Management and Sales

In the first two semesters, students acquire a broad foundation in business administration and methodological skills. The focus is on the fundamentals of business administration, economics, accounting and the legal framework of economic activity. This is complemented by applied mathematics, statistics, cost accounting, and management decision-making in operational value creation processes, which convey key interrelationships of entrepreneurial activity.

In addition, students are introduced to academic working methods and further develop their English language skills in a business context. The foundation phase therefore provides the subject-specific and methodological basis for all subsequent components of the degree programme.

In semesters three and four, the business knowledge acquired during the foundation phase is systematically expanded and applied to sales- and market-oriented contexts. Students engage with subjects such as sales management, customer management, marketing and market research, and learn how sales and market decisions are prepared, implemented and evaluated.

From the third semester onwards, students may choose one of the three specialisation areas – Finance, Retail or Industry – and gain initial insights into sector-specific sales environments.

• In the Finance specialisation, students explore the basic structures of financial and insurance markets as well as the characteristics of advisory-intensive services.
• In the Retail specialisation, students learn about the key functions of retail companies and gain insights into the organisation of sales processes in both physical and digital environments.
• In the Industry specialisation, students focus on the fundamentals of industrial goods markets, the specific characteristics of B2B customer relationships, and the typical stages of extended sales cycles.
  
  

This phase of study is complemented by content on legal frameworks, ethical and intercultural aspects of economic activity, as well as further advanced training in Business English.

The fifth semester is designed as a practical placement semester and enables students to apply the knowledge acquired during their studies within a company. Students gain insights into operational processes, particularly in sales-related areas, and acquire valuable professional experience.

The practical placement helps students to link theoretical content with real corporate requirements, sharpen their individual interests, and prepare in a targeted manner for the remainder of their studies and their future professional careers.

In the final two semesters, the focus is on the advanced application and further development of sales- and management-related competencies in complex business decision-making situations. Key topics during this phase include strategic sales management, sales controlling, company-wide management control systems, and the systematic analysis and design of high-performing sales organisations.

The subject-specific deepening builds directly on the previously chosen specialisation and expands the curriculum to include strategic, analytical and control-oriented perspectives.

• In the Finance specialisation, the emphasis is on the design and management of sales processes for banking, financial and insurance products, regulatory requirements, and complex customer and advisory processes.
• In the Retail specialisation, students focus on the strategic management of sales channels, the analysis of sales and market developments, and the coordination and optimisation of cross-channel sales structures.
• In the Industry specialisation, the focus is on the planning, management and coordination of complex B2B sales and project processes, particularly in the context of technical products and customised customer solutions.
  
  

A central element of this phase of study is the Business Simulation corporate simulation game, in which students manage a virtual company and make and analyse integrated management and sales decisions under realistic conditions.

The programme concludes with the bachelor’s thesis, in which students independently address a demanding business or sales-related research question in an application-oriented and academically sound manner.