M.Sc. Digital Business Management
(100% online and taught in English)
The International Digital Business School offers a part-time, internationally accredited Digital Master & study program in an online learning format in English.
In the Digital Master & study program, students acquire skills in the core competence areas:
- Digital Business
- AI and Analytics
- Web3 and Immersive Web
- Digital Leadership & Transformation
- Digital Marketing & Sales
- Digital Research
In addition to the Master of Science degree, which qualifies students for a doctorate, the Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS), Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) and Certificate can also be completed.
New: Certified AI Manager (HfWU Academy)
Information on our Digital MBA program (that is primarily thaught in German) is available here.
Trial Study
We offer you the opportunity to try out the M.Sc. in Digital Business Management for a month free of charge and without obligation! You will start your trial study programme with the new first semester on 28.03.2025 and can attend the first four lecture weekends. If you like it, you can then register for the M.Sc. programme, only then will the tuition fees be due. The advantage for you is that you know what you are getting yourself into and can get to know your potential fellow students and lecturers.
Click on the following button to register for the trial programme via Eventbrite.
Personal Information Opportunities
Information Sessions
We regularly offer online information evenings where we present detailed information about our Digital Master & Study Program. Our program director Prof. Dr. Stefan Detscher will answer your individual questions and concerns.
Next date:
- Friday, March 21th at 12:30 pm CET
- Tuesday, April 22th at 12:30 pm CET
Times are according to Central European Time!
Simply register free of charge via Eventbrite or spontaneously dial into the Zoom session:
Trial Lectures
You can register for the taster lectures in Eventbrite via the link.
The online lectures will take place via Zoom, you will receive the dial-in link after your registration via Evenbrite and can then simply dial in.
We allow up to two taster lectures per person.
Counseling Session
Would you like individual advice?
Simply book an appointment with our study advisor Yannik Roos:
Alternatively, you can book an appointment with student advisor representative Florian Setka: Appointment booking
Information Video & Presentation
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Beside watching the information video of our study program director, you can also download our information presentation as a PDF file:
Module Overview
Curriculum M.Sc. Digital Business Management
As an additional course we recommend:
Registration & Application
You can apply for the Digital M.Sc. starting in the summer semester 2025 or winter semester 2025/26 using the attached form. Due to the limited number of 20 places, early application is recommended. Of the total 20 Master student places per semester, 15 are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis, with the other 5 allocated at the application deadline based on final bachelor's degree grade and relevance of work experience.
Applications for the summer semester 2025 and the winter semester 2025/26 are now open.
Click on the button to open the registration page for the M.Sc. in Digital Business Management.
Apply now for your M.Sc. in Digital Business Management
The following link will take you to the registration page for Diploma & Certificate programs and individual courses.
For applications for Diploma & Certificate programs and individual courses, please register here.
Admission
Admission requirements for the Master of Science:
- First university degree (Bachelor's degree or equivalent programm with at least 210 ECTS)
- If you only have 180 ECTS, you can also get admitted, but would need to have a work experience of at least 6 months that you would need to proof
- No formal admission requirements for Diploma & Certificate studies and certificate courses.
- When applying with a Bachelor's degree from a foreign / non-German university, the recognition procedure of the Studienkolleg Konstanz, which is standardized for Baden-Württemberg, must first be completed: https://www.htwg-konstanz.de/en/academics/center-for-international-students-konstanz/recognition-of-certificates/procedure
- For the combined study program (Diploma/Certificate or certificate course + M.Sc.), the above-mentioned admission requirements for the M.Sc. apply.
The Diploma (DAS) & Certificate (CAS) programs and participation in individual courses are free of formal admission requirements. A relevant practical and educational pre-experience are highly recommended.
Application Deadlines & Start of Studies
Start of the M.Sc. class each summer semester (end of March) and winter semester (end of September/ beginning of October).
