At a glance
| Study language | English | Intake | Spring + Fall | Duration | 4 Semesters |
| ECTS | 120 | Type of study | Full-Time | Qualification | Master of Arts |
| Semester abroad | Optional | Internship | Integrated | Campus | Cologne | Mainz | Potsdam |
| Tuition (Cologne) | 5.310 €* | Tuition (Mainz, Potsdam) | 4.950 €* | Financing | More info >> |
Business Economics
3 ECTS
Empirical Research Methods
3 ECTS
Strategic Analysis & Management
3 ECTS
Innovation Management & Digital Transformation
3 ECTS
Corporate Social Responsibility
3 ECTS
Corporate Governance
3 ECTS
Globalization & Intercultural Human Resource Management
3 ECTS
International Stakeholder Mgmt. & Employment Relations
3 ECTS
Advanced Intercultural Team Leadership
2 ECTS
Advanced Negotiation & Influencing Skills
2 ECTS
Language & Communication Skills
2 ECTS
The “Advanced Critical Thinking & Writing Skills” course is offered for German native speakers. Non-native speakers of German can choose between the “Advanced Critical Thinking & Writing Skills” course taught in English and German as a foreign language.
International Economics
3 ECTS
Applied Management Accounting
3 ECTS
Strategic Human Resource Management
3 ECTS
Corporate Development & Business Transformation
3 ECTS
Business Project
6 ECTS
The overall objective of this course is to provide students with possibility of applying their business knowledge on concrete business situation, related to the field of their specialization.
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Business Elective
3 ECTS
By choosing Business Electives in the second and third semester you can personalize your degree course and extend your management knowledge.
The following are examples of the types of courses on offer:
Interdisciplinary Elective
3 ECTS
By choosing Interdisciplinary Electives in the second and third semester you can personalize your degree course and extend your management knowledge. The Interdisciplinary Electives usually include subjects like:
International Project Management
2 ECTS
Emotional Intelligence
2 ECTS
Language & Communication Skills
2 ECTS
The “Advanced Critical Thinking & Writing Skills” course is offered for German native speakers. Non-native speakers of German can choose between the “Advanced Critical Thinking & Writing Skills” course taught in English and German as a foreign language.
Value Based Management
3 ECTS
Sustainable Supply Chain Management
3 ECTS
Business Elective
3 ECTS
By choosing Business Electives in the second and third semester you can personalize your degree course and extend your management knowledge.
The following are examples of the types of courses on offer:
Interdisciplinary Elective
3 ECTS
By choosing Interdisciplinary Electives in the second and third semester you can personalize your degree course and extend your management knowledge. The Interdisciplinary Electives usually include subjects like:
Power & Inequality In Organizations & Institutions
3 ECTS
Business Simulation Game
3 ECTS
In a business simulation game participants have to manage their own virtual company which operates in the same market as other participant-operated competitors. This involves making typical management decisions in realistic environments. Beside the deepening and active examination of subject-specific knowledge the simulation games also include the team environment, where interaction, communication and prioritization are of paramount importance. Participants learn how to manage risk and uncertainty while time is limited and information constrained. Group-reflections help to take over different perspectives and to discuss pros and cons of content- as well as behavior-related actions.
Master Thesis Tutorial
2 ECTS
During the Master Thesis Tutorial you will learn the fundamentals for your Master thesis: Defining the topic as well as structuring the thesis and you will learn the theoretical knowledge for scientific working.
Skills Elective
2 ECTS
In the Soft Skills Courses you will improve your social, leadership and project management skills. Additionally to the courses in the first and second semester you can choose another one in the third semester. Decide for yourself which of your personal competences you want to push forward.
Storytelling for Marketing & Branding Purposes
2 ECTS
Language & Communication Skills
2 ECTS
The “Advanced Critical Thinking & Writing Skills” course is offered for German native speakers. Non-native speakers of German can choose between the “Advanced Critical Thinking & Writing Skills” course taught in English and German as a foreign language.
Master Thesis
24 ECTS
During your 4th semester you are working on your Master thesis. You have 19 weeks to complete your thesis and the subject is freely selectable. A supervisor from CBS will support you and you can write the thesis in collaboration with a company as well. Or you can write your thesis in connection with a stay abroad.
A national or international internship – with a minimum duration of 8 weeks – is a mandatory part of the study programme. It is scheduled for the semester break from June till August. Our Career Service department will help you find a suitable company.
Study Advisory
Campus Cologne & Potsdam
Kristina Behr
+49 (0) 221 93 18 09-31
Campus Mainz
Alexa Pfeiffer
+49 (0)6131 88055 31
Today, human resources have achieved a powerful position because they provide decisive competitive advantage. Keywords such as shortage of skilled workers, digitalisation of work, changed work-life balance demands of the Generation Y, (gender) diversity, sustainable employee management, the discussion about scandals and leadership ethics and much more dominate the headlines. All areas are embedded in a global strategy and influenced by strong competition, especially for the best talents. Every manager has to face all these aspects and challenges in these times. You want to talk to fellow students about practical solutions? Then the English-language Master’s programme HRM & Leadership at the CBS International Business School is ideally suited for you and opens up career opportunities for you in middle and senior management. In addition to current research and management knowledge, you will shine with team and integration skills, multilingualism and high application expertise.
Human Resources Management is not just a business management discipline on an international scale. This means that within this scope of the master in strategic human resources management you also acquire all the essential teaching contents, which belong to a Business Master. These include Business Economics, Corporate Governance, Value-Based Management, and Sustainable Supply Chain Management. Elective subjects offer a further individualization option.
The in-depth HRM teaching contents are already anchored in the first semester. Here, you will look at the impact of globalization on human resources management. What things should be decentralized? How to deal with the idiosyncrasies of different cultures? And how do you ensure a good relationship with the stakeholders? In the second semester, you will learn how company strategies can be translated into mature HR strategies, and how long-term personnel decisions can influence the future of companies. And because HRM on an international level requires absolutely stellar English skills, the study language is English. Additionally, there are language courses in Business English plus another foreign language.
In corporate management, questions are on the agenda, which go far beyond the human resources sector. In the second semester, you will learn how companies are further developed and how organisations are designed. In the third semester, you will learn to recognize, analyse and deal with imbalances of power and inequalities in organisations. Aditionally, you measure your skills in comparison to your fellow students in a business simulation game. This is how you can test the knowledge you will have acquired until then.
As important as theory and scientific work may be, international human resources management means working with people who have very different interests and goals. So that you can assert your ideas and solutions, lead teams, and communicate with colleagues on all hierarchical levels in a targeted manner; courses in soft skills, self-management and project management are part of this Master’s study programme. You will receive practical experience in your profession during an internship of at least eight weeks. In a business project, you work on an actual or virtually real case.
The fourth semester is lecture-free, so you can concentrate fully on your Human Resources Management Master’s Thesis. Many of our students take advantage of the opportunity to write their thesis as part of a specific project for and with a company. However, you are also at liberty to work on your own topic – and, if you like, during an international stay at one of our numerous partner universities.
The master in strategic Human Resources Management & Leadership qualifies you for demanding tasks in personnel management functions, in personnel and management consultancies, or in strategic staff divisions. Further possible career paths are self-employment or an academic career including Ph.D.
Take advantage of our advisory service offers such as informational events, a personal study consultation or a trial lecture.
