativen Technologien) der vermittelten Kompetenzen und Konzepte für die Lösung von Managementproblemen.

There is no central application portal in Austria: you apply to the institution, here University of Klagenfurt. A public university sets the admission requirements and dates for this level, so read them on the programme page. Entrance examination, as the register states it: No. Entry requirements and language tests are set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, the student residence permit and housing.