Betriebswirt/Betriebswirtin (Fachschule) für Absatz/Marketing/Bachelor Professional in Wirtschaft

This advanced training takes place at technical colleges (Fachschule) and other educational institutions. For in-person events, learning locations are classrooms and computer rooms. For combined learning forms (e.g., blended learning), learning locations are classrooms and computer rooms for in-person events, and at home for online learning units.

Occupation type: Advanced training occupation (Bachelor Professional). Type of advanced training: Advanced training at technical colleges (Fachschule) (regulated by state law). Duration of advanced training: 2-4 years (full-time/part-time). Tasks and activities: Business administrators for sales and marketing participate in the planning, coordination, and control of all company activities aimed at current and potential markets. For example, they develop sales targets, compile product assortments, and set prices. They also create product presentations and conduct market analyses. For this, they evaluate annual reports, price lists, or balance sheets of competing companies. Based on this, they develop marketing concepts and advertising and sales promotion campaigns. They implement these measures step by step, monitor their success, and continuously adjust them. Areas and places of work: Employment companies: Business administrators for sales and marketing work in companies.

Full-time: 2 years. Part-time: 3-4 years.

Distribution of hours (example): Compulsory area: General learning area: German: 1st training section 80 teaching hours, 2nd training section 80 teaching hours. English: 1st training section 120 teaching hours, 2nd training section 80 teaching hours. Politics, Economics, Law, and Environment: 1st training section 80 teaching hours, 2nd training section 80 teaching hours. Vocational and Work Pedagogy I: 1st training section 40 teaching hours, 2nd training section 0 teaching hours. Total general learning area: 560 teaching hours. Professional learning area (1st and 2nd training section): Mathematics: 160 - 180 teaching hours. Project work: 160 teaching hours. Planning, conducting, and controlling projects using systematic project management: 40 - 80 teaching hours. Analyzing, evaluating micro and macroeconomic determinants and influencing factors, and deriving necessary measures: 180 - 220 teaching hours. Legal transactions.

Advanced training at state technical colleges (Fachschule) is generally free for students. Private technical colleges, however, usually charge course fees, and sometimes also admission and examination fees. Additional costs may arise, for example, for work materials, travel to the training institution, or external accommodation. Funding opportunities: Business administration advanced training can be financially supported according to the Advanced Training Assistance Act (Aufstiegsfortbildungsförderungsgesetz). For more information: Aufstiegs-BAföG - Advancement with Funding. Support for particularly gifted young professionals: Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung (SBB) - Advanced Training Scholarship.

Learning areas: Subject-specific, e.g.: Business administration, Informatics, Accounting, Law, Economics, Business mathematics/Statistics, Sales economics/Marketing, Foreign trade, Controlling, Logistics/Transport, Materials management/Production economics, Organization/Technology, Human resources management, Tax law. Cross-disciplinary, e.g.: German, English, Social studies. Additional knowledge: Schools may provide additional knowledge that enables the acquisition of instructor aptitude (Ausbildereignung) or university of applied sciences entrance qualification (Fachhochschulreife).

Vocational colleges (Fachschule) may offer additional qualifications, such as certification as a Project Manager or a certificate as a Consultant for Sustainable Management.

In-depth knowledge in the following areas is a good prerequisite for successfully passing the advanced training examination: Economics/Law: e.g., knowledge of sales economics as well as commercial and labor law. Mathematics: e.g., to perform cost and performance accounting and evaluate statistics. Communication: e.g., to increase customer satisfaction.

The advanced training (Weiterbildung) consists of theoretical and practical lessons. Depending on the educational provider, one should be prepared for the following conditions: Class times: For full-time instruction, full-day classes on at least four weekdays; for part-time instruction, typically career-accompanying training on weekends or in the evenings. Learning format: For in-person events, classroom instruction at the educational institution (possibly not at the place of residence); for combined learning formats (e.g., Blended Learning), in-person classroom events at the educational institution and self-directed learning from home via electronic learning platforms and systems.

For advanced training (Weiterbildung) abroad, the following options are available, for example: Austria: WIFI Austria (e.g., with the search term 'Marketing'). Switzerland: wab - The Swiss Further Education Database (e.g., with the search term 'Marketingfachmann/-frau'). Documentation of professional experience abroad: The Europass offers the possibility to document learning stays completed abroad. Further information on Europass is available.

Participation in advanced training (Weiterbildung) is not remunerated.

