Elective Area

The elective Area of the Business Information Systems diplom program begins with the advanced studies phase in the 5th semester. Thanks to its structure and scope of 140 credit points, it offers excellent opportunities for individual in-depth study and specialization.

Table of contents

1. 1. Basic Structure
   2. Modules
   3. Fields
   4. Profiles
      1. Business Administration and Economics
      2. Business Information Systems
      3. Computer Science
      4. Methods and Techniques
      5. Supplementary Qualifications
      6. Profile Selection
      7. Information Session on Profile Selection

Basic Structure

• The Modules in the Elective Area are assigned to subject fields and profiles.
• These Fields form the flexible foundation of the Elective Area component. Different flexible credit limits apply to them.
• The Profiles within the fields allow you to further tailor your academic focus.
   

Modules

You can find the complete list of elective modules in the “Elective Modules” table on the Study Documents website.

There you can also see which fields and profiles each module belongs to.

Some modules are listed in multiple fields and/or profiles simultaneously due to the applicability of their content—see the modules highlighted in green or red in the illustration of the basic structure. In such cases, they are primarily assigned to the profile most closely related to their subject matter and secondarily to one or more other profiles.

You can find out which content and learning outcomes, teaching methods, and assessment requirements the modules include in the module handbook (Appendix 1 to the Study Regulations) on the “Study Documents” website.

Fields

The Elective Area of the Business Information Systems diplom program comprises seven fields: Business Information Systems, Computer Science, Business Administration and Economics, Methods and Procedures, Presentation and Discussion, Research Design, and Supplementary Qualifications.

These fields cover the various learning objectives of your degree program and are designed to give you a great deal of freedom in your course selection. Thus, the number of credit points required in each field is not strictly fixed. When selecting modules, you need only observe the following flexible minimum credit point requirements:

• 40 credit points in Business Information Systems,
• 40 credit points in Computer Science,
• 10 credit points in Business Administration and Economics,
• 15 credit points in Methods and Procedures,
• 5 credit points in Presenting and Discussing.

In addition, there are exactly 10 credit points in the field of Research Design, which you will take in conjunction with your thesis.

You can freely choose the remaining 20 credit points in the Elective Area from these fields or from the Supplementary Qualifications. This flexibility makes it easy for you to tailor your coursework to your interests.

Profiles

Groups of modules that are thematically well-matched and complement one another form profiles. These profiles allow you to further refine and clarify the focus of your studies.

The following profiles are available in the Business Information Systems diploma program:

Business Administration and Economics

• Accounting and Finance,
• Learning and Human Resources Management,
• Management and Marketing,
• Operations and Logistics Management,
• Public and International Economics,
• Sustainability Management and Energy Economics.

Business Information Systems

• Advanced Data Analytics,
• Business Processes and Systems.

Computer Science

• Cyber-Physical Systems,
• Human-Computer Interaction and Interactive Media,
• System Architecture,
• Software Technology and Programming Languages,
• Visual Computing and Artificial Intelligence.

Methods and Techniques

• Econometrics,
• Operations Research,
• Statistics.

Supplementary Qualifications

• Business Education and Management Training,
• Healthcare Management,
• Transport Economics.

In addition, you can choose from a wide range of foreign languages in the Elective Area.

Profile Selection

There is absolutely no obligation to choose a profile! Instead, you simply decide which modules to take in the Elective Area, in accordance with the minimum credit requirements for each field. Once you have completed a sufficient number of modules belonging to a profile, you can have them recognized as a major or minor:

• A major requires modules from the profile totaling at least 30 credit points, of which at least 20 credit points must come from modules primarily assigned to that profile.
• For a minor, modules from the profile totaling at least 20 credit points are required, with at least 15 credit points from modules primarily assigned to that profile.

You can therefore earn multiple majors and/or minors—or choose not to pursue any at all.

For modules assigned to multiple profiles, you decide which profile they will ultimately count toward. The module then counts toward the field to which the selected profile belongs.

Information Session on Profile Selection

Each winter semester, an information session is held on selecting profiles within the Elective Area of the Bachelor’s and Diplom degree programs.

The session is designed to be interactive and offers students the opportunity to learn in detail about the various profiles as well as the respective course offerings in the Elective Area. In addition, there is an opportunity to speak with representatives of the individual profiles and clarify individual questions.