International Business
The International Business Bachelor's degree course (B.Sc.) qualifies students to take on roles in companies and organisations in Germany and beyond.
Students acquire the skills to work either in specialist roles leading on projects or specific tasks or as coordinators with budget responsibility and strong all-round skills. Broad-based knowledge of doing business in international settings, opportunities to experience the real world of international work, and training in communication and intercultural skills provide our graduates with the tools they need to develop and drive global business strategies. The degree course is taught completely in English.
Upon completion of the Bachelor’s degree course, students have the opportunity to continue their studies at HAW Hamburg in the three-semester Master's degree course in International Business (M.Sc.).
Your future career
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Graduates of this degree course find roles where having an internationally oriented education with a business focus together with wide-ranging skills in business administration matters.
They work across sectors and corporate functions, and are also highly flexible in their thinking and actions. Our graduates work in the trade, industrial, logistics, banking, insurance sectors, as well as in consulting and auditing.
They put their skills and knowledge to work particularly in multinational companies and in mid-size companies and start-ups, but they are also employed in political organisations, professional associations, and government and non-government organisations.
Course content and structure
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All of the modules include joint lectures which convey the central course content as well as seminars where students work together in small groups on exercises and case studies. This supports a focus on applying what is learned and ensures practical relevance.
The central business and legal foundations are taught in the following modules:
- Foundations of management
- Financial accounting
- Management accounting
- Business law and taxation
- Financial management
Students can choose particular specialisations by selecting from the following modules:
- International management
- Intercultural business communication
- International marketing
- International supply chain management
- International corporate finance
- Intercultural project work
- International controlling
- International organisation and human resource management
- International business and trade law
- International strategic management
Economic issues are taught from an international perspective in the following modules:
- Microeconomics and market analysis
- Macroeconomic and country studies
- International economics and globalisation
Students can also deepen their knowledge of specific areas through the following electives:
- Corporate sustainability
- International accounting
- Digital economics
- Digital transformation in accounting
They can also select modules from other degree courses as electives.
Because graduates are awarded a Bachelor of Science upon completion of the degree course, the course content also focuses on the requisite quantitative and academic skills, which are taught in the following modules in particular:
- Business mathematics
- Business statistics
- Quantitative methods in international business
- Programming and data organisation
- Academic research and writing
- Empirical research methods
An internship semester allows you to obtain international experience related to your studies.
The Bachelor’s thesis concludes the course. In it, you demonstrate that you can apply academic methods independently to solve a particular problem.
Your interests and skills
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For this degree course, you should have a keen interest in business and economics in an international context. You’ll also need to be ready to work with quantitative and academic methods.
Solid general knowledge, a good command of written and spoken English, an interest in other cultures, strong social skills and networked thinking will help you in both your studies and your career. It is important that you have the ability to learn and work in small groups, and that you are highly organised and flexible.
Admission requirements
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Higher education entrance qualification
You can apply directly for this course if you hold one of the following qualifications:
- Fachhochschulreife
- Allgemeine Hochschulreife
- Fachgebundene Hochschulreife (subject-specific HE entrance qualification)
- A similar qualification
You are also required to provide proof of proficiency in English at the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference as stipulated in section 7, paragraph 2 of the General Admissions Regulations [HAWAZO]).
Pre-course experience
You are not required to have completed pre-course experience for this course.
International applicants
If you completed your schooling outside Germany and want to study here for a Bachelor’s degree, you need to hold an academic school-leaving qualification which entitles you to admission to higher education; that is, it needs to be comparable to a German Abitur or Fachhochschulreife. The organisation uni assist will check your certificates from school and any degree-level studies to establish comparability.
We only accept online applications. Before applying, applicants must register with www.hochschulstart.de. During the application period (for the winter semester: 1 June–15 July; for the summer semester: 1 December–15 January) you can find the online application and detailed information about the application process on the Applying for a Bachelor's degree course page.
You can find information about the selection process and the numerus clausus (NC) from the previous semester here: Applying for a Bachelor's degree course/Selection criteria
International applicants are also required to apply during the application period. To make the process easier for you, we have compiled a step-by-step checklist: International applicants
Application process
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We only accept online applications. Before applying, applicants must register with www.hochschulstart.de. During the application period (for the winter semester: 1 June–15 July; for the summer semester: 1 December–15 January) you can find the online application and detailed information about the application process on the Applying for a Bachelor's degree course page.
You can find information about the selection process and the numerus clausus (NC) from the previous semester here: Applying for a Bachelor's degree course/Selection criteria
International applicants are also required to apply during the application period.
