Business Administration Business Analytics and Operations Research (BAOR)

Degree
Master of Science
Semester fee
78 Euro
Start of the program
Winter and summer semester
Standard length of the program
4 Semester
Place of study
Ingolstadt
Part-time studies possible
No

Application Info Master WFI

Applications for the Winter Semester 2025/26 are now open!

Application deadline for applicants with a university degree from within the EU: June 15, 2025*

Application deadline for applicants with a university degree from outside the EU: May 15, 2025*

**Click on ‘Apply Now!’ to access the application form.

The degree program in "Business Analytics and Operations Research" offers a career-oriented education in the design, application and integration of digitalization, data science and optimization in management and economics in a theory-founded yet applied fashion. Our degree program provides comprehensive methodological foundations on which further subject-related knowledge in the most important business functions like Marketing or Logistics is successively built. The Master's program offers sufficient flexibility in the selection of courses, the semester abroad and the choice of internships. This gives students the opportunity to tailor their studies to their individual needs. The available modules allow you to study the program entirely in English.

The program in detail

Contents

In the BA&OR Master’s degree program, students acquire 120 ECTS credits. Of these, 90 ECTS credits are earned by attending required or required elective modules of 5 ECTS credits each. 30 ECTS credits are awarded for the Master’s thesis.

Structure

Required modules

The 6 required modules in the program impart interdisciplinary basics. The required area includes the following modules:

  • Data Analytics in Python
  • Operations Research
  • Predictive Analytics
  • Service Analytics
  • One module from the list of Business Languages, Communication and Teamwork
  • Ethics

The required elective modules  Business Languages, Communication and Teamwork contain a selection of courses that strengthen your communication and teamwork skills to impart the knowledge that you acquire in this program.

Required elective modules

Students must obtain a total of 35 ECTS credits in the required elective area. The courses can either have a methodological character or allow students to apply learned methods in a specific field. A selection of the available methodology courses is divided into the areas "Business Analytics" or "Operations Research". 

Courses from the specialist areas are subdivided into the specializations "Supply Chain Management", "Finance", "Digitalization and Information Systems" and "Marketing".

Elective modules

Students have to complete a total of 25 ECTS credits in elective modules. They can choose freely from the entire range of modules of the specialization BA&OR, or from the module offer of all other specializations (FACT, MARKT, International Business administration) of the Master’s program in Business Administration. Upon request, students also have the possibility to integrate further modules (that they have completed abroad or modules from the entire range offered at the KU) into their degree program. The elective area also gives students the possibility to approach a subject in business administration, economics, business languages or law in-depth or to dedicate themselves to general scientific questions.

Master’s thesis

The Master's thesis (30 ECTS credits) can be connected to any of the fields and specializations taught within the "Business Analytics & Operations Research" program. 

We explicitly encourage that students write their Master's thesis in cooperation with companies in case of interest. Students with the goal of an academic career are always invited to work on one of the ongoing research projects in our departments.

Documents about the course of studies for all Master BWL

Module Catalogue

Module Catalogue

Module Catalogue for the Master's Program in Business Administration for the Summer Semester 2025

Module Catalogue for the Master's Program in Business Administration for the Winter Semester 2024/2025

Module Catalogue for the Master's Program in Business Administration for the Summer Semester 2024

Module Catalogue for the Master's Program in Business Administration for the Winter Semester 2023/2024

Module Catalogue for the Master's Program in Business Administration for the Summer Semester 2023

Module Catalogue for the Master's Program in Business Administration for the Winter Semester 2022/2023

Module Catalogue for the Master's Program in Business Administration for the Winter Semester 2021/2022

All module descriptions can also be accessed directly via KU.Campus. Please choose the navigation points "Information portal --> Degree programs". Enter your degree program and the relevant semester in the search mask. In the list of results, the module handbook will appear in the upper right-hand corner for downloading as a pdf or Word file.

The module descriptions published in KU.Campus are legally binding.

Degree program description

Degree program description for the Master's Program in Business Administration

Mandatory Electives

Mandatory Electives in the Master’s program Business Administration M.Sc., SoSe 2025

Mandatory Electives in the Master’s program Business Administration M.Sc., SoSe 2024 and WiSe 2024/25

Mandatory Electives in the Master’s program Business Administration M.Sc., SoSe 2024

Mandatory Electives in the Master’s program Business Administration M.Sc., SoSe 2023 and WiSe 2023/24

Methods

Nowadays, being able to solve numerous business management problems not only requires identifying of the cause of the problem and developing a proposal for a solution, but increasingly also the implementation in an existing or new business management application system.

Business Analytics

Statistics and quantitative methods form the basis for decision models in business administration. Statistical methods can be used to analyze, model, forecast and evaluate quantifiable processes and performance of a company. Accordingly, the range of specific applications in corporate functional areas such as logistics, marketing, controlling and human resources is broad.

