1. Bern University of Applied Sciences
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  5. Business Administration
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Business Administration

The world of business is changing. If you want to help shape that change, you will need entrepreneurial, digital and sustainable management skills.
You can acquire those by taking our Master’s in Business Administration: we give students the practical skills that are needed for the future.

New curriculum and new didactic concept from autumn semester 2025.

You can find out more about the new curriculum and the new didactic concept at one of our information events. 

Begin your studies in autumn 2025!

Factsheet

  • Title/Degree Master of Science (MSc) in Business Administration
  • Specialisations Corporate/Business Development
  • Mode of study Hybrid study, four on-campus classroom blocks (Thursday to Saturday) per semester, plus flexible virtual learning cycles.
  • Start date Induction Days CW 37
    Start Study Programme CW 38
  • Application deadline 31 July (place guaranteed until 31 March)
  • ECTS credits 90 ECTS credits
  • Teaching language German, English
  • Location Bern and asynchronous virtual learning
  • School Business School
  • Next info event 10 December 2024, 5pm - 6pm, online (MS Teams)
    16 January 2025, 12pm - 1pm, online (MS Teams)

Contact

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Focus areas

Become a change maker with us! Our Master’s in Business Administration will help you develop specialist expertise and entrepreneurial spirit. Choose focus areas to suit your needs.

What you will gain with your degree

Our Master’s in Business Administration is designed to support you on your career path and qualify you to work in business development, managing complex projects or in management roles in organisations of all sizes.

Alondside compulsory courses, we offer you the opportunity to set individual focal points in the compulsory-elective modules as part of the specialisation.

And if you are interested in gaining international experience, you can opt for an exchange semester or a Double Degree at one of our international partner universities.

Programme overview

Career prospects

After completing the programme, you will be in a position to actively shape current and future transformations in your organisation and to take on challenging leadership roles.

Ready for challenging leadership and expert roles?

Your degree will open doors to roles in medium and larger companies, public administration, non-profit organisations and international corporations.

Our graduates work in the following fields:

  • Business Development Manager (e.g. Project Manager Corporate/Business Development),
  • Business Consultant/Analyst (internal/external business consultancy, strategy development),
  • Managing demanding, complex projects (e.g. interdisciplinary, international),
  • General management roles in SMEs or in business units/profit centres of major corporations, etc.

Duration + Content

You should have no difficulty balancing the Master’s in Business Administration with your career. The programme’s mode of study combines contact hours, arranged in three-day blocks, and online (self) study. You can comfortably manage a 60–70% workload alongside your studies.

Study model

The classroom blocks, always held from Thursday to Saturday, take place around four to five times a semester (approx. once a month). Online learning is organised in predefined, two-week cycles. How you schedule your learning within each period will largely be up to you.  

The Master’s programme typically takes four semesters. It is possible to work while studying. We recommend 60-70%. Need more time for your studies? No problem: you have the option of extending your study period for extra flexibility.

Study schedule

Structure of the MSc in Business Administration Enlarge image

Structure of academic year

Are you someone who likes to plan ahead? Our programme structure and module plans are here to help you.

Structure of academic year MSc Business Administration 2024/25 (in German) (PDF, 68 KB)

Module descriptions

The module groups

The master’s degree programme is made up of three module groups.

In these compulsory modules, you will expand your entrepreneurial, digital and sustainability skills and competences.

In this compulsory module group, you will learn how to correctly categorise, collect and practically apply information and data.

In this specialisation, you will acquire functional management knowledge for corporate development. In further elective modules, you can deepen your individual interests and set specialisations.

Additional opportunities

We partner with top universities worldwide. You may study abroad at another university for one semester. Courses taken during your exchange can be credited towards the Swiss degree, pending approval by the head of your degree programme.

We also offer double degree programmes with selected universities. You will spend one semester of studies at the partner university and graduate with a degree from both institutions.

More information can be found here:

You may participate in the Business School mentoring programme during your studies.

More information: Mentoring programme

The Certificate of Global Competence gives you the opportunity to gain skills in the areas of inter- and transculturalism as part of your regular studies.

The Certificate of Engagement provides proof of the time and effort you dedicated to the BFH Business School.

