Betriebswirt/Betriebswirtin (Fachschule) für Unternehmensführung/Bachelor Professional in Wirtschaft

The advanced training takes place at technical colleges (Fachschule) and other educational institutions. Learning locations include classrooms and computer rooms.

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 economists (Betriebswirt/Betriebswirtin) for corporate management plan, coordinate, and control a company's market activities and manage the collaboration of individual departments. In strategic corporate planning, they establish long-term framework concepts for business areas. They develop business ideas, design business plans, and strategically enhance growth and competitive advantages. Furthermore, they introduce efficient system structures and adapt processes, structures, and systems to the company's size. They analyze and control processes in finance and accounting and prepare financing plans. Additionally, they provide profitability and weakness analyses as decision-making aids. Work areas and locations: Employing companies:

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

Distribution of hours (example): Fundamentals of corporate management: Business and economics: 200 teaching hours. General law and European law: 80 teaching hours. Labor and corporate law: 40 teaching hours. Tax law: 80 teaching hours. Business mathematics and statistics: 100 teaching hours. Accounting: 100 teaching hours. Total: 600 teaching hours. Management practice: Management methods including information technologies: 320 teaching hours. Work methodology for executives: 160 teaching hours. Collaboration and communication: 40 teaching hours. Project management practice: 40 teaching hours. Work and organizational psychology: 40 teaching hours. Management strategies: 40 teaching hours. Corporate culture: 40 teaching hours. Management systems: 40 teaching hours. Elective subject 'Business English' or 'German in Business Life': 120 teaching hours. Total: 840 teaching hours. Function-related management: Investment and...

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). Further information: Aufstiegs-BAföG - Advancement with Funding. Support for particularly talented young professionals: Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung (SBB) - Advanced Training Scholarship.

Learning areas: Subject-specific, e.g.: Business administration, economics, accounting, law, taxes, business mathematics, data processing, corporate management. Interdisciplinary, e.g.: German, English, vocational and work pedagogy. Additional knowledge: Schools may provide additional knowledge that enables the acquisition of trainer suitability (Ausbildereignung) or university of applied sciences entrance qualification (Fachhochschulreife).

In-depth knowledge in the following areas is a good prerequisite for successfully passing the advanced training examination: Economics/Law, for example, to plan and act economically and adhere to budgets. Mathematics, for example, to carry out cost and performance accounting. Communication, for example, to conduct negotiations.

The advanced training consists of theoretical and practical lessons. Depending on the education provider, one should be prepared for the following conditions: For full-time instruction, lessons are full-day on at least four weekdays. For part-time instruction, it is usually career-accompanying training on weekends or in the evenings. The learning format is generally in-person events: classroom instruction at the educational institution, which may not be in your place of residence.

For advanced training abroad, there are options such as: Switzerland, with further training offers from 'wab - Die Weiterbildungsdatenbank der Schweiz' (e.g., using the search term 'Betriebsökonom/in' - Business Economist). The Europass offers the possibility to document learning stays completed abroad. Further information on Europass is available.

Participation in advanced training is not remunerated.

The following advanced training alternatives are available for the profession of Business Administrator (Fachschule) for Corporate Management: In the field of Management and Corporate Leadership: Business Administrator (Fachschule) for General Business Administration/Bachelor Professional in Business and Practical Business Administrator. The commonality is taking on commercial-business management and leadership tasks in controlling a business. In the field of Accounting and Controlling: Business Administrator (Fachschule) for Controlling/Bachelor Professional in Business, Business Administrator (Fachschule) for Accounting/Bachelor Professional in Business, Certified Controller, and Certified Business Specialist. The commonality is taking on specialist and leadership tasks in accounting and controlling.

In 2020, the Vocational Training Act (BBiG) and the Crafts Code (HWO) were amended. This included the introduction of advanced training qualifications such as 'Geprüfte/r Berufsspezialist/in' (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 school and technical college regulations of the federal states (Bundesland) govern the duration, possibilities for shortening, and extending the training. Participants with a degree in another specialization within the field of economics or in a second specialization can shorten the advanced training. Participants can make up for missing professional experience, in part, during the advanced training, which may extend its duration.

This advanced training is legally regulated only in the mentioned federal states. It leads to the following qualification titles there: In Baden-Württemberg, the title 'Staatlich geprüfter Betriebswirt/Staatlich geprüfte Betriebswirtin - Fachrichtung Betriebswirtschaft und Unternehmensmanagement' is awarded. The title 'Bachelor Professional in Wirtschaft' can also be used in addition to the degree. In Hessen, the title 'Staatlich geprüfter Betriebswirt/Staatlich geprüfte Betriebswirtin, Fachrichtung Betriebswirtschaft, Schwerpunkt Unternehmensführung (Bachelor Professional in Wirtschaft)' is awarded. In Saarland, the title 'Staatlich geprüfter Betriebswirt/Staatlich geprüfte Betriebswirtin (Fachrichtung Unternehmensführung) (Bachelor Professional in Wirtschaft)' is used.

The State-Certified Business Administrator (Staatlich geprüfter Betriebswirt/Staatlich geprüfte Betriebswirtin für Unternehmensführung) is a professional advanced training. It is regulated by state law and takes place at technical colleges (Fachschule). It lasts 2 years full-time, and 3-4 years part-time.

After their advanced training, business administrators (Betriebswirt/Betriebswirtin) for corporate management work in companies across almost all economic sectors. They can keep their specialized knowledge current, up-to-date, and expand it through adaptive advanced training. The range of topics extends from corporate management and planning to controlling. Building on existing qualifications, further advanced training specifically designed for graduates of advanced training can expand and complement their competence profile. It is also possible to take the examination as a business administrator (Betriebswirt/in) according to the Vocational Training Act (Berufsbildungsgesetz). With their advanced training degree, business administrators can gain access to a university Studium (degree program) even without a general higher education entrance qualification and, for example, obtain a Bachelor's degree in corporate management or management. They can also become self-employed.

The advanced training is regulated by state law in the following federal states (Bundesland): Baden-Württemberg, Hessen, and Saarland. In Hessen, the regulation (FS-APrVO) from 05.07.2011 (Hess.ABl. S. 323), last amended by Article 28 of the regulation from 16.12.2025 (Hess.GVBl. Nr. 110), applies. In Saarland, the regulation (APO-ABU) from 10.06.1991 (Saar.Amtsbl. S. 666), last amended by Article 229 of the law from 08.12.2021 (Saarl. Amtsbl. S. 2629), applies. There are no state-specific legal regulations in the following federal states: Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia.

Technical colleges (Fachschule) usually require a degree in a relevant recognized vocational training (Ausbildung) occupation and professional experience. The minimum educational requirement is a secondary school leaving certificate (mittlerer Bildungsabschluss). This depends on the respective federal state (Bundesland).