To make the process easier for you, we have compiled a step-by-step checklist: International applicants
Questions about selecting a course, applications, admissions and degree courses
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Applications and admissions
Student Admissions and Registration Office (Studierendensekretariat)
Stiftstraße 69, 20099 Hamburg (ground floor)
T +49.40.428 75-9898
studierendensekretariat (at) haw-hamburg (dot) de
Contact us with your questions about applications and admissions
The Information Point is open at the following times:
Monday–Thursday: 10:00 am–1:00 pm
Friday: closed
In-person office hours:
Thursday: 2:00 pm–4:00 pm
Telephone office hours:
Monday and Tuesday: 9:00 am–10:00 am
For general queries about HAW Hamburg degree courses and course choice
Student Counselling Team (Zentrale Studienberatung)
Stiftstraße 69, 1st floor, room 122
20099 Hamburg
T +49 40 42875 9110
Contact form
Office hours
Contact person for applicants with disabilities or chronic health conditions
Meike Butenob/Dieter Röh
Stiftstraße 69, Haus 3, room 37
Tel. +49.40.428 75-7220
inklusion (at) haw-hamburg (dot) de
Contact the department
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Specifically subject-related queries:
Prof. Dr. Stephan Boll
Berliner Tor 5, room 09.20, 20099 Hamburg
Tel.: + 49.40.428 75-6987
Studienfachberatung-Department-Wirtschaft(@)haw-hamburg.de
At a glance
Degree
No. of semesters
Applications accepted
Selective / restricted entry
Language of instruction
Fees/charges
Full-/part-time
Location
Start of studies
Orientation week (Bachelor)
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At the beginning of your studies with us, we would like to welcome you to an orientation week and provide you with all the important information. The orientation week will take place from 7-11 October 2024 at the Berliner Tor campus. There will be no courses in your programme during this week. More detailed information on the organisation of the orientation week are attached below.
Mathematics Preliminary Course
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The preliminary course in mathematics for the Bachelor's degree programme International Business takes place as follows:
Period:Monday, 30/09/2024 to Friday, 04/10/2024 (except 03/10/2024)
Time:10:00 – 13:15 hrs on each day
Location:Room 2.15 (Berliner Tor 5), Classroom sessions!
Language:English
Please bring your own laptop (or at least a tablet) to the lectures!
For questions about the maths preliminary course write to: nora.goensch[at]haw-hamburg.de
Dates and deadlines
Lecture and semester dates
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Winter semester 2023/24: 1 September 2023–31 March 2024
Lecture period: 9 October 2023–17 February 2024 (including the three-week examination period)
Lecture-free period:
Christmas holidays: 25 December 2023–5 January 2024
Summer semester 2024: 1 April 2024–30 September 2024
Lecture period: 2 April 2024–27 July 2024 (including the three-week examination period)
Winter semester 2024/25: 1 October 2024–31 March 2025
Lecture period: 7 October 2024–15 February 2025 (including the three-week examination period)
Lecture-free period:
Christmas holidays: 21 December 2024–5 January 2025
Summer semester 2025: 1 April 2025–30 September 2025
Lecture period: 7 April 2025–2 August 2025 (including the three-week examination period)
Winter semester 2025/26: 1 October 2025–31 March 2026
Lecture period: 6 October 2025–14 February 2026 (including the three-week examination period)
Lecture-free period:
Christmas holidays: 20 December 2025–4 January 2026
Summer semester 2026: 1 April 2026–30 September 2026
Lecture period: 6 April 2026–1 August 2026 (including the three-week examination period)
Winter semester 2026/27: 1 October 2026–31 March 2027
Lecture period: 5 October 2026–13 February 2027 (including the three-week examination period)
Lecture-free period:
Christmas holidays: 21 December 2025–3 January 2027
Summer semester 2027: 1 April 2027–30 September 2027
Lecture period: 5 April 2027–31 July 2027 (including the three-week examination period)
Re-registration
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To re-register for the new semester, please pay the semester contribution by bank transfer within the re-registration period. Please do not pay before the start of the re-registration period as the final amount will not be determined before this period begins.
The semester contribution for winter semester 2024 / 2025 is €331.
Please also transfer the amount even if you are blocked from re-registering. The block can only be lifted if you have paid the semester contribution.
New re-registration deadlines as of winter semester 2024 / 2025
Winter semester: 1 July –15 September
Summer semester: 1 January –15 March
The semester contribution must be in the HAW Hamburg account by the last day of the re-registration period at the latest!
Important: Late re-registration can result in involuntary deregistration from the university. Subsequent re-registration is only possible within the appeals period. Regardless of whether or not deregistration takes place, an additional administrative fee of €15 will be charged for late re-registration.
If you are financially unable to pay the semester contribution, you may contact the Students' Union (AStA). In warranted cases it can provide you with a loan.
Bank account information
Recipient: HAW Hamburg
BLZ: 20000000
Bank: Deutsche Bundesbank
IBAN: DE08200000000020101544
BIC: MARKDEF1200
Purpose for winter semester 2024 /2025:
Semester code 20242 and your student ID number (please do not leave a space in between!) last name, first name (please leave a space between the student ID number and your name!), e.g.: 202422567890 Mustermann, Max
Course timetable
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Examinations
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Internship semester
The internship semester gives students the opportunity to obtain initial professional experience. It runs for 24 weeks and should be completed in the fifth semester.
The details are outlined in the Internship Guidelines (in German).
Contact person
Department Wirtschaft
Berliner Tor 5, Room 8.18
20099 Hamburg
Documents and forms
Degree course advising
Department Wirtschaft
Berliner Tor 5, Room 9.20
20099 Hamburg
T +49 40 428 75-6987
nach Vereinbarung per E-Mail