Master of Arts in General Management | GEMA

Business Administration for non-business specialists

Fabiola Gerpott | ZU MA graduate 2013 and Professor WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management

“I came to ZU with a bachelor's in Economic Psychology in order to do a master's that has elements of both scientific precision and entrepreneurial pragmatism. As an assistant in research projects and the student business consultancy “Whyknot e.V.”, the interdisciplinary combination of theory and practice was an important factor. Working in the “grey areas” appealed to me. After that I went to work for Daimler AG as a PhD student where I got a double doctorate in Business Administration and Psychology. Today I work as a professor and I can very much see the influence of ZU's holistic approach in how I work.”

Fabiola Gerpott | ZU MA graduate 2013 and Professor WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management

This is something you won't find at most German universities. Why is that? A master's in business administration for non-business specialists requires a lot of confidence from lecturers and students: Confidence in your diversity – because in our courses, biologists study alongside architects, engineers and lawyers, as well as graduates from other fields.


Confidence in the value of your backgrounds and past experiences – because we trust that your academic upbringing and your practical knowledge can be invaluable in the study of economics. Confidence in providing you with just the right balance of basic skills and advanced study options – because you need both.


As a graduate of the master's program, your exceptional analytical and reflexive skills will allow you to get to the nub of complex issues and to deal with incomplete and contradictory information. You will be taught how to analyze socially relevant economics problems in a multidisciplinary way and to tackle them using innovative scientific methods.

Description of GEMA master's program

The M.A. in General Management is a scientific study program with a practical relevance anchored in theory. The aim is to complement the knowledge and skills that the students learned in their undergraduate degree with broad-ranging elements of management which have been supplemented in select areas, and to combine this with an interdisciplinary qualifications profile.

With this exceptional profile, the master's program takes into account the increased demands on today's managers – demands which are the result of an organizational environment that is changing in a faster and more sustained way than ever before. The unique research orientation of the master's program also qualifies graduates for a subsequent career in both the scientific and private sectors.

The M.A. in General Management prepares students for management jobs in the grey areas between different departments and the classic economics fields. It aims at occupational fields which would otherwise typically be filled by graduates from integrated study programs in Industrial Engineering, Business Informatics, Economic Law, Industrial Psychology etc.

The master's study program offers exclusive access to graduates of subjects which do not provide the option of integrated courses.


Course facts and information

  • Qualification: Master of Arts (M.A.)
  • Standard period of study: 4 semesters (= 2 years)
  • Format: Non-consecutive
  • ECTS points: 120
  • Course language: English (C1) from Fall 2024
  • Language skills: Good knowledge of English is necessary
  • Course begins: Fall semester (September)
  • Faculty: Faculty of Corporate Management & Economics
  • Fees per semester: €6,090 (until 31.03.2024)
                                                                     €7,300 (from 01.04.2024)

Interested? Note on the language requirements

As the Master in Master is an English-language Master's program, a very good command of English at C1 level is required. German language skills are desirable, but not a mandatory admission requirement. Our selection interviews for the Master in Master in General Management are held in English.


Apply now

You would prefer to study part-time instead?

ZU Executive Education offers suitable master's degree programs for working professionals.

ZU Executive Education

Team Admissions

Wallace, Birgit
Wallace, Birgit

Application Advice Graduate Programs


Phone: +49 7541 6009-2000
Write an Email


Do you have any questions about the study programs and the application process? Then please contact our applicant advisory service.


The Master in General Management is right for you if you...

...fulfill these criteria

  • a first degree other than “pure” management and/or economics
  • ambitious, looking for a high-class education and an individual learning-environment

...are interested in these contents

  • state-of-the-art general management skills
  • Combination of - classical management topics with elements from other disciplines, such as sociology or social psychology
  • Combination of theoretical foundations and scientific methods, the programs at our faculty are strongly application-oriented

...would like to acquire these core competencies

  • Qualification for complex management tasks
  • creative thinking and the invention of innovative solutions

  • design effective actions, especially in volatile business environments

...if you are interested in these career opportunities

In general, you could work in most potential positions requiring general management skills.


Examples of possible jobs include:

  • Management position in a larger organization
  • Executive position in a smaller firm
  • Entrepreneur

Additional Information



Team Admissions

Dierolf Nadine, Hurlebaus Silvia, Wallace Birgit
Dierolf Nadine, Hurlebaus Silvia, Wallace Birgit
Team Admissions
Phone:+49 7541 6009-2000
Room:FAB 3 | 0.31

Executive Program Director

Ghanem, Rima
Ghanem, Rima Dr
Program Director Corporate Management & Economics | CME
und General Management | GEMA
Phone:+49 7541 6009-1805
Room:FAB 3 | 0.69
Häcker-Kruck, Isabell
Häcker-Kruck, Isabell Dr
Program Director Corporate Management & Economics | CME
und General Management | GEMA
Phone:+49 7541 6009-1207
Room:FAB 3 | 0.69
Peter, Franziska
Peter, Franziska Prof Dr
Academic Program Director BA CME, MA GEMA, MSc CME
Phone:+49 7541 6009-2231
Fax:+49 7541 6009-1299
Room:Semi 1.06

Program advisory board

The critical assessment of our study program by third parties is a key part of our quality assurance concept. Experts from science and practice are involved as external appraisers on all aspects of improving and reconfiguring our study and exam regulations.

The current members of the program advisory board are:

Prof. Dr. Andreas Pyka | Universität Hohenheim

Dr. Christa Hainz | ifo-Institut München
Dr. Christoph Kneip | Warth & Klein Grant Thornton
Prof. Dr. Winfried Pohlmeier | Universität Konstanz


Jan Gutjahr | Master's student in Quantitative Finance at the University of St. Gallen | Student member of the programme advisory board

Time to decide

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