The supplementary Certificate of Engagement in Sustainability recognises your social commitment and the additional effort you put into expanding your knowledge and skills pertaining to sustainability.

What makes this programme different?

The BFH Business School offers three different master’s degree programmes. The table below compares the three programmes and shows how they differ in terms of content and format.

     

MSc in Business Administration with
specialisation in Corporate/Business Development

   MSc in Business Information Technology MSc in Digital Business Administration  
Underlying idea    

Adopt an entrepreneurial, digital and sustainable approach. Actively help to shape current and future transformations in businesses and take on challenging leadership roles.

   Direct the implementation of digital transformation, mediating between business and technology, IT management
  • Transform existing companies digitally
  • Extend existing business models digitally
  • Develop new digital business models
  
Career prospects    
  • Business Development Manager
  • Business Consultant/Analyst
  • Manager of demanding, complex projects
  • General management roles in SMEs or in business units/profit centres of major corporations
  
  • Enterprise Architect
  • Business Analyst
  • IT Consultant
  • Chief Information Officer (CIO)
  • Chief Digital Officer
  • Digital Business Architect
  • Digital Strategist
  • Digital Project Manager
  • Digital Business Analyst
  • eBusiness Manager
  

Target group & Requirements

    

Bachelor’s in Business Administration and related degrees

  
  • Bachelor’s in Business Information Technology
  • Bachelor’s in Business Administration
  • Bachelor’s in Computer Science
  • Bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering and Management Science and related degrees
  • Bachelor’s in Business Administration
  • Bachelor’s in Business Information Technology
  • Related study programmes
  

Location

    

Bern (individual modules in St.Gallen as an option)

   Zurich (classroom teaching)
Bern (coaching)		 Bern and asynchronous virtual learning  

Time frame

    
  • 4 semesters as standard (extension available)
  • Hybrid study: 4 on-campus classroom blocks (Thursday to Saturday) per semester, plus 6 flexible virtual learning cycles
  • 60-70% FTE recommended
  
  • 4 semesters as standard (extension available)
  • Mondays/Tuesdays
  • 60-70% FTE recommended
  • 4 semesters (standard) or 6 semesters (with extension)
  • Hybrid study: 4 on-campus classroom blocks (Thursday to Saturday) per semester, plus 6 flexible virtual learning cycles
  • 60-70% FTE recommended
  
Language     German   German English  
Learning methodology    
  • Combination of virtual ‘learning cycles’ and on-campus days
  • Case studies
  • Practical projects
  • Simulations
  • Study trip (Asia, Europe)
  • Company visits
  
  • Focus on classroom-based teaching
  • Case studies
  • Practical projects
  • Study trip (Europe)
  • Combination of virtual ‘learning cycles’ and on-campus days
  • Experiment-centred
  • Hands-on (e.g. AI, app)
  • Live cases
  • International (virtual) cooperation/study trip
  
Cooperation    

OST (Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences)

   FFHS (Swiss Distance University of Applied Sciences), OST (Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences) and HSLU (Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts) -  
Double Degree     USC Australia   - USC Australia
SolBridge International School of Business, South Korea		  

 

Admission requirements

There are many paths leading to the Master of Science in Business Administration. A bachelor’s degree in business administration is a basic prerequisite. The head of the degree programme makes the final admission decision.

Do you have a bachelor’s degree in a related field, for example in business information technology or in industrial engineering and management science?

If so, you need to meet the following provisions:

  • At least 30 ECTS credits of your bachelor’s degree were earned in business or economics-related modules.
  • You can demonstrate at least six months of professional experience, recognised by the Business School.
  • Applicants from abroad must have an equivalent degree (as per the swissuniversities regulations) plus at least six months of professional experience recognised by the BFH Business School.

Do you have a university degree?
You must also provide proof of six months of professional experience in the field (business administration).

This programme is taught in German and English.

  • Please submit proof of your proficiency in German level C1 (e.g. Goethe-Zertifikat C1) along with your application.
  • For English we recommend level B2. 

University qualifications from other countries must be equivalent to a Swiss bachelor’s degree/university of applied sciences degree. Equivalence will be assessed by the head of the degree programme.

Once you have applied, an advisory interview will take place with the Programme Assistant (Carmen Gebel) or the head of the programme.
The interview can also be held before registration. Please contact us directly for this purpose.

