Management, Economics and Social Sciences - Bachelor of Science University of Cologne

Driving Sustainable Change!

This programme provides you with:

• strong insights in societal challenges, such as climate change, inequality and digital transformation
• management skills with a focus on solving new challenges
• a truly international perspective as global challenges need global solutions

Starting from day one, the programme combines an entrepreneurial attitude with academic excellence. You will learn how to approach new problems, launch initiatives and drive sustainable change.

To help you gain a deep understanding of societal challenges, we will provide you with state-of-the-art research findings in relevant fields from various disciplines, such as management, economics, sociology or social psychology. The programme also includes expertise from affiliated specialists, such as the Institute of Energy Economics (EWI), when discussing climate change.

You will learn advanced methodologies to rigorously analyse systems and to be able to draw evidence-based conclusions. In order to speed up your personal and academic development, you will benefit from an innovative teaching and mentoring concept.

Programme Structure: This Bachelor's programme is designed to take six semesters (three years).

Semester One – Planet

You will gain an understanding of the effect of economies on the environment. You will discuss climate change and how to create a sustainable business.

Courses:

• Entrepreneurship
• Economy and Business in Nature
• Economics of Climate Change
• Introduction to Statistics
• Fundamentals of Microeconomic

Semester Two – People

You will gain an understanding of dynamics in societies as well as the root causes and consequences of social inequality.

Courses:

• Introduction to Psychology
• Demography and Social Inequality
• Economics of Inequality
• Data Analysis and Econometrics
• Fundamentals of Macroeconomics

Semester Three – Profit

You will gain an understanding of the impact of digitalisation on economical sustainability and modern markets. You will also learn to manage big data to draw insights.

Courses:

• Managing Demand and Supply
• Digital Transformation and Entrepreneurship
• Digital Transformation and Change Management
• Data Science
• Economic Design

Semester Four – Cologne Profile

You will start to sharpen your own profile, define your own ethical values, and discuss challenges in political context. You will be able to select courses from various disciplines.

Courses:

• Finance and Accounting
• Business Ethics
• Public Policy
• Profile Electives I
• Profile Electives II

Semester Five – Profile Abroad

You will go abroad and continue to specialise in topics of management, economics or social science. You will broaden your horizons with general electives.

Courses:

• Studies Abroad in Management, Economics and Social Sciences
• General Electives (Studies Abroad)

Semester Six – Projects

You will start to develop your own projects. This includes an entrepreneurial group project and an academic thesis. You will reflect on the studies and how to make an impact.

Courses:

• Leadership and Interpersonal Skills
• Project Study
• Bachelor's Thesis

Grades from your university entrance qualification
Please find detailed information here.

The semester contribution amounts to approx. 320 EUR per semester. The fee includes a public transport ticket for regional transport throughout Germany ("Deutschlandsemesterticket").

Scholarships and further financing options

WiSo Career Service

Accommodation is available through the student union ("Kölner Studierendenwerk") or on the private housing market. Rent for a single room in a student hall of residence is approx. 200 EUR to 300 EUR. Rent for a single room on the private housing market is approx. 400 EUR to 600 EUR.

The Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences (also known as “WiSo Faculty“) is part of the University of Cologne, and it has over a century of experience in educating new generations of business professionals, economists, social analysts and political experts. As one of Germany’s largest educational institutions, the WiSo Faculty regularly ranks among the top providers of management and business education.

As a student of the WiSo Faculty, you will benefit from a teaching approach based on theory and methods in combination with research and applications.

The traditional diversity of subjects, top-level research, practical relevance and internationality allow the WiSo Faculty to stand up to national and international comparison and to achieve top positions in international research rankings. Through its interdisciplinary research approach, the Faculty’s seminars and institutes make a major contribution to the excellent research at the University of Cologne.

The education provided at our Faculty has benefited from many years of experience in working with companies and visiting lecturers from different professional fields. Several faculty members are professionals and managers who bring important industry experience to the programmes, resulting in sector-specific, up-to-date programme content for our students. This ensures that our interdisciplinary programme reflects the real world and ideally combines practice and theory, while also promoting knowledge sharing.

COLOGNE – AN OPEN-MINDED AND STUDENT-CENTRED CITY!

Cologne is located within a metropolitan area of about 13 million people in the heart of Germany’s economy which makes it easy for students and faculty to collaborate with great companies. It is one of Germany‘s most attractive locations, and it offers a vibrant student life.

With around 100,000 students and a lively start-up culture, Cologne is the economic and scientific centre of the Rhineland region. In addition to 17 universities and business schools, the area is also home to numerous internationally renowned research institutions such as ESA European Space Agency or Gesis – Leibniz Institute for Social Sciences, with knowledge transfer to industry and society playing a key role. Successful transfer structures include the university’s Excellence Start-Up Center, the GATEWAY start-up service, the Cologne e.V. start-up network and the Digital Hub Cologne.

Cologne is also proud of its reputation as a vibrant and tolerant city and at the same time being both multicultural – with 18% non-German residents – and strong in its local identity. Cologne’s famous carnival season every February (known as "Karneval") and “Kölsch” which is a popular local beer that is brewed exclusively in Cologne, are only two examples of the vivid cultivation of the city’s traditions.

• 1.09 million inhabitants in the city of Cologne
• 13 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area of Cologne
• 100,706 students in Cologne
• 34.75% of Cologne’s total area is covered by public parks, sports grounds and nature areas.
• one famous Gothic cathedral, the “Kölner Dom”
• unlimited opportunities to fall in love with the city