The first lecture of the summer semester starts on 28.03.2025. We will start with a short online intro session on 27.03.2025 to welcome the new students and provide all relevant information.
Due to the modular structure of the study programme, a later flexible start is possible on 04.04.2025, 11.04.2025 and 25.04.2025. You can find more detailed information on our lecture plans.
Applications for the M.Sc. from summer semester 2025 are currently possible. Applications for the summer semester 2025 are possible until 21.03.2025. The application deadlines can be extended if there are any remaining places.
Registrations for Diploma & Certificate programs and certificate courses are possible all year round up to 2 weeks before the start of the course using this registration form. This means that it is also possible to join the current semester of the Digital M.Sc. program at a later date via a combined study program. All dates for the start of the Diploma programmes, Certificate programmes and the individual certificate courses can be found on the registration page.
Frame Conditions of the Study Program
- Lecture periods are usually from the end of March to mid-July and from the end of September/ beginning of October to the beginning of February (with a break over whitsun + christmas as well as on bridge days)
- Each course module comprises synchronous live video course sessions on two Friday afternoons/evenings (4:15pm - 7:30pm CE(S)T) and two Saturdays (8:30am - 3:30pm CE(S)T) (from summer term 2025 on) supplemented by case study processing and self-study via our e-learning platform. Please be aware that the times shown are Central European (Summer) Time (CE(S)T)
- The nature of the program is primarily online. The lectures and examinations take place online. Few courses take place in parallel in a hybrid mode (together with our MBA courses), so that students, who live in/close to our university location (near Stuttgart/ Germany) can also join from time to time in person (if they wish). This part-time program does not qualify for a visa in Germany
- Early registration pays off: of the total 20 Master student places per semester, 15 are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis, with the other 5 allocated at the application deadline based on final bachelor's degree grade and relevance of work experience.
Possible Degrees
- Master of Science (M.Sc.) after successful completion of 10 modules and a Master's thesis over 4 semesters
- Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS) after successful completion of 5 modules over 3 semesters
A M.Sc. can be obtained after the Diploma by completing seven further course modules and a Master's thesis. » Combined degree Diploma + M.Sc. (probably over 7 semesters) - Certified AI Manager (HfWU Academy) after successful completion of the course ‘AI Application Workshop’ (6 ECTS) and two other courses with a strong AI connection (12 ECTS) from the M.Sc. curriculum (probably over 2 semesters)
- Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) after successful completion of 2 modules over 2 semesters
A M.Sc. can be obtained after the Certificate by completing ten further course modules and a Master's thesis. » Combined degree Certificate + M.Sc. (probably over 6 semesters) - Certificate after successful completion of a single module
A M.Sc. can be obtained by completing eleven further course modules and a Master's thesis after the certificate. » Combined degree certificate + M.Sc. (probably over 5 semesters)
Tuition & Fees
- Master of Science (M.Sc.): EUR 3.200 per semester (4 sem.) or EUR 535 per month (24 mon.) + one-time EUR 200 examination fee
- Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS, 5 modules): EUR 2.140 in each of the first two semesters + EUR 1.070 in the third semester and one-time EUR 200 examination fee
- Certified AI Manager: EUR 1,450 (AI Application Workshop) + EUR 1,100 twice (of the two other AI-related courses) + EUR 100 one-off examination fee
- Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS, 2 modules): EUR 1.100 twice / per semester and one-time EUR 100 examination fee
- Certificate (single): EUR 1.150 and one-time EUR 100 examination fee (participation in the examination and the EUR 100 examination fee are optional)
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Participation & examination fees are tax-deductible in many countries or can be (partially) reimbursed/ payed directly by the employer
The Digital Business Institute awards partial scholarships for new self-paying enrolments for the Master of Science in Digital Business Management. Scholarship of 1.000 EUR for applicants for the Master of Science with primary residence outside Germany until 21.03.25 . Click on the file for the scholarship guidelines.
