University of Cologne Business School

The Cologne-Rotterdam Executive MBA has been established on the basis of mutual co-operation and respect between the University of Cologne (UoC) and the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM). We consider this partnership between RSM and UoC a natural fit; a highly ranked university and a triple-accredited business school. This joint Executive MBA programme brings RSM’s expertise in delivering premium management education to Cologne, at the crossroads of Europe’s trade routes. The relationship builds on the strengths of both institutions and locations, and brings world-class management education to the Rhine-Ruhr area, putting it within easy reach of managers in the region.

Curriculum

The Cologne-Rotterdam Executive MBA curriculum delivers an established and comprehensive foundation for higher levels of management, filling gaps in your knowledge and strengthening skills that you may not yet have developed. The choice of electives to develop specialised abilities and skills is then yours. You will hone your management and leadership skills in a convenient schedule that allows you to balance your private life with improving your professional abilities.

The first year of the programme focuses on analytical skills and critical thinking while mastering the fundamentals of business management while the second year covers leadership development and the practice of leadership while fostering communication skills and giving you the opportunity to select from a range of subjects designed to offer further specialized knowledge.

Year I - Term I: September - Mid January

• Social and economic behaviour
• Business Analytics
• Management science
• Managerial accounting
• Organisational behaviour

Year I - Term II: Mid January - August

• Human resource management
• Marketing management
• Strategic management
• Financial management
• Operations management

Year II - Term I: September - Mid January

• Advanced finance

Three elective courses - there are more than 40 electives you can choose from, such as:

• Brand management
• Energy markets
• Entrepreneurship
• Financial engineering
• Retail management
• Negotiations & conflict management
• Strategic value management
• Corporate social responsibility

• International study trip

Year II - Term II: Mid January - August

• Leading strategic business change
• The business of sustainability
• International Leadership Retreat
• In-company thesis

Please click here for a more detailed curriculum and course descriptions.

Seminar building at the University of Cologne

The University of Cologne (UoC) was founded in 1388 and is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Europe. With more than 49.000 students and six faculties covering a broad spectrum of disciplines, the UoC is the third largest university in Germany. Furthermore, the UoC is a foundation member of CEMS - The Global Alliance in Management Education.

Established in 2015, the University of Cologne Executive School is a business school that unites all of the University’s management development expertise. The University of Cologne is one of the oldest and most prestigious European universities, making it the perfect choice for a management training programme. The Business School is attached to the University’s Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences. With around 10,000 students and more than one hundred professors, the faculty is one of the largest and most renowned faculties of its kind in Europe. Its students benefit from an extensive network of more than 120 partner higher education institutions around the world, numerous national and international companies and a university-wide alumni club with over 4,000 members.

The faculty members of the Business School of the University of Cologne stand for outstanding, scientifically founded and at the same time practice-oriented teaching. The members of the faculty have already made a name for themselves in the academic world through numerous international and national research projects.

The Cologne-Rotterdam Executive MBA is a top programme, and the EMBA student body consists of only the most exceptional candidates that undergo an application process. In order to be eligible for this programme, you will need to demonstrate:

• Professional achievements and goals:
  a minimum of four years of postgraduate work experience. This experience should demonstrate clear evidence of solid career progression.
• Academic excellence: a university degree or equivalent
• Proficiency in the English language: proof of English language proficiency level B2 (GER/CEFR)
• Leadership abilities: experience managing people or projects

As we operate a rolling admissions process, you can submit your completed application at any time before the final deadline. Please note that there are limited places in the Cologne-Rotterdam Executive MBA. We therefore encourage you to submit in earlier rounds when the maximum number of class seats is available. If you apply earlier you profit from our early bird offers.

First round: 30 November 2022 - Early bird of EUR 5,000

Final deadline: 14 August 2023

The tuition for the EMBA programme is € 54,500. This fee is fully tax deductible, please speak to your tax advisor.

The programme fees cover tuition, course materials and essential books. The cost of the two study tours is included in your programme fees, however each participant is responsible for travel arrangements to and from the destination.

Scholarships

At the Cologne-Rotterdam EMBA we are striving for excellence. Thus, we support our most exceptional students with different partial-scholarships of the tuition fee.

The scholarships we are offering for the next cohort are:

• Women for Leadership

• Corporate Social Responsibility

• EMBA Assistance Award

Alumni Lifelong Learning Award

We believe in and foster life-long learning. In recognition of this ideal, we are offering graduates from the University of Cologne or the Erasmus University Rotterdam the Alumni Lifelong Learning Award. This award is 10% of the tuition fee.

For more information about Financial Aid, please click here.

The Cologne-Rotterdam Executive MBA programme will be taught mostly in Cologne at the heart of one of Germany’s largest economic centres, with some electives taking place in Rotterdam, the international port city at the gateway to Europe. 

Cologne is one of the oldest German cities and its name dates back to Roman times. The Romans founded the Ubii village on the Rhine in 50 AD and named it "Colonia". Cosmopolitan, open-minded and friendly are characteristics describing Cologne and the people from Cologne nowadays. This unique mindset will make you feel comfortable like at home immediately.