What does Audit and Accounting (AAA) stand for?

AAA stands for the best possible rating of borrowing by the Standard & Poor's rating agency.

What content is taught within the framework of this focus?

Theoretical and practical knowledge of audit and accounting is taught together with cooperation partners from practice. The contents are oriented towards the professional requirements in the areas of accounting and auditing/tax consultancy.

What job opportunities are available to graduates of this specialisation?

In the Audit and Accounting (AAA) specialisation, students are prepared in the best possible way for a professional activity as an accountant, auditor or consultant. Job opportunities are available in employment or self-employment, for example in auditing, tax consulting, management consulting, business management, insolvency administration, auditing, accounting, accounting management, internal auditing, business criminology or business valuation.

What are the prerequisites for students?

Prerequisites are:

• Good performance in bookkeeping and external accounting as well as basic tax knowledge
• A careful way of working
• Critical thinking skills
• An understanding of systems and processes
• Flexibility
• Strong analytical skills

What modules are offered to complement the focus point?

In addition, the “Audit Go!” seminar (only in the winter semester) can be taken as a supplementary module AAA Selected Topics in Audit and Accounting.

Contact person: Prof. Dr. Nadja Kiehne Prof. Dr. Andreas Schiller

What does Banking and Insurance (BUV) stand for?

The specialisation in Banking and Insurance (BUV) stands for a professionally oriented course organisation:

• Study-friendly and flexible course, learning and examination organisation
• Intensive, didactic support (optionally also through blended learning)
• Learning goal-differentiated study in heterogeneous groups (students of the Bachelor's degree courses in Business Administration, Applied Mathematics, Industrial Engineering and Banking and Insurance Industry)
• Realistic prospects of very well-paid jobs already after graduating with a Bachelor's degree
• Working alongside studies, usually possible on two weekdays
• Numerous excellent internship opportunities in Hanover, throughout Germany and internationally
• Good opportunities to finance your studies through high-quality bank- and insurance-related student employment opportunities

What content is taught within the framework of this focus?

The course content is oriented towards the requirements of investment banks, state banks, retail credit institutions, mortgage banks and building societies with conventional and digital business models, and towards the requirements of the largest German insurance companies with conventional and digital business models.

What job opportunities are available to graduates of this specialisation?

Opportunities for employment are available in the public sector at

• the Bundesbank (Federal Bank), the European Central Bank
• the banking/insurance/securities supervisory authorities,
• the Ministry of Finance, the Courts of Auditors

and in the private sector at

• banks, insurance companies, financial services companies,
• digitally oriented financial service providers with banking licences,
• industrial and commercial companies in financial departments,
• management consulting, tax advisory and auditing firms.

What are the prerequisites for students?

Prerequisites are:

• "Passionate about performance" (Deutsche Bank) - putting your heart into it.
• "Ideas ahead" (Commerzbank) - giving creativity free rein
• "Simply good" (Sparkassengruppe) - striving for good results
• Being reliable
• Being able to handle the assets of others responsibly
• No criminal record, no dunning or enforcement notices in private life
• Prior knowledge from vocational training is not required, as teaching and examinations are differentiated according to learning objectives.
• Ability to work in teams in subsequent professional life
• Ability to take responsibility for large assets
• Ability to think and, sometimes, work in an interdisciplinary way

What modules are offered to complement the focus point?

The offer is according to the module handbook.

Contact person: Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schneider

What does Controlling (CON) stand for?

CON stands for much more than one might expect from a first translation with the term controlling. Controlling has the task of supporting company management in its complex planning, steering and controlling tasks. Particularly in a corporate environment characterised by a high degree of dynamism and discontinuity, it requires knowledge of the complex controlling instruments and the ability to use them in accordance with the corporate goals. The topic of digitalisation has a considerable influence on the requirements profile of controlling activities.

What content is taught within the framework of this focus?

In accordance with strategic and operative corporate goals, a distinction is made in the courses between strategic controlling and operative controlling. In the Strategic Controlling module, the focus is on problems of long-term planning, management and control of success potentials. In-depth, comprehensive knowledge is imparted, for example on strategic controlling instruments (e.g. target costing, balanced scorecard and benchmarking) and on selected issues of financial, investment and participation controlling, company valuation, strategic cost management and strategic result, cash flow and balance sheet planning. The increasing importance of the topic of digitalisation is taken into account through an excursus on the influences of artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, the management of disruptive processes or the generation of competitive advantages and new business areas through big data. The contents are predominantly dealt with in a practice-oriented manner through the use of case studies.

