A degree program for Professionals

The increasing pace of change in the business environment poses ever greater challenges for companies and non-profit organizations alike. The ability to meet these challenges on a professional level is increasingly becoming the key to career success and also personal success.

In order to support motivated people in focusing on the acquisition of relevant technical, methodical and social skills, MCI set up the Business Degree Program for students in employment back in 1996 as the first part-time degree program of its kind. Within a short time it had attracted considerable acclaim and it has since established a reputation both at home and abroad as the MCI part-time degree program ”Business & Management for Professionals“.

The innovative concept of a general management training period providing a common grounding in General Management in conjunction with a specialization study period offering tailored options for specialization together with the superb quality of teaching, sharp focus on practice and clearly defined customer service element have signaled a paradigm shift in higher education. This has been confirmed by independent opinion research carried out amongst our alumni, attesting to the excellent quality of the degree program, the high level of acceptance within the business world and impressive earnings potential for our graduates.

Within the framework of this unique degree program, students can opt for two out of a total of eight dynamic options and can thus ensure that their studies are even more relevant to their individual needs. At the end of this practical work-related degree program, students write a thesis, sit an examination and participate in an integrated module with an international focus.

We invite you to take advantage of this attractive opportunity for advancing your professional and personal development!

Delivered by professionals

In selecting our teaching staff we have aimed for a balance of full-time and part-time university professors with business experience, managers recruited from the business world, experts from a consultancy background and freelance business people. Our highly qualified team is committed to drawing together individual cross-curricular threads to enable students to solve complex problems.

This degree program places special emphasis on the particular circumstances and background experience of our professional students. We specifically aim to create conditions in which the knowledge they have gained can be applied to solving concrete practical problems. This is achieved in the format of group discussions, project work and case studies. In parallel with the actual teaching we pay particular attention to application-oriented feedback and constructive counseling of the students as part of our concept of whole-personality development.

The teaching staff thinks it is important to listen to what the students say about the program. Ongoing evaluation, feedback interviews, internal and external benchmarking and a host of other measures guarantee quality and ensure that the ideas of the students have a genuine influence on the constant evolution of the degree program.

A Center of Excellence for Business

Close cooperation between business and science is a key component of the degree program. MCI's involvement in national and international projects injects an element of creative expertise into the degree program and provides business with cross-curricular problem-solving skills based on sound scientific principles. This cross-fertilization results in a “Center of Excellence“ that is humming with creativity and promotes a wide variety of networks that will serve motivated people well in their future professional and personal careers.

Leaving borders behind

Against the backdrop of the strong international links that characterize the business structure in Austria, the capacity to think and act internationally represents a strong competitive advantage. Just how seriously we take this requirement can be seen in our intensive promotion of foreign language learning, the international composition of our staff, the nature of our special case studies and project work as well as the fact that we hold lectures in English.

Within the framework of an intensive program tailored to the specific needs of professional people, our students take an integrated module with an international focus during the 8th semester. Lectures in English on international topics, visits to companies and social events further our students' understanding of how decisions are made and actions are undertaken at an international level and also promote their intercultural skills.

You will find further information under the heading International Relations.

The choice is yours

The MCI Business and Management Degree Program for Professionals offers participants specially tailored options.

Each autumn a new cohort of 80 students embarks on a four-term general management training program. This provides them with thoroughgoing general training spanning the full range of managerial roles.

* Notice: Each specialization has been limited to a minimun number of 15 and a maximum number of 30 students.

During the specialization period that follows, students can choose two from a total of eight practical options (one major and one minor).

Option I (Major)

• Marketing Management
• Human Resources & Change Management
• Process, Logistics & Quality Management
• Management & Controlling

Option II (Minor)

• Information & Knowledge Management
• International Finance & Management
• International Sales Management
• Commercial & Company Law

The major part of the eighth and final term is devoted to the research and composition of a final thesis and to the “International Topics“ module. Class time will be reduced during this semester to ensure the quality of the candidates' theses and the level of tutor support.

Students who do not have experience specific to the area of study will undergo a 15-week work experience placement during the 7th or 8th semester.

Thanks to the Austrian-wide unique nature of this combination, students will acquire a well-rounded skills profile that provides first-class opportunities in the employment market.

