ESB Business School: Global Management and Digital Competencies (Master of Science) Reutlingen University

• DCU Business School, Dublin, Ireland (double degree)
• Neoma Business School, Reims, France (double degree)
• Goodman School of Business at Brock University, St. Catharines, Canada (single degree)
• Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy (single degree)

All elements of the programme (lectures and thesis) are in English, regardless of the country of study.

The programme is completed in two different countries.

The MSc Global Management and Digital Competencies consists of three study blocks: two study blocks of lectures and coursework, and one thesis study block that may involve an internship with a company. The entire programme is taught in English.

The first study block is spent at one of ESB Business School's partner universities in France, Ireland, Italy or Canada. Study block two is spent in Reutlingen. For study block three, the thesis block, students are free to choose their location. Many students will write their theses with a company which will involve an internship and may be done globally.

Class sizes are small. This allows for intensive interaction with lecturers. Our lectures and seminars enable students to work in small intercultural and interdisciplinary teams. All professors who lecture in the programme have many years of academic and professional experience in their respective fields, ensuring a high academic standard and a strong practical orientation. In addition, experienced senior representatives from the corporate world are involved in the teaching of the programme. We are thus able to complement the theoretical dimension of our teaching with the most up-to-date best practice from the world of business.

The degree programme pays particular attention to the global dimension of business and management in an era of digital disruption. After graduating, you will have acquired the knowledge and skills you need for a successful future career in global top management.

ESB Business School is accredited by AACSB International. Only six per cent of all business schools worldwide bear this seal of quality. The AACSB is the largest accreditation organisation in the world with demanding quality requirements in relation to training and research at business schools.

• For Brock University & UCSC: 15 June
• For DCU & NEOMA: 15 July (1 July for non-EU applicants)

www.ipbsmgm.com

Example of modules in study block one at DCU:

Strategy in a Global Context, International Business: Disruption & Challenges, Marketing & Customer Experience Management, Economic Geography & Geopolitics, Cross-Cultural Agility

Example of modules in study block one at NEOMA:

International Business: Disruption & Challenges, International Marketing & Customer Experience Management, Advanced Strategic Tool Kit, International Negotiation Skills, Cross-Cultural Agility, Personal Branding & Career management

Example of modules in study block one at Brock:

Business Strategy, Global Business, International Marketing, Internet & Social Media Marketing, Augmented Reality Marketing second year MBA modules)

Example of modules in study block one at UCSC:

Corporate Strategy, Sustainability Management, Advanced International Business, Advanced Economic Scenario Analysis, International Marketing & Customer Experience Management, Global Challenges & Impacts

Modules in study block two at ESB:

Statistics for Business, Data Analytics & Visualisation, Smart Operations Management, Leadership in a digitalised world, Consulting Skills for Digital Transformation, International Finance + Risk Management

Study block three:

Thesis
(This can be written with a company. Companies normally require a six-month internship prior to writing the thesis with them. This would extend the timeline for the programme by six months.)

• Training in intercultural skills: Intercultural agility is a compulsory first study block module in two of the four links offered. Furthermore, as the programme involves studying in two different countries and working in groups with international classmates, students are continuously confronted with mastering intercultural challenges throughout the programme.
• Specialist literature in other languages: The programme is taught entirely in English; hence, all literature is in English.
• Courses are led with foreign partners: The programme is offered with four international partner universities (in Canada, France, Italy and Ireland). Students select a link and take compulsory study blocks in two countries. Two of the four links (French-German and Irish-German) lead to double degrees.
• International comparisons and thematic reference to the international context: As the title of programme suggests – MSc Global Management & Digital Competencies – the global dimension is considered in all modules.
• Content-related regional focus: Because students study in two countries, they will also gain insights into content that is specific to the country of study, e.g. specific industries that are regarded as being national strengths. This can be both in the form of content covered in lectures or, for example, company visits or invited guest speakers.

The programme involves two compulsory study blocks in two different countries. Study block three, the thesis phase, can be done globally.

Internships are not a compulsory part of the programme unless the participant holds a six-semester/three-year (180 ECTS) first degree without a minimum of 24 weeks of work experience post graduation (see academic / other requirements). Such students are required to complete a compulsory internship of 24 weeks at the end of the second study block before they can be allowed to proceed to the thesis phase of the programme. This is to ensure that all students graduating from the ESB have 300 ECTS upon graduation (German national legislation).

All students must write a Master's thesis, which can be written with a company. In this case, students normally complete an internship before they write their theses, which may have a maximum duration of six months.

Varied

www.ipbsmgm.com

A semester fee of 199.30 EUR (as of 2025) is charged by Reutlingen University. Other partners may require additional fees. German/EU applicants who have already obtained a Master's degree at a German university must pay an additional 650 EUR per semester.

The minimum cost of living in Germany is approx. 900 EUR per month. The cost of living can vary depending on the location of the partner university.