The following instruments and methods are taught within the framework of operational controlling: Operational control process, operational goals, operational controlling instruments, variance analyses and controls, ABC and XYZ analysis, decision tree procedures, break-even analysis, make or buy analysis, contribution margin accounting, plan-actual and target-actual comparisons, forecasting, business portfolio and segment analysis, key figure systems, overhead value analysis, zero base budgeting, activity based costing, beyond budgeting, better budgeting, process controlling, project controlling, quality controlling, risk controlling, procurement controlling, personnel controlling and controlling organisation.

What job opportunities are available to graduates of this specialisation?

The specialisation provides a comprehensive theoretical and practical foundation for topics that can be found in controlling departments and in the Business Planning and Development of industrial, commercial and service companies, in management consultancies or in project management.

What are the prerequisites for students?

Prerequisites for successful and entertaining completion of the specialisation in Controlling are, in addition to good basic knowledge of internal and external accounting, a certain affinity for numbers, communication and presentation skills, the ability to familiarise oneself with complex contexts and an interest in independently working out alternative solutions to problems.

What modules are offered to complement the focus point?

Various courses are offered under the Selected Topics module in Controlling, from which you can choose the following:

1. SCM selected topics in Supply Chain Management, contents: SAP, Excel, case studies from accounting and controlling (can be recognised as selected topics in Controlling),
2. CON Selected topics in controlling, contents: Business Intelligence and Reporting,
3. CON Selected topics in controlling, contents: “Audit Go!” (only in the winter semester, can also be recognised as selected topics in Corporate Finance or selected topics in Audit and Accounting).

In addition, the acquired knowledge can be applied and deepened in a Controlling Project (BBA-513 Project).

Contact person: Ulrich Blode Prof. Dr. Andreas Daum Prof. Dr. Detlef Romberger Prof. Dr. Heike Langguth

What does Corporate Finance (FIN) stand for?

FIN - this word was often used to end an old cinema film when a lengthy closing credit was dispensed with. Even when it comes to money - the central subject of this in-depth study - the proverbial friendship ends, and long-windedness is dispensed with in the FIN - Corporate Finance events. After all: “Money makes the world go round”.

What content is taught within the framework of this focus?

The events distinguish between the basics of corporate finance and the (capital market) theoretical framework of finance. In-depth, comprehensive knowledge is imparted, for example on the topics of financial analysis, cash flow statement, cash flow analysis, equity financing, credit financing, cash flow financing, capital structure policy, share analysis and valuation as well as company valuation. The contents are dealt with in a practice-oriented manner using case studies. These topics are important in almost every corporate finance department and are incorporated into daily work. In addition, this activity is also influenced by (capital market) theoretical framework conditions. These fundamentals are discussed in detail and comprehensively as well as analysed in an integral event with MSExcelTM to accompany it. They are applicable for important milestones in financial valuation such as portfolio theory, the capital asset pricing model and capital structure decision-making, whose developers have all been awarded Nobel Prizes and whose approaches are now indispensable in practical finance and many other areas of business administration - like the FIN in old films. Effects of the increasing digitalisation of the business world and the accompanying digital transformation (digital finance) are also dealt with within the focus area in the context of flashlights and case studies. Furthermore, these topics are dealt with in the projects on an occasion-related basis. In addition, legal regulations relevant for business economists can be experienced and deepened in the supplementary module in connection with case studies and practice-oriented assignments.

What job opportunities are available to graduates of this specialisation?

The specialisation provides a comprehensive theoretical and practical foundation for topics that are important in staff departments of companies such as treasury, accounting, legal departments and controlling and are important across functions in investment accounting and are often relevant in companies in the financial services sector. The basics of the contents can also be found in legal regulations, for example for accounting or for the regulation of the financial sector.

What are the prerequisites for students?

A prerequisite for successful and entertaining completion of the specialisation in Corporate Finance is an interest in numbers, financial news and any topics related to financial issues in companies.

What modules are offered to complement the focus point?

The knowledge acquired can be applied and deepened in the FIN supplementary modules FIN Selected Topics in Corporate Finance or International Corporate Finance offered in parallel, for example on legal issues, international issues or on special valuation problems with the integration of MSExcelTM or Audit Go (supplementary module in cooperation with PwC) as well as in a project assigned to these topics.

Contact person: Prof. Dr. Dirk Heithecker Prof. Dr. Heike Langguth Prof. Dr. Christian Möller

What does Trade and Distribution (HUV) stand for?