Operations Research

In the track "Operations Research", students learn how to develop and apply quantitative models and methods to support decision-making in companies. Typical approaches of Operations Research are optimization and simulation. Here, an abstract model is created for a section of reality, with the help of which analyses can be carried out in order to create a sound basis for decisions.

Subject area

The discipline’s subject area approaches specific business management problems without explicitly explaining the methodological basics. You can focus on a single or on several areas of business administration. We offer "Supply Chain Management", "Finance", "Digitalisation and Information Systems" and "Marketing".

Supply Chain Management

In order to support decision-making in SCM, we use so-called advanced planning systems that contain different quantitative methods of business administration. In the SCM specialization, students learn about these quantitative methods and how they can be used to solve the respective problems.

Finance

The Finance specialization primarily focuses on financial models for the description and corresponding methods for the solution of problems that typically occur in practice in banks or financial service providers.

Digitalisation and Information Systems

In the field of Digitalisation and Information Systems, you will learn theoretical basics of algorithms and data structures as well as databases, which are the underlying basis of every information system and thus of every form of automated management of business information.

Marketing

The Marketing specialization is mainly concerned with classical customer and value-oriented problems in marketing. Here, the focus is always on model-based and quantitative analysis of the determinants of buying behavior.

Additional study programs

Additional study program "Sustainability in Business“

The additionally study program "Sustainability in Business" aims to train students to become competent multipliers of sustainable corporate management. Given the increasing importance of sustainable practices in the modern economy, this program offers in-depth training that is geared towards the current and future requirements of companies.

The additional course "Sustainability in Business" is aimed at all master's students at the WFI  who want to get involved in a sustainable future. It offers an excellent foundation for careers in a several industries and fields  in which sustainable thinking and action are growing in significance. Graduates of this additional course are well prepared to play a crucial role in the transformation towards a sustainable economy.

The additional course "Sustainability in Business" is aimed to all master's students at the WFI  who want to get involved in a sustainable future. It offers an excellent foundation for careers in a several industries and fields  in which sustainable thinking and action are growing in significance. Graduates of this additional course are well prepared to play a crucial role in the transformation towards a sustainable economy.

Additional study program „ Digitalization in Business”

The supplementary study program "Digitalization in Business" is designed to equip students with the expertise needed to excel in digital business management. In an era where digitalization is increasingly permeating all sectors of the economy, this program offers a comprehensive education that meets the growing demands of modern enterprises.

Targeted at all Master's students at the WFI, "Digitalization in Business" provides an excellent foundation for careers across various industries and fields where digital thinking and action are increasing in importance. Graduates of this program are well-prepared to play a pivotal role in the digital transformation of businesses, leading them successfully into the digital age.

Additional study program "WFI Consulting Badge"

The Consulting Badge programme is an additional course of study at the WFI Ingolstadt and prepares students specifically for a career in management consulting. Through a combination of specialised courses and direct contact with consultants from leading consulting firms such as Bain & Company, Deloitte, BearingPoint, Simon Kucher and Capgemini, you will have the opportunity to gain deep insights into the industry and become part of a valuable network.

The programme is aimed at committed, determined and team-oriented WFI Master's students who are ready to gain exciting experience and set their career course.

The program in awards and rankings for WFI

The degree programs offered by the Ingolstadt School of Management (WFI) regularly score top positions in popular university rankings. These include:

Rankings and assessments

StudyCheck2024

KU students and alumni have voted for their University to be Germany's most popular university in the 2024 ranking of the online portal StudyCheck. This is the third time in a row, as KU was also voted the most popular university in 2021 and 2022. The ranking was based on over 78,000 evaluations for more than 500 higher education institutions and universities. 97 percent of students questioned for the ranking would recommend studying at the KU to others. 

"There is no better praise for a university than almost 100 percent of students and alumni agreeing: I can only recommend studying at the KU! That is why we are very pleased with the ranking’s outcome, because it expresses the high level of satisfaction of our students," says KU President Prof. Dr. Gabriele Gien.

More ranking results

Studying abroad

Our students are at home in Ingolstadt and in the world: Multilingual degree programs and a unique network of more than 90 partner universities worldwide make the WFI a global campus with an international study atmosphere. It is with great enthusiasm that the vast majority of our students (approx. 90%) spend one or even several semesters at one of our renowned international partner universities. Irrespective of where you would like to spend your semester abroad: North America or Asia, Australia, South America or Europe – we have the perfect program for you. We promote and supplement the study abroad with a required business language, English-language courses and additional offers from international guest lecturers.

