What you can expect in our master's program

The German-language master's degree program in Economathematics is characterized by the fact that it does not have any compulsory courses, but offers a great deal of freedom of choice for the entire course. You can design your studies flexibly and individually - with a clear focus on research-oriented teaching. The standard period of study is 4 semesters and you earn 120 ECTS credits.

The following subjects are compulsory and must therefore be taken. However, the modules included can be chosen from the respective subject area according to your own interests. This ensures that you acquire sufficient knowledge in all subject areas that are important for your future career. An exception to this is the compulsory elective subject, which can be made up of any modules from the fields of Algebra and Geometry, Analysis, Applied and Numerical Mathematics or Stochastics.

The degree program is structured as follows:

• Mathematical Methods (36 LP): you must complete at least 36 LP from four mathematical areas: Stochastics, Applied and Numerical Mathematics, Analysis and Algebra and Geometry. You need at least 8 CP from Stochastics and a further 8 CP from either Analysis or Applied and Numerical Mathematics. You can choose the remaining CP freely from these four areas.
  
• Finance - Risk Management - Managerial Economics (18 CP): here you will focus on the identification, analysis and management of financial risks. These include market risks, credit risks and operational risks. The aim is to minimize losses and ensure financial stability. Methods such as value-at-risk, stress tests and derivatives help to assess risks and develop suitable hedging strategies. There are many elective modules available so that you can set your own focus.
  
• Operations Management - Data Analysis - Informatics (18 CP): in this subject, you choose two modules from the areas mentioned. You can either focus on one of the three subject areas or concentrate on a certain field.
  
• Seminar in Economics and Management (3 CP): you choose an economics topic in which you would like to deepen your knowledge. The seminar usually consists of a written paper and a presentation.
  
• Mathematical Seminar (3 CP): in addition to the Seminar in Economics and Management, you also attend one with a mathematical topic. As a rule, only one presentation is required here.
  
• Elective Field (12 CP): you have 12 CP that you can use flexibly - either for mathematics or economics lectures or for an economics seminar. This allows you to prepare specifically for your master's thesis and deepen your knowledge in a particular area.
  
• Master's thesis (30 CP)
  

You can choose from a wide range of modules in each subject. You can find out what these are in the module handbook.

Master's thesis

At the end of your studies, you will complete your master's thesis (30 CP), an academic paper that enables you to apply and deepen the knowledge and skills you have acquired. It deals with a specific topic from your field of study and requires independent research, analysis and the preparation of a written thesis. The master's thesis takes 6 months to complete. You can start it as soon as you have achieved 60 CP. Upon request, the master's thesis can also be completed in a company or at another KIT Department. A presentation of your results is not mandatory.

Internship

The study program does not include a compulsory internship. You can complete a voluntary internship during your studies. If it serves the objectives of your studies and covers at least half of the lecture period, you can apply for a semester off (leave of absence). Such an internship offers you valuable experience outside the university and can make it easier for you to start your career later on.

Make your studies international

You have various options for integrating a stay abroad into your master's degree course. For example, you can study at a foreign university of your choice for one or two semesters via Erasmus+ or as a freemover. You can also do an internship abroad. In addition, selective mobility is possible via Eucor - The European Campus: KIT students can flexibly attend individual courses in addition to courses at KIT or study full-time for an entire semester or year at an Eucor partner university.

Further information can be obtained from the contact person responsible for stays abroad at the KIT Department or at the International Students Office.

With a master's degree in Economathematics, you will be highly sought after on the job market. Thanks to your strong analytical skills and structured approach to complex issues as well as your extensive portfolio of business mathematics methods, you can be employed in many commercial enterprises. Examples include the assessment of opportunities and risks in insurance and financial planning as well as the optimization of operational processes, warehousing and location planning. Excellent career prospects are also open to you nationally and internationally as a specialist and manager wherever there are complex situations in economic fields and a high degree of security and commitment is required. With a master's degree and/or a doctorate, you will often find yourself not only in industry, consulting firms and the service sector, but also in (interdisciplinary) research.

Characteristic features of Economathematics M.Sc. at KIT

• well-structured program with many elective options
  
• program is anchored in the KIT Department of Mathematics and the KIT Department of Business and Economics
  
• strong research profile of the KIT Department with an impact on research-oriented teaching
  
• many lectures offered in English
  
• attractive and modern department building with many seminar rooms, workstations, specialist library and cafeteria
  
• good advisory infrastructure at the KIT Department of Mathematics
  
• integration into the EUCOR university network enables participation in courses at the universities of Freiburg, Basel, Strasbourg, Colmar and Mulhouse
  
• possibility to write a master's thesis at another KIT Department or in cooperation with a company
  

What KIT has to offer

• central campus close to the city forest and right next to the city center
  
• 24-hour library offering single and group working places
  
• wide range of inexpensive catering options (dining hall, cafeteria, Koeri and Pizzawerk)
  