Module Handbook, Lecture Plan & Exam Regulations
Diploma Studies
The Digital Business School offers three specializations for the Master's-level Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS), which is free of admission:
Start Summer Semester 2025
- Digital Technology Management
- Digital Business Leadership
- AI & Web3 based Customer Experience Management
Of the five modules provided for in the respective Diploma degree, one external module from the curriculum of the M.Sc. Digital Business Management can be freely taken, which then replaces a module of the selected Diploma degree.
Building on the Diploma, further modules of the M.Sc. program can also be completed and thus the M.Sc. can be achieved in a combined model, provided that the other admission requirements for this degree are met.
Click on the button to open the registration page for the Diploma programs. All start dates can also be found there.
Certified AI Manager (HfWU Academy)
With the successful completion of the course ‘AI Application Workshop’ and two other courses with a strong AI connection (12 ECTS) from the M.Sc. curriculum of the International Digital Business School @HfWU, you can earn the title ‘Certified AI Manager (HfWU Academy)’.
The following courses with high AI orientation are available:
- Digital Business Innovation
- AI based Customer Experience Management
- Machine Learning & Big Data Analytics
- Blockchain Technology & Web3 based Business Models
- Immersive Web & 3D-Technologies
- Digital Leadership
The ‘AI Application Workshop’ course can be combined with a CAS and DAS as well as the Master of Science in Digital Business Management.
Further information about the ‘Certified AI Manager (HfWU Academy)’ via the following button:
Certificate Studies
A study program consisting of two course modules can be completed with the Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) degree from the School of Business and Environment. The Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) program comprises ten course combinations:
Start Summer Semester 2025
- Web3 based Digital Management
- AI based Digital Management
- AI & Immersive Web based Experience Management
- Digital Business Innovation & Planning
- Digital Marketing & Customer Management
- Immersive Digital Marketing
- Digital Marketing & Sales Strategy
- Digital Strategy & Leadership
- Digital Customer & Sales Strategy
- Immersive Digital Sales Management
Building on the Certificate, further modules can be completed to obtain a Diploma of Advanced Studies or an M.Sc. in a combined model (provided the other admission requirements for the MBA are met).
Click on the button to open the registration page for the Certificate programs and individual courses. All start dates can also be found there.
Apply now for your Certificate program and individual courses
Courses
All courses from the Master of Science curriculum can be found here. The courses can also be taken individually as certificate courses.
Next Start Summer Semester 2025 (March/April 25)
- Digital Business Innovation
- AI based Customer Experience Management
- Machine Learning & Big Data Analytics
- Blockchain Technology & Web3 based Business Models
- Immersive Web & 3D-Technologies
- Digital Business Planning, Steering & Valuation
- Digital Transformation
- Digital Marketing
- Digital Leadership
Click on the button to open the online registration page for the courses. The start dates can also be found there.
Next Start Winter Semester 2025 (October 25)
- AI Application Workshop
- Digital Sales & E-Commerce
Click on the button to open the online registration page for the courses. The start dates can also be found there.
Lecturers Digital Business School
In total, the highly qualified faculty of our Digital Business School consists of 11 professors and more than 25 experts from the field at the level of (former) board members, managing directors, division heads, senior advisors & entrepreneurs. The lecturers of the M.Sc. Digital Business Management can be found here:
Professors
Prof. Dr. Stefan Detscher
- Professor specializing in digital business models and digital marketing at the HfWU
- Initiator & head of the part-time digital master & study programs
- Executive Director of the Digital Business Institute at HfWU
- Established several digital companies in a leading position as well as investor & advisory board member in start-ups
Prof. Dr. Dirk Funck
- Professor of Retail and Cooperative Management at Nürtingen-Geislingen University
- Dean of Business Administration (B.Sc.)
