Bachelor Professional in IT

Preparation courses for the examination take place at the respective educational institution. For digital learning forms (e.g., virtual classroom), learning locations are at home or, if applicable, training rooms during face-to-face phases. For combined learning forms (e.g., blended learning), training rooms are used for face-to-face events and home for online learning units.

This is a further training profession: Bachelor Professional. The further training is conducted via a nationwide standardized examination, and participation in preparatory courses is not mandatory. The duration of further training is approximately 21-31 months (part-time). Bachelor Professionals in IT coordinate IT projects and improve processes in various business areas. They work, for example, in system integration, networking, information security, software development, data analysis, or IT consulting. They assess whether IT processes can be improved or renewed and then implement them. They enhance existing workflows using IT and new technologies. Bachelor Professionals in IT collect data and evaluate business processes from technical, economic, legal, and security-relevant aspects. Furthermore, they lead employees, foster their development, shape changes within the company, and advise company management.

Part-time: approx. 21-31 months.

Distribution of hours (example): Learning and working methodology: 10 teaching hours. Professional specialization: 400 teaching hours. Planning IT infrastructures, integrating and networking systems and components, and ensuring function and operation. Ensuring information security. Planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating software solutions. Planning, conducting, and evaluating data analyses for optimizing business and production processes. Consulting and support in implementing individual IT customer solutions. IT-specific fields of action: 300 teaching hours. Management of IT projects: 110 teaching hours. Management of IT-related processes: 110 teaching hours. Management of the introduction and operation of IT solutions: 80 teaching hours. Employee leadership and human resource management: 200 teaching hours. Personnel planning and development: 120 teaching hours. Leading employees and teams: 80 teaching hours. Planning, conducting, and documenting.

Course fees are incurred for attending preparatory courses, and examination fees for the examination itself. Additional costs may arise, for example, for work materials, travel to the training institution, or external accommodation. Funding opportunities: Preparatory courses for the further training examination can be financially supported according to the Upgrading Training Assistance Act (Aufstiegsfortbildungsförderungsgesetz). Further information: Aufstiegs-BAföG - Advancement with Funding. Support for particularly talented young professionals: Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung (SBB) - Further Training Scholarship.

Examination parts/areas: Professional specialization. Planning IT infrastructures, integrating and networking systems and components, and ensuring function and operation. Ensuring information security. Planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating software solutions. Planning, conducting, and evaluating data analyses for optimizing business and production processes. Consulting and support in implementing individual IT customer solutions. IT-specific fields of action. Management of IT projects. Management of IT-related processes. Management of the introduction and operation of IT solutions. Employee leadership and human resource management. Personnel planning and development. Leading employees and teams. IT project. Planning, conducting, and documenting an IT project.

In-depth knowledge in the following areas is a good prerequisite for successfully passing the advanced training examination: Business/Law (e.g., to assist in shaping offers and contracts), German/English (e.g., to design target group-specific communication strategies multilingually), Computer Science (e.g., to propose technically optimal and market-driven IT solutions).

The advanced training consists of theoretical and practical instruction. Depending on the educational provider, one should be prepared for the following conditions: Instruction time is typically part-time advanced training on weekends or in the evenings. For digital learning formats (e.g., virtual classroom), learning occurs exclusively via electronic learning platforms and systems (primarily from home in a classroom setting). For combined learning formats (e.g., blended learning), there are in-person events in a classroom setting at the educational institution and self-directed learning via electronic learning platforms and systems from home.

For advanced training abroad, the following options are available, for example: In Switzerland, advanced training offers can be found through 'wab - Die Weiterbildungsdatenbank der Schweiz' (the Swiss Advanced Training Database) using search terms like 'IT-Management'. The Europass offers the possibility to document learning periods completed abroad. Further information on the Europass is available.

Participation in preparatory courses is not remunerated.

The following advanced training alternatives are available for the profession of Bachelor Professional in IT: In the field of IT Coordination: Bachelor Professional in Business Informatics, State-certified Technician (Specialization in Informatics, Focus on Business Informatics)/Bachelor Professional in Technology, State-certified Business Informatician/Bachelor Professional in Business, State-certified Technician (Specialization in Artificial Intelligence)/Bachelor Professional in Technology, Bachelor Professional in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Commonality: coordinating IT projects and managing work processes. In the field of Networking, Data and Information Security: State-certified Technician (Specialization in Informatics, Focus on Network Technology)/Bachelor Professional in Technology, State-certified Technician (Specialization in Informatics, Focus on Technology).

In 2002, IT advanced training was reorganized: the nationwide 'Ordinance on Professional Advanced Training in Information and Telecommunication Technology' (IT-Fortbildungsverordnung) established 3 career levels (Specialists, Operative Professionals, Strategic Professionals). Examination regulations for 4 Operative and 2 Strategic Professionals were set, and 29 specialist profiles were defined. In 2010, the IT-Fortbildungsverordnung was amended: admission requirements for Operative Professionals were changed (shorter professional experience), specialist profiles were included in the ordinance, and the number of specialist profiles was reduced from 29 to 14. In 2020, the Vocational Training Act (BBiG) and the Crafts Code (HWO) were revised: among other things, the advanced training qualifications 'Geprüfte/r Berufsspezialist/in' (Certified Professional Specialist), 'Bachelor Professional', and 'Master Professional' were introduced to emphasize the equivalence of vocational and academic education. The use of professional titles depends on the enactment of corresponding new regulations.

Qualification Title: Bachelor Professional in IT

Bachelor Professional in IT is a vocational advanced training. The examination is uniformly regulated nationwide in Germany. It is not required to attend a course to be admitted to the examination.

After their advanced training, Bachelor Professionals in IT primarily work in the IT sector. They can also be employed in companies across various economic sectors or in public administration. To maintain and expand their expertise, they can pursue adaptive training in areas such as IT project management, IT security, and employee leadership. With this advanced training qualification, Bachelor Professionals in IT can gain access to university studies even without a general higher education entrance qualification, for example, to earn a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science. Starting one's own business is also possible, for instance, by establishing a consulting company for IT projects.

The following specializations are available during the advanced training: System Integration and Networking, Information Security, Software Development, Data Analysis, IT Consulting.

For the examination: Ordinance on the examination for the recognized advanced training qualification with the designation Bachelor Professional in IT (Bachelor-Professional-IT-Fortbildungsprüfungsverordnung - BAProITFPrV) of 24.09.2024 (BGBl. 2024 I Nr. 295). Further information: Bachelor Professional in IT - Framework Plan with Learning Objectives, 2025 (German Chamber of Industry and Commerce - DIHK).

The prerequisite for admission to the advanced training examination is usually: completion of the final or journeyman's examination in a recognized vocational training (Ausbildung) in the field of information and communication technology OR a passed examination as a 'Geprüfte/r Berufsspezialist/in' (Certified Professional Specialist) in the field of information and communication technology OR a qualification in another recognized vocational training (Ausbildung) and at least 1 year of relevant professional experience OR at least 90 credit points in a university degree program (Studium) and at least 2 years of professional experience OR at least 5 years of professional experience with significant relevance to tasks in the IT sector. A validation procedure (Validierungsverfahren) allows for the proof of professional knowledge and skills if a corresponding educational qualification is missing.