Program Structure
Course of Study
The content and profile areas of the Business Studies degree program at the University of Bremen are geared towards the demands of students and of employers. It is characterized by a strong focus on methods, which is indispensable in modern business studies. In the course of their studies, students can integrate project work, practical phases or a semester abroad in addition to learning the basics of business studies.
Structure of the Program
The Bachelor's degree course in Business Studies (BWL) has a standard period of study of six semesters and concludes with the degree "Bachelor of Science" (B.Sc.). The range of subjects on the Business Studies and the Economics degree programs is identical in the first two semesters, so that students can switch between the two courses up to the third semester.
Please find the ideal study plan here:
Detailed information on the degree program is published in the Business Studies information brochure (German only).
The course of studies is composed of seven areas:
1. Business Studies: accounting & accounts, marketing, finance & investment, human resources & organization, value creation processes and either company taxation or international business
2. Economics: microeconomics and macroeconomics
3. Data Literacy: mathematics, data analysis, statistics, data management and empirical training
4. Major:
- Finance, Accounting and Taxation
- Marketing and
- General Management and Logistics
5. General Studies – Compulsory Modules: WiWi Onboarding Challenge, Law, Project Management, Sustainable Management
6. General Studies – Electives
7. Final Module: Bachelor thesis
In the first half of the course, students learn the basics of business studies and economics. In the second half of the course, students choose a major. Learning about relevant methods in the field of data literacy supplements the subject-specific training. The General Studies courses focus on the acquisition of general skills that serve as career orientation and professional qualification. The program concludes with a Bachelor's thesis.
Major
From the fourth semester onwards, students choose one of three majors. All of these include three specialist seminars, which mainly focus on teaching specialist knowledge as well as methods and their application, and a project module, in which students apply what they have learned to an individual problem. With the "free choice" area (Freie Wahl), the major also includes a large proportion of freely selectable courses. Here, for example, students can study further subject content, take General Studies courses to deepen their soft skills or complete an internship.
The major deepens the business areas of finance, accounting and taxation of companies and enterprises. From a company's point of view, the focus is on the procurement and use of financial resources, the structuring of relationships with the state as tax collector, and the control and monitoring of business activities both internally and externally by means of a suitable reporting system. The analysis of capital markets, which are influenced by the company's activities on the one hand, but also have an impact on them on the other, supplements the company perspective.
Note: Successful completion of the module "Accounting and Accounts" is strongly recommended for the selection of this profile, as basic knowledge of accounting is a prerequisite.
The Marketing profile builds on an understanding of the increasing need to think entrepreneurially at all management levels of institutions and to act in a demand-oriented manner in international competition with a significant, unmistakable brand image. The focus on business is at the center of all teaching activities .Based on these considerations, the courses teach selected specialization within the major.
The Marketing major imparts fundamental knowledge of the concepts and methods of marketing in the sense of market-oriented corporate management. The focus is on strategic marketing, brand management, customer management, e-commerce and selected methods. The basics of international marketing and the psychological basis of buyer behavior round off the teaching program in this major.
The General Management and Logistics profile prepares students for management tasks in the areas of corporate management, human resources and organization in the national and international sector as well as for start-up issues and logistics activities.
In General Management, students acquire an in-depth understanding of various management areas and, depending on their personal preferences, can train to become specialists in the areas of digitalization, start-ups, international management, human resources or organization or take a broader thematic approach in order to gain insights into as many different areas of general management as possible.
In the field of Logistics, students acquire knowledge of the planning and design interrelationships in procurement and production logistics as well as in the transport industry or the areas of supply chain management and mesologistics. Students learn to understand, demonstrate and evaluate these interrelationships and to develop their own solution proposals for various logistics problems.
Stud.IP
The University of Bremen uses the learning and course management system Stud.IP (Study Accompanying Internet Support of Classroom Teaching). The registration requires the username and password of the account given by the Center for Networks (ZfN) for e-mail and other network services. Students receive an activation code and an activation password with their enrollment documents. At the beginning of the semester you should register for your courses via Stud.IP. Here there are course materials and announcements from teachers. Students can also manage their timetable, use discussion forums, access the bulletin board, and much more.
Internship
An internship is an integral part of the Business Studies program; students can have it recognized in the area of “free choice” to the extent of 12 CP. A creditable internship has a minimum length of eight weeks and cannot start before the end of the lecture period of the second semester. Students need to submit an internship report within a specified period. The Career Center of the University of Bremen and the Office for Practice and Transfer of the Faculty of Business Studies and Economics offer support in searching for internships. Please find further information on internships in the "Practice and Transfer" section.
Please note: Internships completed before the start of your studies cannot be credited. Completed vocational training can replace the internship. The faculty’s internship officer will check the content of internships and vocational trainings prior to recognition.
Semester Abroad
Semesters abroad are not compulsory; however, we strongly recommend them. Based on the recommended study plan, the best time to integrate a semester abroad is the third year of study. The freedom of choice in the major offers a high degree of flexibility in terms of recognition options. This means that you can integrate a semester abroad into your studies without risking an overall delay.
Please find detailed information on studying abroad on the faculty's webpage in the section International Affairs - Outgoings.