Hi everyone,

I am a 30 years old financial controller (management accountant / analyst) with 7+ total years of experience, who got an opportunity to work in Frankfurt, Germany for 2-4 years as an expat.

During that period I want to also take part in a part-time / online MBA course to boost my resume and future career prospects. My goal is to be eligible (and more attractive) for a senior level finance / controlling roles such as: Finance Director, Controlling Director, CFO etc. (maybe not immediately after the graduation, but let's say 5 years give or take). Not aiming for a specific industry, but rather for a very large sized international businesses / Groups

1. Which of the options below would be best suitable for my goal if I want to make a career specifically in Germany?
2. Which of the options below would be best suitable for my goal without tying it to a specific country (let's say Europe in general)?

A. Taking a part-time MBA course in FSFM (the only high ranked business school in Frankfurt that I found)
B. Taking an online MBA course from a higher ranked German business school (ESMT or WHU)
C. Taking an online MBA course from an even higher ranked but non-German school (Warwick, etc.)
D. Skip part-time/online courses altogether and instead find an option to squeeze in a full-time degree in-between jobs

What do you think would be the best option for each of 2 scenarios? Thanks!

Using the same time to perfect written and spoken German would be cheaper and a better investment. 

I will definitely do that.

My current plan is to study German extensively in my 1st year, and go for part-time / online MBA in my 2nd and 3rd years (while continuing refining my German further). Since it adds up for a total of 3 years, I think I will have a pretty fluent level of German by the end.

Also I forgot to mention, but currently I only hold a bachelor's in accounting and finance from a non-accredited non-European university (QS ranking in 1100s), which I imagine holds my resume back quite a bit. That is why I feel like doing an MBA/Masters from a well ranked internationally respected university would fill that gap quite nicely

My current top picks are: part-time MBA from FSFM and online MBA from ESMT Berlin

[Edited by MMN on Jul 31, 2022]

If you are working in a financial service firm, then FSFM is a good choice. From a corporate perspective, Mannheim is half an hour south of Frankfurt and a *much* better school. The part-time MBA or, considering your age, one of the executive MBAs there, is a better investment. 

Thanks for the Mannheim suggestion, Duncan, I did not realize that it was so close to Frankfurt (not quite half on hour, closer to an hour), still it became my number 1 option at the moment.

As for the Executive vs Part-time, I'll try to go for the Executive option but I don't have that much of a direct middle management experience, more so an experience of a project manager, so not sure if this will be considered enough of a leadership experience by them

And yes, I am looking form a corporate perspective, I haven't worked in financial industries and probably never will (since my work experience is quite different)

I noticed that you didn't comment on any of the online MBA options. Are they that much inferior of an investment compared to a part-time MBA? The price-tag of 25k Euro for ESMT Berlin online MBA seems very appealing, and the platform seems to be super flexible and modern.

It's 36 or 37 minutes with the ICE. 

Most EMBA programmes will give you a quick evaluation if you send a CV. Ideally also send a covering letter explaining specifically why that school's programme structure and industry links are idea for you. 

Yes, the online MBAs meet your needs less well because of the greater soft skills development of the on-campus programmes and the improved networking. ESMT is a relatively small and new school so its brand value and alumni network is so much less powerful than, say, WHU's online MBA. The schools in East Germany are not so well connected into the corporate networks in the major cities, along the Rhine and Main.