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International Management &
Information Systems

Part-time certificate studies

Build your future with our part-time certificates

Are you a professional looking to expand your knowledge and develop your career? Our certificate programme gives you the opportunity to do just that. Rapid global interconnectedness and constant technological innovation present new challenges to companies and employees. Our practice-oriented certificates prepare you for these challenges with interdisciplinary thinking. With our certificate programme, you can qualify in International Management and/or Business Informatics and develop both your professional and personal skills. Thanks to the English-language courses offered at the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences, you will be well prepared for the demands of the future!

Take advantage of our flexible certificate programme and choose from 13 practice-oriented modules of our successful Master of International Management and Information Systems – Online (IMIS Online). In just a few months, you will gain in-depth, academic-level expertise in your chosen field - without having to complete a full course of study. Our study model allows you to study at your own pace while balancing work and family.

Whether it is International Economics, Business Informatics, Accounting and Finance, Marketing, Business Process Management, Leadership and Change Management, Innovation or Digital Product and Project Management, you can choose the areas that will pave the way for your career. You can also deepen your professional knowledge at an academic level.

Our university certificates, which can be credited towards your studies, open up new career opportunities for you. Get started now!

Modules & Content
Choose from the following 13 application-oriented modules:

Winter semester

  • International Management
    (5 Credits Points/ECTS)
  • International Economics
    (5 Credits Points/ECTS)
  • Management Accounting & Finance
    (5 Credits Points/ECTS)
  • Business Informatics
    (5 Credits Points/ECTS)
  • Business Marketing Management
    (5 Credits Points/ECTS)
  • Leadership & Change Management
    (5 Credits Points/ECTS)
  • Information Management
    (5 Credits Points/ECTS)
  • Business Intelligence
    (5 Credit Points / ECTS)

Summer semester

  • Business Process Management
    (5 Credits Points/ECTS)
  • Corporate Entrepreneurship & Innovation
    (5 Credits Points/ECTS)
  • E-Business
    (5 Credits Points/ECTS)
  • Enterprise Resource Planning
    (5 Credits Points/ECTS)
  • Digital Product & Project Management
    (5 Credit Points / ECTS)

Business Informatics

The module imparts skills and application-oriented knowledge from fundamental areas of business informatics, such as computer systems, computer networks, operational application systems, database systems, software engineering, and management support systems. In addition, more specific topics, such as the business process management, which is important for today’s dynamic and highly competitive as well as IT-influenced business world, fundamentals of data security and data protection, and information management as leadership actions in IT, will be dealt with.

Business Intelligence

The first part of this module comprises basic concepts of business intelligence, e.g., data warehouse, the ETL process, OLAP, and data mining. The second part is based on the theoretical and practical learning of an entire ETL process using case studies provided by the SAP University Alliance. The third part of the module concentrates on learning and using data mining processes and tools. Students are confronted with new developments in the area of business intelligence.

Business Marketing Management

Introduction to Business Marketing Management (Definition and Characteristics, Rationality and Specific Investments in Business Markets); Understanding Business Customers: Organizational Buying Behavior (Org. Buying Process, Forces Shaping OBB, Buying Center); Selecting Customers and Creating Customer Value (Value of Customers, Value for Customers); Customer Relationship Management in Business Markets (Transaction vs. Relationship Customers, Managing Customers & Customer Relationships); Services and Flexible Market Offerings (Role & Characteristics of Services, Constructing Product-Service-Bundles); Pricing (Importance and Overview of Pricing Tools, Conjoint Measurement, Value-Based Pricing, Competitive Bidding); Personal Selling (Organizing Sales Force, Key Account Management). The contents will be taught in three steps: 1. in-class teaching activities (summer camp), 2. teaching and applying contents to real case studies online (blended learning) using interactive learning tools on Moodle/eLearning platform (e.g. Wikis, Forums, Video-Conferences), 3. students develop their own case study about a particular B-to-B related decision of a real company and its analysis against the learnt background (e.g. in the company in which students are working).

Business Process Management

The process-oriented view together with the trend towards digitization opens new opportunities and challenges for businesses. Participants will be enabled to use the opportunities and to face these challenges successfully within the application area of operations management. They get to know strategies and methods of operations management with special focuses on process management and information systems. These three fields are integrated to explore and develop modern business concepts around the ideas of "Industry 4.0".