The following advanced training (Weiterbildung) alternatives are available for the profession of Business Administrator for Sales and Marketing: Marketing and Advertising Sector: Business Administrator (Fachschule) for General Business Administration / Bachelor Professional in Business, Business Administrator (Fachschule) for Marketing Communication / Bachelor Professional in Business, Certified Specialist as Consultant for Service Management, Certified Marketing Specialist (Geprüfter Fachwirt für Marketing) - Bachelor Professional in Marketing. Commonality: Taking on specialist and management tasks in the areas of marketing and advertising. Sales and Distribution Sector: Certified Specialist for Sales (Geprüfter Berufsspezialist für Vertrieb), Certified Specialist in E-Commerce (Geprüfter Fachwirt im E-Commerce), Certified Specialist for Sales in Retail (Geprüfter Fachwirt für Vertrieb im Einzelhandel), Certified Business Specialist (Geprüfter Wirtschaftsfach).

In 2020, the Vocational Training Act (BBiG) and the Crafts Code (HWO) were amended. This introduced advanced training qualifications such as "Certified Professional Specialist," "Bachelor Professional," and "Master Professional" to emphasize the equivalence of vocational and academic education. The use of these professional titles depends on the enactment of corresponding new advanced training regulations.

The duration, possibilities for shortening, and extending the advanced training are regulated by the school and vocational college (Fachschule) regulations of the federal states (Bundesland). Participants with a degree in another specialization within the field of economics or in a second focus of a specialization can shorten the advanced training. Participants can, in some cases, make up for missing professional practice during the advanced training. This may extend the duration of the advanced training.

This advanced training is legally regulated only in the mentioned federal states (Bundesland). It leads to the following qualification titles there: Berlin, Saxony-Anhalt: State-Certified Business Administrator (Bachelor Professional in Wirtschaft). Hesse: State-Certified Business Administrator - Business Administration Specialization, Marketing Focus (Bachelor Professional in Wirtschaft). Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: State-Certified Business Administrator - Marketing Focus (Bachelor Professional in Wirtschaft). North Rhine-Westphalia: State-Certified Business Administrator - Sales Management Focus (Bachelor Professional in Wirtschaft); State-Certified Business Administrator - Marketing Specialization (Bachelor Professional in Wirtschaft). Rhineland-Palatinate: State-Certified Business Administrator - Business Administration and Corporate Management Specialization.

The state-certified business administrator for sales and marketing is a vocational advanced training. It is regulated by state law (Bundesland) and takes place at vocational colleges (Fachschule). The advanced training lasts 2 years full-time, and 3-4 years part-time. Depending on the federal state, a partial qualification as a business specialist is possible. There are also educational offers based on internal regulations.

Improve opportunities with additional qualifications: Aspiring business administrators for sales and marketing can secure a good starting position by acquiring additional qualifications during their advanced training, for example, a certificate as a specialist consultant for sustainable management. Find the right employment: After their advanced training, business administrators for sales and marketing work in companies in almost all economic sectors. Secure employability: Through adaptive advanced training, one can keep their specialized knowledge current, up-to-date, and expand it. The range of topics extends from marketing to cost management. Advance professionally: Building on existing qualifications, career advancement training specifically designed for advanced training graduates can expand and supplement the competence profile. It is logical to take the examination as a business administrator according to the Vocational Training Act.

School and vocational college (Fachschule) regulations: The advanced training is regulated by state law in the following federal states (Bundesland): Ordinance on the Study Programs at the State Vocational Colleges of the Technical, Agricultural, and Economic Fields of the State of Berlin (Vocational College Ordinance Technology, Agriculture, and Economy) of April 30, 2014 (Ber.GVBl. S. 125), last amended by Article 2 of the Ordinance of September 15, 2025 (Ber.GVBl. S. 470). Ordinance on Training and Examination at One- and Two-Year Vocational Colleges (FS-APrVO) of July 5, 2011 (Hess.ABl. S. 323), last amended by Article 28 of the Ordinance of December 16, 2025 (Hess.GVBl. Nr. 110). School trial provisions: Ordinance on Training and Examination at Vocational Colleges (Vocational College Ordinance - FSVO M-V) of February 24, 1998 (GVOBl. M.-V. S. 341), last amended by Article 1 of the Ordinance of May 21, 2025 (Mittl.bl. BM M-V S. 58). Ordinance on Training and Examination in the Educational Programs of the Vocational College (Training and Examination Regulations Vocational College).

Fachschulen (vocational academies) typically require a degree from a relevant, recognized Ausbildung (vocational training) program and professional experience. The minimum educational requirement is a secondary school leaving certificate (mittlerer Bildungsabschluss). These conditions vary depending on the respective Bundesland (federal state).