Business Administration and Service Management, B.A.
Bachelor's in Business Administration and Service Management at Technische Hochschule Deggendorf's European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI), Germany — a bilingual (English-German) dual-study program that combines core business disciplines such as finance, marketing, revenue management, and data analysis with specialised knowledge in service-oriented industries. The dual-study format ties each student to a partner company throughout the degree, alternating between academic coursework and real workplace experience; German language training is compulsory from the first semester.
Programme facts
| Degree | Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 7 semesters, 210 ECTS |
| Language of instruction | English, German |
| Required German | A2 |
| Required English | B2 |
| Study mode | Dual Study |
| Start | Summer semester |
| Application | Directly to the university, summer semester until 01.12 |
| Admission | Aptitude assessment: the university evaluates how well your previous education fits the programme |
| Tuition fee | €500 / semester |
| Semester contribution | €82 per semester |
| Practical semester | Yes, mandatory |
What the tuition fee consists of
Will I get in
Admission goes through an aptitude assessment: the university checks how well the subjects, credits and grades of your previous education fit the programme. There is no fixed cut-off — the assessment is comparative.
- ✓Those interested in how service businesses — hotels, event venues, leisure parks, travel operators — are managed and how they generate value for customers and owners alike.
- ✓Those who prefer learning that combines classroom instruction with immediate real-world application rather than purely academic study.
- ✓Those who are comfortable working across two languages and see bilingual professional competence as an asset in their career.
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- ✓Those drawn to operational and organizational roles — running departments, managing teams, optimizing processes — rather than purely analytical or technical work.
- ✓Those who want a structured entry point into the German job market through an employer relationship that begins during their studies.
- ✓Those who enjoy interacting with people and understand service quality as a professional discipline, not just a soft skill.
- —The dual-study format requires students to independently secure a partner company contract before or during the application phase — the university does not guarantee placement with an employer, and finding a suitable partner is the applicant's responsibility.
- —German language learning is compulsory from semester one, and proof of at least A2 level must be provided before the third semester begins. Applicants who are not yet learning German will need to begin immediately and commit to sustained study throughout the first year.
- —The program is offered only once per year with a single intake, so missing the application window means waiting a full year.
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- —The written online aptitude test carries an external proctoring fee payable by the applicant, adding a modest but real cost to the application process itself.
- —Specialization tracks are still being developed and are not yet fully available — students enrolling now will study with a general service management orientation until those tracks are formally launched.
- —Pfarrkirchen (the location of ECRI) is a small town in rural Bavaria. Living costs are lower than in major German cities, but the social and cultural environment is very different from urban student life.
How the selection works and how strong the competition is — we go through it against your certificate when we select programmes for you.
Programme selection →About the programme
Business Administration and Service Management is a dual-study bachelor's program offered at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) of Technische Hochschule Deggendorf. The program bridges classical business education with specialized knowledge in service-oriented industries, preparing graduates for management and operational roles in sectors where human interaction, experience delivery, and service quality are central to business success.
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The curriculum is taught in both English and German and spans seven semesters. Core business disciplines — including finance and accounting, marketing, sales and revenue management, data analysis, and general management — are taught alongside service-sector-specific content. From the very first semester, students engage with German language modules as a compulsory element, progressively building proficiency alongside their subject studies.
A defining structural feature of the program is its dual-study format, which links each student to a partner company throughout the degree. Students alternate between academic study at the university and practical work phases at their partner organization, gaining hands-on exposure to real business operations across multiple departments. This structure ensures that theoretical frameworks are continuously tested and reinforced in a working environment.
The program has a notably applied orientation, with data analysis, market research, and digital business tools forming part of the core from the early semesters. Economics and society modules provide broader context for understanding the service sector's role in national and international economies.
Specializations are planned for integration into the program in the coming years, allowing students to focus on particular areas of the service industry. Students who choose a track must do so before the program begins, though a change of direction is possible before the third semester starts.
What you study
Semester 1
- Deutsch 1 (8 contact hours/week, 10 ECTS): Intensive German language training starting from a beginner or near-beginner level, forming a compulsory foundation for all students entering the program regardless of prior German knowledge.
- Mathematik und Statistik (4 contact hours/week, 5 ECTS): Quantitative foundations covering mathematical methods and statistical reasoning applicable to business analysis.
- Grundlagen der IT (4 contact hours/week, 5 ECTS): Introduction to information technology and digital tools relevant to business environments.
- Finanzen und Rechnungswesen (4 contact hours/week, 5 ECTS): Core financial accounting and financial management principles.
- Betriebswirtschaftslehre 1 (4 contact hours/week, 5 ECTS): Foundational business administration theory covering the key functions and structures of organizations.
The full curriculum and the programme's parameters are part of programme selection: we compare them with your profile.
Pick programmesCareer
Graduates are well positioned for roles in service-oriented industries including hotel and hospitality management (front office, marketing, operations), event management, leisure and entertainment venues, travel and tour operations, and broader service company management. The dual-study format means most graduates have already built professional relationships and demonstrated performance within a real organization during their studies, which significantly improves job market entry. The service sector holds substantial economic weight across many countries, giving graduates flexibility to pursue careers both in Germany and internationally.
Cost of study
| Semester contribution | €82 |
|---|
Requirements and application
| Previous education | Applicants must hold a higher education entrance qualification (Abitur or equivalent). |
|---|---|
| Language | German A2, English B2 — confirmed by a certificate when you apply |
| Application | Directly to the university, summer semester until 01.12 |
The procedure and the set of documents depend on your certificate. We check the university's requirements against your documents and give you a list: what to submit, how to certify and translate it, where and when to apply.
Check the requirementsHow to get into this programme
- 1Check your certificate and its recognitionDirect admission, a year at a university at home, or Studienkolleg first — this decides the whole plan.
- 2German up to A2 and a certificateDSH or TestDaF has to be passed before you apply.
- 3Documents and translationsCertified translations of the certificate and transcript, an APS if required. 3–4 weeks.
- 4Application directly to the university until 01.12Send the documents well before the deadline — an incomplete application cannot be completed after it.
- 5Admission, visa, movingPlan 2–3 months for the visa and the blocked account in parallel.
How to apply
You can submit the application yourself or with our help — the university decides on admission in both cases.
Applications go through the university's portal or uni-assist. Typical mistakes:
- ×incorrectly made certified copies and translations
- ×a wrong set of documents
- ×the application submitted the wrong way
- ×errors or gaps in the application form
- ×the application submitted at the wrong time — too early or too late
An incomplete or incorrectly prepared application is excluded from the selection — it can no longer be corrected after the deadline.
StudyInFocus does not represent the university and does not influence the admission decision. We do not sell study places and do not guarantee admission — this is a service for preparing and submitting documents on the applicant's side.
If your level is not enough yet
The two most common stoppers are a language level below the requirement and a certificate without direct admission. Both can be solved, but they take months — plan them now, not after a rejection.
Video about the programme
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Questions about this programme
How much does the programme cost?
What language level do I need?
When do I need to apply?
Don't postpone the application
The deadline is 01.12.2026 (48 days left). Language, translations and the document check take months, not weeks. In 30 minutes we will build a plan backwards from the deadline and tell you honestly whether you can make it.