- Expert in multi-channel retail and (regional) online marketplaces
- Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Rid Foundation for Bavarian Retail, Munich
Prof. Dr. Michael Hepp
- Professor of International Management and Strategy at HFU
- Vice President Digital Business & Transformation and CIO at Walter AG
- Many years of experience in digitalization, business innovation and M&A at Festo and Rolls-Royce Power Systems, among others
- Expert in digital transformation and service transformation, as well as business model innovation
Prof. Dr. Sebastian Moll
- Professor of Quantitative Methods in Business Administration at the HfWU Nürtingen-Geislingen
- Expert in big data and predictive analytics
- Many years of consulting experience in CRM and marketing analytics
Prof. Dr. Stefan Remhof
- Professor of General Business Administration, in particular International Management, at IU International University (Munich location)
- Guest Lecturer at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management
- Co-founder and CEO of the EdTech company EDNEO AG
- Managing Partner of the HR company People Mobility Alliance
- Angel investor in several HR tech start-ups
Expert Lecturers
Anita Brenner
- Lead global online marketing Bosch Power Tools, Business Unit Outdoor & Garden
- Head of brand management
- Head of product group DIY 'Cutting'
- Expert for brand, user communication, global campaign management online / offline, UX and product management
- Interview
Benjamin Ferreau
- Managing Director & CEO of an AI company, lecturer, speaker and entrepreneur
- Many years of corporate & start-up experience in the areas of digitalization, digital transformation and M&A
- Expert in eCommerce, artificial intelligence and business model turnarounds
Marc Flammer
- Head of Business & Process Management at Hugo Boss AG
- Extensive management experience in the corporate, SME and start-up environment
- Expert in digitalization (blockchain/ RFID), supply chain management & controlling
Markus Fost (MBA)
- Managing Partner of the strategy consultancy FOSTEC & Company
- Founder and Managing Director of the private equity company FOSTEC Ventures
- Expert in e-commerce, online business models and digital transformation
Dr. Martin Handschuh
- Founder and Managing Director of eco2nomy GmbH
- Founder and venture partner of e.venture consulting GmbH and VC investor
- Long-standing A.T. Kearney partner and head of the global B2B Sales Competence Center
- Expert for strategy, growth, digital sales & marketing
- Postdoc at Harvard University
Julia Lehmann
- Founder and managing director of OnFore
- Expert Digital Solutions & AI Applications in Business
- Advisor Customer Experience & Digital Analytics
- Board member of Innovatorspace Munich
- Collaboration in the BMF project ABIDA (Big Data)
Manuel Pflumm
- Assistant Professor at the HHN
- Founder and Managing Director of talentturbine GmbH
- Co-founder and Managing Director of the ed-tech start-up Leaderfy GmbH
- Former Managing Director of the Indian Tata Group
- Expert for leadership & talent development, as well as agile organizational development
Philipp Riedlinger
- M.Sc. in technical cybernetics
- Several years of professional experience in IT consulting
- Experience in working with and leading agile teams
- Senior consultant at GFT Technologies SE
Philipp Roth
- Head of innovation & business development at Stoll von Gáti
- Team lead concept & design (UI-/UX-design, creative concept, creative production)
- Studied psychology and computer science (human-computer interaction)
- Expert in innovative technologies, user experience and digital transformation
Ulrich Spies
- Director Global E-Commerce at Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG
- Managing Director of STIHL direct GmbH
- Expert in e-commerce and omnichannel strategies with extensive experience and in-depth knowledge of B2C, B2B and D2C business models
- Former Co-Owner of SIGNA Sports United (formerly internetstores GmbH)
Dr. Stefanie Seifert
- Head of analytics at DYMATRIX Consulting Group
- Expert in data science and customer intelligence
- Extensive consulting experience in marketing automation and data-driven marketing for clients in retail, fashion, publishing and the energy industry
Melanie Stütz
- CEO von IDEASCANNER | Think smarter with AI
- Top 50 thought leaders in AI & business models
- European climate pact ambassador for Germany
- Advisory board member & expert in digital business innovation with AI
Oliver Würtenberger
- Several positions as interim CFO at digital companies, including tado° GmbH and merolt GmbH
- Many years of experience in investment banking (e.g. at Morgan Stanley) and in private equity & venture/growth capital (e.g. at H.I.G. Capital)
Student Testimonials
Statements from our students of the part-time Digital Master & Study Programme of the International Digital Business School at the HfWU in Germany.