Experience reports from semesters abroad programs at the Ingolstadt School of Management

Semester abroad in Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy

Rolf Kleylein-Feuerstein

Where did you stay: Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy

Would you recommend a stay in Bolzano to other students:

Definitely yes! If you are looking for a very modern, trilingual university, in one of the most beautiful places in Europe, Bolzano is just the right place. And please don't let the proximity to Germany scare you off. The mentality there is completely different, as are the climatic conditions. Sometimes you can't believe that it's "only" four hours by car to Ingolstadt.

Bozen
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Bozen
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Stay abroad in Portugal

Anja Mutter

Where did you stay: in Portugal at Universidade do Porto

Tell us about your daily university life there:

A usual day at university there started with a relaxed breakfast with my roommates in our shared flat or at the Douro river. Afterwards I went to the lectures at university; I spent my free time between the courses with my friends on the university meadow or in a cafe. After I finished my tasks for the group work alone or together with the group in the library, I went to the gym, which is right next to the university. In the evening, I cooked and ate with my roommates and afterwards I spent the night in small bars or clubs.

Portugal
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Portugal
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Stay abroad in Angers, France

Maurice Stoerk

Where did you stay: I spent my semester abroad in Angers, at the ESSCA School of Management. The partner university of WFI is one of the Grandes Ecoles in France and is Triple Crown accredited.

Tell us about your daily university life there:

Lectures were held in small classes (no larger than 20 students) and were characterized by a high proportion of group work, presentation and oral participation. I liked the concept very much, as it encouraged personal initiative.

Leisure time

Angers is a nice student town and offers numerous bars, restaurants but also nice spots like the Esplanade Coeur de Maine, which is inviting for ending the week and welcoming the weekend together with fellow students. In addition, it is a good opportunity to visit cities such as Paris, Nantes or Rennes, all of which are less than two hours away by TGV.

Frankreich
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Frankreich
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Stay abroad in Finland

Jacqueline Heibel

Where did you stay? 

I spent my semester abroad at the University of Vaasa in Finland. Vaasa is a small town, but it has its charm and the campus of my host university is super beautiful, right on the waterfront.

What did you like best? 

My absolute highlight was the trip to Lapland. Shortly before Christmas we traveled far north with a group, visited Santa Claus and spent cozy days deep in the forest in cozy wooden cabins surrounded by snow. The typical Finnish ice swimming after a sauna session was a must.

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Finnland
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Semester abroad in the USA

Manuel Scheerer

Where did you stay?

University of California at Davis, USA

Tell us about your daily university life there? How did you spend your leisure time? 

Since we attended a total of 5 courses, we were on campus almost every day. Nevertheless, there was still more than enough time for leisure activities, and the offer at the University of California in Davis is extremely extensive. The Recreational Center offers courses for all kinds of sports. We also participated in the Intramural Soccer League. Davis is definitely a student town where there is always something going on in the evening. 

USA
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Stay abroad in Mexico

Anna-Maria Contino

Where did you stay?

Guadalajara, Mexico

Tell us about your daily university life there? How did you spend your leisure time?

I had Spanish four times a week in addition to normal courses. In general, I liked being at the university very much, because the campus is very nice and green. There is also a gym and several canteens / cafés.

What did you like best?

Actually, "everything” – I made many friends there whom I would like to visit again soon. I also find the culture very open and warm-hearted. In addition, Guadalajara has a lot to offer and you can also travel very well from there.

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Mexiko
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Practical connection

Students at the WFI have many opportunities to put what they have learned into practice. Thanks to collaborations with leading companies and organizations in many different fields, the KU is able to offer excellent prospects when it comes to finding internships and starting a career in Germany or abroad. Networking opportunities are provided by our University’s career fair “Company Day” and many other recruiting events, as well as presentations by companies and various workshops.

Studying at the WFI is more than ‘just’ learning. Most students are active in different student organizations. Like this, they continuously hone their soft skills and can exchange views with students from other disciplines. The “WFI spirit” means outstanding commitment.

Career possibilities and professional fields

Career prospects

Graduates of the program have a wide range of career options after completing the program, three of which are briefly introduce here. The data analyst deals with the systematic collection, processing and evaluation of all types of data. An OR analyst applies mathematical models and procedures to help companies solve complex business problems. It is also possible to start your career as a generalist at major strategy consultancies, as you are well prepared for this as a student with the methodological knowledge and analytical approach acquired.

Alumni testimonials

"Especially the friendly atmosphere, the campus-university and the numerous student initiatives really let you feel the "WFI spirit". The possibility of integrating a stay abroad and writing your Master's thesis in an external collaboration round off the studies in the BA&OR specialization".

"Especially the friendly atmosphere, the campus-university and the numerous student initiatives really let you feel the "WFI spirit". The possibility of integrating a stay abroad and writing your Master's thesis in an external collaboration round off the studies in the BA&OR specialization".

- Kemal Keskin (Trainee, LBBW Credit Portfolio Management)

"The scientific methods that I learned in the BA&OR courses now form the basis of my research for my doctoral project. Today I am a lecturer myself and try to impart the contents to the students in a cooperative way".