You have the best qualifications

Applicants who have completed secondary school education and qualified for higher education
Applicants will have the Austrian “Matura“, a relevant qualification for higher education, an equivalent vocational qualification or one issued by a competent foreign authority. We will also consider any relevant professional experience.

Applicants who have not completed secondary school with qualification for higher education but have a relevant professional qualification
This condition of eligibility is fulfilled by applicants who have successfully completed a relevant secondary education vocational program, the first stage of the HTL Matura for candidates in employment or a relevant dual training program followed by relevant employment.

Transparent and fair

Applications for admission to the degree program must be returned before the closing date and must be made using the standard application form and enclosing all the requisite documentation In the event that the number of applications exceeds the number of places available, applicants will be chosen according to the following criteria:

In order to comply with legal requirements on eligibility, applicants who have not completed secondary school with qualification for higher education but who nonetheless present relevant professional qualifications must achieve a satisfactory result in the written entrance examination. In the case of applicants who have completed secondary school education with qualification for higher education, the test result serves the purpose of providing additional information for the admissions process. All applicants are required to complete the entrance examination.

In the event of an excess of demand over supply for places, unsuccessful applicants may request that their name is put on a waiting list and - providing that they are still willing and able to accept - may be offered a place should one become free before the degree program commences.

The admissions procedure recommences for each new degree program. No special preference can be given to applicants from previous years if they have already been offered a place or a place on a waiting list during a previous admissions procedure.

An investment that is worth it

Students are currently required to pay tuition fees of EUR 363,- per term. In order to avoid a situation where students enroll but then fail to take up a place that has been allocated or leave the degree program without a valid reason, we collect a one-off initial deposit currently set at EUR 363,- which then counts towards the fees for the second term. Any documents provided by the Management Center Innsbruck as well as the costs incurred on the International Topics module will be charged to the student.

We offer you flexibility

In order best to meet the specific needs of our students in full-time employment, teaching sessions mainly take place on Fridays between 14.30 and 22.00 and on Saturdays between 8.30 and 17.00.

Each term there are additionally an average of two four-week blocks which are generally held between Wednesday and Saturday. The Winter Term runs from mid-September to mid-February and the Summer Term from mid-February to the start of July. The degree program always commences with the Winter Term.

Independent analysis confirms quality and acceptance

An anonymous survey among MCI graduates carried out by the marketing research institute IMAD confirms the outstanding quality of the MCI programs, the high acceptance in the business world, and an impressive rise in salaries (262 graduates surveyed, response rate 62.5%, sampling errors max. +/- 4.7%, graduation on average 2 years ago):

• 93% of the graduates rate their study program overall as “very good” or “good”, 6% as “satisfactory”, and only 1% as “sufficient”. Not one graduate rates it as “not sufficient”.
• 96% of the graduates would recommend the MCI “without reservations” or “with only minor reservations”. The remaining 4% choose the formulation “maybe”. “Probably not” and “not at all” is not chosen a single time.
• 75% of the graduates describe the relevance of their studies to their current job as “very high” or “high”. Only 3.7% and 1.9% describe it as “low” or “very low”, respectively.
• 65% of the graduates state that their areas of activity and responsibility on the job have broadened as a result of their studies.
• The professional development corresponds with an impressive rise in salaries. Whereas the annual gross income at the beginning of an MCI study program averages EUR 41,165, it rises to an average of EUR 49,195 at the end of the studies, and to EUR 49,195 at the time of the survey.

According to Austrian law (BGBl.II Nr. 226/2002, revised BGBl. II Nr. 290/2004), graduates of the Business & Management Degree Program for Professionals are entitled to apply for admission to a doctorate program in Social and Economic Science.

You can find out more about this from the program directors here.

According to Austrian law (BGBl.II Nr. 226/2002, revised BGBl. II Nr. 290/2004), graduates of the Business & Management Degree Program for Professionals are entitled to apply for admission to take the Chartered Accountancy examination.

Revised regulations on the admission to the Chartered Accountancy examination
Regulations on the admission to the Chartered Accountancy examination

Revised regulations on the admission to the Tax Consultancy examination
Regulations on the admission to the Tax Consultancy examination