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Benefit from your years of experience
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): Your Path to a Master’s/MBA Without a Bachelor’s.

Study online,  

On your own schedule, 

And open new professional opportunities –  

In as little as 1 year. 

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Take the extra step in your career, with a Master’s/MBA degree that certifies your skills and experience

Built a successful career, but feel that something is missing? 

Are some opportunities not available to you because you don’t have a university degree? 

At IU International University of Applied Sciences, Germany’s biggest private university, we believe that education should be accessible to everyone. That’s why we now offer expert professionals and managers, with 6 years or more of qualified work experience, the opportunity to earn a Master’s or MBA degree, even if you don’t have a Bachelor’s degree – with our recognition of prior learning (RPL) process. 

 Study 100% online, on a full-time or part-time basis, and earn a degree that can transform your career –  All while comfortably combining your studies with your work. 

 Ready to make the impossible possible? 

No prior bachelor’s degree needed

Earn admission to your desired degree programme based on your professional experience + passing the preparatory module 

Work and study at the same time

Thanks to the flexibility of studying online, on your own schedule 

Graduate with an international degree

Our online degrees are accredited by the German state and recognised around the world 

A group of young process management professionals discussing strategies at a computer screen and smiling.

Recognition of prior learning (RPL): what is it, and how does it help you?

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a way for us to assess your previous learning and/or professional experience, to determine if they're on the same level of knowledge as provided by a university degree. 

If you’ve developed a significant amount of professional knowledge and skills in your field, but have done so outside of formal education, RPL is a great tool for you to use as an entry point to an advanced academic degree. 

To make a long story short: RPL lets you gain a formal academic recognition for your skills and experience – and skip the need to get a Bachelor’s degree, in the process. 

That way, you can start your studies at a Master’s (or MBA) level - 

But only if you meet certain admission requirements. 

Choose your study programme

With the Master’s/MBA for Professionals study track, you get to pick your degree from over 15 available programmes, depending on your experience and future career aspirations. 

The degrees offered consist of 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits, with study periods ranging from 12 to 36 months. 

(ECTS credits stands for European Credit Transfer System, the standard credit transfer system in the European Union and many other countries around the world.) 

The programmes you can choose from are: 

Master Degree Programmes

MBA Degree Programmes

What a Master’s/MBA for Professionals degree can do for your career

Improve your profile

Match your educational credentials to your professional skills, and companies will notice. 

Increase your salary

Be eligible for a raise, or attract new offers that pay better than your current job.

Open new challenges

Remove any blockers standing in your way of becoming a C-suite executive or climbing up the corporate ladder. 

Develop on a professional and personal level

Prove to others – and yourself – that you can achieve anything, regardless of the obstacles.

Master’s/MBA for Professionals – what you need in order to apply

Educational requirements

  1. Vocational Diploma
  2. Professional experience:
  • A minimum of 6 years of full-time professional experience in a field relevant to your desired study programme, including at least 3 years of full-time work in a leadership or expert role.
  • Your experience must be backed by proof in the form of official documents. 

Successfully completing the preparatory module

The preparatory module* consists of two parts:  

  1. A seminar paper (approx. 40 pages), time for completion: 12 weeks (full-time)  
  2. A 30-minute-long oral exam (colloquium)  

The 4 steps to starting your degree

1. Apply online

Choose the study programme you want to start, and fill out the online application form. You’ll then receive your personalised study contract, to review and sign digitally. 

2. Upload your application documents

To ensure a speedy admission process, please upload your documents as soon as possible. Your personal upload link will be provided once you sign your contract. Your documents will be reviewed in order to assess your eligibility to start the programme you chose. 

3. Start (and finish) the qualification

Once your application has been approved, you’ll need to successfully pass the qualification exam. We’ll send you the login credentials to our MyCampus learning platform, where you’ll need to work on and complete your seminar paper and colloquium. 

4. Admission approval & Study Start

After you pass the qualification exam, you’ll be officially enrolled. Your study contract is now legally binding, and you’ll receive an official admission e-mail. 

On the starting date you chose, you’ll get an e-mail with your login details to all of our online platforms. Congratulations, you’re ready to start your degree! 

Master’s/MBA for Professionals FAQ:

Will the Master’s/MBA for Professionals degree be recognised in my country?

The Master’s/MBA for Professional study track is state-accredited in Germany, and are compatible with the EU’s Bologna Process standards for international university degree recognition. That means that the degree you’ll earn is recognised around the world. 

What is the preparatory module?

Once your admission has been provisionally approved (and your study contract has been signed), you’ll get access to our digital campus, where you’ll begin your “Introduction to Academic Work” course. The course will give you all the tools you’ll need in order to successfully pass the preparatory module – including the support of a tutor throughout the module. 

The preparatory module, which consists of two parts – a 40-page seminar and an oral exam (a colloquium) – is required in order to validate your admission and prove your ability to meet academic requirements. 

How much does the Master’s/MBA for Professionals cost?

The costs depend on the programme you choose to take and the time model you decide to do (full-time/part-time). For information about our tuition fees, please visit our tuition fees page. 

In addition, there is a €500 fee for the preparatory module. The application itself is free of charge. 

What are the most popular programmes?

For experienced managers and experts, the most popular degree programmes we offer are the One-Year MBA 60 ECTS credits, MBA Master of Business Administration 90 ECTS credits and M.A. Management + Majors 60 ECTS credits. 

Can I switch to another university during my studies?

If you start your Master’s/MBA for Professional’s degree, you cannot switch to another university, as our preparatory module is not recognised by other universities. Only the degrees themselves are recognised externally. 

I don’t have a vocational diploma, but I meet the professional experience requirement. Can I still start a degree?

To qualify for admission to this preparatory programme, you need to either have a high school diploma (or an equivalent), or a vocational training diploma that is relevant to the master's degree you intend to pursue. 

Upskill your career with an IU degree

And get a discount of up to 1444 € if you apply by December 5th!* 

Get job-ready with an IU degree. Upskill with our internationally recognised, career-oriented programmes that help make your CV shine. Study flexibly and advance your career on your terms!

APPLY NOW

*You can start anytime.

Work smart towards your dream job!

Apply by December 5th to save up to 1444 € on your on-campus tuition.  


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Personal counselling
Have any questions?

Visit our FAQ page or get in touch with our Study Advisors. You can also find information about the application process under our Become a Student page.

Personal counselling
Have any questions?

Visit our FAQ page or get in touch with our Study Advisors.