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Can I join an MBA programme without a degree?
A successfully completed undergraduate degree is one basic requirement on all the MBA programmes at the Berlin School of Economics (FHW). The degree can be from a university or college, a college of applied sciences, a commercial or technical college, or a private institution, providing the qualification obtained in tertiary level study is recognised as the equivalent of a degree.
The Berlin School of Economics is a publicly funded college and the MBA programmes offered here are authorised and recognised by the Berlin Senate. This recognition places the college under the Berlin Hochschulgesetz (Berlin University Law – BerlHG ) which specifically requires a first degree as an admission criteria to post-graduate programmes. This basic requirement has to be met and cannot be waived for any other possible equivalent (e.g., a number of years of work experience).

Can I join an MBA programme without work experience?
Given that the MBA programmes are based on expanding the knowledge and skills acquired at work, there is little sense in starting this course of studies without the requisite work experience. MBA courses stress the link between theory and practice and reflection on one’s own experience at work is an integral part of the learning process.

Do I have to pay the fees in one lump sum?
Fees on our MBA programmes can be paid in three instalments.
Are the fees tax deductible?
Normally, the fees are fully tax deductible since our MBA programmes qualify as programmes of additional or further training as defined in Paras. 25 and 26 of the Berlin Hochschulgesetz (Berlin University Law – BerlHG ).

Are your MBA degrees recognised?
The degrees awarded by the Berlin School of Economics to students who successfully complete an MBA programme entitles them to use the internationally recognised degree of “Master of Business Administration” (MBA). This qualification also enables the holder to apply for senior civil service posts.

Are the MBA programmes accredited?
The MBA European-Asian Programme, the MBA European Management, MBA General Management – Dual Award and MBA Entrepreneurship have been accredited by the internationally recognised quality standard institution FIBAA (Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation).
The MBA Health Care Management has been accredited by the Zentrale Evaluations- und Akkreditierungsagentur Hannover (ZEvA), testifying to the programme’s adherence to MBA quality standards.

Do I have to do a work placement during the MBA programme?
The full-time MBA European-Asian programme has an integral three months work placement phase, giving students a chance to apply in practice the theoretical knowledge they have acquired. The college provides support for the students during the process of applying for a suitable placement. The other MBA programmes do not have a placement phase, although students may opt for a placement and find one on their own initiative.

Do I have to attend regularly?
Our MBA programmes are structured around required attendance. Regular attendance and active involvement in seminar-style courses forms an essential element on MBA programmes, with learning in and with the group and the direct exchange of experience between students as one central pillar.

Can the MBA also be taken as a distance-learning programme?
Our MBA programmes are designed around required attendance where learning in and with the group and the direct exchange of experience between students plays a key role in the learning process and, for this reason, they are not offered as distance-learning modules. On part-time MBA programmes, the lectures and seminars are blocked in required attendance phases at times that also allow students from outside Berlin to attend.

Does every MBA programme have a Study Visit phase?
Part-time MBA programmes have a Study Visit phase built into the curriculum. The Study Visits are to an English-speaking country and are a required part of the course of studies.

What is the average age of students on the MBA programmes?
On our part-time MBA programmes, the average age of students is 33; on the full-time MBA programmes, the average age is 29 years old.

How many international students take part in your MBA programmes?
On the full-time MBA European Management programme, the proportion of international students is around 40%; this figure is around 80% on the MBA European-Asian programme. On the part-time programmes the percentage of international students is not as high – around 20% on the MBA General Management – Dual Award, a figure that is somewhat lower on the MBA Entrepreneurship and the MBA Health Care Management programmes.

How much work will I have to do outside the classroom?
Students are not only expected to actively contribute during required attendance phases but to prepare thoroughly for the courses. On the part-time courses, experience has shown that the time required for coursework prior to and after a particular course usually equals the total number of hours for that course (i.e., if the course is 40 hours in total, the workload outside the classroom might well be another 40 hours). On the full-time courses, the workload outside the classroom usually amounts to roughly 15 hours a week. Clearly, an MBA programme requires a considerable time investment.

How can I find accommodation?
Full-time MBA students are entitled to apply for rooms in a student hall of residence (one room en-suite apartments or single rooms with shared kitchen and bathroom). Applications are to be made through the Berlin School of Economics.

Do I need to take GMAT before I apply?
Although a good GMAT score may help support your application, it is not a requirement.

When do the courses start?
The programmes always begin at the start of the winter semester. The foundation courses start in September.

What issues should I address in the letter of motivation?
A letter of motivation is designed to offer you the chance to explain, briefly and succinctly, your vocational goals and show how these relate to the MBA qualification. It should not be longer than one standard A4 page and can be either in English or German. On the MBA European-Asian programme, the letter of motivation has to be in English.