M.Sc. International Economics and Management

Formal requirements from the 2025/2026 winter semester onwards

Successful completion of the Bachelor's programme in Economics or International Business Studies at Paderborn University or successful completion of an equivalent or comparable research-oriented programme in economics or a relevant programme.

This degree programme must either

• have been completed with a grade of at least 2.5 or
• the applicant must be among the top 35 per cent of all examination graduates who have completed the examination. Either all relevant examinations of the final semester and the preceding semester or all relevant examinations of the two preceding semesters must be taken into account. This means that the grade of your degree (not individual exams) is considered in relation to the final grades of all other degrees in the same degree programme. The comparison groups are either the degrees of the graduates of your final semester and the previous semester or the degrees of the graduates of the two previous semesters. In both cases, you must be among the top 35% of graduates in order to meet this formal admission requirement.

Content requirements

In addition to the formal examination, a content examination is also held. A decisive component of the examination subject is often the extent of prior methodological knowledge (e.g. quantitative methods, mathematics, statistics). Overall, you must have knowledge in the following areas and to the following extent:

M. Sc. International Economics and ManagementMinimum Number of ECTSEconomics and Business Administration80 ECTS_- of which Economics30 ECTS_- _of which Business Administration30 ECTS_Quantitative Methods incl. Business Informatics40 ECTS_- of which Mathematics10 ECTS- of which Statistics10 ECTS_Bachelor´s Thesis10 ECTS

Equivalence will be assessed during the application process.

Language skills

Foreign language skills in English at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) are required. The following are particularly recognised as proof:

• Abitur certificates showing level B 2,
• Bachelor's degrees in an English-language degree programme in an English-speaking country or in a degree programme accredited as English-language in Germany,
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (internet-based) (opens in a new tab) with a score of at least 87, Business English Certificate (BEC): BEC Vantage – Level B2, IELTS 6.5 or Cambridge First Certificate Grade A.
• German language skills are also required. Applicants who did not obtain their university entrance qualification at a German-speaking institution must demonstrate German language skills at a level of at least A2 GER (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). The following are accepted as proof:
• Certificates from the Goethe-Institut (at least level A2)
• TestDaF (TDN 3, TDN 4, TDN 5)
• German Language Test for University Admission (DSH) (DSH 1, DSH 2, DSH 3)

Students who do not have the required German language skills must acquire them during their studies before completing their master's degree. The required German language skills can be acquired at Paderborn University in German courses totalling 240 hours.

Are you missing ECTS credits?

If you are missing up to 30 ECTS credits from your bachelor's degree, you can enrol in the master's programme subject to certain conditions (opens in a new tab). These conditions should be fulfilled during the first year of the master's programme if possible. You can find out which content you need to study in the notification sent to you by the Office for Academic Affairs (opens in a new tab). The Office for Academic Affairs (opens in a new tab) is also available to answer any further questions you may have about the conditions imposed.

If you are missing more than 30 ECTS credits, enrolment under certain conditions is not possible, as the bachelor's degree you have submitted differs significantly from a bachelor's degree from Paderborn University.

If you would like to have your content and formal admission requirements for a degree programme checked in advance, please send your bachelor's degree transcript to the Office for Academic Affairs (opens in a new tab).

Further information on enrolment under conditions. (opens in a new tab)

Formal requirements up to and including the 2025 summer semester

Successful completion of a bachelor's degree in economics or international business studies at Paderborn University or successful completion of an equivalent or comparable research-oriented degree programme in economics or a relevant degree programme.

This degree programme must either

• have been completed with a grade of at least 2.5 (depending on the course of study in the Bachelor's programme, also with a grade of 2.5 to 3.0) or
• the applicant must be among the top 35 per cent of all examination graduates who have completed the examination. Either all relevant examinations of the final semester and the preceding semester or all relevant examinations of the two preceding semesters must be taken into account. This means that the grade of your degree (not individual examinations) is considered in relation to the final grades of all other degrees in the same degree programme. The comparison groups are either the degrees of the graduates of your final semester and the previous semester or the degrees of the graduates of the two previous semesters. In both cases, you must be among the top 35% of graduates in order to meet this formal admission requirement.

Admission with a final grade of 2.5 to 3.0 is also possible for students who are not among the top 35% of exam graduates in their Bachelor's year. Compensation through courses in economics and quantitative methods is possible. Depending on the final grade, this must be documented by 45-50 ECTS credits in a subject-specific specialisation or, alternatively, by a thesis from the previous degree in the field of economics/quantitative methods. Students at the Faculty of Economics at Paderborn University have the option of compensating for this through the modules offered by the Department of Economics. Depending on the grade, 5 or 10 ETCS in the areas of quantitative methods/economics are required for compensation. Alternatively, a thesis with a focus on quantitative methods/economics can be used. A schematic overview of the grade compensation rule can be found here.

For students at Paderborn University, this area includes the following modules:

• Mathematics for Economists I + II
• All modules with the module numbers “M.184.14__”, “M.184.24__” and ‘M.184.34__’

Content requirements

In addition to the formal examination, there is also a content-based examination. A decisive component of the examination subject is often the extent of prior methodological knowledge (e.g. quantitative methods, mathematics, statistics). Overall, you must have knowledge in the following areas and to the following extent:

M. Sc. International Economics and ManagementMinimum Number of ECTSEconomics and Business Administration80 ECTS_- of which Economics20 ECTS_Quantitative Methods incl. Business Informatics40 ECTS_- of which Mathematics10 ECTS- of which Statistics10 ECTS_Bachelor´s Thesis10 ECTS

Equivalence will be assessed during the application process.

Language skills

To be admitted to the Master's programme in International Economics and Management, applicants must demonstrate a sound knowledge of English by

• successfully completing at least five years of school education in English at a German institution, starting no earlier than Year 5, or
• a Bachelor's degree from an English-speaking country or from a domestic degree programme accredited as English-speaking, or
• a language test at least at the level of TOEFL 87 (internet-based) (opens in a new tab) or
• equivalent knowledge (e.g. Business English Certificate (BEC): BEC Vantage – Level B2, IELTS 6.5 or Cambridge First Certificate Grade A).
• German language skills are also required. Applicants who did not obtain their academic qualifications at a German-speaking institution must demonstrate German language skills at a level of at least A2 GER (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). The following are accepted as proof:
• Certificates from the Goethe-Institut (at least level A2)
• TestDaF (TDN 3, TDN 4, TDN 5)
• German Language Examination for University Admission (DSH) (DSH 1, DSH 2, DSH 3)
• A computer-based placement test (C-Test procedure) after enrolment at Paderborn University.

Students who do not have the required German language skills must acquire them during their studies before completing their Master's degree. The required German language skills can be acquired at Paderborn University in German courses totalling 240 hours and can be credited as part of the Studium Generale for the elective module. In this case, the certificates must be submitted to the programme coordinator, who will forward them to the examination office.

Are you missing ECTS credits?

If you are missing up to 30 ECTS credits from your bachelor's degree, you can enrol in the master's programme subject to certain conditions (opens in a new tab). These conditions should be fulfilled during the first year of the master's programme if possible. You can find out which content you need to study in the notification sent to you by the Office for Academic Affairs (opens in a new tab). The Office for Academic Affairs (opens in a new tab) is also available to answer any further questions you may have about the conditions imposed.

If you are missing more than 30 ECTS credits, enrolment under certain conditions is not possible, as the bachelor's degree you have submitted differs significantly from a bachelor's degree from Paderborn University.

If you would like to have your content and formal admission requirements for a degree programme checked in advance, please send your bachelor's degree transcript to the Office for Academic Affairs (opens in a new tab).