"The scientific methods that I learned in the BA&OR courses now form the basis of my research for my doctoral project. Today I am a lecturer myself and try to impart the contents to the students in a cooperative way".

- Marcel Lehmann (Doctoral candidate)

What students say about the program

"The future-oriented education and the job potential that comes with it, along with the range of university groups on offer and the excellent study conditions, were decisive factors for my choice of the BA&OR Master’s.”

"The future-oriented education and the job potential that comes with it, along with the range of university groups on offer and the excellent study conditions, were decisive factors for my choice of the BA&OR Master’s.”

- Daniel Wenzl

"The very good study conditions, the excellent reputation of the faculty, as well as the intensive staff-to-student ratio and support played a decisive role in my decision for the BA&OR Master's degree program".

"The very good study conditions, the excellent reputation of the faculty, as well as the intensive staff-to-student ratio and support played a decisive role in my decision for the BA&OR Master's degree program".

- Jessica Kügel
Foto Andrea_Delgado

"I have finally found a Master's program where I can apply my know-how acquired during my Bachelor’s program and connect it to current topics and learn more about the importance of data analysis. In the process, I also learn more about German culture and its educational system. I am very happy that I made the right…

"I have finally found a Master's program where I can apply my know-how acquired during my Bachelor’s program and connect it to current topics and learn more about the importance of data analysis. In the process, I also learn more about German culture and its educational system. I am very happy that I made the right decision to do my Master's at the WFI".

- Andrea Delgado
Rolf_Kleylein-Feuerstein

"I chose the BA&OR Master’s program because of its incredibly well conceptualized design. You can see how the different modules are carefully coordinated to be compatible with each other and little by little you can see the big picture. The wealth of exciting and interesting courses, which also cover most current topics…

"I chose the BA&OR Master’s program because of its incredibly well conceptualized design. You can see how the different modules are carefully coordinated to be compatible with each other and little by little you can see the big picture. The wealth of exciting and interesting courses, which also cover most current topics in business and society, leaves me spoilt for choice every semester.”

- Rolf Kleylein-Feuerstein

The KU

Ingolstadt Campus

Studierende vor dem Eingang der Wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Fakultät

The KU has two campuses: Eichstätt and Ingolstadt. Seven faculties are located in Eichstätt. The Ingolstadt School of Management (WFI) and MIDS (Institute of Applied Mathematics, Machine Learning and Data Science) are located on our Ingolstadt campus.

This degree program is taught on our Ingolstadt campus.

Studying in Ingolstadt

arrow right iconStudy location

The district of Eichstätt and the city of Ingolstadt are located in the heart of Bavaria. This central location also means that the KU is easy to reach. The combination of a historic old town, modern infrastructure, attractive leisure facilities and lots of green spaces makes Ingolstadt – the second largest city in Upper Bavaria – an ideal place to study.  

arrow right iconCampus

Despite its central location in the city of Ingolstadt, the WFI campus is characterized by short distances. The KU is a campus University with modern facilities. The buildings on campus are located close to the Ingolstadt old town.

arrow right iconMore than just a degree

Studying at the KU not only provides you with the specialist knowledge you need, but also aims to open up real future prospects for its students. We want to support our students in finding their own personal path to their individual dream future! The question is not "What career do I want to pursue?", but rather "Who do I want to be?"

Advisory Service

Some offers and study conditions are different for international students – our International Office is happy to provide help and support. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our team. We are happy to accompany you on your way to the KU and hope that we can welcome you in person soon!

Armelle Langenwald
Armelle Langenwald
International degree seeking students coordinator - Campus Ingolstadt
Building Hauptbau  |  Room: HB-209

Subject Advisor WFI

Franziska Rast
Franziska Rast
Student Counselling

Application

Requirements
Bachelor
Selection procedure: see examination regulations
Language requirements
German A2
Application period winter
Apr 01 - May 15
Application period summer
Dec 03 - Jan 15
Admission restriction
No
Selection procedure
Yes

Important Notice on Application Deadlines

The application deadline for individuals who have obtained their university degree within the European Union is from April 1st to June 15th. For those who have obtained their university degree outside the European Union, the application deadline ends earlier, on May 15th.

Application

The application process for international applicants is now completely digital. You can register online in our application portal and carry out and submit your application. After you have carried out the application and uploaded your documents, you do not need to send your documents to us again by post. You do have to submit certified true copies only if you are admitted at the time of enrollment.

Depending on the course of study, you may be asked for information on internships, professional experience, etc. Please upload the relevant documents in the upload area for all the information you provide, even if these are not mandatory fields!

Before you start the application process, please read the additional information on this page, in particular the information on the respective (German) language requirements and university entrance qualifications.

Application - more information