Factors such as the economy of the host country, personal lifestyle, and individual living standards all play a role in determining the overall cost of living.

Bachelor's degree in business or related field (minimum three-and-a-half years / 210 ECTS) with a minimum grade of 2.5 (German grading system) (2.3 for Canadian track)

Applicants with 180 ECTS (from a three-year Bachelor's programme) have to complete an additional internship during the programme (relevant work experience post graduation may be pre-accredited instead). Graduates of non-business degree programmes must have taken at least four courses in business, including two from the quantitative area.

Very good English language skills (TOEFL – a minimum of 88 iBT, minimum of 21 speaking & writing / IELTS minimum of 6.5 with a minimum of 6 per unit / Pearson Test of English (Academic) – PTEA 60 (minimum 50 in each component) / Cambridge First (minimum 175) / Cambridge Advanced or Cambridge Proficiency)

• For Brock University & UCSC: 15 June
• For DCU & NEOMA: 15 July (1 July for non-EU applicants)

No

ESB Business School maintains close contacts with companies. The V.I.M.A eV association, a network of over 40 renowned companies, enables and intensifies contacts between theory and practice. Additionally, career fairs regularly take place at the university, and the Career Centre assists students and graduates at ESB Business School with planning and developing their careers during their studies and when starting their professional lives. However, the job search in Germany may be more difficult if the candidate does not speak at least some German.

On and off-campus accommodation options and private offers can be found on the Reutlingen University homepage: https://www.reutlingen-university.de/en/before-studying/your-accommodation/.
The programme coordinator will inform the students about housing options well in advance.

ESB Business School's Career Centre provides ongoing support to students seeking internships or jobs, and it brings students and companies together worldwide. The dedicated team organises two annual on-campus career fairs as well as workshops and company presentations, and they manage an online job exchange. In addition, the career centre staff advise the students on planning their careers and share valuable information on external recruiting events.

In Reutlingen, a designated programme coordinator is assigned to assist students from registration to the completion of the programme. The coordinator is available continuously throughout the programme and organises an orientation programme, which begins directly once the students have arrived. The programme director, the secretary's office, the International Studies Office, and the Career Centre are also available to provide additional support.

ESB Business School has more than 50 years of experience in teaching applied international management, and it is considered to be one of Germany's leading public business schools. Regularly ranked at the top of numerous university league tables, the school's close cooperation with companies and its international partner universities contribute to ESB's outstanding ability to educate the next generation of highly qualified, international managers.

We are accredited by AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Only six per cent of all business schools worldwide bear this seal of quality. The AACSB is the largest accreditation organisation in the world with demanding quality requirements in relation to training and research at business schools.

ESB Business School’s quality management system was accredited by the German accreditation council. This ensures that quality development of all study programmes is part of its mission.

Internationality and a balance of theory and practice are crucial cornerstones of our forward-looking and interdisciplinary approach. Semesters abroad as well as foreign and national internships are mandatory and an integral part of our programmes. Workshops, seminars and dissertations written in conjunction with businesses, our own company fairs, case studies, professors with management experience, guest lectures or excursions to renowned companies all guarantee a high practical orientation of our programmes. Besides the required first foreign language module in Business English, students can take other business language modules. Lecturers are generally native speakers.

All teaching is in small, multinational groups. This direct contact between the student and the professor shapes the unique atmosphere at ESB Business School. We also consider student involvement and initiative-taking to be of great importance. Our students acquire a sense of team spirit and improve their intercultural competence by being part of international teams working on a wide range of interesting tasks and projects.

ESB Business School is one of six schools of Reutlingen University, one of the leading German universities of applied sciences with a first-rate reputation. Its five schools offer more than 40 degree programmes. Reutlingen University offers programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate level as well as in lifelong professional training at the university level. This makes the university attractive to prospective students from different backgrounds. The university aims to prepare students for future challenges, both professionally and personally, and it is committed to shaping the future together.

ESB Business School is conveniently located in the middle of one of the most innovative and dynamic economic areas in Germany. Global corporations, high-tech companies and innovative service centres characterise this region. Reutlingen is a prosperous and attractive town with just over 100,000 inhabitants. The previously walled city is home to classical old-style buildings as well as many modern buildings. There are several museums, a busy shopping district, weekly farmers' markets, great cafés and restaurants with international flair on your doorstep.

Reutlingen lies at the foot of the Swabian Alb (low mountain range) with wonderful biking and hiking trails. Castles, cathedrals, rivers and waterfalls all wait to be discovered in this beautiful area. Recreational areas such as the Black Forest, Lake Constance, neighbouring Switzerland, Austria, and France are just a few hours away. Stuttgart, which is approx. 40 km north of Reutlingen, as well as Tübingen, approx. 15 km from Reutlingen, attract visitors from all over the world.