Hochschule Pforzheim

Our state of the art MBA program offers the academic and professional edge that will provide you with distinct competitive advantages for the business of tomorrow. International, generalist and profound classical management foundations are innovatively combined with the most relevant future topics such as Innovation Management, Business Dynamics, and Sustainable Globalization. 

Established in 1995 as the first state-accredited MBA program in Germany, the MBA program is practice-oriented and enjoys excellent reputation with German employers. Being surrounded by some of the world’s most powerful companies enables our students to benefit from our close cooperation with them. Company projects, visits and guest lectures are a vital part of our management education in Pforzheim.

The program can be completed in 4 semesters (3 semesters for candidates with a bachelor’s degree in business/economics). While the program is taught entirely in English, fully integrated German courses will be provided to sharpen your language profile.

Video link - Introducing MBA International Management

Video link - Student's perspective on MBA International Management

The University dates back to 1877 and consists of three schools: the School of Design, the School of Engineering and the Business School. The three schools offer a large number of Bachelor and Master degree programs, all of which emphasize interdisciplinary thinking and cooperation among faculty, economists, lawyers, engineers, designers and experts from various sectors.

The institution is characterized by the high academic qualifications and practical experiences of more than 800 professors, associate lecturers and staff, who intensively guide over 6,500 students, right from the start of their studies. Pforzheim University also enjoys close cooperation with the surrounding business community and has an outstanding reputation among Germany’s leading companies.

If you are looking for a practice-oriented degree with an excellent reputation, then we are the right school for you! Our business programs have been running successfully for more than 50 years. With 3,200 students and 95 full-time professors, the school is among the largest business schools in Germany, which enables us to offer a broad and attractive range of degree programs.

Since 2011, the Business School has been accredited and re-accredited in 2017 and 2022 by AACSB, the hallmark of excellence in management education. All study programs are also approved by the State of Baden-Württemberg and accredited by state-recognized agencies. The excellent educational standard and methods, as well as our focus on the job market has been acknowledged by various rankings and ratings.

Our professors not only hold doctoral or Ph.D. degrees – all of them worked for at least 5 years in senior management positions prior to their position as a professor in our MBA program. As a University of Applied Sciences, we strongly believe in a mix of research and professional experience. The diverse backgrounds of our faculty therefore provide you with state-of-the-art academic perspectives, based on real life experience.

Within our MBA program, some courses are taught by experts from specific fields. Every semester, guest lecturers from well-known companies also come to our classroom to provide you with their practical knowledge and professional expertise. This way, our teaching is oriented towards the most current trends and challenges companies are facing.

Additionally, renowned guest professors from our partner universities enrich your MBA experience right in classroom and contribute to a culturally diverse learning experience.

• Good undergraduate (Bachelor) degree from an internationally accredited university
• Two years of full-time work experience after first university degree
• GMAT: expected score 550 or equivalent score in GRE (for applicants with a degree from Germany, Austria or Switzerland, GMAT is not required)
• Proficiency in English: TOEFL (100 Internet-based, 250 computer-based or 600 paper-based) or IELTS (7.0). Except for native speakers or if the applicant’s first degree is taught entirely in English.
• A motivation letter and an essay on extra-curricular activities (one page each)
• Photo & Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Certified copy of University Certificate and Transcript, High School Certificate
• Interview (in person or by telephone)

Our Admissions Committee reviews applications for the MBA program on a rolling basis throughout the year. Early applications are encouraged. Application process duration is 2 to 4 weeks after you completed the online application, including an interview in person or via skype. Applications after deadlines are accepted on space availability basis only (max. 25 seats available per year).

Application Deadlines:

• June 15 - for October entry (for German visa holders: July 31)
• Dec 15 - for March entry (for German visa holders: January 31)

For further information, please visit our website http://www.hs-pforzheim.de/mba or contact us via email at [email protected]

Students will be required to pay a tuition fee of 4,200 EUR and a registration fee of 171 EUR per semester during the course of the study. There will be no application fee charged.

Welcome to Pforzheim in the state of Baden-Württemberg, southwest Germany! The city forms the northern gateway to the Black Forest. In Pforzheim, the centuries-old traditions of the jewelry and gold guilds converge with the design and high-tech industries. Famous as the center for the German jewelry, watch and silver goods industry, Pforzheim is known as the ‘Goldstadt’ (Gold City).

The state of Baden-Württemberg is one of Europe’s most innovative and globalized regions. Many Internationally renowned corporations such as Daimler, Porsche, Bosch, SAP, Mahle, Zeiss and Würth are located in this area. The region also benefits from a powerful backbone of small and mid-sized enterprises, among them many hidden champions.

Pforzheim and its surrounding Black Forest region offers a wide array of cultural, recreational, touristic and outdoor sporting activities. In addition, the city is conveniently located near three lively economic centers: Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Heidelberg, and is well connected through the country's extensive rail, bus and highway networks, making it an ideal starting point for discovering Germany and the rest of Europe.

We understand arriving in a new country and finding adequate housing can sometimes be a challenge. Through a buddy system, you are supported from the beginning of the program by our senior MBA students. To help you settle in, an updated list of available housing can be obtained from the International Office, which will also work to assist the student in case serious difficulties are encountered. You can choose to look for a shared apartment (WG) as most German students do, either online or via a local real estate agency experienced in working with international students. Another alternative is search for a dormitory or a room through the Studentenwerk Karlsruhe-Pforzheim (ran by the student union), which provides more than 450 rooms and apartments distributed in five student residences in Pforzheim.

The main strength of our program is its international focus, not just in content, but especially due to the diverse student body and faculty. On average, students from five to ten foreign nations participate in the program in a given year, comprising up to 90% of the class. We also host exchange students from our partner universities.

At Pforzheim University, different student initiatives can be found. Amongst them:

• AStA: Support and advice in all student questions; organization of sports program for students
• GEMINI: exclusive support for international students
• CAMPUS X: on-campus company fairs