Master's in International Management International School of Management (ISM)

The full-time Master’s in International Management at the International School of Management (ISM) combines management theory, analytics, and practical application in a dynamic and interdisciplinary way. Alongside core business management courses, you’ll have the chance to tailor your studies by choosing specialisation modules — whether in accounting & finance, marketing, or operations management. This flexibility ensures you gain the broad range of skills needed to succeed as a future leader in companies and international organisations. 

Real-world learning is at the heart of the programme: integrated case studies, study trips, and internships with leading companies give you valuable hands-on experience. You’ll strengthen your problem-solving abilities, build professional networks and soft skills necessary for managing international teams and demonstrate your potential across different business field, significantly boosting your career opportunities after graduation.

Did you know:

ISM is internationally AACSB-accredited. Only around six percent of business schools worldwide are AACSB-accredited, an internationally-recognised mark of quality for excellence in teaching, research, and social impact.

Semester 1–2: Reinforcing and building on students' existing knowledge of business management, training in executive presentations and team management skills

Semester 3: Semester abroad at one of the ISM partner universities in Europe or overseas

Semester 4: Master's thesis

Practice-oriented lectures, consulting projects and a twelve-week practical phase are important components of the course. Furthermore, students have the possibility to complete an international double degree.

A twelve-week compulsory internship in an international context during the semesters guarantees a high level of practical relevance.

• A successfully completed Bachelor's degree with at least 180 ECTS points or an equivalent course of study at a university or university of applied sciences or a foreign higher education institution of corresponding rank
• You bring at least 30 ECTS credits in the field of economics.
• Submission of the online application form and uploading certain documents (Bachelor's degree certificate (if available), transcript of records, CV, letter of motivation, English language certificate of level B2)
• Participation in an application interview

Admission process: The admission process consists of preparing a brief case study presentation and an online interview. 

Included in the tuition fee

On average, the cost of living for students in Germany is about 1,000 EUR/month. Depending on lifestyle and choice of accommodation, higher costs might incur in cities such as Munich, Berlin or Hamburg.

As an international student in Germany, you can work part-time (20 hours per week) during the semester time and full-time (40 hours per week) during the semester breaks. This means that over the course of a year, you can work a maximum of 140 full days or 280 half days without requesting approval from the German Employment Agency.

ISM is a private university of applied sciences that is financed solely by tuition fees. It supports suitable, highly motivated students with the allocation of scholarships — usually partial scholarships of 25% to 50% of the tuition fee — to enable them to study at the university.

More information on scholarships and study financing

The Career Centre is the central service centre for student internship applications, career entry help and perspectives, and the set-up of a student's own network. It is the interface between students, alumni, and companies. The Career Centre offers support to students in order to help them get access to internships, prepare them for job interviews and find the best suitable career path.

ISM does not have a private dormitory and cannot offer student accommodation.

The International School of Management (ISM) — with campuses in Dortmund, Frankfurt/Main, Munich, Hamburg, Cologne, Stuttgart and Berlin — is a private, state-recognised University of Applied Sciences that has been offering high-quality, practical, and career-focused management education programmes with a strong international orientation for more than two decades. Founded in 1990, the ISM is home to about 3,200 students pursuing business degrees in a personal atmosphere, under the guidance of faculty and staff members. The programme of study includes seven Bachelor's degree programmes, a part-time Bachelor's programme, seven consecutive Master's degree programmes, one non-consecutive Master's programme, a part-time Master's programme, and two MBA programmes. Due to the compact structure of all study programmes, full-time students graduate in six or seven semesters with a Bachelor's degree and in three semesters with a Master's degree. The ISM also offers an MBA programme geared towards graduates of all academic disciplines. Students of this part-time MBA General Management programme graduate within two years and complete four modules at partner universities in the USA, in Brussels, India and Hong Kong. A second programme, the MBA Energy Management, is organised in cooperation with the energy companies E.ON AG and RWE AG and is therefore tailored to the particular needs of managers in the energy sector.