Programme Structure
The lectures take place usually in Würzburg and mainly on Fridays and Saturdays.
The 1st semester takes place from early October to end of January for all students in Würzburg.
At the beginning of the 2nd semester (around March), the students that have chosen the Focus Regions Asia or Latin America will stay for about 3 weeks at a partner university in Taiwan or Colombia, where module 5 (see below) is taught to them. Module 5 is taught to those students that have chosen the Focus Region Europe in Würzburg. The remainder of the 2nd semester (till end of July) takes place in Würzburg for all students.
The third semester starts again in early October and takes place for all students in Würzburg. The Master's Thesis can be written at THWS, at the partner university abroad as well as together with a company.
Programme Contents
The detailed contents and learning outcomes of the modules and courses can be seen in the Module Handbook. Together, the courses cover all functions of business administration as well as all disciplines of management. In every course, special attention is given to the specific challenges of doing business internationally. The modules convey competencies from the following fields at varying degrees: professional competencies, methodical competencies, social competencies and personal competencies.
1st Semester
The first semester focusses on the following aspects:
- Harmonizing the knowledge base of the students
- Acquaintance or deepening of language and intercultural skills as the basis for acquiring knowledge about the chosen Focus Region
- Aquiring methodical skills of project management in general and of research projects specifically as the basis for project work and the Master's Thesis
In the first semester, the following modules and courses are taught:
- Module 1: Business Decisions (Courses: Decision Theory and Practice, Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship)
- Module 2: Language Competence Europe / Asia / Latin America (Courses: General Language Competence German / Mandarin / Spanish, Business Language Competence German / Mandarin / Spanish)
- Module 3: Intercultural Management (Courses: Organizational Behavior, Cross Cultural Management)
- Module 4: Project Management (Courses: Research Projects, International Project Management)
2nd Semester
The second semester focusses on the following aspects:
- Acquiring knowledge about the chosen Focus Region
- Aquiring professional skills
In the second semester, the following modules and courses are taught:
- Module 5: Doing Business in and with Europe / Asia / Latin America
- Module 6: Managing International Businesses (Courses: International Management, International Economics)
- Module 7: Strategic Competences (Courses: Strategic Management, Operations Strategy in the Digital Age)
- Module 8: International Financial Management (Courses: International Management Control, International Finance)
- Module 9: International Leadership (Courses: Organizational Development and Leadership, Business Ethics)
- Module 10: Managing International Markets (Courses: International Marketing, Management of International Supply Chains)
3rd Semester
The third semester focusses on the following aspects:
- Aquiring further professional skills
- Finishing the program with the individual Master's Thesis
In the third semester, the following modules and courses are taught:
- Module 11: International Regulatory Frameworks (Courses: International Law, International Financial Reporting)
- Module 12: Information Technology (Courses: Management Information Systems, Business Game)
- Module 13: Master Thesis
Choice of Focus Region
What makes our MBA International Business with Regional Focus special is that every student chooses a Focus Region as a specialization in his studies. While all other classes are the same for all students, the choice of the Focus Regions determines the modules 2 (Language Competence) and 5 (Doing Business in and with Focus Region).
The students that choose the Focus Regions Asia or Latin America stay at the beginning of the second semester for about 3 weeks at a partner university in Taiwan or Colombia, where module 5 is taught to them.
Partner University for Focus Region Asia
Private Shih Chien University (www.usc.edu.tw) was founded in 1958 and has two campuses: in Taiwan‘s capital Taipeh and in Kaohsiung, the second largest city of Taiwan. Shih Chien University hosts about 12.000 students in 5 faculties.
Partner University for Focus Region Latin America
Private Universidad Externado de Colombia (www.uexternado.edu.co) was founded in 1886 and is located right in the center of Colombia‘s capital Bogotá, the fifth largest city in South America. Externado University hosts about 12.500 students in 10 faculties.