The module contains six parts: First targets and strategies of process management and of operations management are discussed. In part two, the focus is laid on design of products and services (Product Design, Criteria, Specialties of Service Design) The third part contains methods for the design & management of business processes (Business Process Design, Business Process Management, Value Stream Mapping). In part four, concepts and methods for managing the manufacturing efficiently are discussed (Facility Layout, Capacity Management, Scheduling, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Lean Management & Manufacturing). Part five shows the possibilities for continuous improvement (Quality Management, TQM, ISO, Six-Sigma, Risk Management). The last part paves the development path of product and process management towards "Industry 4.0" (Industry 4.0 as new Development Paradigm, Implementing Industry 4.0)

Corporate Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Students receive in-depth knowledge of business start-ups (entrepreneurship), the characteristics of entrepreneurial behavior within organizations (intrapreneurship), and the management of innovation. A number of creative techniques and ideation methods are introduced, as well as processes for implementation. After completing this module, students should understand the unique opportunity of entrepreneurial behavior and should possess advanced knowledge and skills necessary for a) becoming a driver of innovation in established organizations or b) setting up a new, innovative business.

Digital Product & Project Management

Participants of the course are introduced into the importance of identifying customer needs for product management. Furthermore, they are supported to differentiate between digital and non-digital products, to apply different tools for strategic analyses, to develop product strategies for different competitive scenes, they learn how to manage an idea-to-launch-process, and they discuss the multiple links product management has to other departments within a company. Moreover, participants are introduced into the characteristics of projects, they learn methods to manage projects, learn how to choose the right projects, manage project portfolios, manage risk in projects, and they are introduced into digital tools to manage projects from the beginning of their project lifecycle up until the end of their lifecycle, including managing the right amount of project closure activities.

E-Business

In the first part of the module, students elaborate the basics of e-commerce and e-business, they discuss the dynamic development of the technological infrastructure and company-specific diffusion of e-business and e-commerce concepts. The second part concentrates on strategies and applications, in particular the customer relationship and the supply chain management as well as the electronic procurement. Furthermore, e-business models and their specific characteristics are covered, e.g., with regard to network effects, another focus is put on digital marketing.

Enterprise Resource Planning

After discussing the main idea of ERP systems in contrast to alternative solutions (Best of-Breed), the core business processes in SAP ERP are covered. After this, the module focuses on the strategic value of ERP systems, using the live simulation ERPsim. Finally, ERP system implementation and configuration are addressed and current developments, e.g., InMemory databases, are dealt with.

Information Management

After covering the conceptual foundations of Information Management and looking at the dynamic development of the relevant socio-technical environment this module focuses on Managing Information, Managing Information Systems, Managing Information and Communication Technologies, and the Management of the Information Management Function. A complete set of process management, process modeling, and process mining will provide the basics of optimizing business. In addition, the IT-Infrastructure Library (ITIL) & COBIT, which contains a collection of best practices for IT Service Management, is dealt with. Moreover, a practical project in content management system will enhance the concept of implementing information management knowledge.

International Economics

The module comprises three main areas: the European Central Bank (ECB) and its monetary policy, European integration and foreign trade. The starting point is a detailed introduction to the German and European economy. The first focus is put on the ECB's role in the institutional mix, the refinancing process of commercial banks, and the transmission process of monetary policy. Recent developments like virtual currencies are also dealt with. Focus two covers the process of economic integration in general as well as in the specific context of the European integration. Recent developments (Brexit etc.) are discussed. In the third focus, foreign trade topics, i.e., exchange rate systems, the formation of exchange rates in a small and open economy as well as the essential theories of pricing (UIP, PPP) are thematized.

International Management

The module consists of three parts: 1. Development and Future of International Business and Globalization, 2. Developing International Strategies: Markets, Production, Innovation, 3. Intercultural Management & International Human Resources.

Leadership & Change Management

The module discusses principles involved in organizational change and outlines how to manage that change. In particular, the role of leadership and teamwork is addressed, with special emphasis on industrial organizations. Initially, we will analyze how an organization works, how change affects organizations, the most common types of organizational change, as well as management tools and techniques required as an organization passes through various stages of the change cycle. On that basis, the selection of a leadership style appropriate for a team performance context, how to build trust between team members, how to truly empower others and how to manage the conflicts that arise over task performance and interpersonal issues will be discussed. Where appropriate, examples and case studies of change management and leadership styles in managing change are used. The module contains three parts: 1) the foundations of organizations, 2) strategies for planning change, 3) implementation of change in corporations and how to manage it.

Management Accounting & Finance

Part I: Management Accounting: Control Systems and Performance Measurement, Shareholder Value, Incentive Systems; Part II: Investment Decisions: Investment Criteria and their Critical Evaluation, Discounted Cash Flow Analysis, Project Analysis; Part III: Financing: a) Risk: Risk and Return, Diversification, Market vs. Unique Risk, Capital Asset Pricing Model, Weighted Average Cost of Capital und Company Valuation b) Financial Analysis and Planning: Long-Term and Short-Term Planning, Liquidity c) International Financing: Foreign Exchange Markets, International Investment Decisions. Each chapter will be followed by case studies, which require the application of learnt contents to real-life company situations. The exercises and case studies will be solved with MS Excel. Solutions will be discussed in international teams via the e-learning platform Moodle by applying its various tools of electronic co-operation (wikis, tasks, video and electronic material uploads, video conferences, badges etc.). Optional Excel courses are offered to provide a rather homogeneous Excel knowledge in class.

