Global Trade Management – cooperative (M.A.)

This module equips students with the strategic management tools needed to run, grow, change and turn around an international company. Students learn to analyse a company's environment and resources, develop competitive advantages and decide between organic and external growth. Using real-life case studies and guest lectures from international corporations, they practise structuring complex decisions and presenting solutions to management boards. Sustainability, stakeholder value and restructuring are also covered.

Business Psychology explores how people in organisations form judgements, make decisions and can be influenced in their behaviour. Students gain in-depth knowledge of key concepts such as cognitive biases, choice architecture, persuasion and group dynamics, and learn how this research shaped behavioural economics. The module also covers consumer behaviour, the psychology of pricing and purchasing, and resilience, including how to cope with and learn from failure.

This module introduces the main theories and approaches to leadership, from small teams to large organisations. Students examine leadership styles, team leadership, group dynamics and change processes, with a focus on acting responsibly in difficult situations. A particular emphasis is on the challenges of leading and resolving conflicts in multicultural teams and global business environments.

This module covers the economic principles behind international trade and finance. Students study the balance of payments, traditional and modern trade theories, trade restrictions and exchange rates. Further topics include global and monetary integration, the competitiveness and vulnerabilities of economies, economic crises and development economics.

Foreign Trade Operations provides a solid grounding in the practical and political framework of international trade. Topics include trade theory and policy, the WTO, doing business in and with the European Union, foreign direct investment and trade agreements. Students also learn about the operational side of foreign trade, such as export and import procedures, customs and trade controls, currency risks, international taxation and trade finance.

In the first practical module of the cooperative programme, students get to know their partner company in depth after the first semester's on-campus phase. They prepare a company overview and compare the company's needs, for example in logistics, foreign trade or digitalisation, with the content of their studies. Together with the company and their academic supervisor, they draft a plan for the focus of the following practical phases.

In the second semester, students choose three compulsory elective modules to deepen their expertise in line with their interests and career goals. The options include, for example, Advanced Corporate Finance, International Supply Chain Management, Advanced International Controlling, Strategic Marketing and Relationship Marketing, and Advanced Customs and Foreign Trade Management. All electives have an international focus and are taught in small groups with a strong practical orientation, including project work, workshops and company visits. The modules on offer are announced at the beginning of each semester.

In the second semester, students choose three compulsory elective modules to deepen their expertise in line with their interests and career goals. The options include, for example, Advanced Corporate Finance, International Supply Chain Management, Advanced International Controlling, Strategic Marketing and Relationship Marketing, and Advanced Customs and Foreign Trade Management. All electives have an international focus and are taught in small groups with a strong practical orientation, including project work, workshops and company visits. The modules on offer are announced at the beginning of each semester.

In the second semester, students choose three compulsory elective modules to deepen their expertise in line with their interests and career goals. The options include, for example, Advanced Corporate Finance, International Supply Chain Management, Advanced International Controlling, Strategic Marketing and Relationship Marketing, and Advanced Customs and Foreign Trade Management. All electives have an international focus and are taught in small groups with a strong practical orientation, including project work, workshops and company visits. The modules on offer are announced at the beginning of each semester.

Global Market Research and Data Analytics introduces students to the methods of market research and the basics of data analytics. They learn how to identify research topics, design questionnaires and conduct experiments. The statistical part covers organising, describing and visualising data, as well as estimation theory, correlation and regression analysis.

Students develop an understanding of current issues in e-commerce markets, regulation and business strategy. Topics are examined from a research, an industry and a regulatory perspective. The specific focus changes each semester to reflect current developments and may include online advertising, price discrimination, social media, platforms and market power.

In the second practical module, students update their plan for the practical phases based on their experience and choice of elective modules. They analyse their day-to-day work in the company in relation to the theoretical knowledge gained in the first two semesters. The results are presented and discussed in a practical report and a presentation.

During the placement semester, students spend at least 20 weeks working in a company in Germany or abroad. They take on specific business tasks, which may include project work as well as day-to-day operations in one or more departments. Students reflect on how the theoretical knowledge gained in their studies applies in practice and document their experience in a placement report.

In the master's thesis, students independently investigate a complex, ideally practice-related management problem using scientific methods. They apply the knowledge and problem-solving techniques acquired during their studies and relate their findings to current research. The thesis is written over five months and concluded with a colloquium in which students present and defend their results.