In essence, it is about the organisation and design of the sale of products and services. What is taught: a) How this is planned, b) How it is practically implemented and c) How the success of the implementation is controlled. This is done through a mix of seminar lectures, integrated group work, business games (start-up, trading company, hospital), the use of a digital practical tool (RegioGraph), the involvement of external experts, excursions, e-learning elements, supplementary study project offers, through the supervision of practical semesters, Bachelor's and Master's theses as well as research projects on selected topics.

What content is taught within the framework of this focus?

Position of trade and services in the economic process, basic sales decisions and methods, current key figures from HUV, manifestations and types of operations of trade and service companies, process and methods of strategic and operative planning for trade and service companies, Efficient Consumer Response, market potential, location and sales planning with RegioGraph, sales concepts and forms of organisation, controlling in HUV, balance sheet and P&L of trade and health companies, marketing planning and price calculation in HUV. The industry focus is on trade, consumer goods industry, services, especially health services. A mix of different examination forms is used: Written examination, presentation, homework, planning game, e-learning checks. All documents are made available digitally via Moodle.

What job opportunities are available to graduates of this specialisation?

• Trade and distribution
• Marketing
• Human Resources
• Health Care Management

What are the prerequisites for students?

• Genuine interest in the above-mentioned sectors and functional areas
• Motivation to participate actively
• Openness and willingness to communicate
• Resilient basic knowledge, especially of external and internal accounting as well as marketing.

What modules are offered to complement the focus point?

A supplementary module on health care management is offered regularly. This module is alternately taught by Prof. Bienert (Corporate Health Care Management) and Prof. Wichelhaus (Management in Health Care, especially in hospitals).

Contact person: Prof. Dr. Michael Leonhard Bienert Prof. Dr. Dr. Daniel Wichelhaus

What does Human Resource Management (HRM) stand for?

The English term Human Resource Management (HRM) has now become established in companies and has increasingly replaced the German terms Personalwirtschaft, Personalwesen or Personalmanagement. This is due to the internationalisation of many companies, but also to the expansion of tasks from pure personnel recruitment and personnel administration to systematic personnel selection, personnel management, personnel retention and personnel development. Human Resource Management (HRM) is based on three scientific disciplines: Labour Law, Business Administration and Personnel Psychology.

What content is taught within the framework of this focus?

The Human Resource Management (HRM) specialisation has a strong interdisciplinary orientation and theoretical and practical approaches are deepened, whereby you will learn to solve problems in Human Resource Management (HRM) independently and thus be prepared for professional requirements. The theories and models presented are supplemented by practical exercises and case studies, which are worked on independently. Topics include, for example, personnel flexibility, working time models, remuneration systems, personnel selection, personnel development and counter-productivity.

What job opportunities are available to graduates of this specialisation?

Graduates of this specialisation can work for large companies, medium-sized companies, personnel consulting firms and the public sector. Generalist functions are, for example, activities as a personnel officer or HR business partner. Specialist functions are, for example, activities in recruitment, in personnel development, in personnel controlling and in the area of compensation & benefits.

What are the prerequisites for students?

In the specialisation, you can expect dedicated lecturers who also require a high level of commitment from students. Compared to other concentrations in the BBA degree course, Human Resource Management (HRM) has a stronger interdisciplinary orientation and requires a broad interest that goes beyond business administration. This is because Human Resource Management (HRM) includes aspects of labour law, business administration and personnel psychology, you should have an in-depth interest in labour law and personnel psychology issues, content and methods in addition to a business orientation. Excellence in Human Resource Management (HRM) also requires good methodological knowledge (empirical as well as legal methodology, statistics, SPSS), which is necessary for understanding psychological research results and labour law issues. Good knowledge of scientific work, the ability to think systemically and the willingness and ability to self-reflect are also helpful.

What modules are offered to complement the focus point?

In addition to the two compulsory modules HRM Personnel and Work and HRM Personnel Psychology, the compulsory elective module (supplementary module) HRM Selected Topics of Human Resource Management as well as projects on topics of Human Resource Management are offered.

Contact person: Prof. Dr. Matthias Pletke Prof. Dr. Sven Seibold

What does International Management (IMA) stand for?

The IMA specialisation stands for International Management. The main learning objective of the specialisation is the successful cooperation of people from different cultures and backgrounds against the background of economic conditions. IMA combines the strategic and operational design of international companies from a management perspective with the overarching view of sustainable global economic development.

What content is taught within the framework of this focus?

