Business Administration/International Tourism

  • Degree
    Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
  • Type of study
    Cooperative
  • Standard period of study
    6 semester (incl. internship)
  • Commencement of studies
    Winter semester (1 Oct)
  • Credits (ECTS)
    210
  • Language of instruction
    German / English
  • Department / Central Institute
    Department of Cooperative Studies

Degree programme

The tourism sector offers a broad and exciting range of careers; this cooperative study programme is designed in a correspondingly diverse and cosmopolitan way. Students on the Business Administration/International Tourism course receive training in alternating theoretical and practical phases, which qualify them as professionals in selected areas of the tourism sector. Students will acquire business knowledge, focus on tourism related topics, apply specialist knowledge to concrete tourism projects and use practical phases in the sector as a springboard for working in the world of tourism.

There is a strong focus on the cooperative  nature of the programme with its international direction. This is accompanied by intense foreign language acquisition with the accent on business- and tourism-related issues. Practical examples and projects, visits to selected tourism companies and the acquisition of key skills round off the content of this course.

Tuition is almost exclusively in English, with a strong international focus, additional language offers and the possibility of a semester abroad supporting the international aspects of the course and rounding off the spectrum of qualifications. The modules in business administration economics and international business administration are taught under the International Programme and offer the opportunity to meet students from other international programmes as well as guest students from all over the world.

What is the International Programme about?

Professional field

The cooperative   programme of tourism studies prepares students for leadership roles in all areas of tourism, including: the international hotel industry, travel agencies and tour operators, marketing companies, wellness spas, passenger airlines, cruise travel and event management.

Degree structure

The Bachelor’s degree in International Tourism is linked to the International Programme and combines the classic modules of a business management degree with international, sector-specific and cross-cultural content. The first part of the course teaches the fundamentals of business and tourism as they relate to international operations. Modules with a particular focus on tourism include:

  • Basics of tourism
  • Sustainable tourism
  • Accessible tourism
  • Health tourism
  • Law relating to tourism

More advanced study prepares students for areas of application in the international arena and offers options in related areas, for instance:

  • International hotel management
  • Key players in international tourism
  • International destination management.

In the international study programme, the fifth and sixth semesters are spent doing in-depth work with the partner company.

The fifth theory semester and practical phases may be spent abroad.

The International Tourism study programme is composed of the following sub-areas:

Core modules Business Economics

  • Business Economics Modules (e.g. accounting, marketing, human resources and organization theory)
  • Economics (e.g. economic allocation, the business cycle & growth)
  • Law (e.g. business law)
  • Instrument modules (e.g. mathematics, statistics)

Modules with international content

  • Introduction to international business
  • Foreign expansion modes
  • Market development and marketing in selected international destinations
  • Recent case studies
  • Managing the multinational company

Modules with particular focus on tourism

  • Basics of tourism
  • Digitisation
  • Quality management
  • Sustainable tourism
  • Accessible tourism
  • Health tourismLaw relating to tourism
  • National and international key players in tourism
  • National and international hotel management
  • National and international destination management
  • Academic qualifications meeting the general requirements for admission to a University or University of Applied Sciences or professional qualifications allowing University admission as specified in §11 of the Law on Institutions of Higher Education in the State of Berlin (Berliner Hochschulgesetz BerlHG)
  • Contract for cooperative training within the framework of Cooperative Studies at HWR Berlin with a partner company of the relevant degree programme
  • Verified English skills at Level B 2 of the Common European Framework of Reference. The required minimum score of of the accepted English certificates are listed here.
  • For non-German students: German at Level C1

Applications by prospective Cooperative Studies students are not submitted to the HWR Berlin, but are instead sent directly to the Cooperative Partners using the Partner database on our website as the basis. These partners select prospective cooperative students from the applicants and draw up study contracts with them.

Make sure you submit your application in a timely manner; the selection procedure for cooperative students is undertaken by many companies more than a year prior to the commencement of studies.

Prospective Cooperative Studies students may also propose a new company that is prepared to allow the applicant to undertake Cooperative Studies. In this case, the company contacts the Division Director of the relevant study programme directly. Through discussion it is clarified whether the company is suitable candidate for a cooperation agreement. If this is successful, it is then determined whether there are free places for the interested company.

The cooperation partners for this degree programme are illustrated at the bottom of this page.

The German Accreditation Council has approved this course.

Regulations
Regulations on courses, examinations and admission as well as other forms and documents can be found at the department.

Fees and grants

  • Tuition fees

    none

  • Semesterfee

    ca. € 300 per semester (incl. local transport semester ticket)

Guidance for prospective students

Department of Cooperative Studies
Personal counselling for dual study programmes

Office hours (without advance notice)
Thu 15.00 -17.00

Study counselling by telephone
Thu 14.00 -15.00

Partner companies

Name of the cooperation partner
Location of the practical phase
Free places
Commencement of studies