Part-time online distance learning

Our proven distance learning approach allows you to study at your own pace, when it suits you. Use the latest e-learning tools and exchange ideas internationally. All courses are part-time and mainly digital. Modern e-learning concepts and tools allow you to organise your studies according to your individual needs. For some of the modules, an optional face-to-face presence is offered.

The continuing education modules are designed for part-time study and are aimed at working people who want to acquire new knowledge and skills alongside their job.


Strengthen competencies

Our certificate programme is designed to help you enhance your personal, social, and communication skills, as well as your professional and methodological skills. You'll also have the opportunity to improve your foreign language and intercultural skills by learning in English and studying with peers from around the world. Moreover, you'll get the opportunity to broaden your professional knowledge by engaging in interdisciplinary and international exchanges with participants from various industries.


Workload, examination & credit transfer

Each module includes a portfolio exam that consists of various elements such as knowledge tests, smaller seminar papers, case studies, and practical tasks, spread throughout the semester. In a reasonable amount of time of around 4 months (1 semester) per module, you will acquire valuable new skills for your job. Upon successful completion of a module, you will earn five credit points, which requires approximately 125 hours of work. However, the actual amount of time required will depend very much on your individual learning needs and pace.

The ECTS standard makes it easy to transfer credits towards a full master's degree. Continuing education certificates can also be credited towards the IMIS online degree program or other accredited universities in the European higher education area.

Start your further education today and actively shape your future with our part-time certificate course in International Management & Information Systems!

Costs & Degree

The costs for participating in the modules of the certificate programme, including supervision and examination, amount to € 850 per module and semester.

After the successful completion of a module, you will be issued a certificate of further training from the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences. If an examination is assessed as insufficient, you will be issued a certificate of participation, provided you have worked on at least 75 percent of the contents and participated in at least 75 percent of the synchronous course elements.

The further training certificate includes the exact name of the completed module, the number of ECTS credits obtained as well as the examination grade of the module and is issued in both English and German. The credits achieved can be transferred to the study course "International Management and Information Systems - Online" (as well as to other study courses at accredited universities in the European higher education area).

Advantages

Benefits of our certificate programmes:

  • Part-time and flexible: study alongside work and family.
  • Modular structure: Individual focus through selection of individual modules.
  • Up-to-date content: Aligned with the needs of the labour market.
  • Practice-oriented: Application-oriented modules with job-relevant knowledge and quick implementation on the job.
  • University level: Academic knowledge in the chosen subject areas. Study at a prestigious and accredited university.
  • International: Improve your language skills by studying in English. Work with students from different countries to develop intercultural skills.
  • Interdisciplinary: Participation of students from different industries and disciplines, e.g. B. BA and Computer Science.
  • Creditability: Completed modules can be counted towards a full Master’s degree.
  • Career opportunities: Advanced qualifications open up new career opportunities.
  • Cost reduction: No tuition fees for the entire Masters programme.

Admission Requirements

University degree

The admission requirement for the certificate programme "International Management and Information Systems" is a first academic degree.

Professional experience

Proof of relevant qualified professional experience of at least twelve months.

Language requirements

Proof of qualification: TOEFL score of at least 575 (paper-based) or 232 (computer-based) or 91 (internet based); IELTS score of at least 6.5 on the rating scale (a score of at least 6.0 in reading comprehension and writing is required). The burden of proof does not apply to applicants who have acquired their general or subject-linked higher education entrance qualification at a German-speaking institution.

Registration

Dates

The summer semester starts each year in April and the winter semester in October.
Information about the modules offered in the following semester with forms for enrolment are provided here.

Modules offered winter semester 2024/25

You can take the following modules in the winter semester 2024/25:

  • International Management
    (5 Credits Points/ECTS)
  • International Economics
    (5 Credits Points/ECTS)
  • Management Accounting & Finance
    (5 Credits Points/ECTS)
  • Business Informatics
    (5 Credits Points/ECTS)
  • Business Marketing Management
    (5 Credits Points/ECTS)
  • Leadership & Change Management
    (5 Credits Points/ECTS)
  • Information Management
    (5 Credits Points/ECTS)

Forms

Please send the completed registration form together with the application to audit modules and the required attachments by postal mail or fax to the following address:

Fachhochschule Südwestfalen
Fachbereich Elektrische Energietechnik
Center for Business Education
Jennifer Beckmann | Zertifikatsstudium
Lübecker Ring 2, 59494 Soest

Fax: +49 (0)2921 378 3409

You can choose the study modules you want to take in the upcoming semester in the form.