The IMA Strategic International Management module teaches the basic principles of holistic management of international organisations on the basis of the world-renowned EFQM Model for Excellence and current management theories. After an introduction to intercultural management based on Hofstede's cultural framework and the GLOBE study, the entire management cycle is considered. Starting with leadership and strategy development, via the involvement of people, the design of resources and management via processes, the evaluation of results and methods of management review are also addressed. Special attention is always paid to the aspects in which international companies differ from purely national companies. In the IMA Sustainable development module from a management perspective, sustainable development lines for the global economy are shown and the current economic paradigm is critically questioned on the basis of international risks.

Both modules have in common that they are held in English and integrate about 20 to 40 percent international students from abroad who can speak no or hardly any German. Here at IMA, the focus is on practical work in intercultural teams and the committed reflection of one's own ideas and (pre-) judgements. The specialisation lives from a lively exchange about overall social and strategic challenges and personal reflection on the scope for action and the responsibility of corporate decision-makers in this regard. Accordingly, we use a wide variation of different forms of examination, from presentations and videos to scientific or personally reflective papers, vernissages and transfer-related case examinations. Both lecturers are committed, enthusiastic and “internationally” active.

What job opportunities are available to graduates of this specialisation?

Our graduates are suitable for all types of organisations where a holistic understanding of global economic and organisational contexts as well as good cooperation with people from other cultural backgrounds as colleagues, customers or partners in interest is important. The intercultural, holistic and sustainable view is an equally helpful addition for every sector and function.

What are the prerequisites for students?

Especially helpful are an interest in shaping company management in an intercultural context and an interest in social and ecological challenges in the context of global economic development.

Attention! IMA modules are not English courses. The aim is to use the English language to discuss specialist topics. Grammatical perfection and accuracy in English are not required, but the willingness to engage in a language that is foreign to most participants and to communicate in English. In this respect, we are looking forward to and about everyone who simply dares to give it a try.

What modules are offered to complement the focus point?

The BBA degree course has a wealth of supplementary modules - often borrowed from the international IBS degree course - which deal with detailed topics of international management. In this regard, we would like to highlight the Intercultural Management Training (ICM), which takes place once a year, usually in November as a block seminar outside the university, the Business Ethics module and the Selected Topics of International Management module, which currently deals with co-creative innovation methods (Fostering Business Innovation with Co-Creative Tools).

Contact person: Prof. Dr. Patricia Adam Prof. Dr. Henning Austmann

What do Marketing and Market Research (MUM) stand for?

Do you have MUM in your blood? Marketing and Market Research focus on customer-centred company management. Today, “customer is the king” aspect represents the decisive bottleneck in almost all industries in markets that are contested with many competitors. Understanding customers better in order to develop unique services and convince customers of one's own brand requires conceptual strength, creativity and MUM.

What content is taught within the framework of this focus?

The focus is divided into the two modules Marketing Management and Marketing Intelligence. In Marketing Management, you will learn basic marketing strategies, such as the sensible classification of target groups and positioning approaches, as well as how to deal with all relevant classic and digital marketing instruments. The path leads through product development, marketing communication and sales to market-oriented pricing decisions. In the Marketing Intelligence course, the focus is on understanding the customers. Who are the customers, what do the customers want and how do they behave when buying products and services? For the systematic analysis of customers, you will also be introduced to important basics of classic and digital market research. In the end, both modules are about how companies and brands today create unique competitive positions and sustainable customer enthusiasm. To achieve this, we work in a practical way using current case studies and with the input of external speakers from well-known companies.

What job opportunities are available to graduates of this specialisation?

Marketing and sales offer the largest job market for business economists. There are fields of application in industry, trade and agencies in a wide variety of positions close to the customer. Typical entry-level positions can be found in product and brand management, in sales and related customer service areas, in customer relationship management and marketing communication, and even in market research.

What are the prerequisites for students?

Willingness to communicate, creativity and presentation skills (will be trained). Since subsequent marketing management primarily involves dealing with customers, good knowledge of human nature, analytical and conceptual strengths as well as creativity are required.

What modules are offered to complement the focus point?

Communication and creativity are emphasised in the supplementary module. Here you will strengthen your own presentation skills, take a close look at communication measures and advertising campaigns of well-known brands and learn creativity techniques. In addition, you will deepen here the strategies and instruments of digital marketing, such as the basics of website design, SEM and social media. In marketing projects in cooperation with companies from the premier league, the contents learned then come to full fruition.

Contact person: Prof. Dr. Michael Kempe Prof. Dr. Peter Schütz

What does Supply Chain Management (SCM) stand for?