Registration

Secure your place early.
You can always submit any missing documents later.

Application deadlines

Application deadline: 31 July (place guaranteed until 31 March)
Start date: calendar week 38
Induction day:  first day of programme in calendar week 38 
Request for credit transfer: 15 August
Deadline to withdraw application: 31 July

Start your studies in the autumn semester

Brief explanation of the online application

Online applications only.
Our Online Application Guide explains how it works, step by step.

Online Application Guide (PDF, 71 KB)
Notes on deadlines and procedure in the case of withdrawal, termination of matriculation and leave of absence (PDF, 108 KB)
Form for credit transfer from professional practice or further education to the MSc Business Administration (in German) (PDF, 112 KB)

Application documents

You will need to make PDF or JPG copies of the following documents:

Mandatory requirements:

  • Passport or ID card (front and back) 
  • Passport photo that meets international passport requirements
  • Up-to-date CV
  • Personal statement 
  • Confirmation of termination of matriculation
  • Diplomas and leaving certificates (e.g. vocational baccalaureate/specialised baccalaureate with grades, university entrance qualification, Abitur or upper secondary level qualification)
  • Bachelor’s degree certificate or equivalent qualification plus transcript of records (ToR)

Additional required documentation if you were educated abroad or if your educational background is in a related field and you are looking to transfer credit from other universities

  • Comparable non-Swiss university degree with at least 70 ECTS credits in business and economics subjects (bachelor’s degree certificate) 

The costs for the programme comprise application, tuition and examination fees plus the cost of course materials and excursions.

The costs per semester are: 

CHF 964.– 
CHF 1'164.– for international students*

Detailed cost breakdown:

Application (per application)** / Matriculation***

CHF 100.–

Tuition fee (per semester)

CHF 750.–

Tuition fee for international students* (per semester)

CHF 950.–

Performance assessment (per semester)

CHF 80.–

Material fees**** (per semester)

CHF 95.–

Voluntary contribution to the student body (per semester)

CHF 15.–

Fee for social, cultural and sport offerings (per semester)

CHF 24.–

Costs for study trip (approx.) 

CHF 1000.– to 2000.–

*International students are defined as persons of foreign citizenship who at the time of obtaining their university entrance qualification were domiciled under civil law neither in Switzerland nor the Principality of Liechtenstein.
**plus CHF 10 processing fee for payment via payment slip / paper invoice.
***If the registration leads to enrolment, the registration fee will be credited as the enrolment fee.
****excl. costs for teaching materials, specialist literature, consumables, etc.

There are two ways to finance your studies: loans and grants. More information here:

Information page on educational grants

Advice + Information

Still have questions about the programme? Get in touch or visit one of our information events.

Advice

Choosing a degree programme is an important decision in planning your professional career. We are happy to conduct a personal consultation with you, during which we can discuss your goals, answer questions and clarify the requirements for your desired programme.

Prof. Dr. Nada Endrissat

  • Studiengangsleiterin
  • +41 31 848 44 38
  • Show e-mail

Student Services

  • +41 31 848 34 00
  • Show e-mail

Information events (in German)

Visit one of our information events and find out all about the degree programme, the admission requirements and your career prospects. Our students will share their experience of life at the university.

Location + Facilities

Pursue your master’s degree on our ‘green campus’ in Bern’s Marzili district, situated directly on the Aare River with a view of the Parliament Building.

Marzili

Brückenstrasse 73, 3005 Bern

We generally recommend travelling by bus or on foot.

There are no parking spaces available for students. Please use the public parking facilities.

Travel by bus and on foot:

  • Brückenstrasse is an approx. 10-minute walk from Bern railway station.
  • The «Marzilibahn» funicular descends into the Marzili district from the upper station (Bundeshaus-West). Brückenstrasse is around 450 metres from the lower station.
  • In the evening (from 8.37pm), bus line 30 runs between the railway station and the Marzili district (Dampfzentrale stop).

Facilities

Our green campus offers a wide range of facilities.

  • Library: self-checkout is available to students around the clock.
  • Cafeteria: the cafeteria is open to students year-round. There is a full range of food and drink on offer during the semester, while vending machines are available during breaks.