Linus Huß
Corporate development and timber marketing
Forst BW
"I appreciate the practical relevance, the wide and broad view of the bigger picture and the ongoing reference to my work in the forest. For me as a forester, technical details are irrelevant, I want to get an overview! Because digitalisation affects us all."
Patrick Walker
BOWA MEDICAL
Head of Academy - Learning & Training
"The MBA in Digital Management, Marketing & Sales provided me with valuable skills for the digital transformation of companies and in the areas of strategic marketing and sales. The high practical relevance of the individual modules is particularly noteworthy, especially through the project work, which was developed together with fellow students and enabled direct application of the theoretical content in real use cases. I am happy that I opted for the MBA at the Digital Business School and was also able to take advantage of the opportunity to obtain a double degree in ‘Digital Business & Leadership."
Kai Dingler
DEKRA SE
IT Controlling
"As a student of the MBA Digital Management & Analytics programme, I appreciate the strong practical relevance of the topics that I find in my everyday professional life. I am particularly impressed by the topicality of the content, especially with regard to digitalisation and the increasing spread of artificial intelligence in the working environment."
Luise Schwing
Volvo Cars
Business Development Manager
"The last 2 years have flown by - in autumn 2020 I started the Digital Management and Marketing course. During this time, I have worked with interesting people as part of the MBA programme. I also learnt a lot about innovative topics and was able to try them out using practical use cases. From start-up ideas to the development of chatbot concepts - every module was really great! Thanks to the lecture times at the weekends, the programme was also easy to combine with my full-time job. I am delighted to have made the decision in favour of the MBA at HfWU. The programme has not only helped me enormously professionally, but also personally!"
Luis Dario Stephan
eco2nomy
Project- & Partnermanagement
"Choosing the MBA Digital Management & Marketing programme was the best decision I made as part of my professional development. I particularly like the generalist and holistic view of the digital ecosystem in order to understand and analyse the effects of digital transformation. The MBA has opened my eyes to the upcoming hurdles and tasks of digitalisation. I have learnt the tools to develop and apply strategies for a successful and sustainable transformation. Whether culture or technology."
Sandra Schleicher
CARIAD
Senior Project Management Specialist
"Why did I choose the MBA Digital Management & Marketing programme at Nürtingen-Geislingen University (HfWU)? Quite simply: extra-occupational, extremely application-oriented and future-oriented courses as well as convincing lecturers from the field at a renowned university, which enable me to work full-time without compromise and maintain my work-life balance, while at the same time qualifying me for new areas of responsibility and higher-value activities in order to prepare me for the next step in my career."
System Accreditation & Quality Management
The HfWU has successfully completed the internationally recognized system accreditation by the Accreditation Council and is therefore AQAS certified. The digital M.Sc. & study program successfully completed all stages of this quality assurance system in accordance with the relevant specifications and is accredited on this basis. The program is subject to continuous and systematic quality monitoring.
The further development of the program is supported and ensured by an advisory board made up of top-class representatives from academia and practice.
Complete evaluation of all courses and all lecturers by students on the Digital MBA program with consistently very good evaluation averages.
Events International Digital Business School
Social Media & Impressions
International Digital Business School at HfWU on LinkedIn
int.digital.business.school.hfwu Instagram
International Digital Business School at HfWU Facebook
Digital Master of Business Administration on Studycheck
Introductory video to the Digital M.Sc. & study program at the HfWU by Prof. Dr. Stefan Detscher
FAQs
Applications for the M.Sc. in Digital Business Management can be made using the linked form. Due to the limited number of 20 M.Sc. places, early application is recommended. Please click here for the application form.
