Master Degree Course Change Management in small and medium-sized enterprises

The management of an enterprise nowadays faces completely new challenges. The only lasting feature in firms would seem to be change. Traditional business administration concepts cannot cope with the ensuing demand for adaptation and adjustment. It is far more the case that change must be managed by introducing fundamentally new and far-reaching approaches for business restructuring. This applies particularly for small and medium-sized companies which are the growth motor of Germany’s economy. The “Change Management” Master Degree Course (CHM) qualifies students for demanding management tasks in such enterprises. The special focus of the Master course is on change processes.

• Objectives and special features 
• Employment opportunities for graduates 
• Course structure 
• International focus 
• Admission conditions 
• Application and selection procedure 
• Advice for students 
• Website of the course 
• Lecturers 

 CHM_Master_Internet.pdf
 Broschure of the course

 CHM_Flyer_Internet.pdf
 

Objectives and special features

On the basis of a broad knowledge of business administration principles, students in the Master course work on specific management topics and concepts which enable them to plan and develop successful change processes. The challenge of “Ability and Capacity to Change” runs like a red thread through the entire curriculum. The course teaches management competencies which answer the specific requirements of small and medium-sized enterprises. These expect from university graduates broad business administration skills which can immediately be put to concrete use so that they can integrate themselves as quickly as possible into the firm’s working procedures and drive change processes forward. Overall, graduates are prepared for a wide variety of tasks with a very high level of responsibility.
The Master course is tailored to the structural changes occurring in the small and medium-sized business sector.
The course has been accredited since March 2006. Key features are:
- 2-year full-time course with a high level of practical content
- Qualification as Master of Arts (M.A.)
- Limited to 20 places per year
- Teaching languages are German (60%) and English (40%)
- Practical projects and in-depth study of four areas of application.

Employment opportunities for graduates

Most business administration courses are oriented to the needs of large enterprises, although small and medium-sized companies offer far larger employment potential. In many cases, considerably more jobs are created in small and medium-sized firms than in large enterprises, not just in terms of absolute numbers but also as a percentage. The Master course targets this employment potential and growth rate whereby Change Management is a core topic since it fundamentally affects almost all small and medium-sized enterprises. The Master course graduate is a generalist who, in addition to his broad business administration know-how, also brings with him specific skills in Change Management. In particular the necessity to drive structural change forward will lead to a further demand for young, qualified management personnel in small and medium-sized businesses in many regions. In addition, there are also opportunities to take over the management of existing businesses - as successor- as an alternative to setting up one’s own company.
The prospects resulting from studying at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences apply not just to a professional career in Germany but are also relevant to the international employment market.

Course structure

The CHM Master course is designed to take four terms. In two modules (Basic Business Operations in SMEs 1 and 2), students acquire skills in areas of business administration at general management level in order to be in a position to make decisions on strategy, structures, systems and responsibilities. The focus on international issues and the concentration on small and medium-sized enterprises play a particularly important role here. Key aspects of change are dealt with in the modules “Structural Change and Adjustment”, “Entrepreneurship” and “Communication and Integration”. In addition to general themes, concrete applications and in-depth study of other topics are offered by way of example: Tourism/Services, Food Industry or Technology. This know-how can be used in similarly structured sectors. Particular emphasis is placed on the teaching of key competencies. These soft skills are of major significance for a qualified management function in small and medium-sized enterprises.
The third term takes place exclusively in English. The fourth term centres on the Master Thesis.

International focus

Internationalisation is an essential dimension of the “Change Management in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises” Master course. This international focus is reflected in course units with a specific international orientation. At the same time, the international aspects of each topic in question are – so far as they are relevant – handled in all course components.
Internationalisation also means that students are encouraged to participate in an international exchange. This is possible, for example, in the framework of a term spent abroad. Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences co-operates, for example, with the International School of Economics in Rotterdam (Netherlands), with the Mikkeli Institute of Business Studies in Mikkeli (Finland), with the Universidad de Vigo (Spain), with the Napier University Business School in Edinburgh (Great Britain), Danzig University (Akademia Morska Gdynia, Poland) and with the Université du Havre (France).

Admission conditions

Admission to the course is conditional upon a first university qualification (Diploma or Bachelor) with at least 120 credit points in business administration subjects. The overall grade of this first qualification must be at least "Good" (ECTS B).
It is recommended that non-German applicants submit their certificates to the ASSIST office for checking. Further information can be found under www.uni-assist.de.
No previous career experience is expected, however it is recommended that students have undertaken an internship in an enterprise, so far as this was not already part of the Bachelor course.
New students should master the English language to such a degree that they are able to participate successfully in discussions and seminars in their own field, give presentations related to their subject or hold an everyday conversation and converse fairly fluently on abstract topics. In general, a language qualification corresponding to Level B of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages is expected (see also www.hs-bremerhaven.de/Sprachqualifikationen.html).

 Zulassungsordnung_BWL_Master_CHM_17_05_06.pdf
 

 ABl_2007_03_13_Nr_040_Pruefungsordnung_Master_CHM-1.pdf
 

Application and selection procedure

To apply for the CHM course, applicants must complete in full the relevant application form and either submit it in person or send it by post together with all the necessary documents before the closing date to the Admissions Office of the University. The form can be obtained either from the Central Student Advice Office or the homepage of Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences. Closing dates for applications and other deadlines are published on the University’s homepage or can be obtained from the Central Student Advice Office.
Admission to the CHM course is restricted. 20 places are available each year. Admission to the course is in the winter term of a given year.
Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences runs a special applicant selection procedure. Further details on the procedure can be found on the University’s homepage.

Advice for students

The Central Student Information answers general enquiries about the course. Contact:

The Admissions and Examination Office is responsible for questions about admission requirements. Contact:

Questions about course content should be addressed to:

Website of the course

www.bwl.hs-bremerhaven.de

Lecturers