Dear all,

I hope you don't mind. I am actually looking for an MBA for my wife. She has studied social sciences and we have child (2 years).
We live in Munich/Germany. Her English is average (willing to learn more), but I guess she'd have problems with the language if she would study e.g. in UK.
We don't mind also management masters, but due to child and flexibility (she is also working 20 hours/week) we have now online MBA in mind. That would also save costs as well.
Now, she has suggested me one online MBA from Nurenberg, but don't know which it was.
Another option would be the ESCEM, but don't know how advanced the language requirements are. The duration of this study is excellent!

The why:
With an MBA she wants to enter HR businesses or simply spoken earn more than than she would do now as a social worker.
We believe the title and a general overview that MBA provides is a good entry point to the industry.

Any advice is appreciated!

Many thanks
Hakan

If she speaks German and you want to stay there then surely an IHK qualification (e.g. https://www.ihk-koeln.de/HR_Manager__Erhaltung_der_Arbeitsfaehigkeit_des_Unternehmens.AxCMS) will be better understood and more tailored to a German HR role. Germans look for very close correspondence between the training and role.

There is an excellent option for English-language courses in Munich: https://www.hm.edu/en/course_offerings/courses_in_english/index.en.html At the HM you could design a non-degree programme of study similar to an MBA as a 'freemover' although this would probably involve speaking with some baffled bureaucrats.

From my perspective, a IHK qualification is a much better option for Germany than an MBA which would designed for export-oriented general management roles rather than HR.

Good advice from Duncan, if she's planning on staying and working in Germany. But if you're looking to transition elsewhere, those specialized degrees would be less relevant. If that's the case, perhaps a strong Online MBA from a ranked school would be a more effective solution.

We are not sure whether to stay here in Munich forever. I am suggesting her to pursue a general online MBA for a good start. Unfortunately, money is an issue (with a child and other commitments.). So in summary:
- online
- cheap
- easy
- short duration (thinking about the child)
- German/English

For a English:
- ESCEM ?
- Actally I am Turkish and she's German. I even had a Istanbul university on my radar:)
- other ?

For a German:
- ?

Many many thanks, your help is appreciated!

[Edited by kocak on Jan 18, 2017]

Maybe the new ESCP online executive masters in international business? That is made up of four degree diplomas, each one is €2700. She could take one, describing it as a postgraduate diploma. That would be fast and inexpensive, from the world's oldest business school and one with the best alumni networks in Germany.

Many thanks Duncan,

Do you know any German MBA's fulfilling the conditions?

No. There's the FOM, but no-one takes that seriously. Did you see that HHL is opening up in Munich? Maybe that MSc is a great option. Otherwise, how about the LSE graduate diploma in management?

I appreciate your efforts dear. You have taken good decision to do MBA degree for your wife. But I think now a days doing MBA degree with a baby doesn't matter. Because lots of female are doing this as far as I know. Even I have seen some of the secondary level female who got married and also have baby has to take the exam in the examination hall directly. And this will be online. So, I don't think it's a big problem. Good luck!

Dear all,

I am back with the same question. My wife has not started any MBA's, nor did she take any other steps. I have changed my job, so for job security reasons we had to stop thinking in this directions.
Now, after almost one year, I see things changed in the MBA distance learning world. Studies seem to have shorter duration (3 semester!!!) and it seems financially durable.
After a quick search in Google I found this:
https://www.pfh.de/fernstudium/bwl/mba-master.html
Apparently, there is a ranking here, which is:
https://find-mba.com/search/result?keyword=&area=53&spec=&language=&program=5&intake=&tuition=0;150000&duration=6;48&averageGmat=400;800&averageWorkExperience=0;15

Duncan and @all, may I ask your advice for again:
we want:
- Distance/Online MBA
- Short duration
- Cheap
- Easy

Does the PFH make any sense?
Many thanks
Hakan

I'd echo Duncan's original advice about the ESCP program. There aren't many well-known schools in Germany that offer Online programs - why don't you look at either local German-language programs, or, barring that, an Online MBA from a school in the UK?

Honestly, I don't know what your goals are but these online MBAs from tenth-rate Hochschulen cannot be the right choice.

That list from Find MBA is not a ranking, it's a search result.

A cheap, easy, short MBA from a no-name school will be worthless.

- Easy

It is a good standard to measure the lack of quality.

The situation is following:
- We have a child (3yr) and my wife is working part-time (20hours/week)
- I am full-time and more focused on my engineering job, and have no time to support my wife in her needs actually. Thx god she is patient with me.
- My wife has studied social sciences and was a nurse in her past career
- Jobs in social sciences are not well paid unfairly
- I don't know other countries, but in Germany companies loves certificates, studies. Of course if you are good, you can get whatever you wantto....

The wishes/hopes:
- We are thinking that an "MBA" title would lift her career, open new doors, etc.
- Gain enough knowledge (if she can't locate a position) so that she can run her own business, perhaps in her own domain, i.e. social sciences

Possible solutions:
- Fast/short duration online MBA which should be feasible.
-> Of course it would be nice to have the best possible education, etc. But this is not possible for us considering our time and possibilities.
- Our budget is about max. 15k €
- 3 years study is not possible. There is a little Life waiting for attention

Appreciate any responds

What is your closest city? Why not take another qualification?

We live in Munich. I guess you mean IHK.
Comparitively low against MBA title. MBA is an eyecatcher...

What matters is where your qualification comes from. An MBA from a no name school doesn't mean anything. The IHK qualifications are known. An MSc from a known school would be better. Even the LSE graduate diploma is better than a no name MBA.

The LSE graduate diploma is a great suggestion.

If you still really want an MBA, Queen Mary University of London is 15000e (plus exam center fees), and is the most legit option you can get for that money. And very flexible

illinois UC at 18000e is much better, and your best option, if you can stress the budget

If you are going for a no name school, at least go for open university of cyprus MBA that is 5500e to waste as little money as possible :)

[Edited by George Patsoulis on Apr 23, 2018]