Registrations for the Diploma & Certificate program or for the certificate courses are possible on an ongoing basis, up to two weeks before the course starts. Click here for the application form.
Admission requirement for the Master of Science in Digital Business Management is a university degree (Bachelor's degree or equivalent program with at least 210 ECTS). If you only have 180 ECTS, you can also get admitted, but would need to have a work experience of at least 6 months that you would need to proof.
When applying with a Bachelor's degree from a foreign / non-German university, the recognition procedure of the Studienkolleg Konstanz, which is standardized for Baden-Württemberg, must first be completed: https://www.htwg-konstanz.de/studium/studienkolleg-der-htwg-konstanz/zeugnisanerkennung/anerkennung/
The Diploma (DAS) & Certificate (CAS) programs and participation in individual courses are free of formal admission requirements. A relevant practical and educational pre-experience are highly recommended.
Start of the M.Sc. Digital Business Management in the summer semester (end of March) and winter semester (end of September/ beginning of October). Next start at the end of September/ beginning of October 2024.
Applications for the M.Sc. Digital Business Management starting in the summer semester 2025 are possible until the end of February 2025.
If there are any remaining places, the registration deadlines can be extended.
Applications for Diploma & Certificate programs and certificate courses are possible all year round up to 2 weeks before the start of the course using this application form. This also makes it possible to join the current semester of the M.Sc. Digital Business Management at a later date via a combined study program.
The part-time Master of Science course comprises 10 modules and a project/case study-based Master's thesis over four semesters.
Master of Science (M.Sc.): EUR 3.200 per semester (4 sem.) or EUR 535 per month (24 mon.) + one-time EUR 200 examination fee
Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS, 5 modules): EUR 2.140 in each of the first two semesters + EUR 1.070 in the third semester and one-time EUR 200 examination fee
Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS, 2 modules): EUR 1.100 twice / per semester and one-time EUR 100 examination fee
Certificate (single): EUR 1.150 and one-time EUR 100 examination fee (participation in the examination and the EUR 100 examination fee are optional)
Participation & examination fees are tax-deductible in many countries or can be (partially) reimbursed/ payed directly by the employer
The nature of the program is primarily online. The lectures and examinations take place online. Few courses take place in parallel in a hybrid mode (together with our MBA courses), so that students, who live in/close to our university location (near Stuttgart/ Germany) can also join from time to time in person (if they wish).
The course and examination language is only English.
Proof of English language skills is not required.
It is not mandatory to have an employer for admission. What is important is proof of at least six months of professional experience if you only have 180 ETCS.
No, you are admitted to the part-time degree programme as an external student (‘Externenprüfung’). At the HfWU you are not registered under a matriculation number, but under an individual administrative number (e.g. 21925).
Yes, we are accredited worldwide. The HfWU has successfully passed the internationally recognized system accreditation by the Accreditation Council and is therefore AQAS certified.
Yes, with the Master of Science you also acquire the formal right to do a doctorate.
No, a letter of motivation is not required.
Contact Persons
Florian Setka & Yannik Roos
+49151-22238252 or +49152-59751691
florian.setka@no spamhfwu-dbs.de or yannik.roos@hfwu-dbs.de
-> Individual video sessions with our study advisors can be booked:
Appointment with Study Advisor
Director Digital Business School
Prof. Dr. Stefan Detscher
Director Digital Business School & Institute at HfWU
stefan.detscher@no spamhfwu.de
Campus: CI10 343
Sigmaringer Str. 25 | D-72622 Nürtingen
-> Individual video sessions with our Study Director can be booked:
Appointment with Study Program Director
Application & Admission
Susanne Liemer
Admissions Manager HfWU Academy
Campus: CI1 123
Neckarsteige 6-10 | D-72622 Nürtingen
Office hours: Mo. - Fr. 07.30 to 13.00