• numerous interdisciplinary offers for personal and professional development, e.g. Lernlabor, Schreiblabor and Perspektivenlabor
  
• study abroad, e.g. via Erasmus
  
• excellent university sports facilities with a large selection of sports
  
• comprehensive cultural offerings with university orchestras, choirs and theater groups
  
• extensive support for career entry and self-employment
  
• internationally oriented degree programs and diverse exchange programs
  
• modern laboratories and practical teaching methods
  
• Lernraum app
  
• diverse student initiatives, clubs and opportunities to actively participate in campus life
  
• stay in touch after graduation via the alumni network
  

Admission requirements

The requirements for admission to the master's degree program in Ecconomathematics are based on the current admission regulations:

• bachelor's degree
  a bachelor's degree (or at least an equivalent degree) in Economathematics (or a program with essentially the same content) from a university, university of applied sciences, university of cooperative education or a foreign university. The program must have been completed within a standard period of study of at least three years and with a minimum number of 180 ECTS credits.
  
• minimum knowledge and minimum achievements
  you must provide evidence of the following achievements in your bachelor's degree or as part of other degree programs:
  • Fundamentals of Mathematics amounting to at least 20 credit points
    
  • Stochastics with at least 8 credit points
    
  • Business Administration or Economics amounting to 15 credit points
    

Language requirements and certificates

For the master's degree program in Economathematics, you need sufficient knowledge of the German language. Your German language skills must correspond to at least level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Important: you must provide proof of the required language skills regardless of your citizenship and by the end of the enrollment period at the latest, but preferably at the time of application.

In what form do I have to provide the language certificates? Please read the following chapters on this website carefully. If you have any further questions, please contact

• Students Office if you are applying as a German, German national or a person with German equivalent status
• the International Students Office if you are a non-EU national

Proof of sufficient German language skills

As proof of your German language skills, your higher education or master's entrance qualification (e.g. Abitur, university degree or a professional qualification that entitles you to study) is sufficient if you have acquired it at a German-speaking institution with German as the language of instruction.

In concrete terms, this means that you do not have to submit additional proof of German if you

• have obtained your Abitur at a German-speaking school in Germany or abroad,
• are a graduate of a bilingual secondary school in Germany or abroad and have passed a bilingual German examination, such as the AbiBac or the Gemischtsprachiges International Baccalaureat (GIB) or
• you graduated from a foreign school, but there is another official agreement with the respective country regarding the recognition of your school-leaving certificate or language certificate as proof of language proficiency for university studies in Germany.

A complete list of foreign school-leaving qualifications and language certificates that are recognized as proof of sufficient German language skills can be found on the website of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Laender (KMK) in the Federal Republic of Germany.

If you have already completed a German-language degree at a German university, this can also count as proof of German language proficiency - but only if the diploma supplement, transcript of records or degree certificate clearly states that German was the sole language of instruction and examination.

If, on the other hand, you did not obtain your higher education or master's entrance qualification at a German-speaking institution with German as the language of instruction, you must provide proof of German language proficiency at least at DSH-2 level. This corresponds to CEFR level C1.

Only the following certificates are accepted in accordance with the KIT admission and enrollment regulations:

• passed German section of the Feststellungspruefung (assessment test)
• passed German language test for university admission (DSH) with overall result DSH-2
• passed Test of German as a Foreign Language (TestDaF) with level 4 in all four parts of the exam
• German Language Diploma of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs - second level (DSD II)
• Goethe certificate C1 or higher
• passed telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule exam
• Austrian Language Diploma C1 or higher

Note: The above-mentioned tests are accepted as proof of language proficiency for an unlimited period of time, even if the provider specifies an expiration date.

What if I cannot provide suitable C1 proof of German at the time of application?

If you are unable to provide any of the C1 certificates listed above for your German language skills by the application deadline, admission is still possible if you can present a provisional document proving that you have at least B2 language level. Proof of B2 level only includes

• passed German language test for university admission (DSH) with an overall result of DSH-1
  
• passed Test of German as a Foreign Language (TestDaF) with level 3 in all four parts of the exam
  
• passed telc German B2 exam

But please don't forget: you still have to submit the C1 certificate by the end of your enrollment period at the latest, which is stated in your admission letter.

Therefore, check early on whether you can provide the necessary language certificates by the deadline and, if necessary, plan to take a recognized language test.

In justified cases, you can apply for an extension of the enrollment deadline to provide proof of your language skills, but this extensvion can only be granted up to the day before the start of the lecture period. Please contact the Student Office or the International Students Office - depending on who is named as your point of contact in your letter of admission.

Weitere Ansprechpersonen:

• KIT-Fakultät für Mathematik
• Fachstudienberatung
• Vorsitzender des Prüfungsausschusses
• Informationen zum Auslandsstudium
• Fachschaft Mathematik Informatik

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• Course catalog current term PDF (English)
• Archive of previous catalogs