Supply chain management deals with the cross-company planning, management and control of all logistical tasks along the value addition chain. It is thus a cross-sectional function. Since companies do not create value in isolation and alone, partnerships are becoming increasingly important. These partners are usually distributed worldwide. Supply chain management is needed to manage these partnerships. This is the only way to ensure the effective and efficient exchange of goods and information.

What content is taught within the framework of this focus?

A distinction is made between SCM 1 and SCM 2. The most important basics and factors influencing the supply chain are presented in SCM 1. The connection between procurement, production and distribution logistics is taught and the role of digitalisation is discussed. In addition, the differences between SCM and logistics as well as international peculiarities in supply chain management are shown. Furthermore, strategies and optimisation approaches in supply chain management are discussed. In SCM 2, the special features of global supply chains are analysed, SCM strategies (e.g. outsourcing, VMI) as well as SCM modelling (e.g. SCOR model), SCM planning and SCM controlling are explained. Further logistical questions are also posed in the course and solved concretely in SAP. In addition, these topics can be worked on in the project or deepened in the supplementary modules.

What job opportunities are available to graduates of this specialisation?

In the SCM specialisation, extensive theoretical and practical knowledge of supply chain management is provided. The application possibilities are extremely diverse and provide an excellent basis for entry into a global and networked world. Strategic functions and operative functions are conceivable, e.g. in the areas of purchasing, supply chain management, procurement, production, distribution logistics, but also in controlling or corporate planning. Supply chain managers are sought in a wide variety of sectors in industry or the service sector.

What are the prerequisites for students?

A good prerequisite is the ability to think holistically and globally in value chains. A certain affinity for numbers and IT systems is also helpful.

What modules are offered to complement the focus point?

The following supplementary modules offer a good rounding off: In "SCM selected topics of Supply Chain Management”, special topics are deepened. In the “Business Process Management” supplementary module, the methodology for optimising value chains is explained in more detail. The digitalisation of value addition chains is the focus of the “E-Business” course.

Contact person: Prof. Dr. Peter Hohberger

What does Company Management (UFG) stand for?

Company management includes the holistic view of managing a company and deals with the cross-functional control of an organisation, which is necessary to achieve the company's goals. The specialisation in company management thus provides students with application-oriented leadership and management knowledge based on a company-wide approach, which includes the context of the corporate environment, such as digitalisation. 

What content is taught within the framework of this focus?

The course is divided into the two sub-modules Corporate Planning and Organisational Design. It builds on the basic knowledge of the classic management functions of planning, organisation, personnel deployment, leadership and control from the module Fundamentals of Company Management.

In the Company Planning module, in-depth knowledge of strategic corporate planning is taught across functions. This includes the techniques of goal setting, environmental and business analysis, strategy development and strategy implementation. Furthermore, practice-oriented leadership skills and instruments of strategic management are taught and applied through concrete case study work. These are particularly required in controlling and human resources departments as well as marketing departments of companies and in project management, and are especially prominent in consulting companies.

In addition to formal organisation (structural and procedural organisation), the Organisational Design module deals with informal organisational aspects, in particular corporate culture. Current trends in organisational design are addressed in the context of environmental changes such as digitalisation, demographic change and the reorganisation of the global economic structure. Case studies are used to critically reflect on innovative leadership approaches and organisational forms. Furthermore, students receive an overview of central instruments of organisational design and learn to apply them on the basis of case studies. 

What job opportunities are available to graduates of this specialisation?

The specialisation provides a comprehensive theoretical and practical foundation for topics in business and organisational development. The view of the company and the main topics taught in the specialisation are valuable for successful project/programme management and assistant activities for division and business managers. This knowledge is also used in the context of departmental development, especially in controlling, human resources and marketing departments. Furthermore, an application of the skills taught in the specialisation is useful for activities in in-house consulting or consulting companies.

What are the prerequisites for students?

A prerequisite for successful completion of the specialisation in company management is an interest in business backgrounds and interrelationships across all functional areas and an interest in application-oriented knowledge. The specialisation is particularly recommended for students with a high level of creative drive paired with initiative, who want to implement this later in the company and can imagine initial management tasks in companies.

What modules are offered to complement the focus point?

In addition to the specialisation in company management, further events are offered on changing current topics. A planning game on international company management is held regularly. In this game, students manage cross-functional companies from a board perspective that are in competition with each other and want to develop new markets internationally. In addition, the Effective Teamwork module is offered as part of the Social Competence Seminars, wherein students deal with and test the management of teams without personnel responsibility and learn about and apply instruments critical to success for effective cooperation in teams. Projects on topics related to company management are also offered.

Contact person: Prof. Dr. Michael Schneider Prof. Dr. Carolina Schnitzler