University of Cologne Business School

Our part-time programme is designed for participants from various backgrounds and industries. It conforms to your lifestyle with a full-time job by minimising work-related impairments. On alternating weekends lessons take place from Friday evening (18.00 - 21.30 hrs) to Saturday (9.00 - 17.00 hrs). The programme also includes one full week on campus during each of the first two semesters, as well as an international study trip in the third semester. With this convenient schedule, you will earn a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Cologne in only 18 months.

Curriculum

1st Semester

Social and Economic Behaviour

Managing People

Finance & Accounting

Supply Chain Management

+ Welcome Week on campus

2nd Semester

Decision Analysis

Marketing Management

Strategic Management & Business Change

Sustainability and Business Ethics

+ Course Week on campus

3rd Semester

Choose three from about 40 electives to gain further specialised knowledge (in cooperation with the Rotterdam School of Management, Ersamus University)

+ International study trip (in Cooperation with the Rotterdam School of Management, Ersamus University)

+ In-company Master’s thesis

Personal Leadership Development

The PLD programme is a key component of the Executive MBA and runs like a thread throughout all three semesters.

The programme puts the way you act in business under the microscope. This allows you to reflect on your personal and professional approaches while exploring and integrating new leadership concepts and stretegies. Group work, case studies, in-class exercises, and discussions are all designed to help you examine your mindset and behaviour while feedback from your peers provide valuable insights to refine your actions and boost your personal effectiveness - all in a secure and confidential environment.

Individual Coaching Sessions

During your Executive MBA journey, you will have three individual coaching sessions with professional coaches. Your personal coach will guide you throughout the 18-month programme, helping you overcome any challenges. These coaching sessions offer practical, and in-depth guidance tailored to your personal success and professional development.

Electives

In the third semester, you have the opportunity to select three elective courses from about  40 options. The electives allow you to customise your studies according to your specific interests and career goals. The electives are offered in cooperation with Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) and can take place in Rotterdam or in Cologne.

International Study Trip

The study trip takes place in the beginning of the third semester and is a core element of the Executive MBA programme. You will broaden your business understanding in a socio-economic and cultural environment.
The trip is offered in cooperation with Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University.

The study trip includes:

Lectures at a hosting university

In-class discussions

Visits to local enterprises

Accommodation & Catering

Topics and destinations in the past were among others:

Washington – “Business & Politics”

Costa Rica – “Sustainable Business in a (striving) Sustainable Society”

Dubai – “Energy Decarbonization Revolution: Understanding, Engaging

and leading Energy Decarbonization”

London – “Finance”

Reykjavik – “Green Economy & Sustainability”

Tallinn – “Mastering Digital Innovation Strategies”

Athens –  “Startup 101: Turning Ideas into Business Models”

In-company Master`s Thesis

Applying your newly acquired knowledge in practice is an important part of the in-company master´s thesis, which runs during the last semester of your studies. During the five-month project, your objective will be to
assess the models, concepts and theories you have learned during the Executive MBA and apply them to a real-life management challenge in your own organisation.

During the making of the thesis you will be guided by your academic supervisor. They will be able to effectively guide you in further developing the scope of the project, articulating the School’s requirements and providing advice in the research process.

The Cologne-Rotterdam Executive MBA curriculum delivers an established and comprehensive foundation for higher levels of management, filling gaps in your knowledge and strengthening skills that you may not yet have developed. The choice of electives to develop specialised abilities and skills is then yours. You will hone your management and leadership skills in a convenient schedule that allows you to balance your private life with improving your professional abilities.

The first year of the programme focuses on analytical skills and critical thinking while mastering the fundamentals of business management while the second year covers leadership development and the practice of leadership while fostering communication skills and giving you the opportunity to select from a range of subjects designed to offer further specialized knowledge.

Seminar building at the University of Cologne

The University of Cologne (UoC) was founded in 1388 and is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Europe. With more than 49.000 students and six faculties covering a broad spectrum of disciplines, the UoC is the third largest university in Germany. Furthermore, the UoC is a foundation member of CEMS - The Global Alliance in Management Education.

Established in 2015, the University of Cologne Executive School is a business school that unites all of the University’s management development expertise. The University of Cologne is one of the oldest and most prestigious European universities, making it the perfect choice for a management training programme. The Business School is attached to the University’s Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences. With around 10,000 students and more than one hundred professors, the faculty is one of the largest and most renowned faculties of its kind in Europe. Its students benefit from an extensive network of more than 120 partner higher education institutions around the world, numerous national and international companies and a university-wide alumni club with over 4,000 members.

The faculty members of the Business School of the University of Cologne stand for outstanding, scientifically founded and at the same time practice-oriented teaching. The members of the faculty have already made a name for themselves in the academic world through numerous international and national research projects.

The part-time Executive MBA is a top programme, and the EMBA student body consists of only the most exceptional candidates that undergo an application process. In order to be eligible for this programme, you will need to demonstrate:

• Professional achievements and goals:
  a minimum of four years of postgraduate work experience. This experience should demonstrate clear evidence of solid career progression.
• Academic excellence: a university degree or equivalent
• Proficiency in the English language: proof of English language proficiency level B2 (GER/CEFR)
• Leadership abilities: experience managing people or projects

As we operate a rolling admissions process, you can submit your completed application at any time before the final deadline. Please note that there are limited places in the Executive MBA. We therefore encourage you to submit in earlier rounds when the maximum number of class seats is available. If you apply earlier you profit from our early bird offers.

Tuition fee: 44,500 Euro, however we are offering an Early Bird price of 39,500 Euro if you apply by 15 January 2025

The tuition for the EMBA programme is € 44,500. This fee is fully tax deductible, please speak to your tax advisor.

The programme fees cover tuition, course materials and essential books. The cost of the study trip is included in your programme fees, however each participant is responsible for flight arrangements to and from the destination.

Scholarships

At the UCBS we are striving for excellence. Thus, we support our most exceptional students with different partial-scholarships of the tuition fee.

The scholarships we are offering for the next cohort are:

• Women for Leadership

• Corporate Social Responsibility

• EMBA Assistance Award

Alumni Lifelong Learning Award

We believe in and foster life-long learning. In recognition of this ideal, we are offering graduates from the University of Cologne the Alumni Lifelong Learning Award. This award is 10% of the tuition fee.

For more information about Financial Aid, please click here.

The part-time Executive MBA programme will be taught mostly in Cologne at the heart of one of Germany’s largest economic centres, with some electives taking place in Rotterdam, the international port city at the gateway to Europe. 

Cologne is one of the oldest German cities and its name dates back to Roman times. The Romans founded the Ubii village on the Rhine in 50 AD and named it "Colonia". Cosmopolitan, open-minded and friendly are characteristics describing Cologne and the people from Cologne nowadays. This unique mindset will make you feel comfortable like at home immediately.